News and Notes.

Southern Cross, Volume 2, Issue 9, 2 June 1894, Page 5

News and Notes.

The leading municipalities in Scotland are reported to be greatly agitated over the solution of the liquor traffic. In Aberdeen a bill has been drafted by a special committee of the Town Council which would place the entire control of the licensed trade in that city in the hands of the Corporation at once, and would ultimately lead to the Corporation acquiring all the premises in which liquor was to be sold and carrying on the trade for the safety and benefit of the community. This is really the Gothenburg system, which is rapidly gaining adherents. “Whydo members of Parliament wear hats when sitting in the House ?” asks an exchange, and then answers the question in the following terms : During the reign of John a difference between that King and Philip II of France arose concerning the sovereignty of Kormandy. An agree - was made to settle the matter in a way then common, by single combat. John, Earl of Ulster, was the English champion, and so signally worsted his antagonist that the King desired him to name his own reward. He requested that he heirs might for ever have the privilege of remaining covered in the presence of royalty. It was granted, and for some years John alone enjoyed this novel right, but after the barons had extorted the charter from John they demanded the same privilege, which, later, was claimed also by the knights of the shire, who represented boroughs in Parliament. In the House the members are, constructively, in the presence of the throne, and so remain covered. We have received from the local agent, Mr P. J. Lillicrap, a copy of our monthly contemporary, The Triad, Dunedin, for the current month. It is a capital publication, with a musical supplement and many items of interest relating- to the divine art, science, etc.

Farmers, take notice. The Herriot correspondent of the Tapanui Courier reports that Mr Neil McDonald, of Dunrobin, lost three horses last week. His team of five valuable }roungdraughts somehow or other got at a quantity of wheat, with the above result. The other two are badly foundered. Mr Clark also lost two of his working horses in a like manner about ten days ago. Mr T. Brydone, who was appointed to judge the farms entered for competition for Sir John Bennet Lawe’s challenge shield, has made known his decision. For the best managed farm between 400 and 1000 acres the prize was awarded to Messrs John Reid and Son, Monte Christo, Southland, while Mr Waller Blaikie, of Glasgow Farm, East Taieri, has been awarded the prize for the best managed farm under 400 acres, Mr A. F. Lithgow (late of our town) has been performing several times in Christchurch, and the Lyttelton Times writes of him as follows re Nurses’ Home Concert: —“Mr A. F. Lithgow, who appeared for the first time in Christchurch, showed what a thorough master of the instrument he is in Hartmann’s beautiful cornet solo, “ Una,” the delicacy of his play, ing and clean triple-tongueing making one anxious to hear more of his performance.” The above shows that he has caught on in Christchurch. He also got an enthusiastic encore for his cornet solo at the Popular Concert, “ The Dream of Love ” being the solo performed.