General News.

Southern Cross, Volume 2, Issue 29, 13 October 1894, Page 8

General News.

Our band contest competition closed at noon on Thursday. One hundred and fifty seven coupons were received, all parts of the district, and places further afield, including Oamaru, being represented. The result of the contest will not be known till this evening, and wo will publish the namd of the winner of our prize in next issue. The Southland County Council yesterday decided to erect a toll bar at the Waihopai bridge. Bicycle riders go free. During the discussion Cr. Ward remarked that he was sorry they had been struck out, as they wanted good roads more than any other class. He would tax luxuries and let necessaries go free. It is understood Cr. Fraser intends to move in the direction of charging bicyclists.

A Dunedin correspondent writes—Things in the amusement line are very quiet at present. Only a couple of cheap shows going, and a good company coming in and charging usual prices simply have not a show. Peonle won’t pay 2s 6d for what they can get for 6d. Entertainment is what they want, and they never mind about the quality.—The 24 hours’ bicycle race by electricity was not a very great success, the attendance not being very large at any time. The light was not nearly strong enough, and there Was not the same excitement as there might have been over a shorter race. From the column devoted to athletics in the issue of Katipo for the current month we take the following: —“ Mr Croucher, of Invercargill, claims the record for bathing all the year round off the end of the jetty, where there is not the slightest shelter, and where he has gone out at six every morning.” To this we may add that Mr W. J Hyndman, of this ,town, was a very good second, only missing three weeks. A man named W. Bateman, living at Tophouse (Nelson district) shot two men—Lane and Wallis dead, and then committed suicide. The evidence indicated that he was of unsound mind. Mr I. W. Raymond is acting chairman of the County Council during the absence in Australia of Mr T. Green. The Rev. James MacGregor, distinguished as a theologian and author, died at Oamaru on Monday. We learn from the Public Works Statement that tenders are shortly to be invited for the erection of a bridge across the Mataura in connection with the Seaward Bush railway. The steamer Hawke’s Bay, which left the Bluff yesterday for London, took away 25000, carcases of frozen meat from the Ocean Beach works, and also shipped 13,000 sacks of oats. A familiar figure has passed from the stage of life, recent cable messages announcing the death of Oliver Wendell Holmes, the wellknown poet and author. He had reached his eighty-sixth year. His works, notably the famous “ Autocrat of the Breakfast Table,” enjoyed a world-wide popularity, and thousands of people will feel his death almost as keenly as that of a personal friend. The new Licensing Bill is before the House of Representatives, but as there are 200 clauses, and only a dozen or so have been dealt with, it is hardly likely the measure will become law this session. Mr McNab has carried an amendment making committees elective. On Monday night Mrs Kenny, wife of a farmer at Henley, while talking to a neighbour, saw a glare in the room occupied by her children. She rushed in, extinguished the flames with a bucket of water, and then dropped dead. At the inquest a verdict of death from syncope was returned. Cheap fares by rail to the Bluff every Wednesday commenee next week, and should be largely taken advantage of by townspeople. The through fares—7s fid first and 6s fid second—from Invercargill to Stewart Island also start on the same day. Cr. Dunlop says it is the townspeople who are at the bottom of the agitation against the toll bar at the Waihopai. The ’Frisco mail arrived at Auckland on Thursday. The Southern portion reached Wellington yesterday. The Rev. H. B. Macartney, Dean of Melbourne, died on Monday last. He was born in 1798, and had a vast fund of old-time reminiscences at command. The next band contest will be held at Timaru during Easter. Melbourne now possesses eight wome 11 doctors. At yesterday’s meeting of the Southland County Council tenders were ordered to be called for works in Waihopai, Wallacetown, Winton, and Waikaia ridings.

Australian beef has been sold in Vienna* at prices slightly above those ruling in London.

The Public worts Statement was delivered in. the house of Representatives on Thursday night. Southland appears to have fared well in th& list of appropriations for works of variouskinds,

After a lengthened sitting, the Riverton fire inquiry resulted in the return of the following verdict : —“ The jury are of opinion that Martin’s buildings at South Riverton were set on fire by some person or persons unknown, but there is no evidence to show how or by whom. They wish to add, as a. rider, that they are of opinion that the evidence does not point to any motive on the part of Mr or Mrs Martin.” The Advances to Settlers Bill has undergone great changes at the hands of the Upper House. The maximum amount of loans has been reduced to one thousand pounds, and the advances have been reduced to one-third of the valuation. It is just possible that the measure may yet be numbered with the sessional crop of “ slaughtered innocents.” The Ainu women in'Japan tattoo their faces to give them the appearance of men with whiskers. This, says an exchange, is a step beyond civilised dress reformers. An old resident of Invercargill named Joseph Henry Small has been committed for trial on a charge of attempting to commit suicide by cutting his throat -with a penknife.

Japan and China are still battling with each other. A thousand Chinese troops, armed with bows and arrows, have gone to the front. The Emperor of China is infusing fresh energy into the defence of the Empire. The Japanese fleet is reported to have,'been more crippled in the date engagement than was admitted. It is further stated that the Japanese Admiral is utilising dummy warships in order to make a sham demonstration off the Chinese coast.

While bound from Adelaide to Albany on Sunday last the steamer Eondodo struck a reef, and same twelve hours later. Pour person's were drowned, the remainder (160 passengers and 36 of the crew) reaching land in boats and rafts. The firemen and some of the passengers behaved disgracefully, rushing the boats, but there were also splendid examples shown of self-denial and heroism, particularly en the part of the stewardess.