NEW ZEALAND GENERAL

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXII, Issue 44, 3 November 1904, Page 20

NEW ZEALAND GENERAL

We have to thank the Registrar-General, for a copy of the '\Oificiai Year-B,eok ' for 1904, AiTAvfrn 'rckti ratepayer state's that, while he 'hai been poisoning hundreds- of birds with grain' supplied by the Avon Road Boatd, and paid for out of the rates, the children had been going round his paddocks collecting the poisoned birds And. selling their heads to the Road Board.- , - , Mr. Scddon will visit (Jhristchurch next week, and dirfing -" tos stay will present a charter to the city branch' of- the Liberal and Labor Association. The Prtfmii'er has als*r informed the Chatto Creek branch of th'fe! Liberal that if he is present at the o peninjg "bf^the' Op-hir-lda Valley section of the Otago Central railway he will then present the charter to the ChaMo, branch,.' A proposal is afoot in Gore for the erection of a hfiiMaig combining a municipal hall, reading and waiting rooros^ g^mmsiun^ et^., for t«he use of' town and country people of both sexes. The proposal is to be submitted--^ the Borough Council by itis promoters, who have mayad in the matter in otder to meet the want of s-ome-jjjisublic building where country and town people may meet together for" the transaction of business or social intercourse. "•" MY Bell, the contractor for the erection of St. Patrick's Church tower (says the Greymouth 4 Evening StaT '), has made a start with the job. The time allowed tor the completion of the contract is six months. The total height from ground to top of the $pire"willr be 125 ft, and as the church is on high ground, It '''will be a conspicuous object from! a long; distance A totara tree was recently felled' at Mr. G. J. Denn,is,toun's. bush, Mt. Pee} (says the ' Ashburton Mail '), which! cuff up as follows :— 7O large strainers at 10s, £^'V"307 large posts^at IS 3d, £19 3s 9d r ; 100 stakes £1 ; 8£ cords firewood -at- 10s, £4 5s ; total £59 8s !»d. These ate estimated; values at Mount Peel. This is the mare remarkable, as the tree in question "has had its branches and top blown off some time previous to its being felled.

Ihe executive of the Catholic Young Men's Club, Wellington, nave decided to found a scholarship in memory of the late Brother Mark, whose work as an educationist is well-known. A preliminary meeting was held last week when a good beginning was made a nd the gentlemen, who have the matter in hand, are sanguine that the many friends and admirers of the deceased Brother will assist them in bringing the proposal to a successful issue. At a public meeting called by the Wellington State Schools' Defence League on Friday night, the 1 following icsolution was carried •— ' Th a l this meeting protest against the question of religious instruction in the State schools being submitted to the, jeferendum, because (iv.it is ,outside the function of the Siate "to' deal J^th matter.]? of religion, aftd (2) if. such .r,eiignhis inssctfctio n $fe glven.it will imperij the "existing, sy stem of Si^te eduction, .and must inevitably impose ' a religious', ''test teacher .s.' " '*' ~''. On Tuesday afternoon the Legislative Council TciTffed the Keferchdum Bill by. 22 votes to 7. The measure was very severely handled by the Hons. G. McLean, Louisson and Carncross, the last-named remarking that it was entirely subversive of. representative government. If it were passea members would no longer'be representatives of the people, hut hired delegates waiting to see what the people thought, and then recording their votes. )t was not a democratic measure. Some members wanted to draw their money as representatives of the people and jet not accept the responsibilities of the position. It is most gratifying (says the Greymouth 'Evening Star ') to,. see the number of young men's clubs that have sprung into existence in our town during the past twelve months. One of the most enthusiastic of .these is that in connection with the Catholic Church, known as the St. Columba Club. It is but five or six months since the informal meeting was held, -aad, since that time the club has gone ahead by leaps and bounds; an<£,-i today the members are the proud possessors of a beautiful building built on the grounds of St. Joseph's School. The dimensions of the building in question are 60ft by 30ft, and it consists of two rooms— a social hall 40ft by 30ft, and a billiard room 30ft by 20ft, each room being beautifully' finished. Mr. Alfred Saunders, ex-M.H.R., returned to Christchurch the other day after five years' sojourn in England. A great mass of people had, he believed, lost conndenre in Air. Balfotir's foreign policy. One effect of the preference agitation Had been to divert attention from the education question. The majority of the people had always been more or less indifferent about the question. Eflorts to arouse interest had been attended with much success. New Zealand was attracting a very large share of attention at Home, and Mr. Seddo n was, .the most discussed of. colonial politicians. 'People who* had never heard of Barton or Reid, or'even pi Sir Wilfrjd Launer, appeared to, know all aibotit New- 2tealand's Premier, and md'st of them looked tip"on hifn a& a very capable man. Newspapers were not always complimentary in regard to New Zealand, but they admitted the force and originality of Mr. Seddon, and many of them applauded his achievements. Mr. T. O'Rourke, who has just retired from ,-the police force after 21 years' service, 16 of which he spent in Otaki, was entertained at a banquet the other night and presented with an illuminated address by the residents of the district. There was a very large attendance at the banquet, its reprasentative character being a testimony to the popularity of Mr. O'Rourke with all classes. Mr. Srncox, senior justice of the peace for the district, occupied the chair. After several toasts had been duly honored the chairman proposed that of the guest, and in doing so paid a high compliment to the zeal, ability, and impartiality displayed by Mr. O'Rourke in the discharge of his duties during his' long residence in the district. As Clerk o£ the Court he had from time to time given very valuable assistance to the justices of the peace, who were often saved f^oro making mistakes by his knowledge of the law. The justices of the peace of the district and the public generally felt that tlie present was a fitting occasion on which they should show their high appreciation of the services of the guest of the evening. The chairman then? presented Mr. O'Rourke with an illuminated address, .signed by fourteen justices of the peace, memibiersi f f the legal profession, and several of the general public. £Mr. O'Rourke suitably responded, and thanked the chairjnau and other? for their flattering remarks. He believed; he had the esteem of the public, and he had the pleasure of knowing that he was retiring with a' cle^n ;sheet, whicn he mostly prized.