The Dunstan Times. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1880.

Dunstan Times, Issue 975, 24 December 1880, Page 2

The Dunstan Times.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1880.

Bencathlherule of men enttf.hia jtst th fen is.Mic.nTiKit than the: swont)

Wo perceive by an advertisement in another column that Divine Service will be held in St. Michael’s and All Angela Church to morrow (Christmas Day) at the usual hour. The offertory will be in aid of the funds of ths local Hospital. The newly appointed Inspector of Her Majesty’s prisons in New Zoa’aud, Captain Hume, 79th Highlanders, visited Clyde gaol yesterday, in company with Vincent Pykc, Esq., Visiting Justice, and expressed himself highly pleased with the cleanliness and good order of it and its surroundings. He, however, complained of the absence of a bath for the prisoners, whom, he said, should bo compelled to frequently bath themselves. We learn by telegram that, owing to the leave of absence granted to Judge Williams, Judge Gillies will take the Otago Circuit, Judge Richmond returning to Auckland to transact the judicial business till Mr Justice Gillies resumes his place.

The New Zealand Gazette notifies the an pointrnent of Messrs C. Colclough, S, }j Brown, D. M‘Kellar, C. E. Gudgeon, and D. A Jolly as trustees of the Cromwell Public Cemetery. Mr. Edward Wakefield inlu’gel in a little mild sarcasm at Mr Rolleston’a e*. peimc when addressing the electors a t Geraldine. Said he “ Mr. Eollcstothe present Minister of Education, was in his (Mr. Wakefield’s) mind, crazy on education. Mr. Bolleston seemed to think that the people could eat education, drink education, wear education, and, in fact exist altogether on education. Mr. R o i. lestoa was a scholar, and he wished every child to be a scholar. Indeed, Mr. R o j leston was a scholar of such a high class that he (Mr Wakefield) had been told that he swore at his bullocks in Greek. (Loud laughter.)” We should like to hear the hon. gentleman exhort the impenitent bullock—Strawberry or Duchess, and tbs rest—in the sonorous language of Homer. Hero is another interesting ■ paragraph from Mr Wakefield’s speech “ The way them land put chases in the North Island were carried on by the Government agents was most disgraceful. For instance, the agents would give a Native tl and get him to sign a blank voucher. Hundreds of such vouchers had been signed. He believed the Government never got half the land t\at was purchased in that wav, A Mr Young, who had be<m a Native i n . terpreter, was appointed a judge of the Native Lands Court a short time ago. He died during last Session, and his brother got up a tangi, or what the Irisb would call a wake. Tiiia air. Young applied to the Government to piy the expenses oi the wake, to which hundreds of Maoris hid been invited to eat, drink, wail, and be merry. The Government declined to piy the expenses of the celebration, hut the brother of the deceased Judge spent hui.‘ dreds of pounds on the lamji, and afterwards got a leading Native to sign a blank voucher for the amount. Ho hoped the late Judge Young was sent to his last rest in good stylo, but the Government had to pay for the lamentations.” The following correspondence respecting the recent Magisterial changes in this County have been placed at our disposal for publication ; "Department of Justice Wellington, N.Z , 10th December, ISSo! Sir, —I have to express my regret that year letter of the 2:kd October last should have remained unanswered up to the present time—partly owing to my absence from Wellington. I have again referred the matter to the Magistrates concerned fir their report; and if it is found on further experience that the arrangements made are inconvenient, Government will be glad to reconsider them.—l have, Ac., W. RnixESTOK. Vincent Fyke, Esq M.G.A., Clyde, Vincent County." We are glad to learn that an opportunity is now locally available for the acquireincut of the useful art oi Phonography for some years post recognised as an important hramh o: education throughout Great Britain and the Australian colonies. The author c.f the most popular system of shorthand (Mr Isaac Pitman), in his " Manual of Phonography,” quotes the following opinion of an enthusiast in support of its efficacy This science draws out all tho powers of the mind ; it excites invention, improves the ingeunity, matures the judgment, and endows tho retentive faculty with the superior advantages of precision, vigilance, and pen averancc.” There is no disputing the fart that the art is of great utility in many departments c.f life apart from that of ihs professional reporter. In scores of circumstance?, which will readily su.gcst themselves, tho ability to place on record tho words of a speaker as fast as they full from the lips is most valuable and desirable. It is notified by advertisement that a class for instruction in the art will shortly bo initiated by a gentleman lately connected with the Melbourne Press, and now on tho staff of the Donstan Times, who guarantees to impart a knowledge of the art in three quarters. We would strongly urge our youths to “go in ” for it. On Friday evening last the amusement, loving public were afforded a rare treat in tho shape of a performance given by tho the talented 1 ynch Family of Bellringers at tho Town Hall. The attendance was large the greater portion being children, who, at times, were extremely boisterous in their applause. The company arc familiar to a largo number of people here as well as tho surrounding gold fields, and tho other evening, as of yore, they delighted everyone —young and old—who were fortunate enough to bo present Tho programme was an exceedingly diverstfied one, which comprised some hichly artistic performances with the bells, ballads by Mr. Allred Ssintley, comic duets by Messrs. R. and W. Lynch, ventriloquiaj oddities by Mr. C. Lyndhurst, a Chinese song and dance by Messrs H., R. and W L\nch, a nautical bornp’pe, and a farce entitled “Mr Johnson in want of a Coachman,” which was intensely funny, ami sent a great many to their homes with aching sides. The company have dona good "biz.” during their ton months tour through tho colony, which they will shortly bid adieu for Melbourne (it. route to the United States, where we hope they wil meet with every success. The Otago Daily Times of the 17th ins*, has tho following:—"We are informed that the average of a flock of 50C0 three-quarter-bred Lincoln and Leicester sheep, lately shorn in the Oamaru district, was 101b 14oz of well-skirted wool, besides locks and pieces." Among the languages of civilised nations English is the most widespread. Is is the mother tongue of about 80,000,000 people j French, of between 40,000,000 and 50,000, 000 ; German, of between 60,000,000 and 60,000,000 j Italain, of 28,000,000 ; and Rus.-dan, of between 55,000,000 and 60,000 000.

Mr T, 3. Weston, late District Judge, in Westland, has commenced practice as a Solicitor, 40., in Christchurch. Here is a certain lord’s opinion on “ liar I Wmk versus head work ”: —“ I have been a landlord now for nearly forty years, with all sorts of farmers for tenants, and I have found out this— lt’s a bad Sign when afarmer half to take off his coat. It shows that he’s on the wrong t-ack. If ho can find nothing better to do on his farm than to earn he wages of a day laborer, he has mi-it ken his vocation. C.i.laddering the many foolish insinuations which have been uttered against the '■'iiracter of the Sydney aquatic hero, Trickett, it might be Well for some of his detractors to peruse the following, from “Tim Whifller’s” English sporting notes to the Melbourne Loader of November 29. Observations in question were penned on 'October 2, before the race. They are as follows:—“ 1 hear strange rumours from those likely to know concerning your man Trickett. That he is 4 all to pieces ’ all are agreed, and, what is worse, he is suffering from a 4 fit of the blurs, ’ whatever description of complaint that may bo. tlflHis present condition is put down to 4 that beastly climate of ours,’and certainly this week the clerk of the weather appears in a strange mood, his visitations being best described by the statement that they all too quickly alternate from 4 grave to gay, from lively to severe.’ lam informed, too, that his training is too strong, and a little less work and a little more 4 home brewed ’ would prove most beneficial. 1 have seen race horses get as stale as coach horses from overwork : the same cause, therefore, is likely to make a sculler as 4 slow as a man in boots.’" Treeless lowa is being transformed into a forest covered country, by a law which remits certain taxes for five years on every ■acre of fruit, and ten years on every ae-e of forest trees planted and kept alive. Over ■85,000 acres of fruit and forest trees have been planted, and 200,000 do's have been remitted in taxes.