The Southern Cross PUBLISHED WEEKLY. Invercargill, Saturday, July 14. General News.

Southern Cross, Volume 2, Issue 15, 14 July 1894, Page 8

The Southern Cross PUBLISHED WEEKLY. Invercargill, Saturday, July 14. General News.

An experimental shipment of live bullocks is being made from Sydney to London. Mr Charles Turner, the well-known operatic singer, has died in Auckland from congestion of the lungs. The railway strike in America is collapsing, and the possibility of a general strike remote. The Government has promised to abolish the regulation requiring a police constable to produce a certificate of character for his prospective bride before he receives permission to marry. The London Times, referring to the recent action of the New Zealand Government, declares that the success of the Bank of New Zealand is assured. “ An article on “ Our Suburbs,” and dealing with Gladstone, is crowded out of this issue, and will appear next week. The annual meeting of the Southland Champion Ploughing Match Association will he hold in the Prince of 'Wales Hotel this afternoon. A volunteer ball will be held in the drill hall, Brunswick, on Friday evening next. A new soup kitchen, at a cost of £IOOO, has been designed for Altrdeen. The 1 irgsst vessel ever built at Greenock, the Calodonia, has been launched for the P. and O. Company, her tonnage being 8000 gross measurement.

Two well-known young townsmen, Messrs J. H. McGill and M. McNeilage, formerly with Messrs Carswell and Co.,' have commenced business as commission and insurance agents in Carswell & Co.’s buildings, Crescent. As they are both energetic and pushing they should have good prospects of success. From the annual report of the Land Transfer and Deeds Registration Department, we learn that the fees received in Southland for the year ended 31st March, amounted to £l7lß 18s lid. The total amounts remaining secured by mortgage for the various districts on March 31, 1893 and 1894 are also given. For Southland the total for 1893 was £2,376,391 10s Id, as against £2,513,900 for 1894. A bill to amend the law concerning illegitimate children (Hon. Mr McGregor), so as to enable them to be legitimised after the marriage of the parents, has been read a first time in the Legislative Council. An entertainment in aid of the school funds will be given by the Roving Minstrels on the 27th of this month, at Wyndhkm. Messrs Poslethwaite and Stevenson have a staff of men working in Gore just now connecting the wires, etc., for the electric light. Posts have been erected in the principal streets and wires suspended, while a good many connections have already been made to shops and business places. There are to be two arc lights in the main street, and a pole reaching about sixty feet in height has been erected at the post office for that purpose. It is expected that the installation will be pretty well completed by the end of this month. A correspondent writes—“ I think it would be well for bicycle riders, when riding along footpaths at night, which is a common practice in the suburbs, to ring their bells when nearing a pedestrian. One is so suddenly overtaken at times, especially at night, that it is either a case of jumping into the ditch or on to the fence. Kindly take note, and it will save me “ tapping you on the shoulder and into the gutter!” At the Taieri poultry show the other day the judge awarded first prize to a Spanish cock priced at 30s, as against an imported bird valued at £2O! We note that the committee of management thank Miss Grigor, of Invercargill, for liberating the pigeons engaged in the pigeon match held in connection with the show. The Rev, Mr Lewis, who presided at the concert by the Blind Students in Gore on Sunday night, expressed a wish that “the local church choirs would arrange to give similar Sunday evening concerts after church hours.” Thus encouraged, people may possibly see their way to “skip” the Sunday evening sermon in favour of a concert. Dickens made one of bis characters declare the law to be “ a hass.” Proof in support of this opinion comes from Alba, Spain, where an offender against the law has been sentenced to 3024 years’ imprisonment! Convicted on 216 counts, he received fourteen years on each. A gold company —the Coolgardie—has been formed in Glasgow, with a capital of L6OOO, for working claims on the famous Australian field. Shade of John Knox ! Paisley post-office is in future to be opened on Sunday afternoons for telegraphic business. A “ cathedral on wheels,” in the shape of a railway car fitted up as a church, is used by the Bishop of North Dakota. It is fitted with altar, font, and organ, and will hold 75 persons. By its means the Bishop is enabled to visit a large number of small, poor and remote settlements. A valued and highly-respected member of the community, Dr James Galbraith, died with startling suddenness at his residence, Yarrow-st., on Saturday, succumbing to heart disease, from which he had suffered for some time. The deceased gentleman, who was in his sixty-fourth year, arrived from Victoria about fourteen years ago, and soou after his arrival interested himself in various movements having for their object the educational and intellectual advancement or the town and district. He was greatly esteemed by a wide circle of friends, and will be especially missed by the many who sought his professional aid, and for whom he had ever a ready smile, a cheering word. Dr Galbraith held the position of bon. surgeon of the City Guards, and was on Tuesday last accorded a military funeral. The volunteers gathered in considerable force, and there was also a large assemblage of town and country residents. The Excelsior String Band gave a promenade concert in the Zealandia Hall on Wednesday evening, when, notwithstanding the bleak nature of the weather, a fairly large audience accorded their patronage to the undoubtedly well - executed programme prepared. The numbers given included selections, overtures, and dance music, those calling for special comment being the grand selection “Ernani” (Verdi), “Piccolo Polka” (Hartmann), and a descriptive fantasia “ A Halt in the Desert.” The band, which numbers 14 members, has been for the last three months under a new conductor (Mr A. R. Wills), and the manner in which they played the different items speaks volumes for his ability in that capacity. We trust the band will not allow this to be their last concert, the music given being particularly adapted to indoor promenade concerts. The Invercargill Choral Union give the first concert of the fourth series on Tuesday evening', and will repeat the programme on Wednesday night. The vocalists engaged will include Mr Packer of Dunedin.

The Tuapeka election resulted in the return of Mr Larnach, who secured 54 votes more than Mr Scobie McKenzie. It. is stated that Mr Larnach obtained the block, vote of the Roman Catholic electors. Therecond reading of a bill to admit women as members of the General assembly was moved by Dr Newman in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, and carried, by the casting vote of the Speaker. A number of exceedingly fine oil paintings,, devoted to views of New Zealand’s Lake, Sound and Mountain scenery, are now on view in the hall over Messrs Mair and Shepherd’s premises, Dee street. The pictures, which have already attracted a number of' visitors, are to be disposed of on the art union principle early in August. Particulars as to arrangements and prices of tickets are advertised by the New Zealand. Fine Art Company. The tender of Mr O. Kelly, Gore, for th election of the Bluff Sailors’ Rest has been, accepted, the amount being L 303 15s Id. The Southern Cross Masonic Lodge recentlymade a donation of L 5 to the institution. Mr H. P. Shepherd, saddler, at Mataura, has hit an original idea for fastening leggings. A small strap attached to the bottom is simply put through several staples, which connect the two edges, and is buckled at the top. When the leggings are to be used by horsemen the strap is attached to the bottom on the inside part of the leggings. A few months ago we published a picture of our veteran townsman, Mr P. Dalrymple, Appleby, together with an account of his life. We are pleased to learn that the sketch has been noticed in some of the Home papers, and wish at the same time to convey our congratulations to Mr Dalrymple, who, on Tuesday last, celebrated his eighty-first birthday. He has had numerous felicitations from old friends on the event —among others, Sir F,D. Bell, recently Agent-General and formerly member for Mataura, who, writing from Shag Valley, expresses regret at his inability to offer his congratulations in person, adding : “ But although I shall not have the satisfaction of seeing you again before I leave for England, nothing will efface from my memory the friendships I formed during the long years that I represented Southland in our Parliament, and the great kindness that was always extended to me in the early days.. . To-morrow is your birthday, and J send you many good wishes on the occasion, trusting that you will yet be spared some years of contented and useful life before you. are taken to your last rest. ... If I live another year, I trust to-be back in New Zealand to end my days, and to go down among you all. If any of those who were our companions in the old time ever think of me give my remembrance to them in the kindest terms, land' for yourself accept the assurance of my unbroken friendship and regard, and of the sincere attachment with which I shall ever be, —Very truly yours, F. D. Bell.”