LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXV, Issue 4254, 3 July 1895, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS

The " Lyttelfcon Times " ia advocating the abolition of party government. A total of 2,300 men were employed on cooperative works in the colony daring the month of May, Over 14,000,0001 bof wool was sold at last week's sales in New York, the largest amount ever known. IT is said that three members of a wellknown Auckland firm have made £10,000 out of share transactions since the present mining boom began. The Invercargill Borough Council, following the example of the Dunedin City Council, have voted £100 to relieve the unemployed in Invercargill. The Government " Gazette " to hand contains a notification of the result of feho polling for the proposed loan of £4,500 for the con- , struction of tbe Millars Flat bridge. We have received from tho Department of Agriculture copy of a circular with reference to Arbor Day, attached to which ia a list of trees suitable for planting, with directions, etc. SEVERAL parcels of oats were sold in Invercargill on Saturday at the comparatively satisfactory price of Is 6d per bushel, which was just previously the top price for the best samples of milling. The gold returns of the following companies are to hand : — Dunedin Dredging Co., 38oz for week's work ; Golden Treasure, 20oz; Island Block Extended Co., 230z; Upper Waipori Dredging Co., 20oz ddwt for 134 hours' dredging. The rainfall in Lawrence for the month of June is calculated by Dr Jewell as 4*3 os inches. It is noS quite as big a record aj | might be expected, as though the month may be regarded as an exceptionally wet one, tbe rain was largely of a light and misty kind. I The ceremony of inducting tbe Rev. J. S. Reid to the pastorate of tb.3 Presbyterian Church, Waitahuna, will be held to-morrow (Thursday) afternoon. The annual soiree will be held in the church on the same even* ing, when a number of clergymen and others will attend aod dejiver >ddresaef appropriate to tbe occasion, * • •

Forty dozen "ggs are consumed every week at the Ohriatchurch Hospital. The London " Times." believes the Unionist majority at the general election will possibly be from 70 to 80. It is said that a Wellington draper who has , just sold one of the chief basiaesses in tsnb city is leaving the colony £5000 better off than when he entered into business some five years ago. The " New Zealand Times " demands that the police should fully investigate the circumstances surrounding the banding over by their parents of tbe babies to Mrs Dean, the Winton murderess. A CORRESPONDENT, writing to the Mcl bourne "Age," gives an answer to the muchasked question, " What is the new woman ? ' He says she is a woman without womanliness, an attempt at a man without manliness. To add to such a description would only mar its beauty. Volunteers will be amused at the following advertisement, whiob appeared in a recent issue of the Marlborough " Express " :— j " Wanted.— A captain who will not have the toothache when Colonel For is on tour of inspection ; also, a lieutenant who will not have important business up country at that particular time ; and a senior sergeant who will not have to go to Wellington at the last minute." When Mr Duthie, M.H.R., was at Home he vuifced Messrs Nelson's stores, in company with Messrs O. Fharazyn, G. Beetbam, J. Bull and Keeles, to inspect the frozen meat, and the party drew up a sort of report. Tb«y found the market overstocked and prices low, the outlook being, they thought, very bad. In their opinion. New Zealand mutton could not compare with English. The color was pale, it was roughly butchered, and suffered from rough handling. Sir Henry Paekes, who is now eighty years of age, is said to be as hearty and as active as Mr Gladstone was at that time of age. Sir Henry has many troubles to bear, for his wife is the subject of an incurable disease, and his financial resources are very limited. His total income from all sources cannot be more than £500 a -year. He can shake his mane about when he gels on bis legs in tbe House galled by the taunts of bis foes, and throw Parliamentary maledictions about as freely as he did twenty years ago. There is a great difference in the way different nations read. For instance, if you want to read Hebrew, you have to commence at what we call the end of the book aad read from right to left. In Chinese you commence at the same place, only you read in columns, commencing at the top and reading down. The Japs read the same way, only they start at the bottom and read up ; but it does not matter which way you read so long as you do not forget to read and ponder Tal boy's advertisement in this paper. It will pay you to visit him if you want cheap drapery, clothing, boots, etc. Do not forget. — (Adot.) Twenty-five decrees nisi for the judicial separation of marriages were granted by the Sydney Divorce Court in about five hours ou 3rd June. There can be no doubt this is the kind of thing we want and plenty of ie if the reckless unions which the churches consummate every day are to be rectified and some means of escape provided for the wretched victims of a contract that people will persist in calling sacred, even when it brings nothing but misery, infidelity, ant crime. Such marriages as these are not made in heaven and should never have beoti solemnised on earth. It is good, howevc, that the Legislature hai opened a door of escape from each other for the victims. The New South Wales Cabinet, having considered tbe report of tho Commission appointed to investigate tho circumstances attending the conviction of George Dean, decided la9t week that the prisoner should be immediately released. A large crowd cheered Dean when he came out. It will be remembered that Dean was charged with poisoning bis wife, and that as a consequence of a widespread feeling that he had been improperly convicted tho Government appointed th< Commission, consisting of Mr F. £. Rogers, Q.C., Dr Sydney Jones, and Dr F. N. Manning, whose report has led to tbe prisoner being set at large. Two of the Commissioners were for and one against the release of Dean. Despite the unfavourable weather, the special meetings held at the Salvation Army barracks, Lawrence, on Saturday and Sunday were well attended. As advertised, Major and Mrs Birkensbaw were in command. During the meetings, Mrs Birkenshaw sang several solos in a very pleasing manner, which, together with the Major's spirited talk, kepi the audiences interested. At the Sunday evening meeting the Major otiose for his subject the " King of Terrors," and treated bis hearers to a splendid address, which was listened to with marked attention. We understand these special meetings from an Army standpoint have been a thorough success in every way. When Major and Mrs Birkenshaw visit Lawrence again they are sure of a hearty welcome from their friends and adherents, as they have left a most favorable impression behind them. A CORRESPONDENT of the " Wellington Post " suggests that the young colonial should be taught how to become a first-class shot by means of a course of aiming and judging dis tance drill carried out at the State schools. He says : "In most districts of New Zealand are to be found men who, having had a military training, would be fully competent to supervise the few arrangements necessary to carry out the scheme. For msterial each school would require a tripod with a ring, a sand bag, a ennvas target, aod one of the Snider rifles about to be returned into store — that is, if the weapons have uot passed to the highest bidder. For judgiDg distance practice, objects could be selected to judge on, and as there would be no range-finders available tbe distance could be ascertained by triangulation. Let us as nearly as pos sible train our boys to judge distance as well | and to shook as accurately as the Boers of the ! Transvaal ; then should the little brown men or the Russians think fit to land here uuinvited, we shall be in a positioa to give either or both wbat the Boers gave the British at Majuba." An article in the "Contemporary Review," by Mr H. H. Wolff, on "Re-peopling the Land," is a valuable contribution to our information as to small holdings. It is an account of tbe steps taken in Germany io 188(5 to place £5,000,000, at tho disposal of the Government for the purpose of buying out the Polish squires and establishing German peasants in their place. It was calculated that £5,000,000 would buy 250,000 acres, which, at 5,0 acres per holding would settle 5000 families, and thus introduce some 40,000 Germans into Prussian Poland. Financially and politically the scheme has proved a failure, but it has succeeded in creating a large number of peasant proprietors, and has to a great extent reduced emigration. According to the last report of tbe Colonisation Board, under whose auspices the purchase and re-sale take place, the entire area of land bought up to the end of 1893 amounted to 188,500 acres. Of this only about 58,000 acres have been actually assigned to 1387 families, buj; the remainder is in course of preparation with applicants waiting for it three and four deep. The Wellington " Post " recently protested against tha appointment of Mr Seddon'u daughter to the Telephone Exchange over the heads of six or seven hundred applicants, some of whom have for years been waiting their turn for appointment. Ministers have now spoken in the House, and have used the opportunity to condemn what they describe as " the practice of attacking the families of members of the Government." Here's how tbe " Post " caustioally meets the charge : - " Some time ago we had to refer to the conduct of a Minister who, desiring equestrian 1 exercise, instead of buying or hiring a borse, made daily use of a police horse, fed and groomed at the public expense. We exposed this economical arrangement, but can any one say we 'attacked the horse % The attack was npon the Minister, The borse was only incidentally mentioned, »nd its character was in no way impugned. So, if a Minister con* templates appointing a member of his family to a Private Secretaryship oramesseogership, or a position in the Telephone Exchange, it it absurd to say that the appointee, actual or prospective, is attacked because his or her name is incidentally mentioned when con* demoing the action of the Minister," ,

The sawmilling industry is almost the most valuable ia New Zealand at the present time. There are 233 mills in the colony, employing a total of 3,266 hands, who for the year 1894 rccoived a total in wages of £271,814. Tbe approximate value of tbe land, buildings, machinery and plant employed is set down in the statistics supplied by Government at i' 500,272. and the value of the manufactures as £832,959. The agricultural statistics for the year ended March last show that tbe aroa under cultivation in New South Wales was 1,326,000 acres, en increase over last year of 119,000 acres. The whrat area showed an increase of 53,000 acres. Last year's yield amounted to 7,044,000 bushels, an inorease of 540,000 bushels, giving an average of 10-9 bushels per acre. The yield of other crops, generally speaking, shows a decrease. One of the members of the London School Board mentioned, during the last debate on religion in which that body engaged, that some doubt once prevailed in the minds ofthe managers respecting the creed of a boy whom they thought to be a Jew, but were not quite certain on the subject. So they called the lad before them, aud asked : "Is your father a Christian ? " " No," replied the scholar. "Ia he a Jew?" "No." "Is he a Catholic?" "No." "Is he a Protestant?" "No." "Then what is he?" The boy looked at his questioners with astonishment and replied.simply, " He is a lamplighter." A popular entertainment will be given in the Presbyterian schoolroom this (Wednesday) evening. The programme, as reference to our advertising columns will show, is one that should commend itself to the public taste, being composed principally of old and ex* quisite ballads. Among those taking part in the concert are included some of our leading local amateur vocalists and instrumentalists. There will also be a dramatic recital of a scene from one of Sbakesperc's famous tragedies. There ia certain to be a large audience and a pleasant evening's amusement may be expected by those who attend the concert. Mrs Dean, sentenced to be banged for child-murder, is 48 years old, spare and of medium height. Her husband is not an educated man. Mrs Dean, on tbe contrary, is said to be well brought up, and possesses a keen intellectual capacity. Dean is her second husband ; prior to that she was Mrs M'Cullooh. Since her sentence she has increased in weight and looks much better in health. She sleeps well, eats well, chats pleasantly and Can talk of the incidents of the trial with the greatest case and almost unconcern. Hanging has no terrors for her, and she is not at times averse to a mild joke on the subject. She hss become very particular about her appearance, and intends wearing a new and very neat dreas " for the occasion." Certainly the best medicine known it Sander and Sons' Eucalypti Extract. Test its eminently powerful effect in coughs, colds, influenza — the relief is instantaneous. In serious cases, and accidents of ali kinds, be they wounds, burns, scaldings, bruises, ■sprains, it is the safest remedy—- no swelling, uo inflammation. Like surprising effects produced in croup, diphtheria, bronchitis, inflammation of the lungs, swellings, etc. , diarrhoea, dysentry, diseases of the kidneys and urinary organs. In use at hospitals and medical clinics all over the globe ; patronised by His Majesty the King of Italy ; crowned ■vitu medal and diploma at International Exhibition, Amsterdam. Trust in this uuroved article, aad reject all others. Forty-one millions sterling, according to Sir John Pender, is the sum tbat has been sunk — the term, it will be seen, is an appropriate one in this connection — in ocean telegraphic cables. At the present moment rher<3 are eleven cables across tbe Atlantic, belonging to five companies, and these alona have cost nearly fourteen and three-quarter million*. Those who talk about " nationalising " things may liko to note that here at least the capitalist does not get by any means tho best of his bargain with the public, as the interest he gets on his capital is considerably 'ess than half that paid on consols, that is to iay it is only 1 per cent. The three companies, the Eastern, the Eastern Extension, *nd South African have altogether 51,325 miles of cables, and an aggregate capital of over ten millions, on which dividends of from 5 to 7 per cent, have beeu paid since the lines were formed, Sir Patrick O'Brien, who represented an Irish constituency in the House of Commons for more than thirty years, was one of the most genial Irish humorists ot his day. His death, which was announced by a cable a few days ago, recalls many stories of his humor. Bis rising in tho House was always welcomed especially in the small hours of the morning. He had quite a genius for jocular irrevelanoe, vastly appreciated in the daya before changes in procedure had made wandering; from the point a Parliamentary offence. Tiie Pjrnellites he affected to look down on with the most lofty contempt, and they, in turn, drew him out, and baited him just for tbe pure joy of hearing him in his flights of unconscious humor. Perhaps Sir Patrick's greatest achievement in this respect was his famous feply to Mr Biggar, who had attacked him just for the sake of the sport. "-Sor ! " said Sir Patrick," if I were to say to -this House r.hat I regarded the honourable member for Cavau with contempt aud disdain, what would the House reply ? Sor, the House would say, 'Pat, me bhoy, roight ye are!"' And, of course, the House roared its acquiescence. The Rev. Gibson Smith, at a meeting of the New Zealand Alliance at Invercargill, said he had been a total abstainer all his life, hut he had remained away from the prohibitionists' platform until lately because he could not agree with a good deal of wbat was regarded as constituting that platform. He thought they had better arguments. His itti> ude was tbat he liked to stand as a peacemaker between the prohibitionist and some who took liquor moderately and were standiug out against prohibition. He did not believe alcohol was a poison, and while there was much cheap science quoted to that effect, the great mass of experience proved that there were multitudes who used alcohol in moderation without suffering harm. From the way some prohibitionists talked they seemed to think that if they gained prohibition the millennium would dawn and there would be no more crime nor trouble. He had a different idea, for there would still be sin and misery until the human heart was changed. More responsibility should be cast on the drunkard himself and the abuse of the moderate drinker should cease, his assistance being secured by moral suasion. Bellamy's has passed through another try* ing ordeal, and in what some people persist in calling a Prohibition Parliament, not only escaped extinguishment but has by a large majority been voted a most necessary and iipportapt element of P rliamentary life. And no doubt it is, or, at least, so the majority who voted for its retention, unshorn of any o£ its pristine glory, think. Tbe minority did not want to abolish the institution in toto. The feeding department they wished to preserve, for Prohibitionists, after all, have stomachs, and are not averse to dine even at the expense of the country occasionally. The committee's report, of which the member for Tuapeka was chairman, showed that there was a deficiency of t'lo3 in the victualling depart* ment, while there was a small balance in favor of the bar trade. The Prohibition party pro? posed, however, tbe retention of the feeding branch of tbe institution, but proposed to abolish the liquor section and substitute for it ginger pop or any of the other bowel-racking condiments that come under the designation of " temperance drinks." Then came a copious flaw of speech laden with all the most ancient platitudes for and against much-threatened Bellamy's. The voting was instructive as being the firstr display of strength on this question of alcohol versus water on the assembling of the new House. The figures show 37 voting for the sale of liquor within the precincts of the House and 27 for its prevention. Among the majority are some members who had during last and the previous session distinguished themselves as irreconcileable Prohibitionists. The chief interest in the voting arises in view of further proceedings during the session on the same question, ft distinctly proves, in the first place, that the Prohibitionists do not certainly "hold tbe fort," and, secondly, that men who have refused to deprive themselves of the facilities for procuring liquor cannot consistently refuse to permit the same privileges to thoie outside of the House. This is the logic the majority have to face,

WB have recalled a copy of " The Sun," a new eight-page weekly newspaper published in Chriatchuroh by Mr J. T. M. Hornshy, which is, speaking without exaßgerotiou, & very clever paper, briskly and incisively written, and outspoken without being extravagant or immoderate in its opinions and language. This, as a rule, is not a characteristic of the modern colonial Liberal and Labor organ, which "The Sun" is, despite Ha profession of being independent of party. On this point it is sufficient to say that its opinions are identical, or as nearly as possibly so, with those of the parties men' tioned. But its opinions, whatever oolor or direction they take, are expressed, vigorously it may be, but without any of the qualities that chiefly distinguish the latter-day journalism of Labor and Liberalism in their extreme, moods. If it only maintains its present altitude, " The Suu " should not aoon pale its light.