The Southern Cross. PUBLISHED WEEKLY. Invercargill, Saturday, Aug. 12. General News

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 20, 12 August 1893, Page 8

The Southern Cross. PUBLISHED WEEKLY. Invercargill, Saturday, Aug. 12. General News

The first of a series of illustrated sketches of “ People we Kr ow ” will he given next week. Headers who wish to make sure of obtaining the- whole of the series should at once enrol as subscribers. Country friends can obtain the paper till March 31, 1891, for the sum of 4s, and those in town for a penny per issue. There are now 34 inmates in the Invercargill Old Men’s Home. Fighting is going on at Samoa between the Mataafa and Malietoa factions. During July 1170 people arrived in the colony and 857 left it. It it reported that there are several leprous Chinamen in Wellington. A mail for the United Kingdom and Australia closes at 3.15 p.m. on Tuesday. Mr Cadman beat Mr Eees in the contest for one of the Auckland seats on Friday week, the voting being—Cadman, 1883; Rees, 1132. Owing to the recent financial failures 120,000 persons have been thrown out of employment in the United States. We are informed that Mr Robert Me Fab has definitely decided to contest the Mataura electorate at the next election. Cargoes of wheat by the Heechdale and Cordillera, from Lyttelton, have sold in London recently at about 2Gs 3d to 24s 6d respectively. Owing to one of the jurors becoming insane, the trial of the men accused of kicking Pert to death at Miller’s Point (Sydney) will have to be begun de novo. A gruesome item of news comes from Wellington, to the effect that a number of ferrets have taken up their abode in one of the local cemeteries.

In the House of Representatives on Thursday night, Mr Jackson Palmer’s Deceased Husband s Brother’s Marriage’ Bill was committed without amendment, read a third time and passed. Our old friend, Max O’Rell, is coining money in South Africa. For six hours’ lecturing he recently raked in no less than £SBO, or at the rate of a little over 6d per second. The Ulster Defence Fund has reached a quarter of a million sterling. The HomeRule Bill still engages the attention of the House of Commons. An agitation is going on in some quartersfor a Saturday instead of a Wednesday halfholiday. It is worthy of note that in Dunedin lately a fruiterer attributed her bankruptcy tothe adver' ■: o Saturday half-holiday. A heartless wrjtch. Jabez Balfour, thelevanting financier, whose Liberator Building Society frauds ruined not a few people in Britain, is living in luxury in Buenos Ayres, where he openly orders and pays for highpriced articles from London tradesmen. In 1874 181,248 letters were posted at Invercargill; 173,311 received here. Last year the number received at, and despatched from, the local office was 2,791,256, together with 1,147,347 newspapers. A boy named Harry Rains and a man named James Miller were killed at Pahiatua (Wellington district) on Tuesday through a. tree falling upon them while they were milking cows in a shed. Two cows were alsokilled. The Colonial Treasurer left for Wellington on Thursday. During his brief visit heopened the new post-office buildings, presided at the annual meeting of the J. Gr. Ward Farmers’ Association, and completed the absorption into it of another local business,, and received several deputations. Robert Wa Hath, “ the Hew Plymouth. bighwayman,” escaped from gaol on the Bth. He scaled a wall, twelve feet high, and was fired at by the gaoler and Dr O’Carroll, but they did not hit him. He made for the river, when he was caught by men working there. Mr Gladstone has intimated that the House will not adjourn till the Home Rule Bill and Supply are passed. The recess will be then taken, and another session held in the autumn.. —Mr Chambelain contends that the Home Rule Bill empowers the Irish Parliament to foster Catholic prejudices, to coerce Ulster, and to legalise the plan of campaign. Messrs H. Carswell and Co. have sold the goodwill of their extensive stock, produce general, and auctioneering business to the J. G. Ward Farmers’ Association. It is, however, satisfactory to learn that Mr Carswell is not retiring frem commercial life, but has determined to devote himself to the land and finance agency branches of his late business. The habit of naming places after people sometimes leads to amusing incidents. One of these occurred at the Invercargill railway ticket office the other day A lady asked for a first-class return for Lady Barkly. A member of the other sex who, with the politeness of his nationality, had given way to her, then stepped forward and, plumping down some silver, asked for a second return for Pat Murphy! “At a meeting of electors last night (August 7th) it was resolved (according to a telegram in the Otago Daily Times) to found a fund to be used in support of a candidate for the Invercargill seat at the general election who will deal justly from the meeting’s point of view with the licensing interests.” To this we may add that it is not the temperance party who are taking action, and that the “ electors ” were represented by not more than six people. In the House of Representatives on Wednesday evening Sir Robert Stout moved that the House go into committee on the Licensing Act Amendment Bill. This was carried on the voices, but at a later stage the Premier moved that progress be reported in order that the House might wait for the Government Bill, which would satisfy all parties. Sir Robert Stout declined this proposal, but it was carried by 30 votes to 28, leave beinogiven to bring the Bill on again on August 17th. At the last meeting of the Land Board a petition was received from settlers at Forest Hill requesting that kowahi timber be reserved for the use of settlers and not sold to sawmillers. The Board was of opinion that settlers should have the right to enter sawmill areas for kowhai and other inferior timber for firewood and other purposes, and it was stated that the Department was prepared to issue such licenses on payment of fees. The jury returned a verdict of manslaughter against Reid and Rich, both of whom were concerned in the death of the man Pert, who was kicked to death at Miller’s Point (Sydney). They added a recommendation to mercy. The Judge said he was unable to understand how such a recommendation could be made. The crime was of a brutal description, and the evidence seems to warrant a verdict of murder. He sentenced Reid to ten and Rich to five years’ penal servitude. The mild nature of the verdict has caused some sensation, and it is openly stated that a number of the jurors were afraid their lives would be in jeopardy from the larrikin “push” if a verdict of murder had been recorded

A presentation of a tea and coffee service was made last week at I unedin (says the Otago Daily Times) to Mr Thomas Shepherd, who is leaving the employ of Messrs Butterworth Bros, to enter into business on his own account in Invercargill. Mr Butterworth, in making the presentation on behalf of the employes, referred to Mr Shepherd’s long and Satisfactory connection -with the company, and wished him every success in his venture. Mr Shephei d feelingly replied.

There was a big night at the last meeting of the Shamrock. Rose, and Thistle Lodge, 1.0.0 P.,M.U., visiting brethren mustering strongly. The district officers, headed by Grand Master Latham, were in attendance, and the last-named gave a very encouraging report of the state of the various lodges he had visited. Bro. Boyne, of the United Gore Lodge, gave a stort address in which he urged the (stablishment of a superannuation fund, and Bro. C. S. Brass, D.G.M., Bro. Martin, of the Lumsden Lodge, and Bros. Todd and Cox, representing the St. George Lodge, also addressed the members.

*• If ever,” writes a correspondent, “any poor humans were in that pitiable condition described as being between the devil and the deep sea, it is the railway commissioners. {There is the Hon. Richard on the one hand dogging their steps with the guillotine, ready to drink iheir official blood if they are found guilty of any extravagance in their management; and on the other hand the servants (?) of the commissioners, the railway employes, charge them with parsimony in dismissing hands and otherwise economising expenses so as to show a good balance-sheet, and for so acting demand their removal. If they fail to show a good balance-sheet down comes the guillotine knife upon them, and if they do show it the. railway men are after them like a pack of wolves in full cry. The commissioners have clearly elected to serve the people, and them only, and for doing this their official lives arc in jeopardy. Their last appeal for justice is the issue of those leather passes instead of gold ones to the newly-made ‘ Peers,’ one of the objects of whose creation was probably to assist in the carrying of a bill to subordinate the commissioners to the Government. The commissioners have thanked these gentlemen in anticipation by presenting each of them with a leather medal. These leather tokens may he regarded as economy’s last shift.”

The ceremony of formally opening the new post office buildings was performed on Monday last by the lion. J. G. Ward, Colonial Treasurer and Postmaster-General, in the presence of a large gathering of citizens. Mr Ward, in the course of an interesting address, was able to show that the extension of the buildings was urgently required owing to the increase in the business of the local postal department. Figures were cited in support, and the speaker held that they afforded conclusive proof of the fact that the general business of the town and district was of the progressive order. He pointed out that the annual revenue 19 years ago was £2360, and the expenditure £2046 ; while last year’s receipts amounted to £17,676 and the expenditure to £6151. Complimentary reference was made to the manner in which the contractor (Mr J. Crowther), the architect (Mr W. Sharp), the builder of the tower (Mr Morrison), and the Inspector (Mr A. Bain), had discharged their duties. Mr Ward also remarked that it was not generally known that nearly all the mail work of Hew Zealand is to a certain point carried on in the Invercargill post office —many of the English mails arriving at and departing from the colony being overhauled and very frequently sorted here. The business of the local office was a large, responsible, and very difficult one, and it was very gratifying to him, after having a close insight into the work, to know that in their worthy Chief Postmaster (Mr Wilkin) and his staff the Department had men of whom they might well feel proud. The speaker was greeted with a round of cheers at the close of his address, and the gathering, which had been treated to selections by the Garrison and City Bands, then dispersed.

Some practical illustrations of the principles of kindergarten teaching were given at the South Public School last Saturday afternoon. The interest created in the subject by the paper read at the Teachers’ Conference by Mr Webber was manifested by the large number of teachers, from all parts of Southland, who were present, notwithstanding unfavourable weather. After a few introductory remarks by the headmaster, about twenty-five little ones, from five to six years old, w'ere set to work by the mistress of the kindergarten classes, Miss Jessie Wilson. Each pupil was provided with a small bundle of sticks like wooden matches, which, placed in various positions, impart to the young mind a very good idea of number, and form, while they learned the elements of drawing, as they sketched each shape upon their slates. Then a box of beads of different colours was manipulated with a view of teaching colours as well £is number. Coloured papers were next introduced, and by a process of folding an insight was given into the different shapes and rorms to be made from a square. It was surprising to see what little hands could do, and there is no doubt that these exercises assist materially to cultivate good taste and a delicacy of touch, which are important elements in the education of the young. The x ?, r ?* ses were concluded by a lesson on building, small wooden blocks being used in the construction of many familiar objects, from si,eps to enimneys. While the children we e performing their exercises, interest in the subject was kept up by their teacher’s

remarks as they proceeded, little bits of information being conveyed to them in simple language, and in a way that showed that she had given no small amount of study to the system. A vote of thanks (on the motion of Mr W. H. Clarke) was accorded to Mr Webber, his assistant, and the pupils, the latter being treated on Thursday last to fruit, cakes, &c., purchased with the sum given by those present on the occasion. The seventh annual exhibition of the Southland Poultry, Bird, and Dog Society was opened in the Zealandia Hall on Wednesday afternosn and closed on Thursday evening. The weather most of the time was very inclement, and this militated against the attendance. This, a regrettable circumstance in any case, was all the more so on this occasion, from the fact that the show was in many respects superior to its predecessors. The entries were in excess of those of last year, and the number of outside competitors greater. The quality of the exhibits, too, was good, although there were indications that accessions of new blood would be bene ficial in respect of several of the breeds on view. One of the features of the exhibition was the pigeon department—this was so well stocked as to form a show within a show, so to speak. In the pet section Mr Thomson, of Balfour, was well represented by a beautiful cat “ wi’ a lang pedigree,” while Mr Joseph Hatch’ sent forward two fine king penguins from the Maquarries. The birds, which had been artistically stuffed, received a great deal of notice: The dogs were in great force. A poet may be able to sing the praises of the “ honest watchdog’s bark,” but when a score or more of harks are blended in one, the effect on ordinary mortals is the reverse of pleasant. Had all, the dogs on view taken it into their heads to howl or yelpsimiultaneously they would probably soon have cleared the hall of visitors, but they consderately took the work in turns, while a number resigned themselves to their fate, and remained silent. The poultry were judged by Messrs H. Double and S. H. Warnock, the pigeons by Mr McQuarrie, and the dogs by Messrs Lyle and McCallum.