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Southland Times, Issue 14146, 5 September 1898, Page 2

Personal —Mr R. C. Hunter, late chief officer of the Government steamer/Putanekai, who had the misfortune to lose a leg by an accident on that steamer, was a passenger to Bluff by the Talune on Friday. Mr Hunter is making a good recovery, and will stay for a short time with his friends before returning north. Police Court.—Mr J. W. Poynton S.M., resumed his duties on Saturday, and fined an inebriate 10s, costs 2s; 24 houis’ imprisonment in default. Further hearing of the charges against Patrick and Mary Carr and Fanny Hall for alleged sly grog-selling was adjourned till Friday at 10 a.m.

Heroes—The Rev. J. Gibson Smith is announced to lecture on the “ Heroes of the Peninsular War” in the First Church tomorrow evening. The subject is one that affords scope for a wide and varied range in treatment from the tiiumphant shout of the victor to the dirge for the tlain. It would be something like presumption at this time of day to assure readers that Mr Smith will handle his theme with rare ability, his gifts as a platform speaker having long since been heartily acknowledged by the community generaVy. The object of the lecture is the augmentation of the funds of the library belonging to thejyoung people of the congregation. The lecture is, however, open to the public and many people will be making a sad mistake— robbing themtelves of an intellectual treat—if the church is nob crowded. Selections of music, vocal and instrumental to be rendered during the evening, present an additional attraction. Market For Eels.—At a meeting of the Otago Acclimatisation Society it was suggested that an industry giving employment to a number might be established by shipping eels to the London market, a step thab would protect trout. It was stated that eels of from Sib to 2Mb were the only kind saleable in London and could be secured easily. Mr Begg undertook to get eels frozen if sent to him and Mr Farquhar undertook to secure eels for an experiment. The Glenkenich Stud Sale —As both the place and time of this sale have been altered since originally advertised, it is necessary that those intending to be pretent should particularly note the changes made in the advertisement as it appears today. The sale will not now be held at the homestead but in the Gore Horse Bazaar and, to suit trains, the hour has been changed from twelve to one o’clock. The auctioneers, Messrs Wright, Stephenson and Co. (in conjunction with Mr Quin, of Tapanui), are particularly anxious that these alterations should be clear and well published, so that no disappointments may be experienced. Catalogues are now obtainable and the front page sets forth the facts above mentioned. The body of the pamphlet, extending to 20 pages, gives the pedig-ees in full of this magnificent string of Clydesdales—mares, fillies, stallions, c Its, and geldiogs, as also of two or three high-class hackneys, and a glance over the contents satisfies anyone well informed on the s'rains of Clydesdale blood that the auctioneoro are fully war. ranted iu describing Mr Mackenzie’s stud as the crack stud of South Otago. The advertisement w.ll be found in another column and supplies some particulars not recapitulated Sere.

The Carnival.—After remaining open for a week the fair was brought to a conclusion on Saturday evening, a large number of country visitors giving the flickering flame of closure a parting flutter. The goo is unsold at the stalls were auctioned by Mr Todd and found r.-ady buyers. Mr Murie gave a first class exhibition of bicyle trick riding, and, as he had one side of the hall to perform in, this large space gave him an opportunity of executing some skilful and daring feats, each one eliciting rounds of applause. That quaint scene the Japanese wedding was repeated on the s'age and carried through in a manner which met with general approbation. The Pipe Band was there in all its glory and marched round the hall playing stirring airs. The side shows did fairly good business, but there seemed to be a certain amount of apathy shown by the ladies, coupled wi h a hidden suggestiveness of relief at their labours being about ended, and this was not to be wondered at, for they have worked long and hard and the hall, with its variable temperatures and draughty interior, requires a pretty strong constitution to pull through six evenings and remain agile aud spirited at the termination, More credit to them for the plucky manner in which they stuck to the good cause of the sterner sex, In connection with the guessing competition, the number of peas in the jar was i 2,281, Mr R. Donaldson coming nearest with 12,330 and gaining the silver teapo\ Mrs H, Mair came second with 12,340, annexing the call-be]l. The guesses ranged from 2000 to as high as 7,000,500. Gladstone.—A meeting of the Borough Council on September Ist was attended by Mr A. F. Hawke (Mayor), Council ors McGill, Wilson, Murray, and Cooper.—The statement of receipts and expenditure and rate-book were adopted, and the resolution of the pievious meeting striking a shilling rate was confirmed. The manager Otago and Southland Investment Society asked for a rebate of half rates on houses a year empty. Rtferrod to the clerk to report to next meeting.—Mrs Quinn asked that the drain in Duke street be filled, and the clerk was instructed to reply that the matter wili be attended to. Accounts for L 25 were passed for payment. “ Don’t Do As I Do,” Etc. — Mr Ernest Terah Hooley contributed a signed article in one of the New York papers on “ How to make money, how to save money, how co spend money.” Mr Hooley runs to aphorism, as Fortunes are earned by energy and labour. Fortunes are kept by prudence and care. The secret of wealih is labour. A man who would make money must first of all see that bis word is as good as gold. Efe must maet every obligation with the utmost promptness. He must establish his credit, and when people have confidence in him he can borrow Urge sums. The proper way to keep a fortuu»,” says Mr Hooley, “ is to invest it safely, then let it alone, spending only the income, and taking cate to keep well within that.” This savours of platitude and marks the gulf between practice and precept, while the remaining precepts ate, if anything, a trifle more trite. It is interesting, hove ver, to have Mr Hooley’a word for it that he “ could have retired a few months ago on L 70.000 a year.”—English paper.

Winton Borough Council —At its maeting on Friday the Council granted the request of Knight and Pearce for the removal of a flood gate from the mouth qf the outfall into the old channel of Winton creek and authorised the Mayor to arrange with contractor for the works going on to make a new cut of about a chain through Knight’s property. It was resolved to close with the offer of the Railway Department to share equally the cost of a drain on the east side of the line from the old gravel pit to the northern boundary of the town and Mr Sharp was appointed to fix with Mr Macandpaw the value of the work before sfarting it. The tender of John Simons for work on Meldrum street was conditiora’ly accepted and accounts amounting to Ll 3 9s fid were passed for payment. The returning officer reported that Mr Wilson had retired from the contest for the south ward and that therefore the sitting member Councillor Jdoora was duly returned,

Shakespeare Society.—The third annual meeting of this society was held on Saturday evening in the Education Board room, Mr J. L. Campbell occupying the chair. The report and balance sheet showed the society to be in a very satisfactory position. It was decided to change the night of meeting from Saturday to Thursday. The election of office-bearers lor the ensuing year resulted as follows Presidept: The Ven. Archdeacon Stocker; vice-presidents: Messrs J. L. Campbell, J. R. Webb, J. A. Hanan, and S. F. Whitcombs ; committee : Messrs A. McKillop, R. N. Told, and Misses S. Murray and Isherwood ; treasurer: Miss G. Hodgkinson ; auditor : Mr J. T. Carswe’l; secretary: Mr W. E. Gladstone. The society have been studying “ Midsummer’s Night’s Dream” for some time and intend giving a public reading of the same in a few weeks.

Otautau.—On Friday night Dr William Todd, who has been practising in the district for the past two years and is removing to Invercargill, was entertained at a social gathering got up to mark the appreciation of the residents for his setvices as a medical man and merits as a friend. The Aparima Lodge of Oddfellows, to which he was medical officer, also enter ained Dr Todd at a banquet and presented him with au illuminated address expressive of their sense of his services. The address was the work of Mr W. E. Gladstone.

Mataura —The Choral Society’s concert on Friday night in aid of the funds of the proposed hall for the Horticultural Society was rather poorly attended owing to the exceedingly boisterous weather. The programme (proved a treat to those who attended and Dr Hendry, the conductor, deserves credit for the way in which he had trained the members. Five candidates were nominated for the vacancies in the B irough Council and a poll will be taken, there being only three seats. A considerable sum will shortly ba at the disposal of the Council for works and matters connected with the installation of the electric light.—Own correspondent.

The Projected Woollen Mill Cojipany. —The Awarua Woollen Company is meeting with some favour, and it is likely that this “ third time of asking ” for public support will be successful. The shareshave been divided into A and B classes. The promoters, Messrs Howell and Dalz-el, take the A shates, on which no dividend will be paid until the B shares receive a dividend. They give full value for the A shares in hand and machinery, as detailed in the prospectus. As has been suggested several 1 times by some townsmen, it is intended to commenci in a small way in comparison to the magnitude of the northern companies, and it is expected that a good deal of opposition will thus be avoided. So many people wish to see a woollen mill in the district that it should meet with support from the beginning, and with care may grow with the growth of the district. It is understood that the A. W. Sinclair Woollen Company and the Southland Woollen and Worsted Company are being withdrawn from the market. Village Settlement.—The report on village homestead settlements was issued last week. These settlements now number 165. Of 3284 original selectors only 1185 remain. One hundred and one took up 1485 acres last year, and 62 either forfeited or surrendered 1216 acres. During the yiar L 4877 was paid in interest and rent,or nearly 5 per cent, on the total value of the land. Two hundred and sixty-five settlers are in arrears with rent and interest to the extent of L 2085. Nearly L 26,000 has been advanced ior cottages, etc., and L 2462 has been paid back. Generally speaking, however, the report says, the terants’ engagements have b?en well mob. —Parliamentary correspondent. Dog Story.—This is a dog story—true. It comes from the Blairgowrie district. A poor travelling sweep one night found a dog’s kennel untenanted, and in it he laid him down to sleep. The flee, bushy, jobby end of his brush he lefo sticking out at the entrance as a sort of zirebi in case of attack by the enemy. The enemy arrived, mistook the bristles for a presumptuous and ignorant hedgehog, set up a horrible howl, and prepared for conflict. The sweep awoke, and suddenly thrust out his brush with all the foroo, ncienoo, aud dexterity of a firatclass practitioner. The dog fl id, mad with terror —so did the sweep. Three months passed before the dog could be prevailed upon to re-enter its habitation.

Longevity.—A Skye centenarian, by name Angus McLeod, passed away recently. He was born at Lochs, Lewis, in 1789, and was thus 109 years old. He was one of the liveliest of spirits, and not later than last New Year walked to Portree and back, a distance of fifteen mile?, in five hours with ease. His memory and all his mental faculties never suffered. During all his lifetime he was never a day in bed with illness except a short time before he died, and never in his lifetime had he taken a pennyworth of medicine. He was a staunch Auld Kirk man, and could be seen in his pew every Sunday with his red cap over his grey head. Burns Mem.—Lord Rosebery has, by request, sent his autograph to Miss Jean Armour Burns Brown, a great Granddraughter of the poet, who keeps an autograph album. James Glencairn Thomson, residing at Croshmylcof, Glasgow, the only surviving grandson of Burns, is now in his seventy first year, and unable to earn a living. An effort is being made to raise a sum sufficient to purchase an annuity. Injudicious Forestry. — The Wakatip Mail reports that the result of tree-felling in Queenstown park was some 34 cords of gum firewood, besides a quantity of smaller wood, The clearance is hardly perceptible, while the felling (has been the means of removing a number of trees which wepe jut of line with those on the avenue. The Council, however, made a serious mistake in lopping off indiscriminately the lower branchesofall the trees—andlwehearthey are still at it. The utter folly of this kind of thing was very manifest on Arbor day, when persons waiting about the rotunda for the procession were exposed to the full force of a keen damp blast cutting between the bare trunks. There was slightest necessity for immediate steps being taken, and the Council might have waited and taken counsel of expirts competent to give an opinion. The mischief done is irreparable. —They do things better in Queenstown than in Invercargill : here the waste timber was not even offered to the poor.

Nice Points.—Sir Robert Ball tells an amusing story of a meteorite which fell on an American farm. It was claimed by the ground landlord, because the lease reserved to him all minerals and metals on the land. It was also claimed by the tenant on the score that it was not in the ground when the lease was made. The landlord then required it as “ flying game.” The tenant, however, pleaded that it had neither wings nor feathers, and asserted his right to it as ground game. White the dispute was raging the revenue officers seized it as aq article which had been introduced into the country without payment of duty. Magisterial Incompetency. — Under this heading the Evening Post says that the scene in court during the hearing of the action Keith v. T. K. Macdonald and Co. reflects gravely upon the capacity of the presiding Magistrate. It must be apparent to the whole city that such incompetency in a judicial officer cannot continue to be tel rated either by the legal profession or the general public. The latitude allowed to counsel, and the refusal to check irrelevant and p rsonal attacks, are a disgrace to a British Court of Law. Wo have been lenient heretofore in commenting on Mr Kenny’s proceeding', because we were aware that he was often called upon to parform work beyond his powers. But recently his errors of judgment and his want of control over the Court have been mounting up in a way that cannot be disregarded. Not long ago we had occasion to protest against the injudicious nature of his remarks in giving judgment on a certain liquor case, and again a sense of duty compels us to call attention to the laxity he permitted to a particularly aggressive counsel. There is, we understand, a feeling among many reputable legal practitioners that they cannot continue to practise in the Stipendiary Magistrate’s Court here unless some radical change is made in its conduct. It is exceedingly unpleasant to have to speak thm cf an important public officer, but the interests of justice and the reputation of the colonial Bench demand that such grave abuses should be exposed and ended.

What a Sell '.—An amusing incident occurred in connection with a trial in South Africa. The jurors were locked up during the luncheon adjournment, refreshments being provided. l,The arrival of a couple of plates of meat and » egetal les and a jug of tea was the signal for a general outburst of indignation “ agin the Government,” but the hungry and thirsty nine attacked the food and drink provided, which, needless to eay, speedily disappeared. Then entered a re ay of waiters, laden with m- at and drink sufficient even for the nine. Then,and not till then, did the “ good men aud true ” discover that they had consumed the luncheon provided for the piiione's !

P litical Intelligence ou page four to-day. Aphorisms by a local philosopher—“ The stomach governs the Universe.”—“ Nature is a friend to the strong, an enemy to the weak.”—“ There is nothing in the eyes of men so despicable as poverty.”—“ Patriotism is a glorious delusion.” Everyone knows that the le iding remedy for colds, chest complaints and lung trouble, is Conquest's Cough Cordial. No home should be without it. All chemists and grocers, Is 6d a bottle. A North country paper says a number if Jews have been in Shetland buying herrings for Russia. Ten thousand barrels are stated to have been purchased by them at Baltasound alone.

Fresh shipments of new goods by every steamer are being opened out at the Exhibition. The values are better than ever, and there are bright chances ahead for the buyer . Cue of Barnum and Bailey’s staff, on one occasion, engaged lodgings in Gla.gow by letter. . I' hen he appeared in person, the landlady, d.scovenng that he was thirtyfive stones weight, declined him with thanks.

Wise men speak. Platt on “ Business,’ Smiles on “Thrift.” Franklin, Carlyle’ Gladstone, and other notable men have all praised the motto “ Pay as you go,” and some of our best and most respected members of Parliament have said “The credit system is the curse of the country.” Dm’t be cursed by the credit system, but buy your groceries from Mr J. S. Baxter, the Cash Grocer, who gives, bast value for prompt cash.

The gipsy coronation ceremony at Yetho.n this y«.ar produced a credit balance of LIOO. Bis Majesty King Charles is to be a lowed ten shillings per week so long as the money lasts.

Sufferers from rheumatism, sciatica, him bago and pains of all kinds should not faito try Slesingers Rheumatic Balsam. Sue. cessfully used for quarter of a century Chemists ai d grocers. 2s 6d a bottle. SYNOPSIS OF NEW ADVERTISEMENTS. Rev J G Smith gives a lecture in First Church tomorrow evening Election of councillor for South Ward on Bth mat National Mortgage Co sell sheep at Wairio on 7th ; stock at Drummond on Sth aud at Otautau on 9th A 7 to 10 roomed house wanted J Wilson wants a youth for the grocery business A steady married man and a single man want the management of agricultural work J Tennant, Heddon Bush, wants a general servant : also a housemaid The Carnival Committee return thanks to all who helped to make the Carnival a succees Notice of diversion of Victoria Avenue Thomson and Beattie draw attention to the bargains in their Manchester department