THE Southland Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. FRIDAY, 28th SEPTEMBER, 1900.

Southland Times, Issue 14757, 28 September 1900, Page 2

THE Southland Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. FRIDAY, 28th SEPTEMBER, 1900.

■ Fkisco Alail. — The mails via San Francisco will arrive by to-day : s express and the usual special delivery of correspondence will be made at the post office between 7 and 8 p.m. Musical Recess. — Mr Gray's pupils are notified that owing to loss of voice he is unable to give lessons for a day or two. He will notify them of his return to town. The AJusical Union's rehearsal is also postponed till Tuesday. Not Him : Hek. — In yesterday's report of the technical classes exhibition Mr J. A. Bone was credited with having shown some highly meritorious sx»ecimens of carving. It should have been Mrs. KiNEMATOOR.U'H. — In the theatre this evening Cooper and Macdcnnott's Edison Kinematograph Company will give an exhibition of living pictures of the wars in Africa and China, which will be introduced by myrioramic scenes and musical selections. Most of the leading episodes ot the Transvaal war will be dealt with and as picture follows picture in rapid succession the interest is well sustained. The season is limited to two nights but, in order to enable young people to witness the displaj-, a matinee performance will be given to-morrow afternoon at 3- o'clock. Blckk Oystuumevs Ball. — This annual gathering took place in the Drill Hall on Wednesday night. An energetic committee, of which Mr H. Z. Chapman was secretary and treasurer, made the arrangements, and the success of the ball is proof that nothing was neglected. The hall was tastefully decorated, and between 60 and 70 couples danced with vim from start to finish to excellent music supplied by Mrs Blue's •orchestra, Messrs T. Parry and R. Dixon being courteous and efficient Ms.C, while the catering was by Messrs D. Kingsland and Son. The affair was altogether a most enjoyable one, and fittingly served to wind up the oyster season of 190 U. CniCKET. — At the annual meeting of the Invercargill Club, held yesterday evening, there was a large attendance and Mr Cross, president, occupied the chair. Several new members were elected. The office-bearers elected for the year are :— President, Mr A. Cross ; vice-presidents, Messrs R. AlcKinnon, L. G. Roope, J. Kingsland, J. L. Watson, R. H. Brodrick, C. Gray, J. A. Hanan and Dr Young ; secretary, Mr F. A. Thomson ; treasurer, Mr J. Manson, junr. ; general committee ; Messrs T. I). Kingsland, A. M. Howden, P. Dalrymple, G. Purdue, J. Procter, and W. Jones ; captain, G. G. Burnes ; delegates to the Association : Messrs Kingsland, Manson and Howden. It was decided to grant three years free membership to the best all-round players in the various local schools. The committee will decide upon the opening day. The trophies offered last season were presented to the winners — G. G. Burues, for the highest batting and bowling averages, and Kingsland, Stead, Grindley, Murphy and Manson, for fielding. Obituary. — Mr Aaron Blacke, a citizen of Invercargill for about 24 years, died at his residence in Don street, yesterday forenoon. He had not been confined to bed for more than a few days, but had been in such bad health for a considerable time that his demise will not come upon his more intimate friends with a shock of surprise, although they will not the less regret the loss of a genial and true friend, a useful citizen, and member of the community who had both the will and the ability to render valuable services to his fellowrnen, and who, as far as age goes, might have been considered to have man}' years of active lifestill before him. Mr Blacke was a Belfast man, and in that thriving city had enjoyed the advantage of a good commercial training in early life. He came to this colony about "To" and, landing in Dunedin, found his way to Invercargill shortly after, when he joined Messrs L. Rodgers and Co. as book-keeper, with, we believe, an interest in the business. Some five years thereafter he left Messrs Rodgers' establishment, and started business on his own account in the shop in Dee street, which he has continued to occupy ever since. While his health permitted he took a very active interest in all matters affecting the public, and his assistance could always bo reckoned upon in matters of business import, social enjo3 r ment. or benevolent effort. He was a member of the Borough Council for a considerable number of years, and for a time acting-Mayor. The Hospital Trust also had the benefit of his assistance for a while, and the Caledonian and several other societies were always glad to have him associated with there management. He was an ardent member of the Masonic fraternity, and was one of the founders of the Victoria Lodge, Irish Constitution, and filled twice the office of W.M. thereof. He leaves a widow and a grown up son, who will be accorded much sympathy in their bereavement. The funeral takes place at 3 p.m. to-day. Habeas Corpcs. — Sitting in Banco in Dunedin on Wednesday his Honour Mr Justice Williams had before him an application for a writ of habeas corpus. On 18th September the judge granted, in Invercargill, a rule itivi calling on Mary Marshall and JJohn Mclnnes to show cause why a writ of habeas corpus should not be issued to bring up Ella Marshall, a child of William Henry Marshall. The rule was made returnable at Dunedin, but there was no appearance on behalf of William Marshall.— Mr Sim stated that he appeared for the mother, Mary Marshall, and Mr Mclnnes, and asked that the rule should be discharged with costs.— Accordingly,

Anything and Anyhow Won't Do. — The Dunedin Star's London letter says that in addition to the unsightly condition of the consignments of poultry made by the Morayshire, through heads and legs being cut off, other complaints are made by ponlterers about the New Zealand poultry. They say that it was crowded and badly packed. Fifteen birds were frequently crushed into a box made for ten, with the result that the price all round was reduced. With birds of undeniablo quality too, were often mixed a fair proportion of inferior fowls, a few of which had boon condemned as unfit for food on account of their poor condition. More rigid grading, more attention to the appearance of the birds, and more careful packing would greatly enhance the prices. As it is, good New Zealand birds were fetching from 2s (id to 3s, ducks from Is 9d to 2s 3d. Missionaries' Risks. — Accounts in China papers show that some missionaries escaped after thrillingexperiences. Father Jeremiah, stationed at Paslian, was saved by an old Chinese woman. The heathen dame, pitying his distressed condition, hid him for six days in a rice box, then he was able to escape to Hankow. Father Stephanes Sette, stationed at Hingshin, owes his escape to the reverence of the Chinese for the dead. He was dumped by a Chinese Christian into a box resembling a coffin, and carried thus, 300 li to Lieuchan, taking seven days The party frequently stopped but he was not interfered with. "Jimmy' Lowthkr, — There is not (says the Sketch) a more popular man in the House of Commons than Mr James Lovvther. His popularity is proved by the fact that everybody speaks of him as " Jimmy." Mr Lowther is the most downright man in the House. He is a Tory. The less legislation the better, in his opinion ; and he ne ther fears the electors nor respects the Government. He comes ami goes in dcliaiice 'if Whips, ami he flouts Ins friends, the Ministers, in a manner which causes them no offence, while it amuses the House. When necessary, he poses as the champion of the rights of private members. Certainly he does not sympathise with fads ; but, on the other hand, he refuses to assist the Government to court the electors with legislation. The First LocoMoTfVE in China. — Li Hung Chang was given permission to construct a railway from the sea to his mines upon condition that steam power should not be used, and for several months the trucks were hauled by mules. Then Mr Kinder and some of the foreign machinists secretly constructed a locomotive out of such materials as they could find in China. It was a rude affair," and was never able to make more than five or six miles an hour, but it was a great advantage over the mule teams, for it could haul seven or eight trucks of coal at that speed, where it took four mules to haul one. But when the mandarins at Pekin learned that foreign devils were using a (ire-eating monster on the railway they immediately made a tremendous fuss about it, and called Li Hung Ciiang to account for violating his concession. The old gentlempn took it coolly, and pretended not to know anything about it, but he after■wards restored himself injavour by issuing an order rebuking Mr Kinder and his associates for their presumption, and forbidding them to introduce any more newfangled foreign notions into China, The excitement quieted down, and was joon forgotten. Then Kinder got up steam in his clumsy engine a^ain, aed was allowed to run it without interference. Colonial Borrowing.— The Hon. J. R. Dickson, Chief Secretary of Queensland, during his recent visit to London, devoted some time to inquiring into financial matters, and these are his conclusions :— " I observed a very great change in the conduct of financial affairs in England by the Bank of England and other large institutions. Whereas formerly they used to assist in the absorption of loans by colonial governments, they now steadily refuse to do anything in that direction. They will tender advice as to the best time to issue ; but they will accept no responsibility whatever. Consequently it is injudicious for any colonial loan to be placed on the London market without its being underwritten, so as to guard against failures. There is in England, as in the colonies, a great desire by the moneyed class to have command of their money at short dated periods ; in fact, almost at call ; and with the opportunities for investment offered by the Imperial Government in the Khaki loan of £40,000,000, and the London County Council, there is a natural preference for investing in securities equal to consols rather than in colonial securities. I think w therefore, that the colonies must not rely, at the present time at any rate, on the possibility of obtaining money from Great Britain. We have not yet seen the conclusion of the South African war, nor of the complications in the Far East, and until these great questions are settled there will be a tendency on the part of capitalists at Home to hold their hand, and to make sure that their money is available at short notice. Ido not find that a large rate of interest will tempt them to any long-dated investment."