THE Western Star. AND WALLACE COUNTY GAZETTE. Established 1868. PUBLISHED WEDNESDAYS and SATURDAYS. Vincit Amor Patriae. SATURDAY, MAY 12, 1894.

Western Star, Issue 1912, 12 May 1894, Page 2

THE Western Star. AND WALLACE COUNTY GAZETTE. Established 1868. PUBLISHED WEDNESDAYS and SATURDAYS. Vincit Amor Patriae. SATURDAY, MAY 12, 1894.

Wallace Liberal Association.—A -well attended meeting was held on Wednesday eveaing. The secretary (Mr Pattison) read a letter from the Premier, in which he stated that he esteemed the proffered banquet a very great honor, and if he could possibly accept the invitation he would. He would be in Otago at the end of the "month, and would definitely advise the association. He also read some letters from the Canterbury Liberal Association covering a copy of their rules, the letters containing much good advice on how to make the association a success. Mr Neave submitted a draft copy of proposed constitution, which was referred to a subcommittee to revise and bring forward at a meeting to be held next month.

The JSaubaba. Mukdek. —The New South Wales police are very confident that they have secured the two bank robbers who murdered Mr M'Kay at Barraba. One is the man Cummins, a shearers’ delegate, who was arrested in a famishing and d istressed condition, and who so persistently refused to conduct the police to his camp ; and the other is a man Lee, who is known to have been a mate of Cummins’s, and who is said to have served sentences of six and 10 years respectively for attempts to murder. The police have found the horses ridden by the two murderers —or rather the bodies of the animals for both were dead. It would seem that the murderers, finding themselves closely pursued, backed the horses over the precipice. One of them fell to the bottom and the other was arrested half way down by a rock. This horse was shot, and the other had its head literally hacked to pieces with a tomahawk. Mrs M‘Kay, the widow of the murdoied bank manager, was taken to the courthouse, when she picked out the two accused as the murderers from among other men, though she could not swear positively they were the men, because when she saw them at the bank they wore beards. It seemed to her then that they were disguised, but she felt certain that Cummins was the man who rode the chestnut horse. Other witnesses who saw the men ride away have positively identified them, so that there seems no doubt they are the miscreants Cummins breaks domn more and more as the evidence points more conclusively to him as one of the men implicated in the crime. Lee denies point blank being acquainted with Cummins, ad declares that his name is not Lee, but Joseph Henderson.

The Yictoeian Libei. Action,- The second Speight v. Syme trial continues, but it is very dull. Sometimes the single occupant of the court besides the judge, jurors, and lawyers, is poor Mr Speight himsell poor indeed, for he has not a 'farthing. The first trial was never without an audience, for Mr Allison Smith turned up religiously every day. He was picking up points in legal procedure, for ho intends conducting his own case against Mr Syme in person. But even ha cannot bear the dreariness of hearing the same old story all over again. As for Mr Syme, ho turns up occasionally only. He is looking, ill, worn, and haggard. There are rumours again about a probable settlement. If it does not come off, and if the trial goes on to the bitter end, it will probably kill Mr Syme. A man does not lose £22,000* without his hair growing greyer.

CooiiGAUDiE. —The general impression here is that the rush is about over. There are very dispiriting accounts coming over of men almost starving, and unable to get on gold or to get work of any kind. The special correspondent sent to the field by the Argus sums up the present position as follows:—-A closer and lengthier inspection of the field here only serves to more fully establish the fact this is one of the last places o man without capital should come to at the present time, and that it will be long ere the mines are sufficiently developed to employ a great amount of labour or to give very heavy general returns. Men still flock over from the other colonies only to realise on arrival hero how disappointing are the prospects for them, and how unfounded have been thise published reports which induced mauy of thorn to leave their homes, and on which they have based the most sanguine anticipations. Nothing is or has been mure plainly apparent to even a casual observer than the foot that the opening for men with small means are ‘few and far between,’ and that capital and not labour is what the district requires.” The Missing Puospectobs,— Sergeant Macdonell receive! the following telegram from Constable Pretwoll from Orepuki:— “ When on my way to Waiou mouth, I met H, Erskine, with a note from Constable Miller, saying that the missing man Kelly bad been found alive, ten miles west of Waiau mouth, much overcome. Evans was drowned while crossing the Wairanrahiri several days ago. I am sending a buggy to bring in Kelly. Kelly informed Erskine that Harvey’s statement is true, and that he was rake when he left them.” A later telegram fromd Constable IVetwell states that - vans was drowned abom a mils from the mouth of the Wairaurahiri while trying to cross it on a fallen tree. This was on the 28th April, a week after Harvey parted with them. Evans was nearly dead of faligue before he made the attempt. Kelly after that made bis way to Cameron’s hut, where he found a little provisions, and after a few days made his way to the sea, where Constable Miller found him in a very low state of health, making his way to Erskine’a.— foor Evans, who was drowned, was a brother of Mr Geo. Evans, the we'd known manager of the Hound Hill Mining Company, and, unaware of events, he is still proseonting the search. He will have the sympathy cf his many friends in the sad loss.

The New London “ Lion,” — A really interesting now “ lion ”is to Lo root with at London dinner parties just at present. This is (says the Loudon correspondent of tho Argus) Sir Thomas Salter Payne, a young mau of 32, who 10 or 12 years ago was a working mechanic in Tangye’s machine shops in Birmingham. Young Payne went thence as foreman machinist to a factory in India. The Ameer of Afghanistan applied for a practical mau to look after his workshops at Cabul, and Payne pot the job. He has obtained immense influence wiih the Ameer, and has actually rendered considerable diplomatic service to this country, having made the Ameer understand England and tho English bettor than anyone else, thus helping to keep the peace on the northwestern frontier. Sir Mortimer Durand has an immense opinion of Pyne, and brought him back to be knighted.

A Good Odject —Tno batchelors of the I Ni hfcjapa district givo a ball on the 25tb [j u the proceeds of which are to go to the 1 Eherton hospital.

Sad Domestic Tbagedy. —A singularly painful domestic tragedy was reported on Tuesday from Paris. A father, mother, and daughter, who had been living in apparently fairly good circumstances, were found dead in their drawing-room, having committed suicide under the pain and pressure of dis guised poverty. . The Single Tax.— The Government of Prince Edward Island have decided to adopt Henry George’s single tax theory on lanl, the licensing of banks, insurance companies, and commercial travellers, and the reduction of all official salaries, beginning with that of he Premier. Economy is wealth. Manchester Ship Canal. —During last week 24 vessels have entered the Manchester Ship Canal, carrying cargoes roughly estimated at 8385 tons. There have been 23 departures. Shocking Affair in Kerry. —The Freeman’s Journal reports a tragic affair at Cahirciveen, A railway servant, named Gorman, before retiring to rest with his wife and baby, placed a pot in which a fire was kindled in the bedroom. The next morning husband and wife wore found dead, having evidently been suffocated by the poisonous gases. The baby was lying evidently an affected.,

Extraordinary Fatality. —A remarkable case was investicated recently by a Loudon coroner. George William Haller, a sewerman died in King’s College Hospital on the 19th. He had suffered, as he supposed, from the effects of a bone, which he swallowed while eating a chop on Ohristmas-Day, but the postmortem examination showed that a needle was embedded in the heart of the deceased, and there was nothing to show how it got there. The jury returned a verdict of “ Accidental death.”

Sad Sequel to Losses .by Australian Bank.— An inquest wa# held at Seend-Clevo, Wilts, on the body of John Rawlings (59), Crimean veteian,and since attendant at the Australian Bank, London. He had invested all his savings in Australian banks, arid their failure preyed on bis mind. A call of £3OO having been made on Saturday, he wrote to his wife that he would be found in the canal, and then drowned himself, Yerdiot—- “ Temporary insanity.”

A Siamese Horror. —It is not an unoommen occurrence in Siam for the King to sentence two men to be chained together, who are then compelled to go about, perhaps for years, yoked in this manner, as no one dare release them without the King’s permission, and of course he soon forgets the circumstance. An instance of this character occurred not very long ago in Bangkok, when one of the prisoner’s died, and the other unfortunate wretch was seen dragging ti o body of his late companion about beside him unable to escape from his horrible yoke. The European Consuls in the city, shocked by the sight, endeavoured to obtain hia immediate release, but during the delay occasioned by the absence of the King the poor fellow became insane and soon afterwards died.

The Gazette.— -The penalty payable by persons joining a railway train at a booking station without obtaining a ticket has been reduced by the Commissioners from la to 6d

A Talking Squirrel. -As a contribution to the subject of animal talk, Dr Howard N. Lyon, of Chicago, relates that ho possesses a tame fox squirrel, which has a habit of talking to him. Her vocabulary is extensive and certaius chiefly to matters of food and comfort. In the morning for example, she asks for food, and after her appetite is apapoeased she asks to bo let out of her cage. Unless she is sleepy she always replies to any remark made to her. Railway Concessions.— The Railway Departmeqt is now issuing twelve-trio tickets upon a similar basis to the fifty-trip tickets that have been in vogue for some time. The new arrangement will be an advantage to workmen who have to travel some distance from home to jobs which will only last a week or two. The following are the rates, the twelve-trip tickets being available for fourteen days;—3 miles, 1s Gd ; 5 miles,3s; 10 miles, 5s 6d : 15 miles, 8s ; 20 miles, 10a Gd. These rates are a little higher per journey than those charged for the fifty-trips.

Regularity and Punctuality,— No member of the Hawarden household can for a moment compare with Mr Gladstone in regularity and punctuality. Always in his library, hia “ Temple of Peace,” by eight o’clock, he has, if in his usual health, never been known since the year 1842 to fail to appear at church, three quarters of a mile off, at balf.past eight for morning service. Nothing but illness has ever hindered him from regularly attending this service. Th is only carrying out a principle which wi exemplified in hia earlier days by the daia papers which he had with hia two aervantly when a young man he lodged in the Albunys in London.

No Shelter Fob Loafers—A meeting of the Wellington Social Reform League was held on Wednesday night to consider the best means of relieving the distress at prre sent existing in Wellington. Several of thf sptakera said there was a good deal od distress in the city of exceptionally marker character, and it was suggested that sheltm sheds should le erected for the receptioe. of those who had no other place of abode, Mr Tregear, speaking as a private citized said that during last year they had hao nearly 10,000 arrivals over departures in thn colony, and New Zealand had done well id absorbing that number. That there should be a glutiu the market was only what coult bo expected. Personally he did not think i s would be judicious to establish quarter where the people could get food for nothing Hundreds of loafers would flock in from the country and take advantage of it. The loafer did not apply to the department for labour help, because it made him work. Eventually on the motion of Dr Newman, a committee was formed to take any action that might be deemed necessary towards relieving cases of distress and to consult with the charitable bodies in the district on the subject.

A Serious Charge. —At the Invercargill Police Court on Wednesday, before C. E. Rawson, S.M, David Burnett was charged with having obtained certain drugs and supplied them to a girl named Grace Bowden for the purpose of procuring abortion. Mr VlcNab (on behalf of Mr T. M. Macdonald) appeared for the prosecution, and a-kod for a remand for eiaht days. Mr Hauan, who appeared for the accused and pleaded “ Not Guilty,” offe-ed no objection and he was remanded accordingly. Bail was fixed at—the accused in £3OO and two sureties in £IOO each.

Fire at Nightcaps— A four-roomed house at Nightcaps, owned and occupied by Mr Peter Webb, was destroyed by fire about midnight on Monday. The fire originated in the bedroom, and is thought to have been caused by the bursting of a lamp. The building was insured in the New Zealand office for £6O, but the effects, which were nearly all destroyed, were uninsured. The loss is estimated at £SO. The Melbourne Murder— There seems no doubt that the Melbourne police have secured the two men who murdercl the Frenchman Posset in the shop in Elizabeth street north. Their names are Mitchell, who is a Hindoo half-caste, and Watson (called “ Blinker ” feeeauso he had only one eye). Those two men pawned the jewellery stolen from the victim at Port Melbourne on the day after the murder, cud to a woman in the samo suburb Mitchell confided the fact that ho and his mate were in fear of the police as at 2 o’clock that morning they had “ run the rule ” over an old man and taken his jewellery from him. This statement would seem to thow that when they left Posset they could not have known that ho was dead. Probably, being a weak man, ho died through the fright and their rough treatment of him.

Grain tor London. —The largest shipment f grain that has ever left the Bluff in one bottom for London will be taken by the s.s. Port Albert, which came into poit oa the 2nd. It comprises about 55,000 sacks. The J. G. Ward Fanners Association are the shippers.

Concert at Otaotau. —In this issue a grand concert is advertised to take place in the Otautau Town,Hal! under the auspices of the Good Templar Lodge on Friday the 18th inst, and no pains, so ne understand, have been spared to make it a groat success. It will doubtless prove the best over he'd in Otautau, the programme being both lengthy and varied, and the services of the very best talent have been secured for the occasion. With the reputation Otautau bears of being loyal to its own concerns, we have no hesitation in saying that the hall will be packed.

Salvation Aejiv Festival. —We remind the Army’s supporters that the three day’s festival commences to-night with a big tea. Tho after meeting and the meetings tomorrow and on Monday will be under the charge of Major and Mrs Robinson. Waimatuku on Tuesday ; and Waianawa on Wednesday. Oeepuki Mining Case.— At the last sitting of the Riverton Warden’s Court, Mr o‘Shannessy was adjudged the owner of the late Mr Aitkin’s claim at Orepuki, an I Bowers the present occupier was ordered to leave. Instead of doing this he laid an action against o‘Shannessey for trespass. The case was heard at Invercargill, and on Friday Mr Rawson delivered a written judgment which was in favor of the defendant (o‘Sbannessey). Volunteer Ball. —At a meeting of the

Committee held on Thursday evening the tenders of Mr Learmont for a hot supper, and Mr Stirling for music (three instruments) being the lowest were accepted. The secretary (Corp. Cali) intimated that the committee intended to handsomely decorate the hall, so that everything that is calculated to promote a good evening’s amusement is being done.

Mr Mathieson’s Enterlainment. —In consequence of clashing with the Good templars Entertainment to be given at Otautau on the 18th inst. it has been considered advisable to to pospone Mr Mathieson’s lime-light exhibition till Wednesday, the 23rd May, and give it at Drummond on the 18th instead. Mr Mathieson will appear at Nightcaps, on the 16th, and Fairfax the 17th, as per advertisement in this issue.

The A. M.P. Society. —The Sydney Daily Telegraph has been informed that the directors of the Australian Mutual Provident Society have recently had under consideration the rate of interest charged to members of the society on loans on security of their policies. Hitherto the rate has been 7 per cent., which does not seem excessive considering the terms under which such advances have been made. Loans have been granted from £5 upwards without any legal or other expenses, and permission has been given to repay either in whole or by instalments at any time at the option of fhe borrower. It has been felt, however, that in cases where members were entitled to borrow large sums a lower rate might be conceded, provided the loans were taken for a fixed term and subject to the usual conditions of mortgages on real estate, and it was therefore resolved to grant sums of £2OO or more for a period of not less than two years at the lower rate of 6 per cant., provided more than 76 par cent, of the value of the policy were not required—the interest in such cases to be paid quarterly. It still remains optional, however, with members to Porrow to the higher limit of 90 par cent, of the value, and retain the privilege of paying off at any time, either by instalments or in whole should they prefer to do so at the old rate of 7 per cent.

A Daring Burglary.— One of the most daring oases of burglary that has occurred in Dunedin for some considerable time past was brought to light onTueslay morning. When the inmates of the Universal Hotel, Maolaggan street, rose at their usual hour, signs were diso-svered which gave rise to the suspicion that the place had been broken into during the night. A closer investigation proved these suspicions to be correct, for it was found that a safe containjng jewellery and money to the extent of £25 had been removed from the, building. The burglars went about their business in a exceptionally daring manner. They raised the trapdoor on the footpath leading to the cellar, and descending found themselves underneath the bar floor. They next raised the trapdoor and easily affected an entrance to the bar room itself. Their next step was to remove the safe, and as it was a light one their task was comparatively easy, for they had simply to open one of the doors and walk away with it. This they did, and, proceeding to Jubilee Park, they skilfully out the boitom ont of the receptacle, and, loading themselves with the booty, decamped. The police were very prompt in their actions and arrested the same day William Kennedy, Michael Kelly, and James Blue. They have been remanded.

Political —In well-informed circles there is more than an impression that there wil be laid upon the table during the coming session an oven more interesting correspondence ’twixt the Governor and the Premier than that which followed upon the nominations of the Ballanoa Government to the Legislative Council. Just now tho military situation is understood to be the most ongrossing subject between the parties, and it is whispered that a distinguished personage has made a grave mistake in taking the initiative when he should have waited for a formal intimation of the views of the Prime Minister. As to the proposed new Council appointments, it is thought by persona whose ooinions are entitled to respect that his Excellency will decline to accede to the request of tho Premier and refer him to Parliament, with the intimation that should the Legislature endorse the wish of the Government a dissolution may be obtained in order to obtain tho mandate of the people. Thus history to this point will repeat itself.

State Socialism. —Dr Moorahonso, Bishop of Manchester, dealing with the question of State Socialism, says that possibly the world might some day be ready for a Soo-alist organisation of labour, but it could not bear it now, as the necessary precedent condition was an increase of Christian feeling and principle. State Socialism meant the total destruction of private capital, and the experiment once made afforded no opportunity for turning back in the event of failure. If it failed it left a community of paupers without the means of recovery to suffer the horrors of famine, conflict, and public bankruptcy. With an issue so tremendous, the greatest enthusiast might well pause before shooting Niagara and taking all the risks of Ihe operation.

Dairy Notes.— The London correspondent of ihe Otngo Daily Times writes Some interest is being excited by the experiment now being tried of shipping New Zealand bacon to the English market. The Rimutaki’a shipment has been recently taken up at about 50s per cwt. The quality of the bacon was considered ‘‘ very good,” and it is stated to have given "entT) satisfaction.” Referring to the importation, the Grocer, the chief organ of the provision trade, pronounces the attempt as successful, and predicts an extension of the trade. New Zealand butter is very low just now, owing to the rush of so much on the market in the course of a few days. The Tainui and Nairnshire both delivered their butter and cheese in good condition. Up to the present date 84,000 packages of butter have been received from New Zealand, as against 59,000 during the corresponding period oi last year. From Australia 319,000 packages have been received, as against 117,000 At present the quantity afloat is about 500 F ns from New Zealand and 850 tons .rom Australia.

SYNOPSIS NEW ADVERTISMENTS —Richard Ford—Publican’s license. —Grand Concert, Otautau, on 18th inst. —Edgar Ward, solicitor, wants tenders for feeding olf. —Bachelors Ball, Nightcaps, 25th. —W. 11. Malhieson’s entertainments— Nightcaps 16th, Fairfax 17th, Drummond 13th, and Otautau 23rd. —J. G. Ward Farmers Association—Land sale, Invercargill; stock sale, Invercargill ; stock sale, Wain's; Winton stock sale; clearing sale of contractors plant, Inver cargill.