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Dunstan Times, Issue 1269, 25 June 1886, Page 2

Dr Gf.aei'lMj the hits Inspector of Hospitals, in his valeuictoiy repcr*, wherein he makes his final bow to a New Zealand audience {wo can really look upon him only ns an actor, and one who played Ins part exceedingly well) sans: “My work as Inspector of Hospitals being Airshed, I look back with satisfaction upon the contrast which is noticeable between the present state of the hospitals and their condition three and a-half years ago. It ha all along been evident to me that the officials in change of these institutions were both ready and willing to learn anything which I could leach them as the result of an experience of twenty-five years in the management of large establishments at Home. Everywhere I have been courteously received, my criticisms taken in good part and acted upon without delay, ami it is my prom! boast that I have never had an angry word with either an officer or a patient.” Just so, Dr Grabham ; just so. You really deserve a medal for having such self conceit. We can but say, speaking fiom onr own experience that the offici was a perfect sham, and svo hope it will be abolished. During the reign of Dr Grabham wo believe that gentleman passe 1 through this district two or llirco times, and on each occasion paid a surprise visit to the Hospital, staying perhaps five minutes each time—he went in and ho went out—and then he reports that “he looks with satisfaction upon the contrast, etc.” Dah I the whole thing is sickenin'*. If Ihc Government are anxious to carry out Uiei" retrenchment policy, and are really in earnest, after reducing their own salaries by Lsoi) each, the pen should be struck through this item, which, iuelu ling travelling expenses, cannot bs much less than I,IUCO per annum.

Amongst the many departments tbit from tune to time it has been raid could bo tin-own under County control, including the bind—the rabbits, eta.—another has lateiy been added to the li«t in a suggestion by the “Evening Herald ’’ - That the local rchools could not lie worse managed if under the control of the Comity Council or Borough Council in which they are placed. Public opinion evidently is leaning tovvarns decentralisation.

The late rea-s from Home of the great rise in 'he value of wools, and the gre it demand Ihc-e for 1 11 closes, must fairly hove made ran- pastoral princes dunce with j.iy, A li c of from 15 to 25 per cent means on

.additional hun-lrsd or to lliousan .s of pounds, and so much pouting into the country means goo I to all We add our lilUo wont of congratulation, and wish most heartily that the rise is a permanent one.

According to a return laid before Parliament, at (he request of Mr Boron, M.H.R., it appears that while in 18G0-GI the annual cost of conducting the a (Tabs of the Colony of New Z inland was LlflS.SG 1 , that for the year ISS3-S6 was L 2,100,334.

A very bUKV't shuck of earthquake was felt here on Wednesday moraine last at about ten minutes p .si G. Four cases for failing to tike efficient means to efface the rabbit nuisance was heard at Queenstown lately, and resulted iu each case in a fine of 20s and 7s coats.

Mr Fergus, M.11.R. for Lakes, in reply vas informed by the Government that tenders fora mail between Queenstown and Pembroke would bo called for at the end of the year. Fifty-five bags of newspapers, each weighing 7 jits, equal to nearly two tons, was despatched by 'the Dunedin Post OQi’e on Fiidiiy last for Europe and America.

In spite of the p'si'ive and determined no give.i hy the Premier to Mr Pyka when bo asked whether the Government would consider any proposal to construct the Central Otago Railway on the land grant principle, an Auckl-.n 1 rnsmber is to ask a similar question regarding an Auckland lino. It is contended that o ic n-lo of (he country having had such an advantage accorded them, other parts should bo the like treated. It i i proposed to form a party of Auckland and Osage members, the tactics to bn to vote against the Midlaud Railway, unless ho aaime facilities arograuted to them.

It is the impression with many that Her Majesty Queen Victoria hail on Monday last the 21st June, reigned 50 years. Such, however, is not the case, as the following (inures will show William the Fourth, who preceded Her Majesty, died on the 20th June, 1837, on the, same day Her Majesty ascended the throne, and on the following day, the 21st June, Her Majesty was pros claimed Queen, but it was not till the 28th of June in the following year, 1838, she was crowned. Accordingly, though Her Majesty has nominally been Queen since 20th June, 1837, that is 49years, she cannot be said to have been positive Queen of England 43 years till Monday next.

Sir George Grey's motion to have all justices of the peace elected was lost on a division of 38 to 18; as also was Mr Pyke’s Land Act Remedies Bill by 48 to 15. The Australian Cricketers are adding to their already won laurels almost daily, the match against the gentlemen being drawn in (heir favor. Mr Grace for the Gentlemen, made 148, in the first innings; but Jones, of the Colonials topped him by three. The Colonials in England have presented J mes with a handsome and valuable souvenir.

At a meeting of the Clinton School Committee for the purpose of selecting a master to fill the vacancy lately created by the death of Mr John Campbell, all the members of Committee were present. After examining the credentials of the three candidates, Messrs Macandrew (Waitahuna) Cowan (Union St,, Dunedin) and Stewart (Ophir, Blacks) the latter was chosen. Mr Stewart has only been two years in this colony and received his education at a college in E iiuburgh, and at a training school in London, the professors and principals of both institutions giving him first-class certificates, ineluding one for music.

A number ot contracts on the Otago Centra) are lo be let shortly by the Public Works Department, one of the conditions being tnat a certain proportion of the unemployed are to be taken on. The first of these, the Mount Hyde contract, will be let on Monday week, and others will follow as quickly as arrangements can be made. It is estimated that the M aunt Hyde con. tract will absorb about 60 men. Work on the Anderson’s Bay road is still going on, and a number of men will be kept employe i there for some weeks.

Mr W. M'Huicheson, who has acted in tho capacity of postmaster and telegraphist at Nnseby for about ten years, was [on Saturday morning presented with a watch and guard by a number of the residents on the occasion of his leaving the district for six months to visit the old country'. A presentation was also made to Airs Ai ‘Hutcheson.

Mr Heyward in another column issues a free invitation to all bis fiten'*s and acquaintances to the opening of his new hotel, Chatto Creek, on Thmsday, July 8, 18SG. Tho evidence of Crown tenants being taken by the Waste Lands Committee of the House of Representatives, shows that tilings are in a very bad state in Otago. One witness stated that on one run he had lost LG *OO last year. 'The rise in wool may have some effect on the applications of the Grown tenants, bat it is quite certain that a motion wilt be made in Committee in favor of the reduction of the rents We learn tint' the who’e of the stuff raised from While’s reef has been crushed with the result of an average of 1 lawls to the ton. The present manager, who throughout has been working in the Company’s mine, says that however much shirt holders may be disappointed at the smallness of the yield, it was tolly up to what he and the other men avorking in the mine expected, they knowing that by far too much casing and mullock was tipped into the paddock with tho quartz. He says tho appearance of the mine at the face of the main tmiuel looks better in bis estimation that it has ever done, and despite the bad start he is in no way despondent, aud oespeaks yet a bright future. It is to be understood .hit Mr Mitchell is a thoroughly practical hardworking man, whose word and judgment can be relied on. In debate over the representa'iou re-ad-jus ment question, the Premier staled that it waste be understood that the present was not the last session of this Parliament, and there wa? plenty of time to hold a session next year, and have the elections in October or November. This same representation question is sure to stir up a lot of strife, ashy the re-ad just mtnt, if made in terras of the Constitution Act on a popular tion basis, the South Island will be shorn of three or four members, and the same number added to the North Island. Sir Robert Stout is in favor of the amalgamation of city seats, and a general reduction of membeis to CO Europeans and 4 Maories. Tho Bible in Schools Bill has been lost in the Legislative Council through tho absence of some of its supporters.

In the face of tho continue 1 and universal cry of hard times and unemployed, the joint Hou«o Committee passed absolution that ihe Speakers be requested to take stops to procure Parliamentary portraits and busts and portraits of eminent 'colonists from various parts of the Colony, in order to place them in the lobby of the Parliamentary Beddings. In connection with the volcanic eruptions a correspondent of the Christchurch Proas at Tauranga states :—“ 1 have made a careful estimate of tiro stuff ejected during the eruption. It amounts in round numbers to 5 000,000,003 cubic yards, weighing ’>,ooo 000,000 tons, which after all is not qn ; te one cubic mile. It s-ems a small cavity tmt it would take more than tho amount of tho Rational debt to excavate it. It would take one good woikmau one mdlion years to shovel the stuff from tho ground into carts ; yet all was done in four hours. The stuff when washed shows gl t» le'ing particles of mica and little pieces of transparent white crystals. Sanguine people imagine they have found gold and diamonds, and are anxiously awaiting analysis.”

According to a Jdocision given by Mr fie veil, 11. M., and Mr E. Herbert, J.P., from the Lawrence Bench, “ Boarders in hotels are not privileged to shout for their friends after hours.” We should like to see the decision of a Judge of the Supreme Court on this point. For our own part we feel assured iho Legislature, let whatever the written law say to the contrary, never intended so serious an infringement on the liberty of the subject to prevent him ac- 1 cording to a friend the hospitalities of his C house, as for the time being the hotel is as much a boarder’s house as would be a rented furnished house that was not encumbered with a license.

Governor Sir Leonard Tilley, of New Brunswick, writing to the editor of this paper (‘Evening Star’) on vhe subject of Colonial Federation, says" Were I a resident of Australia I should support tha Federal Union with ali my heart. Free exchange of your manufactures would give / you just what you want in the way of a £ market for your manufactures, and would create a national feeling that will not bo successfully cultivated so long as smaU colonies remain with their sectional prejudices and limited influence.” Sir L-onard adds that he will always take an interest in the success of ex-Canadians who have emigrated to New Zealand.

The Otago Hunt Club races on the Dunedin racecourse are fixed for September next, and as stakes amounting to L7OO is to bo given away. it.is intended the season shall extend over two days. The following boycotting notice, found stuck up on the walls of an Irish town gives an idea of the for m which these epistles usually take : Hannah Lewis and her son, Aylward Lewis, are now boyotted. Lot no person woik for, buy from, or s«li to those cruel tyrants. They refuse any abatement in their rents.

They defy the power of the people. Lit them taste a Utile of its effects. Servants of Ballingar House, leave vo ir situations, or else . Shopkeepers of Portuimu, Woodford, and Loiighrea, deal not with those vile despots or . Herdsmen ceose to act for those Urange bigot?, unless you wish to be—-. G aziers and cattledealers if yon buy thdr stuc't you may expect ,

Down with landlordism 1 Hurrah for tho people ! ”

Young William Johnstone, tho medical student who was drowned on board the Ly-ee-moon, had some strange forebodings as to the fate of the vessel. His father is dead, but his mother resiles in Sydney, and ha contemplated a visit to her. He took passage in the Ly ee-moon, but after doing so gave expression to a strong presentiment that the vessel would be wrecked and be he drowned. He was expostulated with, but persisted that he would he drowned ; and . so strongly was he possessed by this conviction that he apportioned a number of small articles which he owned to be given to various friends as souvenirs as soon as hiy' fate was known, and he diiected that when the news came his letters shiuhl be burned. A Mr Moss an i others a>ke I him why, if he felt thus, he did not wait for the next steamer, lo which he replied that Lis father had held shares in the A.S.N. Company, and he would go in the Ly ee-moon. Young Johnstone’s presentiment was thought so little of that it was pn j icted by several of his frien is that they would accompany Aim. A Mr Hamilton and Mr Aly.-rs were among these, Air Harnil.o.i’s wife and family went, and have perished, but Mr Hamilton himself misse l tlie steamer and went overland. Airs Myers also concluded to go overland. Mr Moss (bought of going in the Ly-ec-moon, but, Saurday being a J- W ish holiday, Airs Moss objected to his sailing on that day. It will be remembered that some few we;ks ago a customer of the Federal Bank of Australia, in Sydney, presented a cheque for Ll2, and having got it initialled, altered the amount to L1,20d, and got the money from the teller, Tho Icdgeikveper and teller both lost their situations. On June 2nd the manager receive 1 a letter from tho drawer of the cheque, in which he said his conscience troubled bim, an I that it was his intention to make restitution. On the following day the manager received a pack-, age containing LOGO in notes less one 1.2) note. The remaining LGJO is promised in gold, but has not ye' been received.

A forcible illustration of tho great danger of eating puisoned rabbits during the poisoning season has just come under our (Tuapeka Times) notice, an I one which M-om its seiiousness should serve as a caution to people who persist that, as food, poisoned rabbits are perfectly harmless.

T«o young gentlemen, m the banking line, went out for a “pot ” a few days ago" and returned heavily laden with a carcass of a la'iDit, which appeared to have fallen under the deadly aim of their fowling-piece. On arriving at their lodgings, th y con d med the dainty particle to the tender ms cies of the landlady, who prepared it for snppor, the rabbit proved cipir.it ea nig ; i; was as tender as a spring chicken, and rile repast one of the most enj lyahle they ha 1 sit down to for some time It W -is not until about two o’clock in the morning lint ihey had occasion to think otherwise. 0..0 of the party, awakening with a start, sdl ho felt ns it ha had conceived an eai lhq nke • the other responded that a volcano had suddenly broken out somewhere j n ],j 3 j n . ' te>nal geography. The symptoms increased, and bi-foe veiy long he of the earthquake was clawing the air wbh his toes in such a manner as to excite suspicion. He of the vo’eano endeavoured to remove the bails of the eruption hy sand, ing on his head, but the operation successful At this stage the landlady aruved on the sc.-ne, when hot brick , fomentations, and pnrg.Vives were resorted to ; hut Without avail. A monthly noise, who was called in, recommended brandy, which, after a liberal application. was sueoosstul in resto'ing harm mv. On enquiry n-xt. morning it was found that the wrong rahhit had Icon picked up—not the one that had been shot by the sufferers, Inn, one that had been dead for some t m», and, no doubt, shot hy somebody else. This is an accident which very frequently occurs, and something should bo done to prevent snorts--111011 leaving their dead game about in this careless and thoughtless manner.

We (‘Taieri.Advocate’) have received a letter on the Rabbit nuisance question from a correspondent. He claims to have solved the problem. He suggests that ihe Government should establish soup kitchens in all rabbit-infested districts. The unemployed should then be conveyed to the same distriots and should be supplied with food in

return for killing the rabbits. Our cones-

domlent aids that the Rabbit Inspectors (should receive the appointments of cojks -'Tty- the soup kitchens. We believe that our contributor makes his suggestions in perfect seriousness.

It is understood that the Government have intimated to the Otago members that they expect to have the Otago Central Railway completed to the Taieri Lake in three years, where the line sanctioned by Parliament in 1878 was to be completed; and to Lake Wanakaiu 1804, according to the engineer’s report. The 1 Evening Star ’ says the proposal to take three years from to only reach the Taieri Lake is looked upon as merely trifling with the work, and it is said that the Otago members have determined to arrive at a fair understanding befoie the loan proposals are considered.

A good thing reaches us from Bald Hili Flait, and we record it as a gem:-I: appears that during a recent examination of the school there the question was put by the Inspector to the whole school— “ What is the name of the County you live in ? ” Answers came thick and fast —Ball Hill Flat. Otago, New Zealand, Spear-grass, Old Man Range. One of the advanced pupils, oa returning home, told mother all about it. and got for a reply—" If he had asked me that question 1 would have so n told him, ‘ Shure and it is the County Council.’ ” One of those startling instances of uuex

pec.tc-d reparation of a wiong which ate heaid of now and again, end help to redeem the generally bad opinion of human nature which pessimists arc wont to entertain, occurred at Wellington recently. It appears (says the • Evening Post’) that a w'ell known house agent seventeen years ago lent a friend aj“ fiver.” The good-natured act apparently hid the effect which Snakespearc says may be expected of len ling, namely, causing the

loss of both friend and loan At anyrate neither man nor money was seen again. Ou Friday last, hjhwere', Mr- was surprised to receive, through a weil-knowu firm of solicitors, a ch.-q le for L 43 enclosed in a letter, which explained that it was the “ fivet” returned with interest. This story (adds the Post) is perfectly true, but we should cautiononr readers who have old money outstanding hot to flitter themselves that they are likely to be similar ly fortunate ;

nor would we reonnmeu I those who are speculatively inclined to lend promiscuous fivers on tho strength of the bread thus cist upon the waters returning manifold after many days.

Regarding the charges of cruelty on f’ —rd the American whaler Petrel, (he erican con ml at Auckland, aftei taking evilence of all the crew, considers there is a case for the officers to answer, and has resolved to hold aa inquiry open to tho Press, when the officers will be present- It lias transpired that a seaman named take was drowned dudng the cruise, and he is said to have been aa much ill-used as the cooper. All tho men on board corroborate the .statements of the deserters as to the ill treatment all round. Tile inquiry takes place at Russell, and Mr Campbell, solicitor, has gone to represent the officers.

A case o! some importance to newspaper subscribers has been recently tried in Queanbeynn. Mr Gale, proprietor of the ‘ Age,’ sued a subscriber as a ted case under the following condition The party in questr- n ordered his piper to be stopped but did not pay up. The paper was continued and the full amount sued for. The defendant that on notice of diecorWii nuance an account ought to have been iviitlen d to the end of current quartc, tut His Honor ruled that it was the subscriber’s duty to pay up at the time of ihe countermand to relieve himself of liability and gave a verdict for the amount claimed.

MEMORANDA. A land transfer notice appears thisissje. A number of gold-mining leases are notified as being cancelled. Mr and Mrs Heyward invite their friends to the opening of their new hotel. Alexandra Court Day ou Monday, June 23- hj,

Clyde Court Day ou Tuesday, June 29'h. Clyde School Committee meeting July 2. Mr Faoheholds a sale of a farm, horses, cattle, etc., etc, at Blacks, on July 7.