General News.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume II, Issue 17, 6 July 1899, Page 2

General News.

The Hon. R. Oliver ha? taken up his permanent residence m the colony. His seat will, therefore, become vacant. Several other seats in the Council will also become vacant during the present session- 1 The published table giving the cost per cent of collecting customs at the various ports shows Timaru £2 5s 7d per cent "with a net collection of £22,520, Poverty Bay £8 14s 5d for £15,072, Wairau £4 15s 3d for =C 6234 aud Wellington £1 5s 3d for £474,609. The Hon. W. C. Walker will move for leave to introduce a Bill in the Legislative Council entitled "' The Separate Institutions Act, 1899." This will affect the Wainiate- Hospital. After passing the Upper House, it will be introduced in the House of Representatives. — Our Wellington correspondent. ■" - The question of retreats for inebriates has 1 been., raised in the Legislative Council "by, the Hon. G-eo'." Jones, who wants JjO ascertain retreats have been established under the " Inebriates , Institution Act, 1898," and what official appointments have been made, and how many patients have | been committed- undei* its provisions. Mr Joyce also wishes to know what steps- have been taken by the Government, to b-riug into operation the 'Act of last session, — Our Wellington cor- | respondent. The hull and cargo of the barque Loch Sloy, wrecked on the south coast of Kangaroo Island, ? were sold some days age by the underwriters. .The declared value of the cargo was £30,400, but the whole lot was knocked down lor, £35. The purchaser of the cargo .gave £1 for the reuiains of the ship. -

Mr T. E. Taylor states that the Prohibitionists will carry no-license in no fewer than eight electorates at the next poll. The districts he counts on are Marsden, New Plymouth, Tara" naki, Hawera. Pahutua, Bruc#, Clutha, Mataura. In addition to this, Mr Taylor says that several electorates will vote for reduction, and he numbers Christchurch in the category. Mr T. E. Tvylor has given notice to move in the House as follows :—: — "That in view of the fact that, fivesixths of the passengers on the New Zealand railways travel second-class, and that the bulk of the total passenger revenue of is derived from secoud-class passengers this House is of opinion that very considerable improvements should be at once effected m the construction of second-class passenger cats." Mr Gilfeddsr ia desirous that provision should be made this session for increasing the wages of tho-,o railway gangers who are leceivmg 7s 6d per day to Ss. From a return showing the number of Industrial Associations registered under the Conciliation and Arbitiation Act 1894, which was ordered to bo laid upon the table of the Legislative Council on the motion of the lion. Mi Rigg, the TVaunato and Timaru branches of the Workers Union still figure as existing organisations. The only other branch that appears on the register is the one at Wellington. — Our Wellington correspondent. The usual monthly meeting of the Ladies' Benevolent Society was held on Wednesday afternoon ; present : — Mesdames Manchester, Adams, Gibson, Wilson, Morrison, Franklin and Sinclair (secretary.) In the absence of Mrs Studholme, Mrs J. Manchester was voted to the chair Three cases were helped and Mesdames Adams and Manchester were appointed visitors for the month. The passing of accounts ended the business-

Majok Steward wishes the Native Minister to appoint some suitable person as a licensed interpreter in the interests of the Maoris at Waihao (now j Morven) and whdther pending such appointment he will ariange for some interpreter resident elsewhere (at Kaiap_oi or Watkou&iti) to proceed to Waihao to take the applications of certain aged Maoris who are entitled to pensions under the Old Ags Pension Act. — Our Wellington correspondent

A committee meeting of the Band was held on Tuesday evening in the drill shed, Bandmaster Harwood presiding. It was decided to procure £% worth of new music and to thank the Fire Brigade for the use of their half since the drill shed was burnt down. A few accounts were passed for payment and the meeting ended. Our Wellington correspondent says : — During the debate on the Address-m-Reply a few of the members have muddled up their metaphors in a manner worthy of Sicißoj'le Eoche, and caused hearty laughter thereby. One member of the Opposition, during the heat of debate described one of the occupants of the Government benches as '• a cock robin crowing on his own dunghill." A ministerialist in referring to the competitive conditions of to-day remarked that "every man had to paddle his own canoe and if he didn't he would be kicked to one side and walked over." The member for Ashley was also pretty good when he said that " if the Crown tenants give up their present tenure and revert tathe freehold, they will find themselves under the dominion of the Gentile Jews."

Education.— > The Inspector's reports on schools, laid befere the Hou3e, shows that in- South Canterbury the number of public schools examined during the year was 65, and these, with the five Roman Catholic schools, brought up the number- examined to 70. In the Eoman Catholic schools 721 children were presented, 448 were examined in standards, and 402 passed. The Catholic schools have made a distinct adyance in efficiency. The managers and teachers of the Catholic schools are reminded that the Timaru High School Board offers exhibitions entitling the winners of free education for two years at the fTimaru High - "Schools, and - '* the children f rqm " any, private: primary; institution '\are eligible as 'candidatesi

the conditions as to subjects and age' being the same as for children front! the public schools. This year no can-; didates from private schools availed! themselves of the opportunity of com-j peting, but this may have been due £to» the fact that it was late in the yeaW before the High School Board issued^ its new regulations with regard to the-] granting of' exhibitions. 1 A horse belonging to Mr A. Philip { bolted from the school yesterday, tak- ] ing with it the shafts oi the trap to] which it was attached. Mb Boreham addresses a meeting 1 ' on " No License in Clutha " this even-* ing. On Friday His Worship the'i Mayor calls a meeting t6 discuss tlie- ■ cutting up of the Waihaorunga estate. ; The Police. — The Police Comnairf-i fions are not to be forgotten this ses 1 - j eion, for Mr T. E. Taylor asks tha ' Government whether 'they will fix an , early date for the resumption of the ; debate upon the report of the Royal : Commission to enquire into the condi- I tion of the police force with a view to-: enable the House to express an opinion! upon the reforms recommended in tha '; said report. He also wants to learn. :| whether Mr Wardell, Colonel Pitt and ) Mr Poynton, the Commissioners, were* paid fees for every Sunday during the' investigation-, and why Colouel Pitt was- j permitted to draw payment at the rate i of .£3 3s per day for the time he was | absent from the Commission attending j to piivato business in Nelson. Further! why Messrs Wai'doll and* Poynton f were not treated alike in regard to pay | and what were the reasons for paying-j Mr Wardell £3 3s a day, in addition to j a pension of .£l7l 7s 7d for the period] he was connected with the Commission, I whilst Mr Poynton was only paid £1 lsJ per day in addition to his salary as aJ S.M. — Our Wellington correspondent. | The Otago High School Board ap- \ pointed Miss Floia Campbell, M.A., toj the position of assistant in the school'] at the magnificent salary of £60 a| year. There were 14 other applicants'! for the position, 10 being M.As. | We have to regret the death yester- J terday morning ail o'clock a.m. oFMr| P. Dooley, for many years a respected] citizen ef thi3town. The body of tha late Mr Dooley will be taken by train* to Oamaru on Eriday, thence to Oam-^ aru Cemetery, where Mrs Dooley anrf several of the children are interred. A special meeting of the Tirnarul Hospital Board was' held on Tuesday,^ to decide what steps should be takeni with regard to the appointment of jv Eosident Surgeon. It v/as decided to! call applications for a resident surgeon; at ;£3OO per year, such- to have so}&\ charge. Notice of motion was alstf given for next meeting, that the Stew^ ard and Matron receive three months notice, and that a certificated Matron! "be advertised for, at a salary of £7$ per annum. ' ji