LOCAL & GENERAL

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 4 March 1908, Page 64

LOCAL & GENERAL

The Invercargill Competitions Society close the year with a slight loss. Therehas not been a falling off in the entries — in fact, the last competitions had a greater number of actual supporters than either of the two previous years. The individual entries were:— l9os, 110; 1906, 130; 1907, 174. The secret of the financial loss is in the decreased attendance of the public. Whereas in 1906 about £80 was taken on the night of tho church choir contest, that competition last year only brought in a little over £50 from the sale of tickets. The reason given is that Pollard's juveniles were in Inveroargill for a week prior to the holding of the competitions, and Invercargill people will not indulge for two successive weeks. At the annual meeting of subscribers consideration will be directed to the constitution and the arrangement of the programme for next competitions. In the choir competitions this year it is proposed to include a hymn tune. A Mokoreta farmer (Mr John M'Laren) met with a startling experience on Sunday afternoon (saje the Mataura Ensign). He went out for a walk, accompanied by his dogs, which put up an " old man " wild boar, and eventually bailed him up. Mr M'Laren made a flax noose to slip over the boar's hind leg. and was proceeding to effect his design when the attacked brute became the aggressor, knocked Mr M'Laren down, ripped his calf badly, and proceeded to savage him. Mr M'Laren, realising that hie position was a desperate one, kicked at the boar with his sound leg, and thus kept him off. Managing to get upon his feet he got behind c bigfern, and thereupon the boar cleared out. The dogs had persistently worried the boar all tho while Mr M'Laren was down, but the brute concentrated his fury on him. Mr M'Laren became faint with loss of blood, but managed to crawl to a creek near by, where he bathed his leg. He then sucoeeded in gaining the top of a ridge, where he was discovered by his sister and a search party at 3 a.m. on Monday. The sufferer was taken to a private hospital at Wyndham, where he is recovering from the shock received. Joseph Austin, aged 10 years, was playing cricket with a number of other boys in Harper street, Northcote South (Victoria), when he accidentally . received a blow on the head from a cricket ball. The lad was removed to the Children's Hospital, but died, it was thought as the result of the blow. At the inquiry by the coroner (Dr Cole), it appeared from the evidence of deceased's -another that before his game he had been eating an unripe quince. Dr Stephens, who made the post mortem examination, stated that death was due to ptomaine poisoning, possibly caused by eating green fruit. A verdict was returned in accordance with the medical testimony, the coroner adding that the accident with the cricket ball had nothing to do with his death. Names for the proposed Federal capital have not been forthcoming ktely. There may be a revival of interest following upon a communication to the Prime Minister (Mr Deakin) from the Yorkshire Society of New South Wales, suggesting that, as " no town or place in Australia is called after the birthplace of that great navigator, Captain Cook, in the naming of thf> future capital the- name of ' Marton,' his birthplace, might be used. By so doing a most suitable and everlasting monument would be erected to hie memory. The name being merely a patriotic one, associated with a great navigator whom all classes agree in honouring, will remove it from all possibility of party dispute." The Waikouaiti Anniversary Celebration Committee held a meeting there on Friday evening to fix the day on which the celebration was to be held this year. There was a large and enthusiastic attendance of ladies and gentlemen. Mr Arthur Heckler (Mayor) presided, and Friday March 13, was decided on. Sub-committees we to appointed, and their respective duties allotted. This is the sixty-eighth anniversary and eighth year of celebration. It was stated in a northern telegram which we published last week that Mr Ziman, of Auckland, who hae received the distinction of being chosen *g the

Labour union officers are engaged just now am ost'gating certain grip\anccs alleged ag-ainst Bluff Harbour Board employers. The board some time ago passed a resolution prohibiting- its employees from engaging in outside work. The prohibition seems to have been only partially observed, and this the union contends is detrimental to the labour market. Rhodes scholar from New Zealand, stood, in point of scholarship, head and shoulders above the other candidates. In justice to Mr Finlayson, the candidate nominated by the Professorial Board of Otago University, it should be mentioned that in respect of scholastic attainments he was certainly not inferior to any of the other candidates whose qualifications were considered by the Selection Committee, the successful candidate not excepted. As a matter of fact, Mr Finlayson was seholastically an exceedingly strong candidate. The marks he secured in the examination for the B.Sc. degree in 1906 are sufficient proof of this. In mathematics he obtained 72.6 per cent, of the maximum ; in geology, 80 per cent. ; in French, 73 per cent. ; in mental science, 74.5 per cent. ; in physics, 70.5 per cent. ; and in chemistry, 75 per cent. — a uniformly high level having thus been attained by him. In the succeeding" year, again, he obtained a double first in honours — in physics (83 per cent.) and in geology (80 per cent.). When Mr Ziman, the selected Rhodes scholar, took honours this year he gained a first in mathematics and * second in physics. Two experienced miners went from Dunedin to the West Coast Sounds last September for the purpose of prospecting in that part of the Dominion for payable minerals. One of them (Mr E. M. Stentiford) returned last week to have his hand attended to. It was poisoned while he was fishing. Mr Stentiford gave one of our reporter* an account of his prospecting tours in Preservation Inlet, Dusky Inlet, and elsewhere, and his remarks, which are very interesting, are published in another, column. It is seldom that news comes from the minere in that remote part. It appears, however, that all along the coast parties of -"men are engaged in alluvial and quartz mining, some working for themselves and others for syndicates or companies. A number of the old-time grounds are being taken up again and worked with improved machinery. In other parts the old batteries are standing idle, the houses are going to ruin, and tho tracks are overgrown with fern. Mr Stentiford visited Facile Harbour, and there saw the remains of the- Endeavour. It ie only at low tide that the little that is now left of the vessel — half a dozen of the ribs — can be seen. Everybody who goes there takes i away a slab — enough to make a walking- I stick. Some of the copper and nails are still in evidence. Sojourners in this quarter also agree that the rainfall is not so great as it was in earlier times. Disillusionment consequent upon travel was lightly touched upon by Dean Fitchett at his welcome meeting in All Saints' Schoolroom last evening. Many people had the idea that Spain was a wild place, and a difficult region in which to travel. He had himself somewhat shared this idea, and had, preparatory to venturing upon the dangers of travel in that country, taken the precaution to obtain a passport, that he might be duly in order. But the only time he ever required that passport was in Paris, when he desired to obtain the registered letter which contained the expected document! "You can get about Spdin as easily as you can get about England or France," he said. "The hotels are good, the people are nice, and you can get from London fo Madrid as easily as you can get from Dunedin to Auckland." It is the expressed intention of the rev. gentleman to put his impressions and views of the various countries through which he travelled into lecture form, and as the Dean spent some time in England, France, Spain, Italy, Switzer- i land, Egypt, Jerusalem, and other places of note, these lectures and their welcome themes should provide many excellent nights of entertainment during the coming winter. ' ] A party of tourist who \i\iled the West Coast Sounds in the Hincmoa on her quarterly lighthouse trip came overland trotn Milford to Te Anau. They speak with enthusiasm of the grandeur of the scenery, which one British visitor, who has travelled extensively over all quarters of the globe, declares emphatically to be " the finest in the world." Common sense sometimes amounts almost to genius. A complaint about damage done to a paddock behind the hall by horses being turned in there to feed was before the Waikouaiti County Council yesterday. Such a problem^would have plunged some of our public bodies into a fevered quagmire of endlees argument. The Waikouaiti County Council, however, disposed of the difficulty by merely resolving to lock the gate. In an article concerning a local orchard the Marlborough Herald gives some interesting- particulars of the methods followed for keeping down blight and codlin moth. It states that Mr R. H. Smalo, the proprietor, attributes the freedom of his gardens from certain peste largely to the presence- of the ladyhird, which he uses extensively. His Brussels sprouts, would have fared very badly without the ladybird's attention. Mr Smale is % S T %^ believer jn th« natural enemy as tho remedy for peste, and, following up thi« principle, he gives his poultry free access to his apple trees, of whioh he has a large number. Two or three pigs are also given the run" of the apples, and Mx Smale

regards the fowls and the pigs, which readily devour the codlin moth in the windfalls, as far more effieaciou6 in the extermination of this nuisance than all th« spraying and bandaging. At all events, his experience encourages him to continue tho experiment. The codlin moth is by no mean 3 absent from his orchard; but the pest has been on the increase everywhere, and certainly his trees are freer from tho enemy than the majority of gardens in which bandaging and spraying are assiduously resorted to. He is waiting with' interest to sco whether the scheme of importing the codlin moth parasite from California will confirm his theory. . Cr Gilkison supplemented his motion regarding the equipment of the Free Publio Library with a jengthy but illuminating speech at the. meeting of the City Council on Feb. 26. The speech and scheme found favour with practically the whole council. Councillors in turn complimented him on his scheme and on hie elucidation thereof, out Cr Small took exception to the figures, which he thought had better be handled by the Finance Committee. The motion was carried, Cr Burnett alone dissenting on the ground that tho mover would not agree to Cr Small's suggestion. " You return lots of members to Parliament who know absolutely nothing aNmfe some of the great questions of the day. They do not mean to do wrong, but they do not know how to do right." This statement, which was made by Mr T. Mackenzie, M.P., at Waikouaiti, on February 26, elicited the heartiest applause from his large audience. The new Art Gallery has been" the recipient of a very handsome present from Mr Wolf Harris, of Bing, Harris, and Co. The donation consists of five exquisite paintings of New Zealand scenery. ,In " The Southern Alp 6." the artist. W. M. Hodgkins, has almost done justice to a magnificent eub-jc-ct—the bush in the foreground, the winding river at the foot of the blue hills in \ho distance, and behind them snowy, jagged peaks against the sky. " Milford Sound," by John Gully, i's a still study in a blend of rich colour. There are spur mountains, snow, and the wonderful tints of light and shadow ; and on the calm water that reflects them floats a solitary ship, lending in, its loneliness life to the picture. " Mount Cook" (Chevalier) is essentially a powerful painting, showing the towering snow-clad peak, the frozen valley, and rugged rocks. This artist hae caught | a more restful atmosphere in "Mount Earnslaw," a scene of sunset and tranquillity, with day fading from tho mountains. These four aro now in tho gallery, and will be shortly on view. Another good picture, a lake ecene, ifl in the hands of Mr D. Scott for framing, and w;ll soon bo hung. These pictures will prove a valuable addition to the collection. The fanners of tho Taieri and others who have occasion to drive cattle to and from the cattle yards at Burnside felt themselves aggrieved by a bj-law framed by tho Borough Council of Green Island to the effect that cattle driven through the borough must be preceded by a man to clear the way. The drovers felt this to be unnecessary, and represented their case to the councillors, who very generously allowed the by-law to remain dormant so long ac care was exerci&ed. It ia now found, unfortunately, that the stipulation is not being observed by some, and it is feared that unless the promise is observed the privilege will be taken away and the by-law strictly enforced. Those who are immediately concerned feel that it would bo very hard that the innocent should be punished for the heedles6nese of the guilty. A deputation of residents from St. Clair waited upon the City Council on Feb. 26 on the subject of obtaining a reduction in tram fares to that suburb, and after hearing what the deputation had to say the Mayor stated that the council would give tho request the fullest consideration, I.nd mentioned that a special meeting of tho council was to be held next week to eon- ■ eider the whole question of tram fares over the corporation lines. i The Dunedin and Suburban Reserves Conservation Society commenced the year with a credit balance of £278 Is 9d', and it received by way of subscriptions from its 215 membora £77 Is, to which must bo added £2 17s for subscriptions received after the accounts were olo°od. There was also an item of £3 10s for interest on money in the Savings Bank. Tho expenditure for the year was £100 7s 3d, made up as follows:— Cartage of soil to Art Gallery, reserve, £35 17s 6d ; labour, £23 7s; plants, etc., £23 4s 9d;— total, £82 9s 3d, which v.-as the sum expended on what is strictly a publio "amenity."' Other expenditure was:. Advertising, etc., £9 Os 6d ; collector's commission, £7 17b; petty cash, 10s 6d ; bank charge for keeping accounts, 10s. The balance on hand is £261 2s 6d, made up aa follows:— Savings Bank, £139 2n 6d ; special deposit, £72 10s sd ; current account, £49 9s 7d. Between the deserving and the unde&erring poor there is a groat gulf fixed which! the engineering of all the charitable insti-« tutions in the world will never be able to bridge. The deserving poor guard their poverty jealously from the publio gaze, while their anti-types are often too ready to parade it. The Benevolent Trustees have to deal with the Spartan who would rather etarv© in silence than "ask charity," and also, unfortunately, with the tearful woman who applies for a pair of boots, and is next heard of in gaol for drunkennessAt "the meeting of the Trustees on Feb. 26 Mr W. Burnett, acting chairman, 6aid ho believed that Dunedin' s deserving poor required but little afcsistance from the board 1 . Mr Gal 'away disagreed, and stated that the board was far too much out of touch with

the deserving poor to be in a position to forru an opinion concerning them. iNe-n- Zealand wocrda are coming into their inheritance. The Western Star observes that biroh, which for a number of years wa« a despised timber, is now of considerable commercial value, and it is cut at all the mills. It is particularly suitable for furniture-making purposes, and when polished has a very handsome appearance. Several trial shipments have been made abroad, and a fair demand has been created in Australia. If this continues, it is the intention of one firm to put in a tramway to South Riverton, erect a wharf, and charter vessels to take the timber direct to Australian ports. During the past few weeks of fine weather (the Western Star says) large quantities of blue cod have been caught by local fishermen in the straits. On one day one boat made a haul of 8001b. Most of the catches are sent to the freezer at the Bluff, there to await shipment to Australia, where a good market exists. Fishermen are at present obtaining 17s per 1001b for cod. Ling have been numerous at Colao Bay. Taken as a whole, the present season for fishermen has been a good one. The work of relaying the Waimate branch railway with heavier rails being now practically completed, a heavier and better type of locomotive will (says the Timaru Heraid) be provided, and it is expected to be running in a few weeks' time. Instructions have been issued for the erection of houses for the guard and driver at Waiha© Downs, [ and when these are completed the time- < table will be revised so as to give the settlers the advantage of a daily service each way between Waimate and the Downs, the first train every morning starting from the Downs terminus and the last train every evening running out to the Downs. According to Dr Bell, who has just returned to Wellington from the Nelson district, the area eastward of the Heaphy River to the head of Aorere and Takaka Rivers contains a great deal of unexplored country full of rare geological interest. Dr Bell, accompanied by Dr Marshall, of the Otago University, travelled on foot across a wide area of high, open councry, only lately discovered and named the Gunner Down 6, to the head waters of the Kbhaihai, and thence around the head waters of Ugly River> a tributary of the Karamea River, to Heart Lake, at the head of the Aorers River. A rough reconnaissance was conducted along the ridges far down into the valley of the Roaring Lion and other tributaries of the Karamea— an area of great 6ceDic charm and of scientific and probably economic interest. Returning, the party descended from Heart Lake and travelled the 50 miles of rough rive*- bottom intervening between the lake and the first settlement in the Aorere Valley. It will be remembered that the Wanganui Borough Council took a poll of the residents on the question of the day on which the weekly half-holiday should be observed and the reply of the people was emphatically for Saturday. Tha council accordingly sent on to the Government a request that Saturday should be gazetted. A hitch lias, however, occurred. Wanganui is a combined district, and includes the boroughs of Gonville and Eastbrook. To ihave put the matter in order, a conference of the local bodies should have been convened, at, which a formal resolution should have been passed in favour of Saturday. This not having been done, and objection having been made to the gazetting j of 'Saturday as the half-holiday, the Minister of Labour has had no option but to disregard the council's request, and has accordingly given instructions to gazette j Thursday as the weekly half-holiday at ■ iWangatrai, Thursday being the day on j which the holiday has been observed in the past. W are informed by the local tourist agent that the steamer on Lake Te Anau resumed her running on Tuesday, after undergoing repairs. Mr W. Ferrier, formerly of Oamaru, writes to the Timaru Poet as follows: — " I have just had pent me a copy of the Timaru Post of February 12, containing a report of the inquiry held in re the recent C.F.C.A. fire, the cause of which seems to be enshrouded in mystery. My object in .writing is to mention a circumstance which came under my notice some years ago. I jras engaged as assistant in the late Mr C. Martin's photographic studio in Oamaru. One evening, just before closing time, I jvent through the studio, and was surprised to find the room full of smoke. On looking round I soon discovered that the blinds nvhioh were used for regulating the light coming through the skylight were on fire. Fortunately they were made of material that did not readily burst into flames, but merely smouldered, otherwise the place would probably have been burnt down. On examining 1 the gla66 afterwards, a flaw was discorered. which acted as a burning glass •which fooussed the sun's rays on the blind, ■nith the result stated above." Next to swallowing a sovereign— an unpremeditated feat which a Melbourne man performed recently — perhaps few more awkward positions could be found (cays the Argu6) for the coin than under the hoof of a large and very ill-tempered fcorse. A lady, with barely time to catch the Adelaide express, let a sovereign slip from her purse in the, hurry of paying her cab fere, and it rolled off the pavement under a dray. The horse attached to the 'dray pat a ponderous hoof on the coin, and then met every attempt of the byitandera to recover it by lashing out at them viciously. As the dray was hemmed in by other vehicles, and could not bereadily moved, it began to look as if the * 4f would have tfi phopsg between, losing

' her money and losing her train. ( Presently a constable was attracted to the scene, sad the lady impressed his services in salvage operations. Not without considerable demur on his part, though, for he intimated that the job was not to his liking, and that it was one which belonged j to the Railways rather than to the Police Department. But at last he consented to act. " Come, lift up your foot now," he said, putting his hand gingerly on the horse's hock. The order was obeyed with ' surprising suddenness. The officer sprung to the kerb with an agility no less surprising. "When I do that again." he ' said to the onlooker. "«ome of you be j ready to rake it out with a stick." After several attempts and some hairbreadth escapes the coin was eventually removed from the danger zone, and restored to the grateful lady. i The man who shoots his fish finds no favour with the Otago Acclimatisation Society. At the last meeting it was reported that a man who had been guilty j of this unsportsmanlike practice in Olaajo had been fined only a email sum. The society's agent, in reporting the case to the council, said that the magistrate had accepted the view of the solicitor for the defendant and expressed the opinion that | after a man had been fishing all day and ! got nothing it was not a serious offence to I shoot a couple of fish on his way home. Members of the council were somewhat indignant that the magistrate should have taken up this attitude concerning a matter that was without doubt a direct breach of the law, and it wae resolved to communicate with the Minister of Justice on the subject. The Dunback Branch of the New Zealand Farmers' Union held a well-attended meeting last , week, when several important matters were discussed, amongst others the right of leaseholders to make" their properties freehold, and also the weight of cornsacks. It was decided to support the Middlemarch branch in its endeavour to get the Land Board meetings held fortnightly, instead of monthly as at present. It was also decided to co-operate with the Palmerston branch in endeavouring to induce the stock agents to erect a luncheon pavilion at the Palmerston Saleyards. A local seed merchant has been making a calculation of what the Government offer to supply the burned-out settlers in the North Island with grass seed free of charge really means to the taxpayers of ihe Dominion. At a low estimate the cost of seeding a square mile of country is about £500, and if there be some 50 square miles of country devastated by the bush fires the total cost would be in the neighbourhood of £25.000. Possibly, however, the matter will end in promises and nothing more. There are settlers down Catlins River way who last year were promised the very same thing, but they have seen no free grass seed as yet. The immediate outcome of the Prime Minister's promise, however, has been to firm the cocksfoot market in anticipation of Government orders. - On Feb. 27 Mr T. Mackenzie, M.P. and chairman of the Otago Education Board, visited the school garden at Waikouaiti, and saw the boys and girls busily engaged gardening, under the guidance of their teacher, Mr ,W. E. Bastings. Mr Mackenzie congratulated the pupils on the ! excellent work they were doing, and also congratulated them upon being in the hands of co capable a teacher. At the close of Mr Mackenzie's short address three cheers were given for him. a similar compliment being paid to Mr Bastings. Though not so numerous as they were a few years ago, wild piojs and cattle are 3till to be found west of the Waiau. A very good specimen of an old shell trumpet has just beer added to the collection in the Dominion Museum. These trumpets (says the Dominion) were made from a certain large shell found very occasionaAly at the Auckland Islands, and, owing to the rarity of the shells, the instruments were exceedingly uncommon, and held by the Maoris in proportionately high estimation. Often they descended from generation to generation in a family. A wooden mouthpiece was affixed to the apex of the shell, carved after a uniform pattern. Attached to the upper part of the lip of the shell by a cord pa-ssed through a hole was a tuft of feathers of the swamp-hen, kakapo, or some rare bird. The sound of the shell trumpet could be I heard for a very considerable distance. , There were previously two specimens of i those trumpets in the museum collection, but in some respects the new addition is I superior to either. I In an interview with Dr Pomare the ; New Zealand Times gained some interesting information about the Chatham Islands. The doctor said the bulk of the 250 odd , Maoris on the islands were now comparatively prosperous' eheepfarmers. Between them they owned some 20 000 acres of land, thi6 being divided into 14 or 15 runs. A good deal of the land on the islands was leased at present to pakehas, of whom there were Some 250 in the group. However, Dr Pomare had no doubt that when those lease 3 fell in in a few years the Maoris themselves would take them up I and enlarge their rune. There would be i about 30,000 or more acres to come back Ito the Natives yi this way within thd ! course of five or tix yea«, and he expected \ that practically the- whole area would betaken over and worked by the Maoris themselves, 'the keenness to do something on everybody* part particularly impressed itself upon the doctor' a mind\ Generally speaking ho found things going oh most

satisfactorily, a -very gicat deal better, in fact, than in a good many otner places in New Zealaml whore the Maoris lived Dr Pomare will, in the course of a few ] days, forward a full official report on the condition of affairs to the head of his department. Another of the Maori war veterans has just passed away (says Ihe Dominion). Lieutenant-general George Hyde Page, colonel of the Lincolnshire Regiment, whose death took place on January 8, at Ho\e, was born in 1823, and joined the army as an ensign in 1841. Early in his career he saw service in New Zealand j with tho 58th Regiment. He was present i at the storming of Kawiti's Pa. took part in the night attack on the Rher Hutt, I the skirmish at Taita, and fighting at Wanganui. He also served in the Crimea with the 41st Regiment, but reached the theatre of operations after the fall of Sebaatopol. He was promoted majorgeneral in 1882, and retired with the honorary rank of lieutenant-general in 1885. In 1903 he was appointed to tho colonelcy of the Lincolnshire Regiment, having been selected for reward for distinguished and meritorioue service in 1882. The Milton Mirror reports an incident at Taieri Beach which nearly culminated in a tragic fatality. On Sunday morning Mrs B. C. Haggitt was down on the beach with three children, two of whom were bathing. Suddenly one of them, Kenneth (aged 12). was seen to throw up his arms and disappear. Mrs Haggitt ran in, but, encumbered by her skirts, fell down as the waves struck her, all her attempts to reach the boy being useless. The occurrence was seen from a. neighbouring house, and Rigby Morgan ran to help. He could not 6wim, and failed to reach the boy, who was gradually being carried farther out. Then Jack "Morgan came on the "scene. Divesting himself of some of his clothing, he swam out to where the boy could be seen floating face downwards. Before Morgan got out the boy had disappeared, and Morgan had to dive for him. Then ensued an arduous struggle to the shore, bearing a.n unconscious burden against the receding tide. It was some hours before consciousness was restored to the almost drowned lad. An extraordinary piece of advice is given to orehardists in the current number lof the Victorian Journal of Agriculture. ! Referring- to the ravages of green parrakeets in orchards, this official publication — issued under the authority of the Department of Agriculture — says: — "The best way to deal with the peat is poisoning with strychnine. Crush the strychnine crystals into fine powder, like flour; then dust a little of it on the apples the parI rots have partially eaten. It is the habit of these birds, when they have started on an apple, or pear, to go back to it again, till it te finished. So these are the ones that should be dusted with strychnine. If there are not enough of these, get a-sharp-pointed stick, and scarify some o£ the good apples, and dust them with strychnine. Great caution must be exercised in laying the poison, especially if there are children about, so that no mi«hap can occur." The fearful dangers (states the Daily Telegraph) necessarily involved in powdering apples — whether scarified or not — with deadly poison, on the tree, from which apples are beingdrawn for human consumption, are co real and obvious that they need no emphasia. At the last meeting of the Waitaki County Council reference was made to the fact that a. number of unlicensed hawkers are plying their calling in the county. The clerk said that only two of the hawkers who travelled the district were licensed, and the names of these he mentioned after turning up his records. Members (saya the North Otago Time*) remarked that many more than two were hr-wking within the county, and the names of several who had no licenses were mentioned. The clerk &a.id it wa3 difficult to catch them, but members suggested that the assistance of the police shouid be obtained, and it was agreed to take steps to deal with the matter early in the financial year commencing April 1. One member pointed out that the carts of a number* of town tradespeople were really hawking, for it was quite easy to purchase tobacco and other articles from them on the roads. The license fee is £2, and the county representatives %vere apparently inclined to increase this, and at the same time to take more active steps in the matter. Having regard to the interests of their ratepayers who are in competition with the hawkers, it is evident that they are determined to see that the law is observed. There is considerable bitterness in America- over what most people consider is the far too frequent marriage of wealthy j American women with foreigners who have nothing but their titles to recommend them (says a London paper). This feeling has found venc in a measure introduced into the House of Representatives by Congressman Sabath, of Chicago. This gentlema-n is anxious to imposo a 25 per cent, tax on the dowries of all American women who ohoose aliens for husbands. Mr Sabath estimates that within the last 10 years a sum of 900,000,000d0l has been taken put of , the country in thfa manner. While his proposals have given rise to a good deal of merriment, there fs, nevertheless, a pretty general opinion that the idea has ' commonsense as Its base. Mr John Tiffin Hull, of lowa, has moved an amendment. He thinks the principle of Mr Sabath' s bill it excellent, And in the oases specified, the dowries should without doubt he taxed. After "the usual divorce," however, J£r Hull cyr>ie«Jly adds^ the tax, or. ft propor-

tion of it, should be repaid to the family of tlie bride by vna.y -of b- solatiuij Five dajs' imprisonment for telling a telephone girl to go and hang herself seems a rather severe punishment (says the Vienna correspondent of the Standard), but such a sentence was recently imposed in a Vienna court. It appears that a merchant named Emil Altschul called the number of a cafe several times, only to bo told each time that the number was " engaged." Becoming impatient, and doubting the veracity of the young woman at the other end of the wire, he asked to be connected with the "controller," in order to make a complaint. A moment afterwards a fnminine voice answered, " Here, inspector!" Whereupon Herr Alts-chul shouted into the receiver, " Inspector can go and hang herself; T want the controller." Altschul and his brother, who was present at the time, denied having used such an expression— he only said the inspector could go away ; but the court preferred to believe the telephone girl's story, and sentenced the defendant to five days' imprisonment. Notice of appeal was given. " I paid 37s 6d an acre for my land," •said a Hillend settler the other day, " and I would not like to tako £10 for i< now." i " What about the unearned increment?" j "It is well earned," was the answer. "I bought the land in the tussock, fenced it, cultivated it, built upon it, . and every penny it is worth now has been thoroughly earned. It represents 12 or 14 years of hard work on the part of my&elf and my family." — Cltitha Leader. In the course of a conversation with a Christchurch Press reporter, Commissioner M'Kie, of the Salvation Army, stated that the Army in Australasia had now 90 institutions under its control, 34 of which had been opened since he took over the command six years and a-half ago. "It takes £100,000 a year to maintain these institutions," he declared, "and the people who pass through or benefit by them earn 85 per cent, of that amount. This leaves 15 per cent, to be secured by any little capitation we got from the Government, or donations that may come to us from our own folks or outside. If anyone can do better social work than that let him have a try." In presenting Mr John Coom, who is retiring from the Railway Department, with his portrait in oils (says the Dominion) the General Manager of Railways (Mr T. Ronayne) took occasion to eulogise Mr Coom's services, and mentioned that Mr Coom had received a letter from the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) referring to the value of the services which he had rendered to the Dominion. Mr Coom, in replying, gave a brief history of his 32 years' service in the Public Works and Railways Departments. He was first engaged in 1876 as a surveyor in the Public Works Department, and made the trial surveys for railways at Blenheim, Kaikoura, Cheviot, and Nelson, and also for the Christchuroh-Westland lino, in the South Island, and in the North Island iov the Napier-Woodville and Palmer?ton-New Plymouth lines. In 1879 he transferred to the Railway Department, holding the combined positions of resident engineer end locomotive engineer at Auckland, and afterwards the position of resident engineer at Wellington, Invercargill, and Dunedin in turn. Afterwards he was promoted to the position of inspecting engineer, and in 1899 he was appointed Chief Engineer of Now Zealand Railways, which position he continued to hold until his retirement. In the course of an interview with a representative of the Chrisfcchurch Press, the Hon. J. A. Millar said that one point about the scarcity of labour in some districts and the overplus in others was due in a large measure, he thought, to insufficient use being made (by employers particularly) of the machinery of the Labour Department, the ramifications of which extend all over the Dominion. He says he would like to see the department made greater use of as a medium for overcoming many of the difficulties from shortage of worker in some places and a, superabundance in others. However, no doubt as the usefulness -of the institution becomes recognised it will be called upon to assist more frequently. New arrivals from Home call at the different branches of the department in good numbers shortly after their arrival. Invariably they are given useful advice, and often they are senc off to billets right away. The Public Service Superannuation Board has adopted resolutions for the working of the scheme. The board has referred to the Cabinet the question of the amount to be returned from the insurance fund by the Public Trustee to civil servants who transfer from the compulsory insurance scheme to the superannuation fund. Cabinet will be requested to formulate the conditions relating to the cash payments to be made to contributors under the insurance scheme. We regret to state that the condition of the health of Mr J. A. Torrance is such a3 to occasion the deepest anxiety. A special meeting of the Presbyterian Social Service Association was held in First Church Hall on Feb. 25 to consider the question of extending the operations of the orphanage by getting a larger place in the country, the present building having proved too small. It was decided that in view of the fact that at present children from almost every part of the South Island were in the orphanage, an appeal should be made to every minister and missionary : within this territory to assist the committee in raising ac soon as possible at ,

least £1000. It was also decided that mi the finan-cial burden Of the various COngTW gations is already heavy, it should be a\ appeal for shillings rather than for pounds to enable th» poorest member to assist Mr Axelsen reported that so far th* orphanage hmß been a success, the children being healthy and happy, and M thej were attending the ordinary public school, they did not in any way feel themselvef apart, as it were, from other children. A communication was read from the prerfW dent of the Council of Christian Churche* requesting- the P.S.S.A. to undertake tbA tuition of the non-Anglican children in thfc' Industrial School. The request was acceded to. A direct telephone circuit between Dun> eclin and Gore was established on Feb. 28. This will obviate the necessity of connecting via, Invercargill, as hitherto. The Hon. J. E. Jenkinson, M.L.C., W not very hopeful of the prospects of Kaitangata coal in the Empire City. Thecoal is all right, but the price is too high. In conversation with a representative of the Clutha. Leader, he said that he bo ugh k a quarter-ton of the Magic's first shipment, and it cost him 10s 6d, whereas Westport cost 12s 6d, the latter being of much better quaility. The chairman of the River Board suggested that the company, had an eye to the Australian market, and Mr Jenkinson agreed that Australia would oner a better market for successful ex-* ploitation than the North Island, but h« was of opinion that the company had a very good market for its coal' in the South. Island of New Zealand. Rarer than the priaed domestic servant, apparently, is the humble but necessary laundress. The Wellington Hospital Trua« tees have been searching for some time to find an efficient head laundress to take charge of a, staff of 14, but hitherto they have had no success. Advertisement* failed to elicit a single reply, and the chairman of the trustees (the Hon C. M. Luke) stated (says the Dominion) that he had been informed, on good authority, thai efficient head laundresses were almost impossible to secure in the Dominion. It was decided that the chairman ahouid pur* sue the quest, and that the matter should afterwards be dealt with by the House Committee. One of Dunedin's popular clergymen has the happy knack of mingling a good deal of humour with his rhetoric. Speaking on the merits of oheerin«M at the City Mission on February 28/ he bethought him of a very dear friend oi. t hie father and of himself. This, gentle*, man was a great believer in cheerfulness,' and when he lay sick nearly unto death*' he caught sight of a sombre-looking gentle*' man in black coming up the path. CalKj ing his wife, he said: "Here, let me sitf up, dear, and look as bright as possible;) here comes the undertaker." At the annual meeting of the Dnnedin: Reserves Conservation Society, Mr Moodie, head master of the Leith Valley School, mentioned the matter of the great destruo^ tion of the native clematis and kowhaj that went on up the Leith during th« flowering season. The depredation vreni on very largely on bush land under th« control of the City Corporation. H« asked to be informed of the legal position, as he had a small ermy of private detectives, in the shape of about 20 school boy*,who were at one with him in his desire that th^ practice of robbing the bush of its chief spring beauty should, if possible, ha stopped. Mr Burnett, who happens to be chairman of the Reserves Committee of the City Council, asked Mr Moodie to send in to the Council his own name and also those of half-a-dozen of his boye, and th«y 4 would be appointed honorary rangers,empowered to demand the name and address of anyone whom they saw destroy* ing or interfering with the bush o*i flowers on corporation reserves, and to report the same to the council. If * proper appreciation of the beauties of our native bush were inculcated into all our, school children, in the same way as Mr Moodie appears to have done with his charges et Leith Valley, the vandalism which is so frequent would soon be reduced to a minimum, if not stamped out altogether. A Press Association telegram states thafc the attention of the Auckland City Council has been called to the drinking of intoxicating liquors in the pavilion at Victoria -Park. It is stated that cricketers in various stages of intoxication have been seen in the pavilion. Some of the roonoa have been literally turned into bars. Tha council referred the matter to the Works Committee. Waving a red flag with the word "Anarchy" written on it, a Bavarian, Joseph Shellenberg, endeavoured to sel! some anarchial publications at a meeting on the Yarra bank, Melbourne, dti a recent Sunday. He was arrested, ana 1 when asked to plead at the court, he said in a decisive tone: "I do not recognise this court. I .simply recognise it as a branch of the Employers' Federation. Ido not plead at all. The sentence will be all the same. Ido not expect to get justice." Accused admitted a prior conviction in Sydney on April 2, 189*, for libel. B* waa fined £1, in default seven days' imprisonment, and 10s, In default three days? imprisonment, on a charge of using obscene language. Shellenberg disdainfully decided to '" take it out." The electrical engineer (Mr Stark) and the chairman of the Electiio Power and Lighting Committee (Cr Sbaekiook) trenfc by motor car to Moy^iel on Feb. 28, when the former explain^ (o a committee of the

Taieri County Cotmoil the locations and construction of the proposed dam, -which certain residents fear may one day flood Berwick. Mr Stark brought plans showing- the height of wall to be 54ft, and tho bed of the slope on each side of the creek to be of solid rook and good puddling olay ; also that the by-wash or overflow is to be equal to the present capacity of the river, and cut through rock. Mr Stark explained that if excessive Tain was expected all danger of flood could be obviated by merely opening a valve, -which would turn the water back into its natural channel. The Waikawa Sawmilling Company's mill, which was destroyed by fire on the morning o! January 21, has been reereoted, and started milling operations again on February 26. Regarding the sleep trance of the steward of the Ruapehu, "" reported last week, the Dominion says that a somewhat similar, but even more interesting, case occurred in Wellington only a fortnight ago. One of tKe clerks in an insurance office was asked by the auditors to produce some vouchers he had charge of. He went away to get them, but did. not return for 20 minutes, so another wae sent to hurry him ' up. He found him asleep on his 4esk, and all efforts to arouse him were fruitless. He was sent home for medical treatment, and remained in a state of coma for about a week, unable, evidently, to shake off an overpowering lethargy that 'deadened the brain. The doctors could ictißcover no direct reason for the occurrence, but ordered his head to be shaved and kept cool with ice. Gradually he became able to recognise those around him, but for some time he* was not able to piece aucider-.ts together. He Has now quite recovered. The gentleman mentioned is a well-known footballer, and it is held by some authorities that such lapses as this may be caused by the effects of a kick or Itord knock sustained at some time or other. One of the most striking successes in connection with the finger-print system of identification since ite adoption by the New , South Wales Police Department was '■ achieved by Sub-inspector Childs at Sydney a few days ago. At an early hour in the morning, the North Sydney police ■ discovered the dead body of a man lying on the rocks at Folly Point. A few residents of that locality had seen - the man several times gathering oysters in the ticinity, and knew him as "Ted." /His identity, however, wae a mystery, which would probably not have been solved had not his finger-prints been taken while the Body was lying in the morgue. A full set of impressions -was obtained, and Mr CShilds found that they were identical with those of Edward Jones, a man whose fingerprints were taken some years ago. This identification once again proves the efficacy of the system. It is the first case on record in which a dead man's identity has been proved by hie finger-printa. The Otago Branah of the Executive Counoil of the Amalgamated Society of Bail way Servants seems (the New Zealand Times says) to keep a "handy man with a barbed harpoon" about its premises. 'Amongst the business for consideration at ihm biennial conference will be protests from the Upper Hutt and Thorndon branches against the communications which have been received from that individual. The Upper Hutt branch is offended because an intimation from the Otago branch stating that it hopes it will "survive its horrified amazement " on being told " that our sincere desire is to assist in rehabilitating the society " instead of allowing it to remain "an institution for gods and men to scoff at"; and it is further incensed because of the .suggestion that "with good nourishment and kindly coun*el" it may be prevailed upon to "shed its swaddling clothes, pass out of its babyhood," " relinquish the apron-strings of its Self-appointed dry nurse," and justify & ojaim for its members of being " intelligent and thinking beings." The Thornton branch is irritated because it has been advised by the same cheerful commentator "not to take offence if it is the recipient of the reward which is bestowed upon those who elect of their own free choice to become slaves and bondsmen and glory in their shame," and to remember that, though it was specially called into existence by the general secretary, it does not at all follow that it is obligatory upon it to "homologate that officer's every action," or do the behest of the " satellites of the executive in all things." Reference is also made in this remarkable epistle to the "puny efforts" of the Thorndon branch, " whose conscience and manhood are apparently held in pawn," and who, it is cheerfullj prophesied, will be relegated to that obscurity from which "in an evil hour to the society St was allowed to emerge." The Executive Council has placed on record^ the Opinion that correspondence of this nature """does not tend to the creation of a harmonious sptirit in the ranks of the Booiety." At a recent meeting of the Auckland C/haritable Aid Board (says a Press Association telegram), it was stated that a pensioner, 82 years of age, who had five different medals, and against whom there waa not a single black mark, had been deprived of his pension for five years. Mr Xtuddock (deputy registrar) has informed the board that on a first conviction for vlrunkennes3 the pensioner was cautioned \Vnd warned that on a second offence he should lose his pension. He was again Vonvioted, ar)c j t^ e nia gictrate lefused to ■>«s^» **** "eneion-

T A. brief sitting of the Warden's Court was held on Saturday before Mr W. G. Kenrick, warden. Robert Beverly Smith presented an application for «, dam and a water-race on section 18, block VI, Mount Hyde district. The application was adjourned till March 28 to receive a report from the Inspector of Mines. Three deaths occurred in the Dunedin Hospital last week — viz., Amelia. Kellett, John Jefferis, and Andrew William Strachan. Patient* admitted during the week numbered 37, the number discharged , was 33, and the total remaining in the I institution at the end of the week was 109. ) " Revolutionary Socialism " was in cvi- . dene© to some extent at Sunday after- ' noon's gathering of the Dunedin Branch of ( the Political Labour League. One of the 1 speakers, a recent arrival from the Com- , monwealth, expressed dissatisfaction that the league was not "pronounced" enough in its declarations to suit his views. " I am a revolutionary Socialist," he said, "and I do not believe in palliatives as panaceas for social wrongß. In asking for tho nationalisation of all means of production we are not demanding confiscation ; wo are only claiming back what has been stolen from us." Another speaker, who also claimed to be revolutionary in his Sooialistio opinions, said: "We demand the abolition of the system of capitalism because it has proved iteelf to be Totten. We want no alliance between Liberalism end Labour — with Liberalism, the shadow, in the forefront, and Labour, the substance, in the background. I disagree with a remark passed by the N president that we 6hould not look to the political machine to accomplish too much. We want to use the political machine to its fullest extent, and return to power our own Parliament, whloh will do what we want it to do. People are not mad© for Governments, but Governments for th*e people, and Socialism is the only panacea for our wrongs." The remarks quoted met with a few " Hear, hears " from a small section of ihe audience; and one or two other speakers referred to the Arbitration Court and past Labour legislation as palliatives, and not panaceas, for the industrial and social problems which were agitating the public mind. Many congratulatory messages were cent from Dunedin on Saturdlay to Mr E. Smith, conductor of the Mornington Band, on the occasion of the band's (success in the brass bands' championship at th© New Plymouth gathering at the end of last week. It is stated (says the Dominion) that officers of the Union Company's steamers are going to support the Temper&noe party in its efforts to abolish packet licenses on coastal traders, owing to a certain clause in the act passed last session not meeting with their approval. The portion of the new act complained of is subsection (b) of section 4, which reads as follows:— "No liquor shall be sold, aupplied, or given on board any suoh vessel by any person t° a<ny officer or member of the crew of such vessel without the written authority of the master." The principle of rating on unimproved land values has now been adopted in 76 dietriots, including 42 boroughs, two oities, 20 counties, 10 road districts, and two town districts. The principle has been rejected at the polls in 16 district* — being 10 boroughs, one city, two counties, and two road district*. Fiv« polls have been taken on the proposal to revert to capital value rating, and in each case the district has refused to> go back. The action of the Wellington City Council on Wednesday night in regard to the question of a fish market was adversely criticised by the delegates of -the Trades Council (says the Dominion) A long discussion also took place on the institution of municipal markets. The following resolution was carried :—" That this council regrets the aotion of the City Council in again shelving the question of municipal markets, and considers that those councillors who 4 voted against the proposal were false to their election pledges, and should be requested to resign their seats in favour of other councillors, who would carry out their pledges to the community." The Ashburton Guardian learns on good authority that, in consequence of the increase of 2 per cent, on deposit rates made by the banks about a week ago, notice is being given to the customers of the banks that the interest on advances has been raised by a similar- amount. On inquiry in Ghristchureh a Lyttelton Times reporter was informed that so far no actual steps have been taken to increase the interest charged on advances. There had been a general hardening tendency in the money world, and, in sympathy with that tendency, the interest paid on deposits had , been increased. The banks would have to keep a reasonable margin of profit, and if the hardening tendency continued it ! would become necessary to charge more for financial accommodation. j Dur ; ng the course of an address on Sun- , day afternoon at fche meeting of the Dun- ' edin Branch*of the Political Labour League the president intimated that the Fountain ie to be invaded by yet another band of : street speakers. As a sequence to, or in ' conjunction with, the Sunday afternoon . Labour and Socialistic discussions now being held in the Trades Hall, Mr Munro ' etated that it was intended to take up a position at the Fountain opposite the CusI torn House on Saturday evenings, when 1 speakers connected with the league would give addresses on Sooialietio and Labour matters. Should the proposed departure referred to be carried out, the Fountain will be in danger of becoming a modern Tower of Babel, as alroadv this favoured

resort is used for religious addresses, band playing, an occasional gTaphophone. entertainment, Agnostics preaohing, etc., and if the orowd increases in the locality in proportion to the advent of each aspirant for street fame, there is a possibility that street traffio may be interfered with to suoh an extent as to call for municipal interference.

Tho annual meeting of the Otago Law Socifcty was held on Friday. Mr J. C. Stepnens, the retiring president, was in the chair. The report and balance sheet for the year were adopted, and the following office-bearers were eleoted for the ensuing year : — President, Mr A. A. Finch ; vicepresident, Mr A. James; secretary, Mr W. H. M'Keay; committee — Messrs J. C. Stephens, J. A. Cook, F. J. Woodhouse, J. MacGregor, P. S. K. Macassey, J. H. Hosking, and F. J. Stilling (hon. treasurer).

The Taieri Drainage Act, pa6sed last year, has not yet been put in force. The first thing necessary i» to appoint a returning officer, fund the Government now has "bhig under consideration, also the question of the Government appointees on the board. Mr D. Reid, jun., M.P., has twice written to the Hon. Mr M'Nab upon the matter, urging more especially the careful selection of the Government appointees, particularly the chairman, since "it is probable," Bays Mr Reid, "that the chairman will have a difficult duty to perform in securing 1 unanimity of action in the joint board for the different drainage districts, which were frequently at cross purposes in the past. Unfortunately, the elections are coming along again, which tend to the unsettlement of the conduct of political affaire. February is the most dangerous month in the year for floods, and we have got through it without one, but it must take several years before *h« scheme is completed, and the sooner it is commenced the better "

It is all very well to make a railway for a distriot, but a railway without roads leading to it lacks the principal feeders that are necessary for its existence. The Catlins line is largely in that position. A farmer from the district, speaking to one of our staff on Saturday, pointed out the urgent need of road 6 in many parts. At present, he says, a number of the settlers are absolutely without roads to their farms, and in other places the roads are so bad, especially in the winter time, that it is impossible to use them for heavy traffic.

We understand that Mr W. F. Massey, member for Franklin and Leader of the Opposition, is likely to visit the South Island in April or May. It ie probable that he will come to Dunedin.

The alteration of the boundaries of the electorates for parliamentary representation is still causing considerable dissatisfaction in some quarters. " This question of representation of districts is one that, I think, is working out very badly in practice," «aid Mr D. Reid, jun., M.P., to one of our reporters on Saturday. "Take the Taieri distriot. The commissioners have added to it the district behind Maungatua, which has little interest with the Taieri County, and which is associated altogether with the Tuapeka County. Then they have put into the Taieri electorate Milburn and the district in that neighbourhood whose interests are all identified with the Bruce County. It practically means that these districts are disenfranchised, seeing that they have not interests in common with the bulk of the electorate. The commissioners do not seem to have made use of the quota so as to cut up the dis-triota in a way that would give them community of interests: Whether there should be an alteration of districts every time a census is taken is also a matter for consideration. I should think that if the districts were reallotted every 10 years it would be better than ; constantly changing districts every five ! years. The North Island has gained a certain amount of population for the time I being, due to the opening up of lands i there, and in consequence all the constituencies in' the South Island have to be altered. Possibly within the next five years that population may be returning south if ! a time of depression oame in the North Island, ac it likely will. There has been more extension in the North Island than in the South Island, and the consequence is that if dull times come there would be harder times there, and tho- floating population would come back. Besides, a lot of the increased population in the North Island is due to public works expenditure, which belongs to the whole colony, and also to the fact that the mail services and tho shipping take passengers to the North Island and land them there."

The First Battalion paraded for divino service, under command of Major Crawford, V.D., and proceeded to the Caver-sham Presbyterian Church at 10 a.m. on the Ist. The other officer piesent was Captain and Adjutant Barclay. The parade state showed: — Garrison Band, 1 officer and 26 men ; the Battalion Band, 12 m-en ; City Guards, 2 officers and 23 men; North Dunedin Rifles, 1 man; Highland Rifles, 1 officer and 23 men ; Dunedin Rifles, 2 officers and 10 men ; Caverfeham Rifles, 2 officers and 5 men ; Cycle Corps, 3 officers and 19 men;— total, 138. The weather affected the attendance of outlying corps. Chaplain-major Dutton preachod an excellent, sermon from Samuel ii, i 0 and 12, on the need of efficiency. Regretful reference was made to the illness of the officer commanding (Lieutenant-colonel Stoneham).

The Hampden correspondent of the Palmeraton Times reports a curious accident.—"Mr William M'Kinney, of Shag Valley, met with a painful accident while attending Mr Dorreen'* sale at Hampden

on Wednesday. A hack was being paraded for sale, when it suddenly reared up and threw its rider. The man was thrown into the aaitr t fend while falling his boot struck Mr M'Kinney, who was standing at the side of th© ring, infiioting a very severe wound on the faoe. Dr Liddell, who was present at tho sale, attended Mr M'Kinney, and found that his nose was badly fractured. He was able to proceed home by the 4 p.m. train, and was afterwards attended by Dr Hislop."

Conversing with a Daily Times reporter on Saturday, Mr D. Reid, jun., M.P., expressed a preference for Parliaments of five years' duration instead of the present period of three years. " I certainly think that the three-year system is not the beet," eaid the member for Taieri; "but whether it ought to be five years, or perhaps four years, is a matter for consideration. The people say: 'Now that members are about to go before the country they naturally want to have the time extended, and not to have to go to that trouble.' It is altogether apart from that aspect of the subject, however, that lam speaking. I think the quinquennial Parliament would tend to better legislation and to less interference with the affairs of the country. I do not think the publio interests would suffer, because if aom© vital questions came up that had not been considered by the electors at the time members were returned tho Governor, in the case of any change of political power in the House, would certainly grant a dissolution at the request of the party that was going out of power, and that would mean that although a Parliament might last five years it would probably not run so long as that. We know that in England Parliaments are elected for seven years, although they may not last for that time, because a change of circumstances cornea perhaps in five years, and a fresh election is then held. In that way the views of the electors are always taken."

A mysterious drowning fatality occurred at Kaitangata on the Ist inst. The body of a man named Wm. Albert Perry, aged 23. wae found in the water at Coal Point a few minutes after noon. Nothing known as to how the tragedy took place. An inquest will be held to-day.

"By the first express on the 3rd ins!\ Lionel Terry was removed from Ihc Seadiff Mental Hospital to the Lyttelton Gaol, portion of which was by recent Gazette notice proclaimed an asylum for criminal lunatics. His journey to Lyttelton was made in the company of three warders, all of whom were adjudged to be specially capable of frustrating any attempt at escape. It is stated that on Sunday morning Terry, in the momentary absence of his guardian, made a dash for liberty, but bolts and bars .prevented him from getting outside the building itself. ,

The subdivision of the Meadowbank Estate, situated near Palmerstor. South, and recently, acquirad by the Government, will take place next month. The estate will be thrown open for public selection on April 22, and it is\ understood that the ballot will take place at the Town Hall, Palmerston, on April 24.

Inquiry at the local Labour Bureau ehowe that the full number of men required for the various railways under construction has now been obtained. In about a month's time there will be a demand for a number of good rock men. As far as farm labour is concerned there 16 at the present time very little demand on the part of employers

The regulation to the effect that before' a person can be arrested and brought before a magistrate on the charge of having no visiblev lawful means of support that person must have previously failed to satisfy a justice that he po6seses visible lawful means of support, seems open to objections. Presumably the clause was framed with a view to preventing a person suffering the indignity of such arrest unjustily, but as a summons to attend before a justice has to be served on a person suspected of vagTancy, the suspect often takes^ advantage of the interval to make himeelf scarce. This clause is generally regarded by the police as a farce, as the very appearance of accused in court ie conchi6ive proof that he, or she, has already been found by a magistrate to be practically a vagrant.

The Mornington Band (conductor, Mr E. Smith), which won the bra=s bands' chpmpionship at New Plymouth last week, returned to Dunedin by the second express in (he 3rd, and was w doomed at the Rail-

way Station by a large crowd of supporters and well-\vi6hers, including Mr W. Wills (president of tho band), Crs Henderson, Reynolds, and Nicol. and Mr Nelson (town clerk). Cr Henderson, in a few words, congratulated the band on its meritorious victory, and welcomed it back to Dunedin.

The benefits of a conference between employers and employees,' and of " sweet reaeoiiablenpss" thereat, were forcibly exemplified in the Arbitration Court on thn 3rd, wher. the court aj_lain took up the dh pute3 in which the engineers and the metalworkers were ranged upon one side and their employers upon the other. Mr W. Scott (for the employers) informed the court that since the case was last before it the parties had held a conference, and as a result agreements had been arrived at. in both cases. Mr R. Brcen (for the unions) agreed with Mr Scott's statement, but mentioned one question that had yet to be settled in the metal-workers' dispute. Mr Scott said this particular matter— the working of night shifts — was not mentioned at the conference, and in o'"der to enable the parties to further confer the oouit undertook to hold back its award until the parties had m-ot. In regard to the engineers' t'isput-e, the agreement arrived at

will be made an award of the court. It ft, worthy of note that this is the first time in the history of the Dominion that electrical workers have been before the court and wages and conditions fixed for that branch of tho trade.

Oil Friday, February 28, quite a crowd of tourists arrived in Cromwell from ,a holiday spent at Pembroks. Among them were Mr R. Slater (formerly member of the Arbitration Court), Mr and Mrs J. Burt (o£ Messrs A. and T. Burt), Mr and Mrs B. L-. Macassey, and .Mr and Mrs Raymond (of Timaru). One and all were enthusiastic about- the scenic beauties of Lake Wanaka-, and it being an ideal spot for a holiday, declaring it was far superior to the muchdaunted Lake Wakatipu. They expressed their astonishment at the studied negligence of beautiful Lake Wanaka by the Tourist Department. Lakes Te Anau, Manapouri, and Wakatipu arc constantly extolled by the department, but very little or no mention is made of that gem, Wanaka. In. spite of this neglect the beauties of Wanaka are becoming better known, as returning tourists tell their friends. Consequently this season has been a record one at Pembroke for the number of tourists- who have visited it.

A telephone office has been opened at Tapanui. Offices will be opened shortly at Reidston (near Maheno) and at Maramatua (near the mouth of the Waiau River).

It is possible that +he lash may not have been heard of the famous Mokau case. It was again brought under publio notice the other day by a cable message intimating that the action brought by Mr Joahua Jones against the executors of the late Mr Wickham Flower had been dismissed. Tho history of the case is as follows: — The Mokau-Mohakat.Lne block wae leased to Mr Joshua Jones in 1883, with the right to miire, <jut timber, , for 56 years. Coal exists on some portions of the land, and a mine is being worked at present about 22 miles up the river. A Royal Commission some years ago inquired into allegations by Mr Jones that concessions granted to him had been interfered with, and an act passed 1 in 1888 set at rest all doubtful points, securing the completion and registration of the lease. Subsequently, Mr Jones became involved in financial relations with Mr Wickham Flower, a London solicitor (since deceased), on whose behalf an order for the sale of the estate was obtained, on account) of moneys advanced to Mr Jones. When this order was obtained, Mr Jones served ay writ on the executors of the Flower estate,barring the 6ale of the propetry. The executors applied for a stay of proceedings on the grounds that the cause of action wae frivolous, but the application was refused 1 . The case then went to the High Court,, with the reeult already recorded*.

In consequence of the recklessness of cyclists and motor cyclists in the more crowded r»rts of Princes street, and the many accidents that have resulted therefrom, the General Committee will recommend to the City Council that cyclists and motor cyclists be entirely prohibited from riding in Princes street, between Dowling street and Brown, Ewing's corner.

Several desirable telephone connections are at present being made in different parts of Otago, and others, which have been authorised, will be undertaken as soon as members of the staff are available, for them. About a dozen gangs of men are now at work, and as the weather has been favourable steady progress has been made. The works which Mr Orchiston, District Inspector for Otago, has now in hand, or which are in completion, are these: — Drummond to Otautau, 11 miles ; Riveredale to Kaweku, five miles; Outram to Clarke, 14 miles; Patearoa to Paerau (Serpentine), 14 miles; 1 Dunrobin to Moa Flat, six miles; Edendale to Seaward Downs, five miles and a-half; 1 , and Clifden to Lillburn, seven miles. A' Morse wire is being installed from Riversdale to Waikaia to connect the latter place with Dunedin by the Morse system. In order to relieve the present congestion on the Inveroargill-Otautau line a second wi^e is to be provided. The< Seacliff Mental Hospital is about to have a metallic circuit' service provided for its connection with Dunedin.

When the Government steamer Hinemoa visited George Sound a few days ago search wat. made for traeee of the Canadian moose, or elk, that were liberated there some three years ago. The party, which consisted of the chief and Fecond officers, Messrs A. Burns and W. Judge (passengers), had (says the Dominion) not proceeded far when they discovered tracks adjudged to be those of elk imprinted in the soft, peaty soil at the head of the sound. The hoof-marks, which could not have been more than a few hours' old, were numerous enough for the conclusion to be drawn that the little herd waa keeping well together, and that they were nol wandering far fiom the spot where thaj; were liberated. Inquiry was made from Mr . Sutherland, at Milford Sound, if there were any wild cattle roving the district, which might have made tho tracks, but Mr Sutherland had never heard of wild cattle being about,' and was of opinion that tho f racks seen were those of the elk. This is the first indication that the strangers are alive and doing well since their liberation.

At Waikanae (cays the Dominion) the Hon. W. Hall-Jone/j 6pokc optimistically of the wool and flax markets. He believed', he said, that the present stocks of wool held! by many dealers at Home were low, andl for some time to conlS"f>roducers would ba able to receive a figure that would return them a good margin. He hoped and believed that the fall in the price of flax waa only temporary. He understood that 'sines their acquaintance with New Zealand flax, when Manila was for a time unprocurable, many manufacturers had learned to prefer it to Manila.