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Western Star, Issue 2015, 25 May 1895, Page 2

I Weu Meant PmLANTHKOPy—For soma time past a movement headed by the mayor and a ooimniteeo of ladies at Wellington has been under way to give poor children a fete on the Queen’s Birthday, and the committee has so far been very successful in canvassing for the necessary funds. A controversy has taken place in the local papers as to the wisdom of the proposal to bring unfortunate children before the public gaze. On Tuesday the Benevolent Society received application from the committee to be supplied with the names of families in receipt of aid, and the question led to a good deal of discussion, with the result that the society unanimously decided that such information bo withheld and the opinion was freely expressed that great injury would be done to the children, if taken out almost in midwinter on what will evidently be wet ground ; and further that a more charitable action would be to expend the money raised in providing children with warmer clothing and boots. Jumped Overboard —The steerage passenger Edward Murray, who jumped overboard during the voyage of the steamer Rimutaka from Wellington to Hobart, was suffering from religious mania, and his behaviour was strange when the steamer left Plymouth. On Sunday, sth May, he was observed to jump on to the rail forward and quietly drop over tbo side. Lifebuoys were thrown to him, bub ho made no effort to secure them. Tho ship was running before a heavy sea at the titpe with all sail set. A blinding snow squall also swept over her just as the affair happened. The Rimutaka was quickly brought round, but nothing was seen of Murray. t ©tago School Comeiksioners.'— At the monthly meeting on Tuesday it was reported that run 6, Wairaki, had been taken up by H. M. Spencer at the upset of 21d per acre. It was resolved to lease section 4, block iv, Jacob’s River Hundred, at the upset of £8 per annum, and to invito tenders for unoccupied sections in the township of Waimatufcui

Liability or Dog-owners. — A case heard before the District Court at Palmerston last week (the Manawatu Tinas remarks) should be a severe warning to those persons who do not exorcise proper control over their dogs. In the case alluded to, a settler in March last had 150 good owes worried, and he sued the owners of the dogs alleged to be concerned in the trouble for the sum of £l9o— value of the sheep destroyed and the general damage to the flock. After a patient hearing, the jury returned a verdict for £75 for the sheep destroyed and £25 for general ■damages, with costs according to scale. This is a heavy piice to pay for keeping sheep worriers, but the jury apparently had no other course open to them. Very few of those whn suffer losses among their flocks by dogs are so fortunate as this settler in securing payment for the damage. Many settlers have to bear their loss in silence, owing to the difficulty of identiScation. The case alluded to should awaken those who keep dogs and the responsibilities and risk they run in permitting unsafe animals to wander at their own sweet will.

The Old Veteran —Captain Jackson Bar'-y, the well-known veteran story-teller, is about to start upon another campaign into the King Country. He has already made fonr trips into the wild region, and has become more impressed with its valuable mineral resources on each successive visi . On the last occasion of his return from there, ho brought back specimens of capper ore, antimony and coal, all of which he submitted to the Government Analyst, Mr Skev, who thought very hiplv of them. As Captain Barry only brought small specimens on the latter visit ho intends daring this visit to bring from lowt to' 2owt of specimens to prove to the Government that his discoveries are genuine.

Tp Remove Ink Stains. —lE a teaspoonfull and a half of salt is added to a gill of milk, it will remove ink stains : from either white or coloured things. If the staics have been allowed to remain for some time, they must bo loft soaking in the milk for one or two hours; but they should, if possible, be removed at once. Fruit stains may also be taken out in the same manner. Railway Grain Traffic— I The crush of the grain traffic on the railways has been late in coming in this season, probably due to growers holding back for a rise. For several weeks past, however, the available resources of the deuartment gave been taxed to cope with the trade, and the local management (says the Times) is to be complimented upon the success achieved in carrying from the interior to the seaboard the largest quantity of grain ever passed over the lines in one season. The comparison between last year and this, no to Saturday last, is as follows, for 1894, 286,149 sacks; for 1885, 330,315 sacks. There is still a considerable quantity to come forward.

Human Curiosity —A writer in the Bruce Herald says I was at the Court on Thursday last, when the now notorious Mrp De m was brought up on remand, charged with child murder. I say charged, for she has yet to be proved guilty by a judge and jury. I have been in the court during the hearing of all manner of cases, some of which attracted more than ordinary attention at the time. Never, however, have I seen each a crowd in Milton on any occasion as there was ou Thursday. And when the door opened, such a struggling and pushing as there was to get in was really amusing to an on-looker like myself. A stranger might almost have been pardoned for thinking that it was an unusual thing for the crowd assembled to see a woman ; for that was what they were there for. And yet had he looked round he would have discovered that this was not so, for there was quite a crowd of women present, and quite as eauer as anyone else were they to get inside the budding.

A “Boom”: at Hand. —Mr W. Harbor writes to the Ceristohuroh Press “ I leave for a short visit Home next month on business of my own. Whilst at Home I intend to form a syndicate with ample capital to establish a lino of steamers to carry Home alive our sheep, cattle, horses, pigs and poultry in about 32 days. They will be stall fed for a fortnight before embarkation, on similar fool to that to bo used on the voyage. They will be bought outright anti paid for when put on board the steamer. The syndicate will take all risks and distribute the cargo on arrival to the best advantage. Twenty years ago, when I retired from business in London, my overturn was at the rate of five millions sterling oer annum (my banker’s pass book for 1874-75 is, Sir, at your service to verify this, which 1 mention solely that your, readers may understand that the writer is a man who speaks from experience and knowledge), and within 18 months the 18 months the stearmera shall bo running, carrying all onr produce at little oAqr current rates, and realising more than double the present ruling prices in London for the grower. Copper, silver, tin, wheat, kerosene, etc, etc, the cable dailp informs us, are rising in value,and the ‘boom ’ is already surging on our shores.’* The Deans. —Minnie Dean and Charles Dean were charged with murder on Wednesday and remanded to’3oth.

The Meikle-Lambbrt Case.— The hearing of the charge against Wm. Lambert by J. J. Meikle, in connection with his trial of sheoo stealing, in Invercargill in 1887, when it is alleged he committed perjury, has been concluded at Gore. A prima facie case has been mode out, and accused committed for trial, bail being allowed.

The . Eyesight of Railway Officials.— This subject has been greatly exercising th® minds of railway authorities for a considerable Hme. it being believed that* serious accidents have occurred through the colourblindness or otherwise defective eyesight of railway employes. On this account the directors of the North British Railway Company have recently taken steps to tost the sight of their men, and a number of old drivers and signalmen have received a month's nptipe of dismissal in consequence of their sight being fiupxl to be defective. In Dundee a meeting of railway men was held the other day, when a resolution was adopted declaring the directors’ action to be cruel and arbitrary, as if the eyesight of the dismissed men ws? impaired, that was largely due to the character of (.Ijeir work.

A Nonta Institution. -r-Tho law is a noble institution, constructed for the benefit of—well, of the lawyers mostly. This is illustrated by a great case which has just come to a conclusion in lowa. It has only been going on twenty-three years. It was about three calves, and consisted of a claim for £9, for injury done to plaintiff's calves by defendant’s dog. Both parties to tin suit died long ago ; but the heirs—or both, perhaps, carried it on, regardless of expense, until it has fortunately ended in a com petence for several lawyers, and a verdict for the plaintiff. Missionaky Work —The Rev F Langham, chairman of the Fiji Wesleyan district, in the course of a lecture at Auckland, said that it was 37 years last month since he set oat from Sydney in the old John Wesley to go to his appointment in the district of Fiji, which was oi that time known as “ Cannibal Fiji.” Years o£ missionary effort had wrought a great change in (he group, and to-day there was not a nominal heathen in Fiji. Thirty years ago it was not safe to land on the shores of Fiji, but now one could go wheresoever he wished and bo cordially received, provided, of course he behaved himself. Out of the 106,000 inhabitants in the group, the Wesleyan Methodist mission claimed 99,000 adherents. The natives, ho said, took a great interest in all matters connected with the church, and showed great devotion ; thev read their Bibles continually, and family worship was strictly observed throughout the group.

Big Fgores.— Some tall scores have already been made in England this cricket season. Look wood scored 158 for Surrey against Warrick; Dr W G Grace made 388 for Gloucestershire against Somerset, this being his hundreth century. Nottingham scored 786 runs against Sussex, of which Gunn was responsible for 319.

floating Theatbe.—There was a novel kind of ship launch at East Boston on 4th April, the launching of the float which will carry the theatre of the Floating Palace Amusement Company. This is the very latest thing in theatres. The theatre will be anchored off tha Marine pier, South Boston, for part of the summer season, ami will also go to Bar Harbour, Coney Island, and oth r summer resorts. In the winter it may go south. This can bo easily douo, as the float is broad and flat, ana will tow easily. It ia built a good deal liko a lighter except that it has a rounded bow and is very strongly, put together. The stage will be at the stern, and will bo 40ft by 4Sft. The main floor of the theatre runs forward to the round of the bow, and has an incline of 10ft in its whole length.. It is arranged so that the seals can be taken away and the floor raised to a level, giving an ideal dance ball. There will also bo a gallerv, which will be a little above the deck. The house will rise 30ft above the dock, giving a total height of 40ft for the theatre.

The Prize List.—Referring to the big art union to get rid of the Globo Estates of the Bank of New Zealand, a Wellington correspondent of a contemporary waxes facetious thus;—Put a £1 in the slot an I watch the figures. First prize—A fullv-equipgeJ sheep run, guaranteed Co support 127 rabbiters all the year round. 2nd prize—A magnificent block of swamp country iuthe Waikato, with enormous water privileges. A prize for every investor, the lowest being a full share in the State Bank, with a call of £3 6j 8d due upon it.

The Rise m Wheat—The Camara Mail contends that there ia nothing whatever to warrant the sharp increase in wheat, and it contends that large stocks were, and are, held by millers and speculators, and the. increase seems to be part of-a conspiracy to exploic the milling find grain trades, so as to enable a few men to make capital out of the misfortunes of growers. An Auckland flour merchant is stated to have cabled to Adelaide for 1000 tons of flour, and me chants in Dunedin have also sent.for supplies from, the same source. Having sent large or'ers —though the last quotation in Adelaide was £5 17a 6d, and is to-day £6—they probably bought at £5 IQs,.allowing the discount for cash, and landed in New Zealand the total cost would be about £7, a price which shows n considerable margin between the prices in Adelaide and here. But flour has gone up still farther since, and is now quoted at £B. It is difficult to ascertain definitely what is' the condition of New Zealand stocks of wheat and flour; but there cm be no queslion that the enhancement of prices is consequent on the Registrar-General’s statement that there vyonld be a shortage, and that that statement is not reliable, seeing that he implies that he does not know stocks arc. in the hands of millers and dealers.

The Natives of the pa at, Qhaura, Went Coast, took a vote recently on the question of allowing ona of their number to take himself a wife. The vote was adverse, and the young man has to remain single for the. present. ; .!;■ i;, .' !<5; V’ : ’ j H

There are 22,919 children on the school rolls in Otago, ’ O ver 100 grocers called meetings of their creditors in Melbourne daring the month of March.

The Wangamoa district, Nelson, is at sent suffering from the ravages of cater pillars.

? A wrestling match for £SO a-side, between Brightwell (of Woodville) and Malay of Gisborne), was won by Brightwel. The Gre; town footballers have adopted a good scheme of insurance against accident., One of their rules is that when a player meets with an accident each player contributes so much to his support while he is disabled. V :

The question, is lunacy increasing 1 hai been exciting considerable interest <

years and most peonle were inclined to answer it in the affirmative. The Commissioners for Lunacy in Scotland, however, conclude their just-published annual report by stating that the facts and figures afford no ground for a belief that insanity is more prevalent in Scotland at any rate than it was 35 years ago.

The Morayshire has arrived at the Canaries with her cattle all alive.

Two thousand four hundred and fifty-six orates of New Zealand cheese were sold by auction at 33s to 38s per cwt., an average of 34s being obtained.

The Rev. Father Downev died very suddenly at St. Benedicts’s Presbytery, Auckland, on Tuesday, from heart disease. He had been in feeble heslth for soma time. He was 63 years of ago, and he came Auckland in 1879, where he established the mission of St. Benedict.

The Cabinet has decided to permit Queensland cattle ships to come to and coal in Hew Zealand waters, out to keep them in quarantine while here; to prevent their 1 coming alongside any wharf or taking any cattle from New Zealand.

A cablegram from Mr Michael- Davitt states th-.t he espeots to reach New Zealand on Ist October and will stay a month. ' The Post says: "It is sta*od that the directors of the Bank of New Zealand have decided on a general reduction of 10 per cent on all salaries of over £3OO per annum' to commence from Ist June.”

The Hon J G Ward was . entertained at a banquet at London on Tuesday. Sir Edwvn Dawes, who presided, referred to the financial benefits New Zealand would derive from the visit of its Treasurer. Mr Ward in replying to the toast of his health made reference to the Japanese war, and hoped that the Secretary of State for the Colonies would meet the colonies in any demands they made with respest to safeguarding the interests of the Empire. Sir Cbas Topper, Sir W B Perceval advocated frequent visits' of colonial Ministers to England as these would be productive of mutual benefits.

A detachment of constabulary from Weilington leaft for Rotorua on Thprsdav to join Lieut. Hnrne’s force at Galatea. Tents and appliances for camping will bo sent up with the fores. This addition will bring the armed force np to 50 men and seven constables. A public meeting is being organised in Capetown to protest against the Governmeat's oroposal to include frozen meat under the heading of preserved meat, thus, increasing the import duty by 2d per lb.

An immense quantity of gunpowder was accidentally exploded and wrecked the Monongahola mine in West Virginia and 130 miners were entombed. Up to the present 11 bodies have been recovered.

Carbine and the Novelleta oolt have arrived at Plymouth in excellent condition. ' At the London wool sales there was a good selection and Continental buyers are operating freely. Prices remain very firm.

Fever is raging among the French troops in Madagascar,

When we don’t spend our money, we are economical; when other people don’t spend their money, they are stingy. It is reported that in Melbourne the olher day, £IO,OOO was lent on mortgage at 1 percent. for 10 years.

. 4 Bloaheim schoolboy, on being asked what divided the southern hemisohoro from tho northern hemisphere, replied, “ Cook Strait.’

Tho relations existing between the Marquis of Queensberry and his son (Lord Alfrfd Douglas), arising out of tbo Oscar Wild scandal, oontique strained, and in Picadiilv the Marquis severely chastised his son. Both wore arrested and subsequently admitted to bail. It appears that Lord Alfred Douglas began the quarrel with his father bv calling tho Marquis a liar and slanderer. The latter eventually knocked his son down, and a furious struggle resulted until the police interfered and separated them.

A Gazette Extraordinary published on Monday afternoon summons Parliament to meet for the despatch of business at 3 30 p m on Thursday, 30th Ju De .

According to tho Oamarn Mail the Hon* John McKenzie will probably go to fcba Hanmor Springs in order to test, the efficiency of the baths and to re-establish his health prior to tbe session. •

To keep Moths oat of Clothing—Mix half a pint of alcohol, tbe same qnsntity of spirit of turpentine, and two ounces of camphor. Keep in a atone bottle and shake before using. The ■clothes or fur are to be kept in linen, with crumpled un pieces of blotting paper dipped in the liquid and are to bo placed in a box with them.

The statement of the public debt of New Sou h Wales colony shows that it the end of December hsb it totalled £53,300.000. Tho annual interest piyable thereon is £3,205,000. The total interest paid sincethe first loan was raised has been £30,373,000. It was at a Christchurch choir-practice. The musical gentleman who was bossing the proceedings was very much dissatisfied with the 11 Ah-tnen.” He made the choir—nearly all ladies—try it again and again. At last, stamping his foot with vexation, he said : “ I do wish you ladies wnu'd pay more attention to what I say. Why don’t you hang on to the men?” How those girls laughed!

Tbe weight of tbe earth is calculated b? Professor Boys at 5,833,064,000,000,000,000,000 tons.

It is calculated that 33 per cent of the cigars sold in London are not made of tobacco at all.

There are new 177 woman doctors and 120 women members of School Boards in the United States.

The private deposits of the Bank of England amount to £38,000,000, and tho public deposits to about £5,250,000. The two rod deer recently sent from Victoria to the Otago Acclimatisation Society by Mr. Blackwood have been released from quarantine, end reached Dunedin -on Saturday by the Flora in splendid condition, i Mr Deans, the society’s manager, left with the animals during tho afternoon and will liberate them at Lake Hawea. ■

The weather during the past few days- has been very wet and cald, and present appearances .indicate a Continaanno of the same weather. It is, however, not unwelcome to the miners and claimowners, who have now a good supply of water on hand. No better instances of the evil days o n which bank officials have fallen in Australi a could be given than a statement in th e Argus that out of hundreds of application 8 for the position of debt collectors at 30s a week, the four finally selected had all been bank managers.

Australia has now 53,000 acres under, vines, which prod ace thrae and a halt million gallons of wine annually, and the difficulty of finding work for willing hands is increasing the area of the- vineyards very fast. Forty poor hard up fellows from Melbourne, and sent up by a charitable society, got good healthy work in one vineyard alone at Rutherglen, SYNOPSIS NEW ■ ADVERTISEMENTS

Rirchwood Hunt Clnb meeting to-night at Thornhury. Notice re mining co. .r'S. G. Ward Farmers Assn—Thornhury stock sale 3lsb., " ’