LOCAL & GENERAL

Otago Witness, Issue 2813, 12 February 1908, Page 64

LOCAL & GENERAL

In view of the coming into operation of the preferential tariff of 1907, certain .schedules of which are affected after the 31et of March next, importers are recommended to see that their invoices for goods arriving- after that date have inserted on them the proper certificate of origin of the goods, ac its absence will, the Collector of Customs advises us, cause much trouble and necessitate a deposit of the full duty being taken, and probably not returned.

A statutory notice in the Gazette shows that the unclaimed moneys held by the Bank of New Zealand in its Otago branches at the close of last year included the following: — Blue Spur and Gabriel's Gully Sluicing Company (Limited), Lawrence, £105 19s 8d; William Hastie, traveller, Dunedin, £12 2s 6d; John Hay, Dunedin, £9 12s; J. H. A. M'Phee, teacher, Dunedin, 5s 7cl ; and William Townley, Dunedin, £3 14s 6d. As much as £271 7s 2d lies unclaimed to the credit of Samuel Godfrey Switzer, Auckland.

A special meeting of the City Council was held at noon on the 4th, when several formal resolutions were paseed, on the motion of Cr Small, in connection with the city's loans, the purport of which was the fixing of a special rate of 9d as security to cover interest on the loan of £250,000 recently floated.

In April next the Salvation Army will have been established in this city and in the Dominion for a quarter of a century. It was on April 1, 1882, that the Army fired its first shot in New Zealand, at the Fountain, and the local contingent is naturally desirous of celebrating the twenty-fifth anniversary of so notable an event in a fitting manner. It is characteristic of Salvation' Army warfare that the proposed celebration should take the form of an effort to raise the sum of £150 in order to preeent the Brass Band with a new 6et of instruments. The Army Bands in Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch, and Invercargill have all recently secured new instruments, in some cases at a cost of £300, and the Dunedin Band is desirous of being similarly equipped. Since the Army Band in Dunedin was first enrolled it has had a membership of 135, and of these no fewer than 123 men and lads have been taught music and trained to play brass instruments while in the Army service. The officer in charge 'Staff-captain Lonnie) has commenced a canvass of the business men of the city with a view of soliciting subscriptions, and already he reports a, generous response. Beating in mind the woithy nature of the p^ject, it is -mich *o be hojjpd tbftfc kk+,

The six " two-up " players who were caught recently by the detectives while indulging in their unlawful pastime on the .reclaimed land were biought before Mr Widdowfon, S.M., in the City Police Court on the 4th. Five of the men pleaded " Guilty,"' and one of the number '" Not guilty." The magistrate inflicted a fine of £3 and costs in the case of*~each of the five men, and the charge against the other man, against whom the police offered no e\ idence, was dismissed. It was made clear from the Bench that future offenders I need expect little consideration from his Worship should they ever so meekly suggest that '"a small fine" would meet their case. According to remarks made at the last meeting of the Dunedin Presbytery, the magnetism of the railway, nine miles disI tant, is drawing a good many things away from Naseby. Naseby was referred to as a declining gold mining district, and it was argued that Ranfurly was the coming centre of effort, and would consequently become the centre of religion. It was stated at the meeting of the Dunedin Presbytery on the 4-th that in the examination for probationers the thesis and popular sermons meant a good deal, but that, the Latin and Greek were not of much importance. As for the present function of licensing, it was a mere farce, and it was the duty of the Presbytery to make it as dignified and imposing as possible. It was resolved that steps be taken towards holding this ceremony in a centre and in public. The first meeting of the Mental Science Association for the year was held at the Health Institute on the 3rd. Mr A. V. Mazengarb occupied the chair, and in reviewing the work of the past year read excerpts from several letters of appreciation written by members of the Success Club (affiliated with the M.S. A.) in different parts of the Dominion. During an address on the seven principles of man as taught by the Yogi philosophers, Mr Mazengarb emphasised the importance of a knowledge of the cellular life of the body, stating that each cell of which the body was built contained a living harmonious potentiality of the whole being, also a particular vital force by which it built that organ or part of the body to which it directly belonged. Every cell of the body was governed in ite functioning by the instincti\e mind, and was ruled by the higher phases of mentality. At the close of the address a lively discussion took- place upon the formation and manifestations of the astral body. A resident of Balclutha North, his wife, ' and three of a family suddenly took ill on Thursday, 30th ult. (says the Clutha Leader), and the doctor, who was called in, described their symptoms as those of ptomaine poisoning. They had eaten some potted meat for breakfast, and it is surmised that they were poisoned by this. They were ill till next day, but all have now fully recovered. j Our Cromwell correspondent states that ! Mr Payne, engineer, of Dunedin, placed a scheme before the Borough Council there last week. to lift 6even heads of water out of the river by means of a current wheel on pontoons to a height of 130 ft at a cost of £3000. It has met with a very favourable reception, as there ie an endowment of 1000 acres. This would be a splendid , asset for the borough if successful, and some steps will be taken to try and get it under way shortly. The following students for the ministry of the Presbyterian Church, who were . competitors for the scholarships advertised j for such, have (says the Outlook) passed the matriculation examination in the following order and with a total of marks in six subjects as follow : —Mr R. S. Watson, of Feilding, with 446 marks; Mr E. T. Tipler, of Auckland, with 397 marks; Mr T. P. White, of Pleasant Point, South Canterbury, with 354 marks; Mr W. W. Raff, of Dunedin, with 352 marks; and Mr J. P. Boyle, of Hastings, with 351 marks. Mr Watson therefore wins the Yule No. 1 scholarship of £25 a year for three years; Mr Tipler wins the Sommervell No. 2 scholarship of £20 a year for three years ; and the others will very likely have scholarships given to them when the Theological College Committee can. meet to decide. I The Manawatu Standard says it is rumoured that M'Nab's Gardens, at Lower Hutt, will be the residence of his Excellency the Governor while Parliament is in occupation of Government House. It ie ' further reported that the gardens may I become the vice-regal quarters permanently if negotiations now proceeding for their purchase are successful. At the last sitting of the Magistrate'e Court a* Lawrence, Bernard AI'D-ouaM sued John Paulin, John Sutherland, Dugald Stewart, John M'Lean, Thomas M'Culloch, Edward Tubman, and James M'Donald, trading as the Happy Valley Sluicing Company. Mr Fletcher appeared for the plaintiff, and .Mr Hanlon, with Mr Moore, for the defendants. The claim was for £200, wages from November 17, 1905, to January 11, 1908—4000 hours at Is an hour. James M'Donald also sued the same parties less James M'Donald for £200, wages for a. similar period. Mr Fletcher admitted that James M'Donald was a partner in the company he wa« ' suing, and Mr Cruickshank ruled that he was estopped from claiming. In the other ' case the defence was that plaintiff was a partner. He had taken part in meetings and exercised all the privileges of a x

suing, an-

Times) that the defence had failed to prove tha-t the plaintiff wa6 a partner. He therefore gave judgment for the ' full amount claimed, with costs (£l4 8s). A parcel received at the office of this paper on the sth was found 1 to contain c small box in which ; were several fragments of apples. Accompanying these was the memorandum: 1 "We are paying 6d a. pound for these ; : what are our inspectors for?" It did 1 not need the skill of a pomologi«t to dis1 cover that the apples of which the frag1 ments had formed a part were badly in- ■ fested with codlin moth, for the fruit had been bored to the centre and the larva, deposited there. It really looke like a i case of careless inspection, but it is s impossible to say where, in the absence of . information as to the origin of the apples. ■ The seller of such fruit is liable aa well as i the producer. Certainly inspection in ; this case would have detected the presence ; of the pest. ' | We hear that the owners of city proper- ' ties who have allowed elderberries to i flourish in their shrubberies have been , served with notice that they must take i immediate steps to destroy the noxious ; weed in question. A reliable-looking, middle-aged man ; presented himself and his story to the Benevolent Trustees on the sth inbt. He was handicapped by having lost a hand, '< and prospective employers had no further 1 use for him when they became aware of his defect. Ship's captains refused to , employ him for the same reason, though i he held good discharges. The trustees i gave him temporary remunerative employment at the institution, having no- doubt that if he proved himself useful there would be no difficulty in getting him regular work. The applicant has a wife, but no , children. From private information received by a gentleman in this city on the sth, w.2 understand there is every probability that Captain Scott, of Discovery fame, will head another expedition to the Antarctic a year or two hence. Amongst the applicants for Otekaike sections were a number of women (says the North Otago Times), coming from as far away as Cheviot, who made application under the misleading heading on the map " for married people," only to be told on arrival that married women were not eligible. They were giiided by the map in making application, but the act defines "married people" as married men. The civil case brought by the Public ; Trustee against William Gilchrist was concluded at Oamani on the sth. The Public Trustee, as administrator of the estate of John Gilchrist, deceased, intestate, sought either the transfer of a lease-in-perpetuity section on Ardgowan Settlement, held by William Gilchrist, son of deceased, or a lien over the interest in the land and improvements. It was contended that though j William Gilchrist obtained a section at the ! ballot the deposit was paid by his father, who found the mojiey for subsequent improvement and purchase of stock. It was claimed that the >whole famly was entitled to participate. Mr Justice Williams gave judgment for defendant. As to the request for a charge on the improvements effected by John Gilchrist, his Honor said it was impossible to separate this from the ' first ground of claim. If William Gilchrist ' was not the holder of the land, then all the parties to the transaction had committed an offence against the Land Act. He did not think that at &ny time John Gilchrist ; could be considered in possession, as Wil- ! liam had always been on the land, except when, owing to unfortunate circumstances, he was compelled to absent himself, and his father's occupation during that time ! was due to his being representative for his j son. That being the case, it was a matter of indifference whether the improvements were made out of the money of William or John. The land was William's, and if the father provided money for or effected improvements they were for the benefit of the son, to whom the land belonged. The mail despatched from Wellington, via Naples, on December 27 arrived at London on the night of the 3rd inst. The mail was due on the 2nd inst. The dryness of. the weather is making itself felt on Dunedin's water supply j in so far as the Silverstream Reservoir is concerned. There is a perceptible falling off in the supply of water to that reservoir, i and as a consequence its level shows a ! decided fall. The sources of supply to ' the Ross Creek Reservoir, however, show | practically no diminution, and the reservoir is almost at high level. At the present time the greater part of the city's supply is being drawn from the Ross Creek Reservoir, so as to conserve the ■watojr in. file Silve.retr-eaix» one a^ m«<rH as possible. The result is that all the available -water in the tributaries to the Ross Creek Reservoir is being drawn upon. Generally speaking, there is no immediate fear of a. shortage, and it is safe to say that there will be ample water available for the next two months even if there is no rainfall in the meantime. The V.M.C.A. Board of Management on the sth inst., completed all arrangements in connection with the purchase of a'site for the new V.M.C.A. building. The site Is in Moray place, almost immediately ' adjoining the Jewish Synagogue, and on the southern side of that building. It is ' a quarter of an acre in extent, has a frontage of 42ft for a depth of about 50ft, when it broadens out to 68ft. The section runs | back for a diatan.ee « f ftbout 270 ft. Th£»a [

are at present standing on the section two two-storeyed houses, which formerly served the purpose of the V.M.C.A. Boys' Home. These buildings are included in the purchase and will, of course, have to be rej moved when the construction of the new ■ building is commenced, but,' we understand, that is not likely to occur for some time yet owing to the present unsettled slate of the funds subscribed in the recent campaign. The section, we understand, was purchased on terms which are considered quite favourable. I Mr T. Mackenzie, M.P., is at present on a visit to the Catlins district, and while there he purposes making all arrangements for an early visit of members of the CatlinsTahakopa League to the district. 1 The Lawrence branch of the New Zealand Farmers' Union held a conference with the Waitahuna Farmers' Club last, week with a view to bringing the claims of the union before the club members. The delegates of the union were Messrs J. C. Brown (secretary) and A. Fraser J (president). An interesting discussion took place regarding the union and the Mutual Fire Insurance- Association, after which Messrs W. J. Livingstone and R. M'Caw were appointed to canvass the district and obtain the names of those willing to join . the union. I A conference took place on the sth, wa understand, between the representatives of the Chemical Manure Workers' Union, the Shearers' Union, the Musterers' Union, and the Milton Farm Labourers' Union, with the result that Mr S. Boreham, on. behalf of the Musterers' Union, guaranteed £20, and Mr M'lntyre, on behalf of the Chemical Manure Workers, £5, as the nucleus of a, fund to bring about the amalgamation of the whole of the Otago and Southland Agricultural and Farm Labourers' Unions and kindred unions into one federation, with the object of obtaining political representation "so ac to secure I the administration of the Labour laws as they stand on the Statute Book, the unions being quite satisfied with what they have got. A seine fisherman in the harbour made an unlooked for and unwelcome haul a few nights ago. Included in the contents of the net was an eel, which was about sft long, and which turned the scale at 241b. Such a catch within the limits of the harbour is quite unusual, and a number of people who saw the eel displayed at Stewart's fish 6hop expressed the opinion that the monster must have been a. deadly enemy of the edible fish, such as trout, with which the harbour abounds, j A post mortem examination, however, re- ' suited in an inconclusive verdict, as nothing; of an incriminatory nature in the direction mentioned was found in the eel. During the course of an inquest at Port Chalmers on the sth the police had occasion to warn an individaul several time* at the back of the courtroom. Just before closing the Sergeant Mullany said he had another witness to call, but owing to his condition he had some mis* givings ac to the propriety of so doimy.^ As though in response to a challenge, the witness strode briskly towards the middle of the room, when he was called to a sudden halt by the coroner, who rebuked him 6ternly, remarking that he ought to be ashamed of himself in coming into court in such a condition, and hinted that if he were not very careful he would find himself locked up for contempt of court. Nothing daunted by this rebuff, the witness declared proudly that he was as sober as any man. in the town, and would tell the whole 1 truth and nothing but the truth. With this assurance, he was permitted to give evidence, which he did in a breezy, bufc thoroughly straightforward, manner. Before he departed, Mr Graham gave him some -friendly counsel and warned him to ! beware of repeating his impropriety, f or I which he was thanked by the delinquent, who expressed contrition and withdrew in an apparently chastened frame of mind. The usual weekly meeting of the Benevolent Trustees, held on the sth inst...was attended My Messrs W. T. Talboy* (chairman), W. Burnett, and the Mayor (Mr J. Loudon). The secretary reported that the number of outdoor cases afforded relief during January was 304, consisting of 135 men, 206 women, and 509 children;, the average cost per week was £102 6s 6d. During January, 1907, 328 cases were dealt with, including 143 men, 216 women, and 497 children, at a cost per week of £103 Is 6d. The death of Christina. M'David. at the age of 78, was reported to have occurred at the institution during the week, and 24 relief cases were dealt with. The union waiters in Wellington have (says the Post) a grievance against immigration. They do not object to it upon broad principles, but they do object to the number of new-comers being swelled by 30 to 40 first-voyage stewards who, it is allowed, slX'& rf3ieeliar£f©<3 in Wfollxn^jion. by every big steamer. These men, who engage for 30s a month, immediately look for waiting jobs on' landing. That is the kind of work they have been used to and it is the work to which they most naturally turn on coming ashore, thus flooding the waiting market with cheap labour. An amusing story is told by a resident of Napier who attended the show of the Wairoa Agricultural and Pastoral Society. He arrived only on the second day, and found that a "^jhain-paeing " competition was in progress, and inquired as to the conditions of the contest. The officials informed him that all competitors had to lodge a certain sum, that each had in turn to pace what he or she believed to be 22 yards, and that whoever got nearest 'to the exact distance woe the gi ize. So

total amount requh-ed may be forthcoming partner. The magistrate, after hearing "befoie the Ist of April next. evidence, ruled (according to the Tuapeka

Fettruwy 12, 190*.

far the thing was plain, but what puzzled the visitor was an announcement that the Maori women who competed must wear the "divided skirt" only. An explanation was coon forthcoming. It appears that on the previous day a Maori lady won the prize, pacing the distance to within a quarter of an inch, but that underneath her flowing robe she had, extending from knee to knee, a bit of string by which she could almost exactly regulate her strides. One of her own people divulged the secret. The unsophisticated Maori, male or female (says the Hawke's Bay Herald), is a speciee now practically extinct. A couple of tourists who visited the Bluff recently now probably hold the licensing laws of New Zealand in considerable reepect. On a Sunday morning they took it into their heads to have a ramble before breakfast. The exit was easy enough, but when they returned some time .later every door in the hotel was locked. They knocked, and although they heard footsteps inside no one opened the door. Then in despair they adjourned to the side, and asked the boots to open the door, but he was obdurate, and said his instructions were not to open any doors. Then, as a last resource, one of the tourists scrambled in through the sitting-room window, and let his unfortunate companion in. They firmly avow that they won't leave bed before breakfast again as long -is they ar«f resident in the Dominion, and have come to the conclusion that God's Own Country is not what it i 6 cracked up to be. Mr T. F. Dennistoo, a Balclutha J.P., commented strongly on Wednesday (says the Free Press) on what he called the "slipshod methods" prevailing in the court in regard to debt cases. The court, he considered, did not as a rule exercise sufficient surveillance over the claims put forward by creditors when the debtor did not appear and there was no appearance on his behalf. It should not be held sufficient for the creditor to merely put in a claim for a certain sum. He s!>ould be made to prove his claim on oath, and give some information regarding the details of such claim. Letters thaf were put in by the creditor, or by counsel in which the debtor allegedly admitted the justice of the claim, were really no good. " What," asked his Worship, "is there to prevent an unscrupulous person using the court as a mean to make money under false •pretences? " For all the court could prove to the contrary, the creditor might have written a letter of this nature to himself, And then produce it in court as proof of ( debt. Mr Denniston concluded by saying that, speaking personally, he intended when presiding in that court to make the creditor ■prove his claim in a more business-like way. The following paragraph from the Dominion would seem to throw a little light on the question of prices: — "Said a oity milkman the other day : ' I don't ccc why milk ] should go up. I shall not raise the price to my customers unless the farmer who ■ supplies me raises the wholesale price. Perhaps he will do so when he finds the papers saying that the retailers are going to put on another penny a quart. Of course, there is a shortage, but it is not so. bad as some people would like to make out. They want to raise the price, and so they talk about the dry weather and the bush fires and all that, but they do not mention the new farmers who are going in for milking.' " The grey kangaroo in the Newtown Park (Wellington) was worried by a dog the other day, resulting in the kangaroo breaking one of its legs. The fractured limb was Bet, and the animal is getting on all right. It is suggested (says the Post) that there should be more Supervision over the inmates of the zoo, and, iv order that it may be developed properly, assistance should he given by the Government towards the establishment of a " national " zoo at Newtown Park. In the neighbouring colonies, it is pointed out, the zoos are aided in this way, and, as Wellington is the only city - in the Dominion which has made a beginning in this direction, those interested in extending the attractions of the local zoo claim that it is an object for w hich Governonent aid might well be sought. The art union which was held in connection with the recent Carnival de Venice was drawn at the Trades Halt on Mse sth. ' Mr S. S. Myers occupied the chair, and there was a large attendance of ticket(holders and friends. Messrs R. Hudson and Baske,ville acted as scrutineers, and the police were represented to see that all iwas carried out in accordance with the Gaming and Lotteries Act. The first prize, a gold nugget valued at £40, was drawn toy the holder of ticket No. 15,105. The other winning numbers are announced in cur advertising columns. A consignment of 118 quarter-cases of grapes (each containing about 241b) from three New South Wales growers were disposed of at auction at one of the Christchurch fruit markets on the 31st uit., .the fruit averaging about 4d per Ib. Practically the whole of the consignment (which consisted of Black Hamburg and Muscat varieties) bore evidence of hurried pack- - ing; this being explained by the fact that .word of the gazetting of the new regulation permitting the importation of Australian grapes was received only -the day previous to the time at which the shipment had to be prepared. The berries {says the Press) were on the email side {probably owing to the dry season), overripe, and the bunches decidedly diminutive. It is anticipated that with more time at their disposal the growers will be able to pack their luscious wares better, and ■ that the princifi&l causes for complaint will

have been removed when further consignments come to hand. Further shipments from New South Wales, and numerous lots from South Australia and Queen-sland, are due to arrive next week. In marked contrast to the prices obtained for the imported fruit, it may be mentioned that a case of grapes in very fine condition, grown at Ashburton, was sold at Bid per lb. In this instance at least, the locally-produced article suffered nothing from outside competition.

Many of the prisoners in the Terrace Gaol, Wellington, are said to be extremely angry with the one who was discovered making preparations to escape (says the Dominion). At the roar of the gaol there is a large, neatly-kept, vegetable garden which is tended by the well-behaved prisoners, and it is said that it is not unusual for these good fellows to find blossoms on the cabbage, carrot, and turnip plants in the form of plugs of tobacco, cigars, and cigarettes, all propel h addressed to inmates of the Government retreat on the hill. It is not suggest ed that the warders knew this, and winked at it; but, since Sinclair's little plat was discovered, the garden has been searched by the warders before the prisoners were allowed in to hoe, weed, and meditate on the liberty of the lark that rarols overhead, and their searching has not been in vain. Hence the wrath of the pent-up gardeners, who have found that even the expenditure of the greatest energy in looking for blight in the potato patch yields nothing resembling the weed they yearn for.

Trouble between the Wanganui Education Board and Wanganui School Committee over the committee's resolve to have Bible lessons given in school (presumably during ordinary school hours) has reached an acute stage. The local Herald states that the board has decided to engage Mr Skerrett, K.C., of Wellington, to act with its solicitors (Messrs Marshall and Hutton), to state a case for the board in the action shortly to be brought against it by the committee re the validity of its regulations fixing the hours for secular instruction in schools.

Two young men had a thrilling adventure with a big shark in the tipper reaches of Lane Cove River (Sydney) last month. They had rowed up the river to fish for prawns, and selected a spot where the channel is narrow and partly blocked by a fallen tree. They mcored the boat across the -narrow passage, and were standing in about 3ft of water, when they noticed a shark swimming slowly towards them. There is a, very audacious shark in these waters, which has been named "Big Ben," and fearing that it might be this monster, they lost no time in getting into the boat and began to beat the water to frighten him off. The shark, however, rushed the boat and turned, it completely over, leaving the men struggling in the water. The shark swam a few yards up the stream and then turned suddenly and made straight for the men, who by this time had clambered into the branches of a fallen tree. Several times the monster savagely charged, but could not reach the men, and, after swimming around for about a quarter of en hour, it made off up stream. The men then righted the boat and left the spot as quickly as possible.

Father Preedy. as curate in charge of the All Saints' Mission Hall, White Lion street, Pentonville, has won his way to the hearts of the humble dwellers in the poorer parts of Islington. He is theiife and soul of the Ashdown Athletio Club, an organisation connected with the mission, and^ while teaching boxing to his coster friends and arranging dances for the flower girls of the district, he endeavours to impart to them a knowledge of his Master's message. All the members of the club do not attend church regularly, but one may often see 60 to 70 men and boys of the coster class listening to the sermons — straight from the heart and from the shoulder — of Father Preedy. One wants to talk to .some of his laymen helpers, to some of the members of the club, to know how much it has gained. As an old friend who had brought an offering from Barnsley, where he spent some memorable years as a curate — the mission is entirely supported by voluntary contributions — expressed it: "Father Preedy shows how nearly a human being i may approach the angels. And he would be the first man to deny that he has any angelic qualities."

A writer in the Dominion urges that the Government town of Rotorua should be made New Zealand's capital. He eaye that when Asia is properly awakened the Pacific will be the centre of a great confliot between Asiatics and Europeans, and he asks who can cay that New Zealand will not be called upon to defend her shores against either the Japanese or the Chinese, or both nations combined. He says that Rotorua ie all leasehold, that it can be easily defended, and that if the Government made it the capital it would be increasing the value of its own property.

In December last Sir William Steward endeavoured to" obtain the enrolment of a Maori constituent as a recruit on the Challenger. The captain of the Challenger replied that the regulations laid down that candidates for entry must be British subjects of European extraction, therefore Sir William's protege was not eligible. Nothing daunted, the representative of Waitaki communicated with the Prime Minister. He said: "The candidate 16 physically a first-class recruit, just 21 years of age, sft 7in in height, 40in chest measurement, and well educated, speaking as good English as Mr Ngata or Mr Carroll, and I was greatly surprised that his being a full-blood Maori pr§vease bis acceptances I certainly

think that in view of the loyal service given to the flag by so many Maoris, and the high 6tatus of the Maori people, an effort should be made to obtain an amendment of ' the naval regulations ; and I feel 6ure that if you can secure this it would be a source of much satisfaction to the Maori population of the Dominion." In his reply the Prime Minister states that he has represented the matter to the Governor, who has been asked to take the necessary steps to try to bring about an amendment of the regulation.

The New Zealand Government's method ot treating good-conduct prisoners by giving them rural work is one of the wonders of the country to tourists, some of (s-hom are busily engaged collecting information on what they sometimes call the quixotic philanthropy of the State. " I passed through Waiotapu some time ago," said an English tourist to the Dominion's Wairarapa correspondent, " and had the pleasure of meeting two good-conduct prisoners at the hotel. There was nobody in charge of them, and in the course of conversation they 6tated that they had just come across the country a couple of miles in order to assuage their thirst. They left for headquarters shortly afterwards. I met a warder at Waiotapu the next day, and — would you believe me? — he declared that in maaiy instances the men were loth to leave the place. It is really wonderful, and I intend to give every publicity to this system when I reach Home." The tourist went on to state that he had been informed that at another tree-planting centre run by the State the prisoners were given even greater latitude. They had newspapers and tobacco, and, further, they owned a racehorse, which at a recent meeting was ridden by one of New Zealand's champion jockeys. The Turf Register formed the principal article of literature at thie place, and the new Gaming Act was one of the most frequent topics of conversation.

At the Christchurch Magistrate's Court on tho 4th, before Mr V. G. Day, S.M., eight charges were brought against F. H. Bruges (Mr Wilding) of alleged misappropriation of trust moneys. Mr Dougall, for the informant, asked leave to withdraw the charges. Mr Day said that he could not allow the charges to be withdrawn. There were eight charges against Bruges, and it would not be right to grant Mr Dougall's request. It would not be in the interests of the publio to withdraw the charges, and he (Mr Day) did not want anyone to conclude that he wished to cover up any matters. If the informant wished to withdraw, Mr Dougall need not continue with the case, but he thought tHat the police should be allowed to go on with the charges. He would adjourn the matter for a fortnight to enable the police to consider whether they would be justified in taking up the prosecution. The informations, which were laid by William Edward Brown, of Springburn, were to the effect that F. H. Bruges, law clerk, did convert moneys vested in him as trustee for Sarah Fiducia Brown and her children to hie own use. The sums named were £100, £130, £400, £510 19s 2d, and £115. Further informations laid by William Edward Brown charged Bruges with having been accessory to the theft of sums of £115, £5W 19s 2d,' and £400 by one James Goodman.

"It ie a most extraordinary thing, but the Irish, are the happiest people in the world," was a comment made to a Post representative by Archdeacon Devoy, who spent some weeks in " the most distressful country" recently. He remarked that the wet summer had made the harvest very disappointing in many parts of Ireland, but the people were cheerful. The archdeacon mentioned that America no longer iured the Irish away in big batUlions. For some time the glitter has been wearing off the gold that called across the Atlantic, and the recent crisis further discouraged intending emigrants from putting their trust in the United States. The figures quoted about the movement of the Irish to America are deceptive, states the archdeacon. Many of the Irish, who went away long ago, take a trip tp Ireland in the summer for a holiday, and when they return to their adopted country they are counted as emigrants.

There is a certain school residence in Southland (says the Western Star) that is, and has been for years, infested with a plague of fleas. During the past year or two all who have attempted to dwell in it have been %o badly bitten that they have been forced to quit. The Education Board has made strenuous efforts to rid the premises of the vermin. A very considerable sum has been expended in fumigating, draining, and repapering, but all to no purpose. The pest is as bad as ever, and now the health officer has appeared on the scene. He has recommended that the house be raised on 3ft 6in piles, the said piles to be encased in ijn, and that a concrete wall be erected, these improvements to be effected in order to keep out rats, which, he surmises, bring in fleas. He also recommends the taking down of the scrim and paper, and the use of new material.

In Roumania, as in Russia, the drunkenness prevalent among the peasantry is among the most serious obstacles to progress; and the trade, which in Russia has been made a State monopoly, still remains in private, often Jewish, hands. The agrarian reforms of the present Ministry (says the Westminster Gazette) include a measure for its municipalisation, which, however, is being fiercely opposed by the Republicans, and has already been so far attenuated that it is to apply only to spirits, and seemingly only in the villages — the sale of wine and beer not being interfered with, and that gf spjri|g beinjf left to private

persons, subject to some restriction, in the towns. One cannot help doubting whether a village council composed of hard drinkers will really discourage excess when it is profitable to the community as well as pleasant to themselves. But the violent opposition now being offered to the whole of the reform programme renders its passing very -doubtful.

The Hospital Trustees on 6th appointed Dr Falconer as resident medical officer to the Dunedin Hospital, and Drs J. D. Crawford and A. C. Thomson as house surgeons to the institution. In the first instance, there was but one application, and in the second the Trustees had in all five to deal with.

"The rent of most of the sections at Otekaike is out of proportion to the value." This was the expression of opinion volunteered on the 6th by one of a party of six persons from Alexandra, Central Otago, who visited the estate as a preliminary step to applying for sections upon it. The result of their inspection was that not one of them carried out his original intention of applying for a portion of the land, and they state that many other persons who, like them, took the trouble to acquaint themselves with the nature of the property, also refrained, after inspection, from applying. They admit that at the present season of the year the estate look>> its worst ; but, even when they allowed for this, its dryness was forbidding to them. The conclusion they arrived at was that a good many of the applicants had not inspected the estate, and they opined that some of the successful applicants would be disappointed when they saw the land they had secured. They think, moreover, that the bulk of the land had been cut up into sections of too small area; and in proof of this, and of the assertion that the rentals are in some cases excessive, they point to the fact that there is an exceedingly heavy demand for a few sections, while the others are comparatively, if not wholly, neglected. Commenting upon this latter circumstance, a prominent land-owner, in conversation on the 6th with a member of our staff, remarked that it involved a reflection upon the judgment either of the authorities who fixed the rentals or of the public — in all probability of the former, since if the rentals were fixed with due regard to values there should be no appreciably greater demand for one section than for another.

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has had under investigation, at the instigation of the Bruce County ranger, the case of a cow that had been wandering on the roads suffering badly from a large open sore in. her back and a number of other sores. The large core was full of maggots, and on it being touched the poor animal groaned piteously. The ranger got some witnesses and, procuring a rifle, shot the cow and haul her buried. The circumstances having been brought under the notice of the society's inspector, he, after some investigation, found that the cow belonged to a resident of Dunedin, who had her running in the Domain at Milton, from which she had been turned out. About a fortnight since the owner's attention was drawn to the state of the animal, and he requested a friend in Milton to have her at once shot; but it appeared that the man who was instructed to do so, who was busy at the time, forgot to carry out his instructions. Under the circumstances, we understand that the society considers it ie not a case in which a prosecution should be instituted, but the owner will have to pay the cost of burial of the animal.

At a meeting of the Hoeken Library Trustees, held on the 6th inst., the tender of Mr Orr Campbell for £3981 for the building was accepted, this being exclusive of fittings. There were nine tenders, ranging from £4991 to £3981. The architect (Mr Burnside) anticipates that -the building will be finished in about eight months. It will be remembered that it was decided to erect the library as an addition to the Museum, and from the plans which have been shown to us it may be confidently stated that the new wing will make a decided improvement to the building.

Mr W. J. Joyce, solicitor, drew attention (says our Greymouth correspondent) at the Magifehate's Court on the 6th to what is certainly an anomaly in the administration of justice. It appears that when the police lose a case the statute lays it down that no costs can be allowed the defendant, even although he may have been put to considerable^ expense in defending himself against a charge for which there was no justification. This section Mr Joyce strenuously protested against as Inflicting an injustice on innocent persons.

It is gratifying to know that the majority of the public schools in Otago have opened this year with a larger attendance than they have shown at their opening for the last year or two.

The Arbitration Court was engaged on 6th in hearing compensation vases. It was intimated that James Nelson, who was injured in the Eaitangata coal mine on May 20 la6t, and lost two fingers from the right hand, being thereby incapacitated for some time, had agreed to accept £30 and abandon litigation ; and that William Garven, a Kaitangata miner whose eye was injured on June 13, 1905, by which he was off work for two months, had taken £10 in full settlement of his claim. Messrs Barclay and Scurr acted for the claimants. The cases that were gone into hy the court were: — Cole t. Phoenix Company, a claim for 10s a week as compensation, or a lump 6um of £280, for injury received while engaged at his work; and M'Neile v. C. and W. Hayward, a claim for declaration of liability. I» boti) cages £b§ court reserved judgment.

In the case of Trotfc -r. His Majesty tfS King the court made an order that the amount paid (£400) be handed over to the Public Trustee for the benefit of the chil* dren of the deceased (who was killed by an explosion of benzine near the Dunedia / railway station last August).

The following is the abstract of the weather observations taken at Dunedin by Mr Skey during the month of January:— 5 Mean barometer, 29.981 in; mean "elastic force of vapour, .364 in; mean temperature in shade, 60deg; mean solar radiation 1 , 122deg; mean terrestrial radiation, 44deg; mean daily velocity of 172 miles; mean amount of cloud (from 1 to 10), 5.2; total rainfall, 3.58 in; number 'of - days on which rain fell; 9.

The affiliation of the Otago Slaughtermen's Union to the Otago Trades and Laboui- Council was affected on the 6th.

An inmate of the Seacliff Mental Hospital escaped on the 6th inst. Search was at once ,made for him, and word was sefit to the police in Dunedin. He eluded his pursuers, however, and made his way to his home in the city, where a constable found him.

Some empty cars were shunted into tha north dock at the Dunedin Railway Station. at 7 p.m. on the 7th, and in their waks sat a little boy of eight with" one leg cut off above the kne^ and the other terribly crushed. It appears that he wa6 trespassing on tha line, and as the cars passed he tried to climb on board, but fell between tha wheels. When found he seemed to ba frightened, but not to be in pain. He waa taken at once to the Hospital, where, at a, taken at once to the Hospital, where he wa« attended to. The boy's name is Williams Wilson, living at 11 Athol place. His father, Robert Wilson, is a wharf labourer*

An exceedingly welcome, though all too brief, fall of rain was experienced on tha 7th. There wa3 a good downpour, lasting from 8 p.m. till about 10, and gardens in the city and suburbs benefited considerably thereby. The fall appears to have been fairly general, as, we are informed, it was experienced some, distance south of Dunedin. The weather for weeks past has been remarkably dry, more so in some localities than in others. In Otago Central matters have assumed an exceedingly unprour'sing -state owing to th^; lack of rain. As instancing the extrem< dryness experienced there, it may be meat* tioned that the Chatto Creek, near Alexandra, has been completely dried up, an occurrence which' h not 'known to havg ever taken place before.

It is interesting to note that in tha Education Board's examinations for Higlj School Junior scholarships this year th< highest place was gained by a daughter of one of Otago's early settlers— Miss Netti« Hay, who was first on the list, being a. daughter of Mr John Hay, who, with hi{ father and family, made his home *i Clutha in 1849.

In the very early days of Ofcago land* grabbers were not burdened with over-muc^ modesty. According to a statement mad* by Mr T. Mackenzie, M.P., at Baleluth* on Friday, the first claimant for Otago lan< was Mr John Jones, who claimed a trifl< of two million acres; the second was M* Weller, who claimed 1 three and a-hal( million acres; then along came Mr Catlin. who wanted a clear title to c. homestead allotment of seven million acres. These 1 three, however, were quite put in the shada by Mr Whitworth, who claimed the tidy; holding of 20 million acres. Needless to say, the official pruning-knife was brought into operation, and was used to some ad van/ tage — to the State.

It ia announced that the first term of the School of Engineering in connection; with Canterbury College will be opened this year on the Gfch prox. We have been requested t« direct attention to the faofe that provision ie made at this institution for all branches of the' profession, including steam and gas engine design, the design oE hydraulic machinery and turbines, tha strength of materials and bridge roof design and construction, railway engineering, building construction, road and railway location, surveying and engineerinf, marine engineering and electrical engineering, including the design of dynamos, and the transmission of power, lighting, eto. There are complete coursec qualifying for the degree of the University of New Zealand, and courses of less diffi< oulty for the associateship of the 'school, which are eminently suitable for young men intending to take up engineering work in the Dominion. There are also evening courses for apprentices and others engaged in all branches of engineering and kindred! grades. The University courses in engineering are amongst the very limited nuith ber recognised by the Institution of Civil Engineers as' exempting from examination, for associate membership. There is at pre* sent in New Zealand a very considerable demand for the young qualified engineer^ turned out by the school, and those hokk ing degrees or certificates obtained at thC school appear to find readily avenues o{ employment both in and out of New Zealand.

From Stewart Island we are advised thai after a slack spell extending over some weeks blue cod and other edible fish have reappeared in large shoals. Facilities Jos; preserving" have been taxed to -flieits utmost, and in not a few cases the " takes '*■ have had to be dumped down again Lnt<S the sea. Although thinned out since tha holiday setson, summer visitors are etiU numerous enough to' make a good show.. The island • steamer Kile took away a full complement on an outing to Lord's River. Favoured with & sea as calm fee glags z &h£

made a Tery pleasant trip of it. These excursions have been a source of great Enjoyment, and visitors have been brought face to face with what have hitherto been iealed volumes in the scenic resources of tin 'island. As a pleasure excursion boat, the Nile is purely dependent on her own reJouroes. •An Auckland telegram s*ate9 that Lordi mud Lady Plunket were on the 7th the guests of the Hon. E. Mitchelson at his tountry residence, Motutara, on the west wwst. Lord Plunket visits Hokianga and Kawhia, and 1 then oomes south. ' At the Invercargill S.M. Court on tha 6th William Crow, a retired farmer, \ residing at Gore, was charged with being feble to. contribute towards the education end mintenance of his grandson, an inmate "*f tho Industrial School. Mr Smith (Gore) said that it was not his client's intention to shirk any responsibility in the matter, iwfc th« piwMimßtances were such that he ilid not feel called v^n to pay. Defen- • jdant was the boy c grandtwuvnt. the boy feeing a Bon of his marrieu uouguiui. The Slather, was a resident of Balfoi.r, and had -for some time been in receipt of an inadequate wage. His employer had . been . cited before the Arbitration Court, and Convicted of not paying proper wages. > Defendant had been keeping one member jOf th-^ family for years, and had recently established the father in business at Balffour. He therefore considered that ho should not b© required to pay any more, especially as his income was ju6t sufficient .to keep his wife and himself. Defendant gave evidence that his wife was an invalid fend that he had 10 sons and daughters And 88 grandchildren. He had ihree houses, for which he collected 33s a Jwcek as rent, and he had £1200 in the Jbank at 3 per cent. His net income did toot exceed 32e a week. The magistrate made an order for the payment of 5s a week, to commence from the date of the fcoy'e committal to the school. It is not perhaps generally known («ftys Ihe Dominion) that the Government ha* declined an offer to take over the Kamo hot springs, which are situated about three miles north of Whangarei. A higher price than the Government cared to give was asked. • The late Mr Thomas Hobson, who for many years resided in the Temuka district, fend who died in Christchurch in October last, did not (says the Timaru Herald) forget the people of Temuka, Gapes's ,Valley, and Hilton when he prepared his jrill. At the last meeting of the Temuka Road Board a letter was received from Jtfr James Hay, solicitor for the estate, , Informing the board that the whole of the . late Mr Hobson'o property had been left trust, the rente accruing from the same Jto be utilised "for such charitable and , public objeots as the Road Board or other authority in which any portion of any real estate may be situate, and my trueteeß may think proper." This trust relates only to rents, and no power is given to 6ell the- land, but the will provides that any portion of the estate may be feet apart as a recreation ground or park for the public. It will be some time, however, before the legacy will be of any use to the public, for the will stipulates that certain legacies amounting to £600, a mortgage of £200, and debts and funeral expenses must first of all be paid off from accumulated rents, and some six years must elapse before this can be done. It now eeems tolerably certain (states the Dominion) that New Zealand spoilsmen will be able in a few years to follow the shy chamois as well as the deer over the rocky ridges of the Southern Alps. It will bo remembered that the Emperor of Austria a 6hort time ago presented the Dominion .with specimens of the breed, and, accord •ing to information received by the Tourist 'Department, the little herd has twice recently been seen in the vicinity of the ■Mount Cook Hermitage, where they were liberated. One of the females had a fine jtrong kid with her, which indicates that the chamois have thrived in their new be me. Mr Robert William Beard-, of Stafford. irho died in 1895, left his real property to his nephew, Mr Herbert Beard, on condition that the latter did not " enter the naval or military services of the country." in the English Law Courts a few week 6 ago -Mr Justice Swinden Eady decided that this condition was prejudicial to the public good and welfare of the State. "It strikes," he declared, " at the very security of the State, which must depend for its ■protection against outside enemies upon the armed services of the Crown. Condilions of this kind must be void." He held that Mr Herbert Beard could not be deprived of the fortune if he entered the army or the navy. An infant named Albert John Ryan (11 months) died at the residence of its father, James Ryan, in Harbour terrace, on the 9th inst. On Friday the child had a. fit of coughing, from which, however, it apparently recovered. On Saturday night symptoms of uneasiness presented themselves, and the child spent a restless night. On Sunday morning Mrs Ryan took it into her bed and-went fo 6leep. On > awaking two hours later she found the child dead. Bronchitis is supposed to have been the cause of death. The child was treated for this trouble about six months ago. The Gore Standard states that the visit of the circus was productive of one or two incidents, one of which emphasises the wisdom of admiring the menagerie section at a distance. While the train was pa=sing through Clinton the animals were subjected to a good deal of attention j ( *nd a U>j aauufid himself b\ loaenig one ' j

3 of the lions. A moment or two after t wards a girl, stepping aside to allow a t lad to pass, put her head in close proximity l to the cage. The lion promptly put his i paw through tKe bars and seized the girl 3- ;-? hair, pulling a pawful out and rather - severely scratching her face. The injuries were very painful. I During last week 29 patients were ad3 mitted to the Dunedin Hospital and 2H s discharged. There were four deaths during t the week — namely : George Clark, James 1 Fegan, M. A. Wright, and lan Sheehan. The total number of patients remaining s in the institution at the close of the week was 101. r S-Fifty years ago on the 9th inst. the ship l Robert Henderson (Captain Cubit, part i owner) arrived at Port Chalmers with 375 passengers from Glasgow, after a passage l of about nine months' duration ; and la6t Saturday evening Messrs Mackenzie, M.P., . Peter M'Gregor, John Mitchell, Peter M'Grejor, jun., and G. Mitchell met ■ at the Excelsior Hotel to devise a ► plan whertSy the event might be fittingly i celebrated by the surviving passengers and descendants of passengers. Mr Peter M'Gregor wa6 voted to the chair, and 65 addresses of the Robert Henderson's pas sengers being noted down, it was decided that a meeting should be held in Dunedin at 6 p.m. on March 23, at which all should be invited to be present. Mr John Mitchell wa6 appointed secretary. At the meeting held to commemorate the twentyfifth anniversary of the arrival of the vessel 115 were present. Sparks from a railway engine are alleged to be responsible for a serious groes fire at Uxbridge, on the Kurow line, on Friday. A quantity of wheat, the property of Mi6s B. King, was destroyed, also a quantity of feed and a considerable length of fencing. Mr Fricker's residence at the Steward Settlement was imperilled, but was saved by a. large party of volunteers, including women and school chil dren. Two other fires are attributed to sparks from the same engine. Farmers in the district are now ring ploughing their fields and stacks. During the course of his address at the Royal Albert Hall, Auckland, on the 7th, the Prime Minister said that a matter in connection with the treatment of inebriates at Bell's Island had been brought under his notice since his arrival in Auckland. He had every sympathy with the efforts of the Salvation Army in its endeavours to reclaim those who had given way to the evils of excessive drinking, and the Government was showing its recognition of this work by contributing 7s 6d a week towards the maintenance of all persons committed to the island. He had been informed, however, that the persons on the island were being employed in occupations which would bring them into com- j petition with married men who had to get their living on shore through the^same means. It was a recognised principle ■ that where Government money was used in \ any form it should not be used for the ' purpose of hurting others, and it was ! necessary that such matters should be carefully considered in connection with the I excellent work that was being undertaken . by the Army. "What about the flogging of girls?" i asked a voice from the body of the hall j during the Prime Minister's speech at Auckland. Sir J. G. Ward said that an inquiry would be held into matters con- ] nected with Te Oranga Home, and until i that inquiry was completed he thought j judgment should be suspended. He would , like to say, however, that he did not think ! that the Minister of Education, who was i a kind-hearted and generous man, would I do anything unjust to the unfortunate creatures who from time to time were committed to the home. Intimation has been received from the Education Department that the following ' students of the Dunedin School of Art and [ Design have passed the South Kensington examination in building construction and machine construction and drawing: — Build- ' ing construction — Alfred H. J. Parker, I stage 1, class 2; Lome de H. Hutton, stage 2, class 1 ; Thomas S. Cray, 6tage ' 2, class 2 ; Alexander G. Youngson, stage 2, class 2; David G. Mowat, stage 3, class 2. Machine construction — David J. Sherriff, stage 1> class 1 ; William H. Munn, stage 1, class 2; Charles C. Begg, j stage 1, class 2; Sidney R. Driver, etage 2, class 1. The city solicitors have been instructed to contest the application by the Taieri County Council for a rehearing of the application recently made for a license for a dam site on Bridge Creek, Waipori district. At a meeting held on Saturday night | to prepare for celebrating the jubilee of i the arrival of the ship Robert Henderson a patriarch referred to Mr T. Mackenzie, M.P., as a youngster. It is difficult to associate the fact of a person's arrival here 50 years ago with hie being a juvenile, but it appeared that this thrust was in revenge for a statement made by Mr I Mackenzie that the patriarch aforesaid was ' "90 years old and seeking a wife." Whatever the member for Waikouaiti may be now, he was certainly a youngster when j the Robert Henderson negotiated the ' Heads, and the first thing he can remem- ' ber in a somewhat eventful life is tho Port Chalmers of 50 years ago asleep in a November morning. j One of the many accomplishments of the old identity is the amazing grip he holds on the family historics — births, deaths, marrmijes. succeee, and misfortunes — of tho«e n'uo came over with him in thd t&^e fehip.. Some Qfclf *SeflßS e flB

• to have utterly vanished from the , ken of all men; but the old iden- ■ tity can inform one without an effort i where they have settled and how many i children and cows they own. This was 1 noticeable at a meeting of old identities i on Saturday night, who knew " thi6 hotel" i (the Excelsior) " when it was nothing but a mountain." The secretary started with ' a blank sheet of paper, which after half an . hour of reminiscing contained the names , and addresses of no less than 65 other old identities, or their descendants, who . came over in the same ship. I The Dunedin tramway traffic returns for the fortnight ended Feb. 1, 1908, as compared with the corresponding period of the previous year are as follow: — 1908 — receipts, £2535 19s 6d; mileage, 41,995 miles 56 chains.^ 1907— Receipts, £2530; mileage, 42,064 miles 38 chains. ! The General Committee which has in hand the celebration of the Otago Diamond Jubilee held a meeting in the board room, i Agricultural and Pastoral Society's office, on the 10th met. Mr G. L. Denniston presided, and there was a. large attendance of representatives, not only of the Early Settlers' Association, but also of the Burns Club, Caledonian Society, and Gaelic Society, who have generously come forward to assist the early settlers. Minutes of previous meeting were confirmed, thus giving the sub-committees a free hand to carry out their important duties, which co far have been fulfilled in a most comImendable manner. Several useful suggestions were made as to the best and most popular mode of procedure and other matters connected therewith, one being that the railway authorities be approached with a view of making excursion rates available for the day. As the sub-committees can now get to work, no time will be lost in getting tickets distributed and the necessary publicity given as to the proceedings 1 of the day. An impudent case of molestation occurred , in Upper Stafford street, between 4 and 5 o'clock on Saturday afternoon. Fortunately, the young woman concerned was, unknown to her assailant, near to friends, with whom, she at once sought refuge. The man was recognised as a bookcanvasser. It is not likely that he will be i prosecuted for his cowardly action, but a good end will be served by bringing his conduct under the notice of his friends. A sitting of the Warden's Court will be i held on Saturday, 29th inst., when two applications which have been lodged by Robert Beverley Smith, of Hindon, shepherd, will be considered. The applicant asks for a water race on section 18, block , VI, Mount Hyde survey district, and for a j dam site on the same saction. We understand that the price paid by the V.M.C.A. Board of Management for the building site in Moray place purchased for the V.M.C.A. home was £3150. ■" The subdivisions of the Ashley Downs Estate, recently acquired by the Government from Mr John Gibson and situated in the vicinity of Balclutha, will be opened for public selection on the 25th prox. The ballot, it is understood, will take place at Balclutha on March 27. The various fire insurance companies carrying on business in Otago on the 10th inst. appointed their representatives to act on four district Fire Boards in the province — namely, Maori Hill. Milton, Lawrence, and Alexandra. The representatives appointed were as follow: — Maori Hill— Messrs F. G. Cray, Thomas Chalmer, and W. I. Boiam ; Milton — Messrs T. Chalmer, Gordon J. Reid, and J. S; Webb ; Alexandra — Messrs W. I. Bolam, J. S. Webb, and H. L. Tapley ; Lawrence — Messrs A. J. Sullivan, H. R. Law, and J. ST Webb. The deterring effect of the prohibition order is not always as evident as the authorities could desire, but occasionally testimony is brought to the magistrates and police authorities that bears eloquent witness to its efficacy. Only yesterday morning (says a Press Association telegram from Auckland) a woman whose husband was put under the ban 12 months ago wrote an appealing note to Mr Kettle, saying that the order had made a different man of her husband, who, when able to got liquor, was too weak to resist the temptation, i The last year had been a happy one for ' her, she wrote, and she concluded by ' urging for a renewal of the order at the expiry of the year, which is n«w near completion. Mr R. Hay, M.1.C.E., was on the 10th appointed unanimously by the North-East Valley Council to prepare plans and super- < vise the ca-rrjinjr out of works for supplying the borough with 1 water. The ratepayers present (there is , always a good gathering there in anticipation of ructions) heartily applauded the ' selection as another step towards finality on the vexed question of water supply. Milk is now sold in Wellington at 5d t per quart, and the price of butter is to be increased to Is 3d per lb. j Of 34 candidates who went up for the recent junior civil service examination i from the Otago Boys' High School, 32 passed the examination, 29 " with credit." < One candidate missed a compulsory paper : through a mistake as to the date; another j retired through illness. There were, there- ! fore, no actual failures. Five pupils ( gained senior scholarships of the Otago Education Board, another having declined !; acceptance. In the senior free place > examinations, 57 candidates out of 71 were successful, thus obtaining the privilege of free education Uo the age of 19, if desired, without further examination. This repre- * IftUtt a £rop.ortiQ fi oj oy£r §Q_ dot c§gt t at j

passes, which would be further raised by including the 16 holders of junior free

places (out of 17) who secured the same

privilege of passing the junior civil service examination " with credit." In view of recent criticisms, it is worth noting that these successes were obtained as tho natural culmination of the two years' course, with out disturbance of the ordinary curriculum of a secondary school, and with practically nothing in the way of extra classes outside school hours.

The dispute between the Typographical Union and the Otago employers, adjourned by the Arbitration Court on the 4th to permit the parties to confer, came on for hearing on the 10th inst., when the dispute had been narrowed down to the efficiency rate of monoline operators. Mr W. Scott, for the employers, stated that the North Otago Times did not favour a smaller minimum than 5000, 4500 being tho minimum proposed by the union. As Mr Thomson, for the union, objected to an adjournment, the court decided that the dispute be called again at 2.30. When it ca-me on for hearing Mr Thomson informed the court that a settlement had been arrived at, and Mr Scott congratulated both employers and employees on the manner in which they had conducted their conferences.

The irony of fate was remarkable in at least one case in connection with the Otekaike ballot. A husband and wife (says tho Oamaru Mail) decided after much deliberation to apply for a section, the former being only half-hearted in the project end the latter openly opposing it. Yet it fell to the wife to draw the marble which makes her the lessee of a section she would rather be without, but which dozens of others would have snapped up with avidity.

A young man, Mr J. F. Haughton, of Wairoa, Hawke's Bay, put up a meritorious performance in cycling on the 10th. Mr Haughton, who suffers disability through having an artificial leg, left Roxburgh at 6.30 a.m. on Monday with the object of cycling to Milton, a distance of about 63 miles. He arrived at Lawrence (39 miles) at noon, and after stopping there for an hour and a-half, r resumed his journey, arriving at Milton at 4 p.m.

The Otago Land Board will hold a. special meeting this (Wednesday) afternoon for the purpose of. considering the question of reversal or otherwise of its previous decision granting, under the provisions of section 80 of "The Land Laws Amendment Act, 1907," the renewable leases of certain allotments on the Otekaike Estate to persons said to have been employed by the late owners (Messrs Robert Campbell and Sons) for a, period of at least five years immediately preceding the acquisition of the estate by the Government, and who are stated to have been deprived of their employment" by the property becoming Crown land.

Commissioner Dinnie, who has been making an inspection of the local police force during the past few days, left for the south on the 10th inst. to make an inspection of the police force in Invercargill «Cnd district.

A very complimentary reference to the Otago Daily Times was made in the Supreme Court at Ohristchurch on the 10th by Mr Justice Denniston. A betting case was being heard (says our correspondent). Mr Donnelly, who appeared for the defence, craved the permission of his Honor to read a report of a similar case which had appeared in the Otago Daily Times. His Honor at once assented, remarking that the Times made a special feature of its law reports, which were invariably full and accurate. Mr Donnelly, as an old reporter, expressed his entire concurrence with his Honor's opinion. Continuing, his Honor said the Otago Daily Times Tecognised what many other papers did not— that the general public took a very deep interest in litigation.

The heat on Sunday morning at Oamaru registered 112 degrees in the sun, and in the afternoon (says the North -Otago Times) it rose four degrees higher. In the morning it registered 88 degrees in the shade, and in the afternoon 91.

Sir Joseph Ward has informed Mr Seddon that Parliament will open this year about June 23, and that the session will be a short one, lasting only about three months.

TAGO W ES*