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Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2184, 7 May 1870, Page 2

Pedestuianism. The 150 yards race between W. H. Money arid T. Lefovre, came off this afternoon at the South Recreation Ground, in the presence of a largo number of persons. Lefevre got the start and led for some distance, when he stumbled in gome way and fell. Money then passed him, and won with ease.

Inquest.—To-day Mr Hocken, city coroner, held an inquest on the body of Benjamin Travers, a lunotic, whose death was reported yesterday. The verdict of the jury was to the effect that the deceased died from exhaustion, diarrhoea, and madness combined.

Masonic Hall.— The Christy’s offer a very inviting programme this evening, and it ca-i hardly fail to draw a good house. Mr Collins is to repeat the characteristic hornpipe he gave on Wednesday evening ; it is about the best thing we have seen done here for a long time. Deputation. the formal opening of the reading room of the Athemeum, a deputation from the Committee waited upon the Hon. Wm. box, to ask him to introduce a Bill by which Mechanics Institutions and Athenaeums may be incorporated. Mr Fox promised to give every assistance iu his power to place them on a satisfactory footing. Gaol Return. The following is the state of Her Majesty’s gaol, Dunedin, for the week ending May 7 : Awaiting trial, 5 men, 0 women; under remand, 1 man, 0 woman ; penal servitude, 95 men, 0 women ; hard labor, 51 men, 18 women; default of bail, 3 men, 1 woman ; debtors, 0 men,owomen;total. 155 men, 19 women. Received during the week, 6 men, 7 women ; discharged, 5 men, 2 women. City Police Court.— The business transacted to-day was unimportant. John Whittaker was fined 10s for being drunk, and Frederick Johnson, who was charged with stealing a trunk containing wearing apparel from the Royal Hotel, Walker street, was, on the application of the police, remanded until Monday. His Worship the Mayor was the presiding magistrade. Schoolmasters’ Association. —The adjourned meeting was held in the Education Office this day, when there were present the president and ten other members. A letter from Mr Russell, the secretary, resigning his appointment, was read, and Mr Stables was .appointed interim secretary. The subject adjourned from last week was then fully discussed. At the conclusion of the debate it was agreed that the meeting adjourn till the first Saturday in June, and Mr Stabies was requested to read a paper on the various methods of teaching arithmetic. Caledonian Society.—Mr T. Birch, president, and several of the members of the Caledonian Societv, accompanied by Mr B. C. Haggitt, solicitor to the Society, waited upon the Hon, Mr. Fox to-day to request that a clause may be introduced into the Friendly Societies Act that will enable the Society to he registered under it. Mr Haggitt explained that the Act was based upon the English Act which contained a clause to that effect but that in the Colonial Act it bad been omitted. Mr Fox said he should be glad to promote the interests of tbe Society in any way lie could, and he should be glad if they would communicate further with him on the subject. A Novel Objection.— ln the Equity Court in Melbourne lately, on the hearing of an application to make absolute a rule nisi for insolvency. The summons to the respondent had been drawn up in the usual form —“Victoria, by the grace of God, &c., giving her Majesty her titles of Queen of England, &c.” It was, however, contended that this time-honored form ought to be now abandoned, and that her Majesty should be described not only as Queen of England, hut as “Empress of India,” as she had adopted this latter title in 1859. Mr Justice Molesworth thought the objection of sufficient weight to take time to consider it with others. New Zealand Flax.—The following, in reference to the late lire on board the Claud Hamilton, appears in the Melbourne papers of April 9 “ We, the underaigned, having been requested by Messrs M ‘Meckan, Blackwood and Co,, have this day visited the steamship Claud Hamilton, and examined the flax which was stowed in the fore hold. We have carefully examined the same, and have had several bundles taken out of the centre of the bales, which have all been found perfect, with no appearance of heating, although the outsides have been burning, and on examining the two bales of greasy wool which have been opened, we find the wool so hot that it cannot be handled, and we report our opinion that the wool had taken fire spontaneously, and communicated the same to the flax.—(Signed) Samuel Ficken, William George Grave, Daniel M’Oallum, Marino Surveyors to the Merchant Shipping and Underwritters’ Association.” The Canterbury papers have inspected a sample of flax prepared by boiling and scutching, which is certainly equal, if not superior, to the general run of machine dressed flax. A Mr Fegg, of Oxford, first tried the experiment, and Mr Dumergue has since followed it up. The great merit of this system is its cheapness, as flax of very fair quality can be produced for something like eight pounds per ton. Testimonial. On Thursday, Mr Milne, headmaster of tbe Cavershatn School, was presented witli a handsome writingdesk, as a token of respect on the part of his pupils. Mr J. T. Thomson made the presentation, and in doing so expressed his pleasure at being called upon to perform the duty. He considered the gift honored both the pupils and their master. He referred at some length to Mr Milne’s long experience as a member of the school committee, the efficient maimer in which he had discharged his duties, and the very satisfactory and agreeable manner iu which the committee had been able to carry on the educational affairs of the district since his appointment. Mr .Milne replied briefly, thanking tlio children for their present, and Mr Thomson and the other gentlemen present for their attendance. He expressed his gratification in feeling that his labors hart been appreciated, and hoped this mark of esteem would encourage him to persevere in discharging his duties. At Mr Thomson’s request, cheers were heartily given for the master. The desk hears the simple inscription:—“ Presented to W. Milne, Esq., by his pupils. Oavershara, 1870.” Lecture. — The Hon. Mr Fox delivered an address on temperance at Knox Church last evening. There was a crowded audience, and the chair was occupied by the Rev. Mr Stuart. Mr Fox, in his opening remarks, referred to an attack made upon him in another place for having delivered an address on the same subject, and said he did not think advocating any great moral or social reform was incompatible with his political office. He felt sure no statement such as bad been wade elsewhere would be made

here against him. Starting with the consumption of s( r mg drinks in the Colony, he cited the statistics for 1807-8 from which it appeared that the Government had received as duties on imported intoxicating beverages an aggregate amount of L 429,000, which, multiplied by three, would give an estimate of the retail trade, namely, LI,287,001) worth of liquors imported and consumed in the Colony. To that might be added L 412,000, for the ale and porter brewed in the Colony, making a total of L 1,699,000 spent in strong drink. The ordinary revenue of the Colony was only L 1,697,900, so that the drinking co-t exceeded the ordinary revenue. ihc entire population of Europeans was 218,000, ami of Natives 88,000—in all 256,000 persons, which showed that for every man, woman, child, and infant there was spent yearly L 6 18s in strong drink ; and taking away those who did not drink, it left the money thus spent at about LSO per man. This money might be put to many advantageous uses; while the purpose for which it was laid out was not a necessary of life. The number of houses employed in the distribution of liquor in Otago was 632, or 2568 in the whole Colony ; the number of dwellinghouses was ouly 50,000, so that there was ouo house iu every twenty engaged in the traffic. The rent of these houses might be averaged at LSO a year each, or in the aggregate L 128.000. They gave employment to 2000 persons in those two Provinces, and to 8000 in the Colony, and these persons might all be' engaged in more useful pursuits. After dealing with the argument so often advanced, that wine was God’s good gift—the most absurd argument he ever listened to—the lion, gentleman proceeded to point out the manner in which many of the liquors obtained in the Colony were fabricated, and the pernicious effects to the system by their consumption. Jn England there were 60,000 drunkards, whose individual average of life was 10 years. Sixty thousand die every year, and yet these once were only moderate drinkers. He next pourtrayed many of the evils arising from intemperance, and suggested some remedies to counteract its effects. He was not in favor of women’s rights ; but were he Draco, be would stop all licences unless requisitions signed by two-thirds of the adult women in the town were presented in favor of them. Women could exercise that kind of influence which would carry the day. It was not to be done by Candle lectures, but by effectually weaning husbands from intemperate habits, and by bringing up children to sober ones. A most opportune moment was when young men came ‘' fosicking around,” then the young women should make their sweethearts sign the pledge before they married them ; thus the foundation of future happiness would be laid. Ministers of the gospel, too, might be of invaluable help, were they hut to become abstainers. He should like to see such a Permissive Bill as they had in America introduced here, and should also like to see the power of licensing given back to the people, and not placed in the hands of justices of the peace. In conclusion, he said that he never obtruded his opinions ; but when asked to speak on the subject he would always do so. A vote of thanks to the lecturer was moved by Mr Jago, and carried with acclamation. MrJ. G. S. Grant endeavoured to obtain a hearing, but was unsuccessful. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the proceedings.