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Southland Times, Issue 14788, 3 November 1900, Page 2

Soith Akkra.— The Boer system of worry is still being pursued, seemingly with unabated ferocity, treachery and pertinacity. Sudden raid?, derailing of trains, capturing and burning of mails, cutting telegraph wires, and every other damage that ingenuity can hit upon, not to speak of the treacherous shootings, of which the worst sample, perhaps, lias been that at Jacpbsdal, where the inhabitants took forty Boers into their houses at night, who fell, the tirst thing in the morning, to shooting with explosive bullets, the British soldiers while still asleep. The Queen's grandson, Prince Christian Victor, has died of entericfever, and has been buried at Pretoria, in accordance with his own desire. De Wet is in a tight corner at present, and resorts to shooting those that will not tight with him. The property of resisting Boers is being seized : about half a million's worth of stock was seized by the British in one week. That is a part of the means which make for peace. It is a very small itom in the com pensation they are owing, even if Kruger's gold could be added. £100,000 worth of the latter — a mere fraction — is under embargo at the instance of the British Government and Court at Hamburg. The pressure on the Boers is being still maintained vvith increasing energy in every direction. The houses of those that treacherously shelter and assist the raiding Boers are burnt, and Boers taken prisoners are being sent to Ceylon, as no oath can bind them. A vast number of sheep and cattle has been necessarily consumed, and a vast number more has been captured. Agricultural operations have been entirely disarranged, and largely neglected, in consequence of which it is apprehended there will soon be a scarcity of food. The farmers, and others who have property, are anxiously desirous of a termination to the present pernicious condition of affairs, and endeavouring to co-operate in the measures adopted to ensure final pacification. The burghers of Pretoria are of the same mind, and sent a deputation to Steyn and Botha who, however, declined to receive them or listen to any remonstrances. It is said that they are waiting the result of Kruger's mission to Europe before evincing any indications of flinching. Whether they are deluding themselves or not, it is certain that they succeed in deluding their followers with vain hopes and unmitigated falsehoods. But what with the pressure brought to bear on all and the distress arising from the continued disorganisation in the means of living, the point is not very far to reach at which peaceful arrangements will become a boon to be gladly accepted. That that point should be reached before the final establishment of peaCe, will give the peace all the better prospect of enduring reality. The Boers will have exhausted ever}" resource and contrivance, and will be content to live iv peace and ease from useless struggle. Chiskse Akkaiks. — The affairs of China are still in keeping with the character of that nation of jugglers and subtle prevaricators. All the other nations, including America, have given their acquiesence in the Anglo-German arrangement, securing integrity to the Chinese Empire, the maintenance of trade relations and personal security. But what China wants to do, or really means to consent to do, is still a thing floating under various guises, and of which nothing can be definitely affirmed. We have nothing to go by except rumours and reports, of the authenticity of whieii we have no sort of assurance. Li Hung Chang is reported to have ottered, on behalf of the Government, forty millions sterling of indemnity ; Prince Tuan to be imprisoned for life ; Tientsin to become an international district, and additional ports to be added to those now open for foreign trade. Another Prince is said to have been already beheaded. It is further rumoured that the Emperor and the Empress- Dowager are willing to return to Pekin if their safety is assured. The Emperor, indeed, seems to liave been passive and helpless throughout,

but the Empress was undoubtedly the front and head of the whole dismal business. If adequate retaliation cannot reach the virulent virago it will be a pity. These reports may have some facts behind them. If they have it still remains to bo seen how far the facts will coincide with the terms to which the Powers have by this time made up their minds, and what the final settlement is likely to be. All Saints. — During the summer months the Sunday evening services at Gladstone will commence at 7 o'clock, starting with tomorrow. A Universal Loss. — Among the cables dropped in the recent " stramash " of our telegraph service was the announcement of the death of the famous Oriental scholar and philologist Professor Max-Mueller, in his 77th year. Ladies' Sale of Work. —A considerable number of events of this description have come off during the past few months. As all were for good and laudable purposes it is pleasant to be able to add that they were all successful. One more has yet to come, however, and although probably the last for the year, it will be by no means the least in importance. The ladies' guild of St. Paul's announces this morning that their sale, for which they have been working for months past, will be held on Wednesday, the 21st inst. Park School Flagstakk.— A well attended meeting of subscribers was held on Thursday night, when the tender of Mr J. Donaldson for the supply of a pole was accepted. The secretary and treasurer reported that he had £3f> in hand, but as the total cost would be £42, further efforts on the part of the collectors were necessary-. The ceremony in connection with the unfurling of the Hag was i\<ud for Wednesday, 21st inst., anil it was decided to ;isk his Worship tlie Mayor, Mr Hanan, M.H.K., members of the Education Board and school committee and also Dr. Srr.yth (a former teacher in the school) to be present. The contractor lias made a start and expects to finish the work in about a week's time. Wesleya.v Church.— The Rev. .7. A. Luxford's subject to-morrow evening will be " Jesus Christ the door, the way, the bread, and the light." Telegraph Service. — The amended Sunday attendance will be as follows .—From 9.30 a.m. to 10 a.m., and 5 p.m. t0 5.30 p.m. The morning attendance will fall in with the cable hours and give the public full advantage of the cable service during that time. Unclaimed Letters. — Letters from places bovond the colony, and addressed as follows, were received in the postal district of luvercargill during the month of August and remained unclaimed on 31st October : — From Queensland: Mrs W Bickford ; from Tasman : H. Blackley ; from U.S. A : A. Dickens ; from Victoria: Mrs F. M. Donaldson; from South Australia: Herbert Francis; from New South Wales : Wright, Heaton and Co. Volunteer Inspection. — The monthly parade of the local corps took place in the damson Hall last night. The staff con sisted of Lieuts. -Cols. Webb and Hon. H. Feldwick, Major Hawkins, Adjutant Henderson, Capt. -Adjutant Stronach, Capt. McKay and Sergt. -Majors Knee and Flaus. After inspection Lieut. -Col. Webb presented Lieut. -Col. Feldwick with the N.Z. long, service medal, and in doing so referred tc the recipient's long and meritorious service as a volunteer officer. The parade was then handed over to Adjutant Henderson. The parade state was as follows : — District Band, Lieut. -Bandmaster Siddall and 14 men ; City Guards, Capt. Murphy and .">4 ; Oreti Rifles, Lieuts. Hall and Lennie am! 43 ; Awarua Rifles, Lieuts. Hawkins anc Goldsmith and 36 ; Mercantile Rifles, Lieuts. Wilson and Roy :ls and 38. Arrangements were completed for the annual encampment in the Queen's Park, which commences next Tuesday night and lasts for eight days. Altogether 250 men will be under canvas. Hah Done Well. — Among those now re turning from South Africa, is Mr J. D. Shand, special correspondent for the Uta c Daily Times and other New Zealand papers. Mr Shand has been on the scene from a ver\ early period of the war, and if his writingshave not shown much of the Hales fireworksvarietv, they have been good reading, wliik the voluminousness of his letters from tin front were proof of great industry undei most dimcult,and trying conditions. Whei Mr Shand went to South Africa the Taier Advocate, on which we believe "he made his start in journalism, had some very ill natured remarks concerning his powers physical and otherwise. He has proved him self a bit of rare good stuff and it woidd bt only graceful and honest if the envious writei who^belittled him would now as freely ad miffhat he was— to put it mildly — mistaken, In a Stranue Land. — The body o1 William Alfred Hubble was found alongside a railway line at Auckland on Thursday night. Both legs were cut off and" there was a severe wound on the scalp. In a note Hubble had written : "I am a stranger out of work, with no money and have no course but to take my life." He leaves a wife in South Australia. He was rescued from drowning the previous night. Magistrate's Court. — Judgments were given by Mr S. E. McCarthy, S.M., yesterday in the undefended cases : — Thomson, Bridget- and Co v. Jas. Kirkton (Orepuki), for £-27 4s Id, costs £'2 4s, and Midas G. M. Co v. F. W. Sparke (Haldane) for £7, costt £3 17s 6d. Thomas Phillips sued W. Niven (Invercargill) for £3 4s on a judgment summons. — Mr J. Macalister, for plaintiff, said that it would be proved on defendant's own showing that he had been in a position to pay the amount several times since the order was made. Defendant's evidence proved that he had earned sufficient money and his Worship ordered him to pay the amount, with costs, before December Ist, in default seven days' imprisonment. John Melvin (Kennington) v. Henry Sharp (Mokotua) was a claim of £3 for a chaffcutter. — Mr Watson for plaintiff, Mr J. Macalister for defendant. Mr Watson said that in May defendant met plaintiff' in town and made enquiries about the machine. Melvin said = that if Sharp wanted to buy it, it would be delivered to him. It was sold to defendant early in June and sometime in August plaintiff' applied for payment. Defendant subsequently wrote repudiating liability and later on defendant's sons also sent a letter stating that the machine was only on trial. Evidence was given to prove that a sale was made and defendant under cross-examination admitted that he had retained possession of the machine for two months without repudiating sale, and had had certain repairs effected. Judgment for plaintiff, costs £3 (is. Presentation. — After the meeting of the Pioneer of Southland Lodge, 1.0.0. F ., on Thursday night a social, tendered to P. (I. Bro. Jas. McLean, took place, N.(J. Bro. T. Crawley presiding. A number of toasts were, proposed, that of " The Guest " being drunk with musical honours. P.G. Bro. W. Smith, who proposed the toast, referred to Bro. McLean's long services to the lodge, of which l)e had been an enthusiastic and hard-working member. The N.G., on behalf of the members, presented Bro. McLean with a set of cutlery, as a small token of the esteem they had for him, and spoke in eulogistic terms of his services. Bro. McLean, in responding, said he would never forget the kindness and brotherly feeling which had been shown to him during his connection with the lodge. With songs and recitations a very pleasant evening was spent. Heavy Penalty. — Before Mr S. K. McCarthy, S.M., on Wednesday, Henry Hamilton, alias Alexander Clarke, was charged with being a rogue and vagabond within the meaning of the Police Offences Act. Sergt. O'Neill prosecuted, and stated that the accused had endeavoured, on or about 16' th October, to obtain by false pretences, a traction engine, valued at £7'X) from Alex. Storrie. The accused told Storrie that he had £300 coming due to him and he woidd pay £2.30 in March. The money was coming through the Bank of Australasia. This statement was absolutely untrue. The accused, although onlj- about 22 years of age, was an old offender, and there were a number of convictions against him. The accused was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment. It is probable that other charges will be preferred against him. A Great Boon to the jSouth Island. — Ton kino's Linseed Emulsion will cure your Cold when all others fail. Sold everywhere iv bottles, Is 6d and, 2s 6d.