The Herald. Alexandra, Thursday, Oct. 8, 1903

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 387, 8 October 1903, Page 4

The Herald. Alexandra, Thursday, Oct. 8, 1903

Kinderspiel to-night. The incoming 'Frisco mail is expected to reach Alexandra this evening. The Railway Department advertise excursion fares for the Dimedin races. The Court sits at Clyde on Saturday, and at Alexandra on Monday and Tuesday next. Attention is; directed to Messrs Stewart Dawson and Co.'s new advertisement on page 6 of this isst e. St. Dunstan's Church, Clyde, will be opened by His Lordship Bishop Verdon on Sunday Octobei 18th. JS early all of the lessees of hotels in Gore have opened the bars of their houses for the sale of temperance drinks, and fairly brisk business is reported in every case. Beverages known as " dandelion ale " and " dandelion porter " are said to be most in demand. Signor Bragato, the Government viticulturist, states that the output of wine from the Government vinery in the Auckland district will this year be double that of last year, when it was 680 gallons. The wine finds a ready sale at half a crown a gallon. Old England's Navy rules the sea, No matter where her ships may be, Her flag will fly in every clime, Foremost till the end of time, Her hardy sailor loves to rome Upon the wave he calls his home, While from the cold he is secure, Taking— Woods' Great Peppermint Cure. The Wellington correspondent of the " Southern Standard" has wired to the effect that John Keown, of Balfour, serving a life sentenced for the murder of H. Stewart in 1895, has been pardoned by the Government The pardon was granted on medical grounds. Keown met with a severe accident about 12 months ago and has spent much of his time since then under medical treatment. - It may not be generally known that a barbed wire fence may be successfully used as a telephone, line for a distance of five miles or a greater distance, No batteries are required other than those already in the telephone-boxes. If the wires are insulated on china knobs, the result will be more satisfactory, as, unless this is done, in wet weather it is often impossible to carry on a satisfactory conservation, owing to loss of electricity. The Rev J Mackie will deliver a lecture entitled "Wit and Humour," in the Presbyterian. Church tomorrow (Friday) evening, the proceeds being in aid of the ( hurch funds. Mr Mackie has already given the lecture in other parts of the district, and it is spoken of by those who have heard it as being both amusing, and instructive. Several musical items will be given during the evening, and an opportunity is afforded the public of profitably and enjoyably spending a couple of hours. Says the -'Bruce Herald:" "One of the chief inducements held out to electors to vote for prohibition has always been the claim that it stopped ' drinking amongst young men. Those who believe that this is a result of prohibition, and wish to find out the truth, will do well to occasionally take noctural rambles round Milton, and judge for themselves as to whether young men are now more sober than they were before the hotels closed. If the searchers after truth are not surprised—we shall be." A pamphlet issued by the Government of the colony of British (iuiana states that homestead grants of land in the colony for areas not exceeding five acres are made for 5d an acre, but the grantee must continually reside on and beneficially occupy the land for ten years, at the end of which time it becomes his"'absolute property. The Crown lands can be purchased outright tor 7§d per acre, but in addition, surveying fees amount to lOd, and office fees 5d per acre—in all, Is per acre. Land is rented at 2d per acre if cultivated, and 3§d if Uncultivated. \

On Saturday next, Mr James Symes will offer by auction a freehold section at the lower end of Tarbert street, together with all buildings thereon; also a quantity of timber and iron. On Saturday, 17th inst, Mr Symes will offer two freehold sections in Limerick street, together with two valuable five-roomed dwellings thereon. Particulars will be found in our advertising columns. Oun readers will scarcely need to be reminded of the Kinderspiel, which is to be performed by the school children .in the town hall this evening. For many months past, the children have been assiduously lehearsing under the superintendence of their teachers, and we trust that their efforts will be rewarded by a well-filled house. Wc have had an opportunity of lisening to a private rehearsal, and we feel sure that at the fall of the curtain to-night the audience will unanimously agree that the entertainment provided was an exceedingly pleasing | and enjoyable one.

" Through the sudden departure of their treasurer." as the report stated, the Caledonian Bowling Club, Dunedin, recently found themselves in sore straits financially. When the tieasurer left the place (the chairman at the annual meeting remarked), they did not know what to do. They could find no books, and all they had in the bank was some £2 odd. But thanks to the efforts of two officials of the Club, they were now over £4 to the good. This is the third time this club have been " bit " in a similar way, and report has it that another bowling club in Dunedin has suffered in a like manner during the past few months. "T.P.," in M.A.P., thus describes Mr Balfour, the Prime Minister, whom he had not seen for some weeks : " I was almost startled by the change which has come over him during the few short months since he became Prime Minister. He has aged visibly. His face is paler, his hair thinner, his manners are languid, and on some occasions when he has been heckled by Lord Hugh Cecil, he looks, I am told, like a hunted spirit. It is curious to see this man, thus aging, tired, listless, while there is all around him a raging activity and voracity of appetite and passion. But then Mr Balfour has got what all the others are hungering for."

The Hon. J. W. Twomey's Imprisonment for Debt Limitation Bill passed, through the Statutes Revision Committee last week. This Bill became a necessity, owing to the alteration made in the law by the Act of 1900. That Act, though not completely abolishing imprisonment for debt, made it impossible to recover debts on judgment summons. The law provided that a creditor would have to prove that a debtor had money of his own in his pocket in court before he could recover under a judgment summons. Mr Twomey's bill provides that if it is proved to the satisfaction of the court that a debtor had sufficient money to pay a judgment debt after providing for the reasonable maintenance of himself and his family, the court-may, if it thinks fit, commit him to gaol. The onus of proof that he is not able to pay is placed on the debtor. It is understood that the Government will take this bill up in the Lower House and pass it this year.

It is an absolute fact that many constituencies dearly love to see the name of their representative figuring in the record of the Parliamentary debates They have an idiotic idea that if their member is not talking he is not working. As a matter of fact some of the .most useful men in the House are men whose names scarcely appear in " Hansard." These men do not play to the galleries. They have no time for idle talk. They work industriously on Select Committees, they carefully study Parliamentary measures of other colonies, they frame valuable amendments while Bills are before Select Committees, and do good work that is never seen by the public. On the other hand, there are men who pay little attention to committe work, but are always ready to deliver speeches in the House when the galleries are full. These are the men who " get into the papers," fill the public mind, and are looked upon as the warriors of Parliament. —" Eltham Argus."