NOTES AND NOTIONS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6129, 16 March 1898, Page 2

NOTES AND NOTIONS.

• An English journal publishes the following interesting matter : — March 23 next will be the fiftieth anniversary of the arrival of the first colonists in Otago, New Zealand. In celebration of that event the Synod of the Presbyterian Church in Southern New Zealand has arranged to hold special Jubilee meetings, to which the Home churches and the Australian churches have been invited to send deputies. The settlement of Otago was undertaken by the Free Church of Scotland, which sent out the first shipload of immigrants under the care of Captain Cargill and the Rev Thomas Burns, a nephew of the poet. It is therefore peculiarly suitable that the Free Church should be represented on the occasion, in order to give full sympathy and encouragement to the daughter church in New Zealand. The deputies appointed by the Free Church of Scotland are the Rev R. S. Duff, D.D., of Glasgow, and the Rev R. M'lntosh, of Alva. With them will be associated the Rev Andrew Keav, of Edinburgh.

Da Duff's visit will be of special interest inasmuch as, besides being convener of the Colonial Committee of the Free Church of Scotland, he was for six years minister of Evandale, Tasmania, For eighteen years past he has been minister of St George's Free Church, Glasgow. Dr Duff is a graduate in Arts of the University of Glasgow, and received his degree . I\D. from the same University in April, 1894. The duties of his pastorate have not allowed hi m muc h time for literary w-k,,but a little volume by him entitled "Pleasant Places-Words to the Vo ™q> 1S now in its third edition, and his publishers, Messrs Oliphant, Anderson and Ferner .of Edinburgh and London, are just t™ f ?v.- S *, ue a TOlume by him on the P y fc rd Psalm » entitled "The Song lof the Shepherd." ■ Af teas the Jubilee

Synod, the Deputies hope to visit the other centres in New Zealand aud in the various Australian colonies, to convey the greetings of the Free Church of Scotland, arid generally to encourage the churches to which she has been in the habit of sending ministers.

A correspondent writes as follows:— " Sir,— l wish to express my thanks to you 1 for bringing before your readers a matter 1 so urgent in the simple but clever manner : as contained in the story of ' A Puzzled i Lunatic* I would suggest to our would- i be reformers to obtain the rights and get i it printed in pamphlet form and distributed ' amongst the workers of the colony. I would also call the attention of the clergy, ■ Catholic and Protestant, to last Saturdays Star, and ask them to instruct us a little on such matters as are contained in the above story. It is about time someone undertook such work, even though they be stigmatised agitators. Dare they (the Christian Church) fight the usurer? I think not, I suppose, because I am — A Lunatic."

Here is a sign of the times. Miss Coralie Grlyn, a sister of Lord Wolverton, -who has already made her mark as a writer and as an ardent supporter of the cause of womanhood, has now taken a new departure in the field of practical, philanthropy. She has started, in Queen's Square, Bloomsbury, a Sunday Club for working women, founded on broad-minded, common-sense principles. There are to be no religious limitations or enforcements, and the mere man is., not to be excluded. Outdoor amusements, such as bicycling, &c, are to organised, and the club is to be rendered a pleasant resort for rest and recreation on the only day in which these can be enjoyed by its members. Miss Glyn has the support of several women of position and more than one clergyman.

I heard the other morning in a railway carriage (says a writer in a great London serial) an amusing story with, regard to English and German Jack tars that was new to me. It was told of the members of the crews of two ships engaged in the recent blockade of Crete. These tars were engaged in a festal ashore, and one of the Germans proposed the health of his omniscient German Emperor, which was duly drunk in rum by the assembled party of both nationalities. Presently the English boatswain suggested that the name of her Most Gracious Majesty should be toasted with similar honours; but the tars of the Fatherland received the proposal in a chilling silence. " Aint you agoin' to drink the Queen's health ? " came the English inquiry. " Nein, nein," was the Germanic response. "Now then, boys," exclaimed the boatswain, " I don't want any unpleasantness, but we can't have this, you know; 'taint fair. Take yer time from me ; two fingers down yer throats., and up comes the bloomin' Emperor."