Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), Friday 11 February 1887, page 4


The Brisbane Courier

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1887.

In connection with the subject of juvenile lawlessness and the best means of correcting it, it is instructive to know that one of the highest American authorities, Mr. Bradford Smith, a gentleman who has devoted his life to the reformation of the young, goes so far with Mr. Pinnock in assigning all im-portance to parental influence and guidance that lie even objects to the modern reforma-tory school. He has of late years declared that such a school system is practically a failure, and has exerted his influence to sub-stitute a system of apprenticeship by which bad boys can be removed from mal-influences and looked after by suitable fosterparents. In defending this change of opinion, for Mr. Bradford Smith was one of the earliest and most vigorous advocates of reformatory schools, he lays particular stress upon the impressionableness of youthful minds, and claims that the very faculty by which the well-reared boy acquires correct ideas of life and morals is the means of ruining him if left exposed to the deleterious influence of unruly and vicious companions. This companionship of bad boys is said by Mr. Smith to be the source of the evil, and lads are exposed to its influence in reforma-tory schools as much as or even more than if they are permitted to seek it on the streets.

I have been blamed," said he in 1885, " for not having sont more boys to reforma-tory schools. My regret nosv is that I have sent so many. It is home training that is needed, and the nearer we can approach to that the better svill be the results."

But though this conclusion is undoubtedly correct, and though the home-life may some time be made as potential a factor in Aus-tralian training as Mr. Smith would have it in America, yet it cannot be too forcibly remembered that the climate and condi-tions of our life are peculiar. Not only, as we pointed out yesterday, is the average Australian lad of a decidedly keener type than his British parent, but the homelife, which in colder climates "has been de-finitely shaped, has in this sunny land not yet adapted itself to altered conditions. Already, we are pleased to think, is the fact forcing itself upon thoughtful men and women that the home must be made attrac-tive, and that the precocious Australian in-telligence must be directed and not opposed. In n few generations, when the Australian people is truly Australian instead of being mainly a band of settlers who have not yet thrown off alien manners and modes of thought, we may have developed the Australian home-life, and be able therein to rear our boys and girls as industrious and law-abiding men and women. Then we may put in practice Mr. Smith's theories, and shall doubtless find the results sustain them. But until this development is completed, during the time in which our society is enduring the weakness and pangs of change, any such attempt would be utter folly. The fault in this direction is that there is a general laxity of home-ties, a general lack of attractive home-life ; if we decided to try apprentice-ships as a remedy for oui little outlaws, there are few to whom we could apprentice them, and very few of these who would take them. We must do the best we can to hold the evil in check until it rights itself, as it must with the growth of our nationality, and the only means at our disposal is to send the worst of the flock to the reformatory school, where they will at all events be kept out of mischief, and taught that naughtiness is not profitable, svhile those svho are following in their steps may be kept in order by fear of a similar fate. Of course, parents should be compelled to contribute the sum necessary for the support of the culprits. Fear of such a les-y will do more to make many careful of their children than svould all the homilies on parental duty svhich were ever written.

THE detei mination of the newly-formed Chamber of Commerce to seek for reform in our extremely defective telephone service is as acceptable to the business public as rain after a drought. As several members most feelingly remarked, if bad lauguage is es-er excusable it is after being badgered and worried by vain attempts to make that use of the telephone for which it was in-tended, and svhich other towns are able to enjoy. The svretched attendance at the Exchange oflice and the carelessness of the attendants, renders the local service almost useless. Why the majority of business men retain their instruments it is hard to understand, unless it be that hope still remains and that each one cherishes dreams of some-time reform. Of course reform will come in the future, and when it does, when the telephone becomes the great necessity of social and mercantile life, and when its '' svhirr" is heard in every shop, in every office, and in many homes, we shall look back and svonder at our own forbearance during the epoch when it was only pationised gi'umblingly because it was the custom to endure it. But reform will hardly be just yet. We are afraid that commercial men are over sanguine if they fancy that a deputation and a chat with Mr. M'atveietf will cleanse this Augean stable in miniature. Mr. Matveieff knoss-s what

As-roiig just as well as anyone can tell him. Private individuals have protested for years, the Press lins persistently appealed to the authorities for improved telephonic arrange-ments, but the powers that be have hitherto turned a deaf ear to both protests and ap

peals, and it is not probable that the efforts of the Chamber of Commerce svill be at once successful. There seems to be something in telephone work, as there is in the possession of despotic power, which brings out all that is worst in human nature One is so helpless in the. hands of the Exchange people, they are so absolutely de-spots of the talkiug wires, that they gradually learn to look dosvn upon the out-side world. A sharp lesson is needed to re-mind them that the public not only uses the wires, but controls them also, and interviesvs with Mr. Matveicff will hardly have that effect. Pressure upon the depattment itself, with the p is-ibiHty of a censuring motion in Parliament, will most likely have to be used before the telephone service is adequately reformed.

No one would think of accusing our postal arrangements of such an invidious thing asperfection, and the temper of the periodical' correspondent who figures on the subject in our columns certainly goes quite the other way, at any rate as regards Queensland.

" They order this matter better in Franco "' said the charming humorist who thus opens for us his "Sentimental Journey," and the grumblers here substitute for Fiance "dosvn South." But this is not altogether just. Victoria is a small and a compactcolony, with asystem of railways almost com-plete and a thorough sett lenient, all the facilities, in a word, for efficient and cheap and easy delivery. Her present proposal, then, for a penny postage comes naturally enough, and so does her irritation svith a high postal tariff on books and packets,, which she persists in ignoring. iVew South Wales, too, is more organised, generally speaking, than sve are, and sve have yet to learn that the arrangements in South Australia are better than ours. The fact is that Australia, in postal as in all matters, is in a state of transi-tion, and no postal system that should not have many anomalies and iucouveniences as yet seems possible. The gratuitous carriage and delivery of papers, a privilege that has been abused by the more unscru-pulous type of prints, and which gives great extra trouble to the officials, is yet well iutentioned. It is the nation's gift of news and enteitainmont to the inhabitants of tho interior, svho enjoy none of the privileges given so largely by Government assistance to the towns. For ourselves, we are of opinion that the abuses of the system could be, at any rate, remedied by making a charge on «ill newspapers delivered within the urban and suburban r u i is. On the other hand, considering the high rafes chirked on packets, they should be allowed to be posted in the pillarboxes no less than at the post offices. It is really a little trying to nave to pay a high postage for a packet,and then, perhaps, have to make a long walk in order to post it. It does not seem too much to ask this extra trouble of the officials. The issue of penny intercolonial post-cards, so long, and, we must think, unnecessarily delayed, is a step in the right direction, and the next thing will be post-cards for Europe, and, perhaps, a parcel post. If our great steamer line3 had had more enterprise, they might have instituted a real parcel post on their osvn account, for their charges on the carriage of parcels are prohibitory as a popular means of conveyance. Belay undoubtedly takes place in all inter-colonial postal matters, owing to the fact that the Postmaster-General holds a politic.il ap-pointment, and, as a rule, he hits no special knOAvledge of the departmental Avork, or postal Avork. If this weie not so, sveeks instead of months and even years, might see tho satisfactory conclusion of many of the presetit postal anomalies and

inconveniences.

Tun news that tho bnsinoss of tho colebrated Guinness, tho purveyor of stout to Ireland and the world, was to bo started as a company with ti certain capital produced a prompt monetary responso which found bittali favour in the oyes of tho disciples of tho cup which cheers but does not inebriate Tho Guinness cordiality, however, hub been simply nothing beside tho Allsopp furore. Allsopp's biowory and brews aro household words all over the world, and, despite much adulteration and counterfeiting' in moro out-of-the-way quarters, it ia to he admitted that they are well deserving of such n distinction. It was not, then, surprising that the demand for £3,500,000 as capital for tho formation of an Allsopp's Brewery Company should have been met easily, but such a sum us £105,000,000, subscribed at once and with apparently plenty more to follow,' is a fact of moro titan ordinary signficance. In tho first place, it says much for tlie belief in the future of malt liquor. Exclusive of the enthusiasts (whom our American cousins call less kindly " cranks "), overyono in a climate like that of England prefers, and is probably nono the worse, for a slight daily stimulant. Only the othor day the good ox-Bishop of Melbourne, who found the work of that see too heavy for him, and so preferred "a larger Bphero of labour " (and kudoi and remuneration) in Man-chester, confossed himself frankly of this num-ber. Ho bad tried total abstinence, with the result that his doctor informed him that, if he wished to continuo it, ho must renounce half of his parochial work, and os this was, of course, impossible, &c, &o., &o., and now, it is to be presumed, the good Bishop is happy with hispipe and beer. A slight daily stimulant, then, being admitted, tbobestshapo for it to take in England is undoubtedly that of malt liquor. Spiiits aro edged tools which require too careful handling for most mon. Clarets aro too cold for a climate where ice and snow, sleet and min, are the rule and not the exception of wintor and hummer; and the richer and wanner wines aro too expensive for general consumption. There remain tho boors and alesvarying from the heavy stout to tho light lager. And that the English ns a race are becoming of this moro temperate and less alcoholic mind isattested, we say, by this unlimited monetaryconfidence in, perhaps, the premier purveyor of malt liquors. Happily, also, the statistics of consumption attest the same. It is to bo pre-sumed that the bitter losson of intomporanco isslowly being learned by the nation. Cruikshank's celebrated picture, " The Worship of Bacchus," wrought by a pen " with horror winged," is scarcely quite apt of to-day. In it may bo beheld every age of man and grade of society worshipping in that great temple of Bacchus, wboso further outlets are into misery, disease, and death. The drunkard's progress has indeed been still more persistently insisted upon than the rako's, which, after all,' was scarcely our national vice. Here in our own Australia, and more particularly in our own Queensland, the lesson of moderation is even more imperative. The amount of alcohol which we consumo is prodigious, and of a'cohol in its most destructive form of spirits, and bad spirits. Tliis is more the vico, and wo may almost say exclusively tlie vice, of the AngloAustralians among us, but as they numbor quite half our population that means a good

deal. Our friends down South in Melbourne

and Sydney aro wont to i=peak of us here in

habano as peculiar sinners in this respect,

d it is perhaps in a somewhat kindred spirit "(though, wo fancy, svith moro truth) thaWo.

-lass" on tho compliment to our friends np I \Torth But of a truth neither Melbourne ^or Sydnoy can lliIord to Uuw si»ncs; at us "considering tho amount of glass on their, osvii premisos. Tho objection to clarets and light

wines generally which can bo urged in Eng- I land manifestly fails here, and accordingly ' our-interest in our nativo vineyards should .ho1

the moro real because of the great issues, issues; almost Eational, implied in their general use. In weather such as we have bconfcaving Ictoly,

bent and damp worked up into an atmospheroalmost intolerable, if any htimnlant is needed, beyond all question it should to found in the li.rhfc srinos. Tho heers und ales sent to us 'from Europo aro nccossarUy of a heavy andheady de- seriptïoii, in order thatUaey mivybenr the voyage,

and--are therefore unsuitable. Our-OAVit beers and' ales aro still rather sadly to seek, and our Avincs are not all that could he dosireä. '"We - suffer fur living in a pesdod of 'transition. AU . theiniorc then, hy the encouragement of all

Ijn-ht Avines and beers, let us hasten 'fiio time Avlien our national temperance shall have. '..become au established fact.

The Eon. 0. B. Dutton, Minister for'La-rids, , wnj leavo Brisbane on Saturday for tho NOAV

..En-'Iaiid distriot, cn rente to Sydney and Mel? bourne. It is probable Mr. Button's holiday - As-ill not bo extended beyond threo sveelcs or a

- month.

A meeting of creditors in the estate of Joseph Francis Oberthur, storekeeper, of Wel lington-road, Woolloongabba, was held yes terday afternoon at Mr. Kingsford's office.

Some half-a-dozen creditors wero present or represented, and Mr. P. Fleming was voted

to tho chair. The debtor's statement of affairs

showed—unsecured creditors, £1721 4s. 8d.; creditors fully secured, £3000 ; less estimated

value of securities, £3912 ; total dobts, £1724 1s. 8d. Assets: Stock-in-trade Wellington road store and Coorparoo, £780; book deb's,

about £1036, estimated to produce £607 ; furniture, fittings, &c., £126 ; property, £296;

surplus from securities in the hands of fully secured creditors, £912; total assets, £2721. The causes of insolvency were stated as de

pression in trade, pressure of creditors, and inability to realise on property. Mr. Oberthur stated that he could offer to pay 20s. in the  

pound if the creditors would accept his bills at

six, twelve, and eighteen months. After some discussion, during which Mr. Oberthur amended his offer so that the bills should mature at intervals of four, eight, twelve, six teen, and twenty months, it was agreed that the estate should be wound up by liquidation, and not in insolvency, and that the trustees should be authorised to sell the estate to the debtor for a price equivalent to 20s. in the pound on the best terms that could be ob-

tained. Messrs. Fleming and Highfield were elected co-trustees at a remuneration of 5 per   cent on the dividends paid, and it was de cided that Mr. Joseph Pearson, the receiver in the estate, should receive the sum of £15 15s. in recompense for his services.

The latest information concerning the barque Scottish Prince is that she still lies in the same position. One of her boats, a number of life buoys, brooms, companion ladder, and a live pig have been washed ashore from her. Mr. Andrcws, Lloyds' surveyor in Sydney, arrived yesterday by the Q.S.S. Company's steamer Maranoa. He was met at the bar by the steamer Kate, which had been chartered by the agents for the Scottish Prince, Messrs. D. L. Brown, and Co., to convey him to the scene of the wreck. Mr. Andrews immediately went on board the Kate, which then resumed her journey. There were on board the Kate:-Mr. R. L Armunr, manager for Messrs. D. L. Brown and Co.; Hon. E. B. Forrest, Lloyds' agent in Brisbane ; Mr. Bowker, M'Ilwraith, M'Eacharn, and Co.'s rcpresentative, and several gentlemen who intend bidding for the wreck at the auction sale, which is to be held to-day. The Kate is expected to return to town early this morning.

The immigrants by the R.M.S. Roma, re-maining in the Immigration Depot yesterday morning at 9 o'clock were-20 married couples, 60 children, 70 single men, and 31 females classed as "single women." Of the sixty or seventy "single women" who arrived in Brisbane by the Roma, only nine were not remittance immigrants. Of those who, were, nominated no fewer than thirty were married women who had come out to join their husbands, and ten young women

who came out to be married. Nearly the whole of these were wrongly classed as

"domestic servants" in the papers forwarded by the officers of the Agent-General. These and other misleading statements give rise to much inconvenance, and can serve no possible good. Thie nine single women, who were non-remittance immigrants, were along with nine- teen others, taken to the Lady Musgrave Lodge on their arrival on Wednesday night, so that there were no servants available for hire at the depot yesterday morning, greatly to the disappointment of a large number of ladies, who had been not unnaturally misled by the erroneous statements that the Roma was bringing to the colony 113 female domestic

servants.

Xho,¡»i(iual .offieiaE ^ttaliou to the Athol and Melvü'e Manóme ïkotbje, No. 4óó S.O., on beiiali.of tJO B.W. the>lßiftriot£'rand Master (Bro. hisJ,-icelleiTcy tins !Îion.'Jcon Douglas, C.JT(l>.) wEc made labt .nvening.ly the Acting Disfci'iii Giacd Master, IL.W. 'Bro. John G. "W. Banicç aeequ named by 'hi* office«. During tho eiviing Lhe R."W. SLcatcr, ,Tro. J. J. Patton, p/>qiiçtiad Bro. Bauioc, on bciialf of the lodge, io preset to W. Bro. -N. \J. Kes«els, P.M., & iWiiipiiLnial in the ¿Min ßi a Gold Walthaw.iUiuitkg "Watch, «liiùablyàcscribed. Bro. Baque said it was a pnrtioelarly- pleasing duty for iiiiy to .make the presentatkxc,, as he had kno-*n Bro. ;Xessels a number of years, and could «taffy, io his good Kjulitios'. The members of ehe lodge were anríavs for'¿lirai to 'have some Iclon of their «steam .¿ml regard,

.sud in iemi»nvl,ranee of his efficiency wiion presiding ov OP-rebe lodge for two years as its jester, W f« Kfhc htgyly satisfactory manjar m which ho had discharged the ?fiuties af secretary. Tile 'business of the lodge having ucci. concluded, tie brethrmspeatapícwurable .heur"trefreshmesiït.

The corn market .iu.ring.tfie past few dnvs'l stays .tl.e JCml) has been of an amWcd; ^^lacki at Bundaberg-, with every probability' °i its si;,t,nniiig a Ara demaml, Avhich is eanrary- to our most sanguino expectations, owing to W proljâcnesu of the season, and the largo amount of ti e cereal f orffaeoming. The floods Wr*°U-th!Jlnd *also in &0 maize-producing" ^teffl-îlw South Wales, hare materially

u.ereat((.ecq,irfe0f events, and tfie farmers frZ ,*hwn ¡-"ortunate enough to escape tho »we of 0.8 «jleaantg svill resp au abundant fnT «°* 'Sa¿llrda:r last 3Ir. Curtis inrfT v he ptu0ed at ,luction> on »«sonnt nt i :ímprs' üníon. a shipment of 210 bags ',;";,'d-Per kislut, a price which tops the T^ct, and this was realised from a sample w'bnt? mT1S a rcpreientativo quality of tie 'hole under offer. This unexpected rise fe iaT?* Wil1 cnri(ál> ¡t is estimated, the evT ' tWs di8trict Et least ¿10,000, or

<-u more., n calculation of which can readily ou¿ufVnf7bíaadÍn?lR- r.^ bushel to the amïT / ?«*«Wet, hut this edition may be * POQUeäf »i juices are Jftely \9 increase.

Thero was a. good attendance of " tlie pro.fessioii'^at"the~ Small Debts Court yesterday aftcrnoon'Avhen a case Avas decided that is of considerable interest to professional musicians arid nbtors. In tho caso in question, Mr. Edward . Lewis, professional pianist, sued Messrs. Smith, Herbert, and Stuart, the lessees of tho -Gaiety Theatre, for one weok',s notice, or in default £3 10«. Mr. Drake appeared for tho plaintiff,''Mr. Baxter Bruce for defendants. The plaintiff, suïd that ho entered into -an en-gagement to aot as pianist for tho company -at present 'performing nt the Gaiety Theatre during' their season at a salary of £3 10s. ai week. 'Tío played cloven nights and. then received uotioe that his services would math' required, after that week. Ho asked for 1IH wages for the second week, which he sribsequoutly received, and ho also asked for his wago-, for tho-wook following in lion of notice, but this was refused. Ho had been in the profes-sion for about fourteen years,and it was alsvays customary' to give one sveek's notice. Bo-had played onco since for the Jorans, for Avbiuh ho 'receis'ed one guinea, and this ASIIS tho only re-, niuneratis-o employment ho had had, although lu; had hold himself open for any engagement. 0. "B. .Hickey, lessee of tho Theatre Royal, .said he . htd tsA-oiA'o years' expertenco in, engaging . professional men, and it

«BUS customary to gis'e a sveek's notice' ?on either side. During tho last pantomime season,- nltlioug'h they wero playing to almost empty benches they gns-o a week's notice to'the company, ahd^played for a ss'cek at a lass. At the closo of a season formal notice was iilss-ays posted on the call board of the theatre a ssroek before. 'Frank Eugnrdo, leader of the orchestre at tho Theatre." Royal, who had sixteon. «ar seven-teen years' experience as a professional niiisioiaii, gasso corroboratis'o es-ideoco, .mid further stated that when a mau vrss engaged for, a season it was usual to keep hita on .for . the.whole season, or to gis-o him. a satisfactory,

recompense. ..G. Agrati, manager of tho Gaiety Theatre Company, t-aid iio haß. hitfi somo ' thirty-five years' experience in theatrical matters, and it svns his etmtom to eugago and ditciim-go at svill except when thero .Avar avAvritten cngagomont or coiitrset. tHo had Intel}' discharged some musici&us without notice,, and '.they, hud not complained, so ho supposed that w ns tho custom. At this stage Mr." 'Bruce .said that ho Avas prepared to accept a verdict for '.tho plaintiff, loss one guinea .Avhieh plaintiff had earned during the week in question. The plaintiff ngreeiug to this, a A'crdiot AS'.as giA'esi-.for the plaintiff for £1 9s.,

-and IQs. costs of t»7 0 ss-itnesses.

A caso of some interest to speculators ASOIS decided in the Small Debts Court yesterday, before \Mr. W. H.'-Day, P.M., Avhen tho 33onan.'i,Gold MiningCompany (Rockhampton) sued John Kennedy for £i 19s., tho amount of calls upon certain «liares. Mr. F. W. Wilson appeared for tho plaintiff, and Mr. Baxter Bruce for the defecdnnt. It appeared fiom the-efc'ifonco that Mr. John Konnedy, who «was n director in tho company, had suiTonderefi.500 of his'Í000 shares in. accordance "with tho^ articles of; association!. Ho subsequently «old tho other 500 bharos to l.tho managing director of tho-company, Mr. (Drape, and Mr. Groom, tho secretary of tho company, acted as broker for the bale. Tho connjiany did not deny that Sir. Drape, had bought the shares, but they

uiaintaiuedithat they had not been duly trans-ferred. iTiiey admitted .also that all calls duo on tho shaies sold to îfei ,Drape were paid up to tho idtto of sale. "Mr. Bruco, in liis¡ argument, sajd that the tcompiuiy were simplyi trying to tate ndvantage-of the neglect of the1 boorotary tocogister tho tesnsfer of shares from Mr. Konnody to Mr. Drrçpo. Tliero would lo no beaurity ¿for speculators' if they were still

Habla'for callo after selh'np.'their shares simply' ilu-ough the neglect of tho secrotary or directors to .cause a legiil transfer to bo mudo. ,Mr. ? Day said «HJint tho broker was liable for the neglect, wd tho brokor in ttct oase was the secretary of the company. If a verdict .ivcas given for ^ho plaintiff, tho secretary, Mr. ..Groom, and «d10 director (Mr. Drapo) would bo Hablo to ,an action for damages. 'Ho'.did not think tjjie secretary of a company should,also act as ¿ts brokor, and in this case ho- had. certainly been guilty of carolessr.ess in not .haning tho traniifer made. Mr. Groom said that.ït was not flue business of a broler'io attend te the transfer *f shares. Mr. Day oaid that irl,bis opinion it vtc.8 not 11 proper case-to. conie'> into court. The »se rotaiy being also the broker of leo company, tùiio latter muBt neeesfiariiy havo\laiown that the shares ought to huve boen t trctsferred, and l.bcaidcs tho pin-chaser of tho «Ltros vvus himself a director of the .company,.and should hav««seen to tho shares being properly transferred. \Mr. Wilson would mot l'acooptau nonsuit, au£ judgment was aecoruisgly ,.en.ti?od for defesfcinnt with

costs.

The following oases »were decided!, jj estcruay

in tho âmnlltïfcbts.Court before Mr.'W. H. Day, P.ÎIL, and'fr.'IUitigo, J.P., andtvordicts wero entered for-tho .plaintiffs except whero otherwise stutefl :-(Ujlcefended eases : William Crato v. S. (Harvey, .goods sold, ¡C5 10s.; Bonanza Tunnel 'Coinpany v. J. "Warren Whito, caös on -¿hares', £8 5s. 8d.: ÏI.lLose v. "W. L. Evans, godds.sold, £5 Is..Gi].; J. ?Reynolds und 'Co. -v. \A.. N. Nilsen, ttiiiûber supplied, £-»G Ss. -SÜ.; vA. Hatton v. <T. L. M'Xlwan, goods sdlU.andldeliverod, £5 14«. 2d.; Daniel Murray v..WV. 'iEt.llard, good*, tóld, £lt3s. lid.; C.F.Izlautv.Chats. Eyre,mone.yient, £7. H. Lose-sr- "W.Li.'Ewans, goods soltl, 'to Is..Od. Defended ca«s : AfGrosev. R.R-utltlyJ goods cold and delivcrt¿l,£í)',JSs. -Id.; Mr. Bester

¡Brucojíor tho plaintiff, .and "air. Porter foi thej

defendant; verdict for glhliaijfiî for £7 11s. 4d,,

with 2ic. professional icosts. Solomon Bor-' M'it^ v. R. L. Ariuaur, .wages, £12; Mr.] Pt-ntifes &r the plaintiff, anti Mr. Ecez for defendant; plaintiff was mopsttited with costa. 1 A.lÇurtis,-v. A. L. Peteraen, ¡reoak done, i£13 : Mt. (Osboito for defesdinnt ; verdict for plaintiff. 'Dr. Mullen v. 'IThos. ÜProo, profossioottl^ttendacce, £1 Is.; wordiet for plaintiff for the full ..amount. G-edfry -and Son v. Thomas B.owe, work done, £10 '12s. Od.; Mr. Ponüfey for ita plaintiff, end -yur. Baxter

Bruce for tjie détendant, withi¡iiit,co-i<a.

Wainraíif.'i the Avire-rope "walker, took a well-deserv-xl hennit at the Gfiiely Theatre laBt night. In "jpite of the .unpropitious weather, the little .theatre was «wry-fill, and the applause ,oi the ...audience ¥« .coctinuous from start .to vSnish. The usual jprogmmme As-as gone through, in *jhich perhaps 'little Ida Heath, Miss Alice Cotway, and t&e 4Ffyans As-ero the most .conspicuous, but the principal item on the ¡programme -was the oíarsehVus performance of Waioratta timself on <&c sviio.ropc. This artist, xrho hux aheady ¡made .a jiftuie for liimseü in jBrisbaae, surpasMjd ali

prcrious performances, for 5'0 not only un-, dressed to his lights, hut dressed hieisfilf( ogaiï, and when a siolia and bew wero haudodj

up to him, played " Rabin Adtir" in a won- -I derfuhy skilful manner. It is lwc-dless to say I he was enthusiastically applauded,. To-night the Aoromata Company appear fer the laBt

time, and on Saturday Mr, ¡Saint Maur opens j AvhJi his comedy company.

A telegram received from our Toowoomba correspondent yesterday, htates (in correction of a paragraph iu our issue of that day, .eopied from the Gazette that-"Tho mayor, not Mr. Groom, suggested that the committee should advertise i'oc all local capes of loss 4jy flood to he sent to fya local committee. The

¿suggestion was unanimously approA-cd, and| an advertisement to this effect appeared in this Jay's Chronicle. Several selectors .on Ellengowan are eompM-eJy j?dned."

A largo and successful social gathering of the members of'tho Acorn TLodgo of tho Order of Druids, took place at Tiittorwdl'i Hotel hist night. Several members of the West of Eng

lund (Petrio-torraco), and Stonehenge (South Brisbane) Dodges were also present. The special object was to do honour to tho Grand Ptosidenfc of the Order in Australia, Bro. Ti. R. Tttrvcr, who rocontly arrived in Bris-bane on an officiai visit of inspection of tho Queonslnnd'Lodgos. The chair wits occu-pied by the District President, Bro. Crampton, vv'ho was supported on tho right by the guest of-tlib ovoning'andón tlio .left by tho Mayor of IBrisbano. Tho vico-ehair was occupied by Past Archer Bro. Taylor. The first toast, " Tho Qmeoii'imd the'Druids',"having been honoured,

a number of other toasts wero discussed. In

responding to tho toast of his health Grand President Tarvor spoke of tho progress of the order in the coloides, and gave some excellent advico to tho members present as to the conduot of lodge business. Ho eulogised Brishano and its mayor, expressing the hopo that a groat futuro was in stoi o not only for the city, hut for tho gentleman «who so worthily filled tho post of chief magistrate. In reply to a question put hythe vice-chairman, -Bro. Tarvor stated that the Australian Order ol' Druids was not at present .affiliated with either the English or Amerioan Grand Lodges, but ho hoped that negotiations now pending woidd result in their establishing closo rolations with tho British Grand'.Lodgc. Tho toast of " Tho Mayor mid Corporation" -was heartily received, and iii responding the mayor spoko in cordial terms of tho Druids.i and all friendly societies. Ho referred to his own connection with tile Order of Oddfellows for a quarter of a century, and spoke generally of the advantage of such societies. Tbc health of " The District Presi-dent" and other toasts wero well recoived.

Several brethren oulivoned tho proceedings by songs and recitations.

Ai concert was given in St. John's school-room last oveniug, the proceeds of which were to bo devoted to the purchase of materials to bo used in preparation for a bazaar by which it is hoped the existing debt on tho bolls will be in a great measure reduced. Tho programme was au unusually interesting one, mid tho largo .audience testified its approval by constant demands for .repetitions. Tho xirincipal honours wore earned off. by Miss Radford and

MisslE. 'Davidson. Both wero in oxcelloiit voicp, and their rendering of thoir sovoral numbers could hardly have been improved upon. Miss Davidson's solos were Robinson's "Romombor mo no moro," a composition to wbiáh sito did full justice, mid, as nil encore, ".The ¡Last'Dream," by Gowen. Miss Rad-ford'« rendering of Bliimonthal's "Evening So^g" was delightful, and*.when oncorcd she suhbtituted Roeclcol's " Old, Old, "Words," winch had such 'ii fiivourablo rceop

tion .at ' tho Flood . dteliof Ptuid Con-

cert . on 'Tuesday. Tho two young Indies were oquitlly suocessful in their duetsKeller's "Morning" and Moiulolssohn's "I woiilaithat my love." Mr. "W. 0. Hill was more successful in his self-accompuuied comic song than in tho moro serious items which ho gave, und his rendering of tho luimoroiis ditties ." Complaints" and " I don't believe they do" mudo tlie budding- ring with laughton Mr. Martin gave »i .recitation, ILo '\Curfew Bell," very skilfully. Miss Gilder played as a piano solo a scherzo of AVottonhaiipt's in irreproachable fashion, .and St. John's chou- gavo Midler's " May-Day" fairly, but tho voices wero not strictly balanced, the altos predominating. Tho other soloists vi oro Messrs. Loader, Buckeridge, and M'Kay, and tho Rev. Manly Power, tlie hitter pleating overyono by his singing of'"Tho Sailor'«.Grave',"innd also by giving "Non o Ver" equally well.

Tho regular mooting of tho Cabinetmakers' Socioty.Avas hold hist night at Slons's rooms. Mr. Saxondale prosided. Tho eliiai business ASMS tho revision of the rules, hut.it Astas decido 1 that tho alterations should not como into opera-tion until tho next quarter. Messrs. Saxon-dale, Britton, and Taylor ss-oro appôintod dele-gates -to Hie Eight Hours' Aimivcrsary. Celelíratioii'ConiHiitfoo, and Messrs. Saxondale and Britton to thoikuti-Chiueso Committee.

Tho man Kennedy, on remand ehnrge'd as a A-ngrant, Avas brought up again at the Police Court yostcrday,.ftnd his case sva» hold, os-er all day, tfcut as.no nnasver had been received late in the afternoon from Ids alleged employer in Ipswich, Mr. Pinnock remandod lum till to-day in «rdtsr to ascertain whether his «tory about obtaining .employment As-as true befooa dealing

Avith ¡bisa.

A supplement to tho " Govonuncut iKivaette" contains particulars of a salo of tosvn .anti suburban lots qf-Crosvn hinds in tho parish of Kedron, to bo held on 5th April ; also sales of Crosvtt loads ni BareiÛdino, Bundaberg, Caisnc, Gympie, Herberton, Ipssvich, Charleville,

Rockliamyton, Roma,-and Toowoomba, on-the,

same date- I

The usutl fortnightly meeting of the Bris-,

heno branch of the Australian Natis'es' Ah- !| soemtion *t tM hold in tho Oddfellows' Hull, ' Charlotte - trirjoet, -on 'Wednesday oveniug, Mr. J. 8. White, tho vice-president, in the chair. The attendance AS-US A-ery good, meuibee-s having been summoned by circular as ss-cll as -the ordinary adver-tisements. Ose gentleman was elected a« benefit member. The principal business of the os-ening svas ratting final arinngemciit« for the first quarterly eseial meeting ss'liich is to take place next meeting night. The first number of the Australian, a mon tilly newspaper, published under tho auspices and in .the interests of tho ^Australian Natives' Association, in Victoria, "was receÍA-cd. Impromptu speeches were given on the close of business on a A-nriety of subjects including Home Rule, Gladstone, Imperial 'Feyleration, poetry, perseverance, ,and mathers. . .SíA'eral meetings of the eoramittos.appointed to

.revise the rules have been held, ,and a lot of work .dono in making tho rules biiitable for .Queensland.

A petition has been received by the Hon. the (Colonial Secretary praying that jKo, 2 sub-division at the Itliaea divisioa may bo-fcoparated from Nos. 1 and 3 subdisisions of Ithaca diiision, .JMu cons-erted into a muu'<sipality under the-title of tho Shire of Ithaca.

A. petition for liquidation by arrangement or «öDiposititn Avith creditors has hoon filed by Lewis Ziejvian, storekeeper of St. George. The total debts are stated at £873G, and the princijalcrcditurs are Q,.N. Bank, St. George, £3G9G Mis. 8d,; Jewell Das-is and Co., £17ó ; S. Hoffnung ant' Co., £2S8 13s. .Gd.; A. S. Leslie and Co., £202 Gs.: E. Tayior and Co.., £127 7s. lid.; Saipnel Bros., £170 ¡15s. 5d.;

Perkins aod Co., £.133 8s. 3d.; Stewart and, Hemmant, £CöG .lCi{. Gd.; Jas. Hunter., £115' 3s. Gd.; Büros., Phijj, and Co., £283 12s.; M'Arthur and Co,,' £11G -Is. 4d.; Beatrice

pieman, £296 ; Oîr. H. Zioman, £1500, First ueeting, 21th February.

The B.I.S.ÎT. ¡Company's steamer Roma 'hat on board a -couvignrnent of trainraí3s in-tended for the Balimba, McJbourne-street, «id Log*n-rond lines. It is understood that the work will be proceeded with immediately.

The station building« ut Jfurphy's Creek took fire in the lamp-room about halfpast 2 o'clock on Wednesday afternoon. The fuá burned for about tss-entfy minutes tpforo it ss-as put out. The Indi«' waitingroom and the lamp-room svere gutted, and the roof tor half tho length of th« station I was badly daoaged. Somo luggage wa¡? also

.much charred awl scorched. No information

hw yet been received by the Traffic Manager c s Jo Jfef cause of the fipç.

The usual meeting of tlie boaid of manugomeriUif the Y M CN A was hold m the rooms jesteiday aft« noon ïlieic v eie pieseut

Tho Rov J Southo}, and Mea-a-, Saltou, "Williams, J Grimes, M'Nab, R, Ken, & li Bu/nootl, and G T C Lang The minutes of tho pronous meeting vvoioiotd mci confirmed, and ropoifcs of committees were received and adopted It -«as decided, on tho lecommendation of tho Pimmcc Committee, that the "work of cuivassiKg toi the association bo for tho piosout dofened On tho loeommcndation of the Libiai} and Chbses Committee, the following pipéis and periodicals woio oiderod to be placed on the ti bio-The Contcmporar} Reviow, "Tiaitk Losho'b illustrated Novvspiiper., the Illustrated Conturj Maga/me, Pall Midi Budget, and Chiistinn Ago It Mas uniimmously resolved ta publish a monthly journal m connection wi h tho association, to bo c died tho Sign ti This papei is to bo a moans of communication amongst membois, and with tVe goner ii public, and to give* nn epitomo of the issociahon's work m goneial throughout the woild V laige number have uheudy subseubed foi the paper It was decided to hold a book levee shoiil} to augment tho association's bbiai}

Classes will also shottl} be fonned it which mathematics, penmanship, JTughsh, shoithand, and so foi th will bo taught A vote of thanks was passed to those who had kmdl} piosontcd books, plants, pictuies, nowsptpeis, and bo foi lui to tho association dur» ig tho 1 ist month A lu el} mteiost was shown b} the boiud in tho fntttio w oik of tho association, and Ihoio is »svei} utidicution of tho piosent being a vei} pleasant and pioht lblo } cur w 1Ü1 the 1MCA

A Munno Boaid mquii} into tho lucumstmiccs attending tho sti lading ot tho Scottish Punco, at Southpoit, off Stitulbioko Island, on ritursdii} last, was upoLcd and com hided }ontoidn/ The i\ ltncssos ex mimed vvcro the captain, tvv o niâtes, and lookout-miiu ot the vessol A îepoit of the ovideneo is published Tito decision of the boaid will be intule known m duo louise

The adjourned goncuil «tooting of tho Bus

bano \Vbhmteei Due Bngado vv tis hold tit Long-reach Hotel }ostoida} ovoinng, Cipliuii Phillips m tho ohtm Eighteen meiubeis w et e picsent The lesignution of tho sécrétai}, Mi Waltei Mitchell, was read, and it »as decided that he should bo îequested to withhold the samo foi two months A voto of cocbiuo was pas edon llieiaeasuiei, Mi 0 H Daniell, foi his luck of mtoiost m tho bngado The captini asked all mombors intending lo piocccd to tho Tiro Brigades Domonsti alton at Molbouino to at once Eond ni then names, m rosponso to v\ Inch twelve o* tho mombers signified their intention of doing so Tclcgiiiiiis weio lead fiom tho ComnuBsionei foi Railvvavs,^iovv South "Walos, and fiom tho boeiotaiy of tho Now South "Wales 'Volunteoi Puo Bngidos Association, statiug tluit the New South Wales Government haddocided to issue fieo pathos ovoi tho Now South TR ales liulvv ti} s foi the niombeis of bngudopioiocdincr to doinoiistiaUon at Mclhotuno Tvv o HO w membei s vv oi c elected and ono pi oposod An acting foicman lind assistant wero appointed to net dining the absonco of those ofiiiorsnl Molbounio Captain Phillips piobeittcd tíio ifoieinan, Mi Beal, with u mlioi medal as an iiclmovv lodgcmont of his scrvnccb on bohalf ofithc bngado, and i ftoi Mi Beal had suitably icsponded, the meeting closed A niectniL, of tho Selection Committco was thou held, et which tho follow ing teams vv oio selected to îopiesent tho brigade, namoi} -Team of loui Lioutonaut Jones, polo , Pu oman Page, hj tliiiut Encman Ti m bio, hi auch T nenian Bloom, coupling Team of bi\

Lieutenant Jones, fust binni li , rtioiiiim lambie, second blanch riicimm Bloom, coupling, riioman lonnings, hydrant

rnemau Tuitou, polo, ruoman Pago, plug openoi lu addition to thoso men, sivothois will

proceed to Molboiirno nsomcrgoncios, &e. There aro also several other ovonts for svhich tho brigado has entered, and for AS'hich tho teams svill bo x'ioked aflor arriving in Melbourne. A subscription list has been oponed for tho purposo of insisting tho members to ¿lonny thoir oxpoitbes, and ttboui £35 lias boon sub-scribed for that purpose. A hopo AVIU oxprosaod that the public syoald blill further con-

tribute to tho fund.

In response to a petition numerously fcigflcd amongst the members or tits logal profession tho Slump Commissioners havo decided to opon an oflico for the salo of blnwps in connection As-illi the Principal Registrar's oflico. Tho new branch Avail bo under tho cliurgo of Mr. ?William Guy, one of the oldest >und best knosvn officers in the department.

Minnie Wolff, a Avell-drosbed girl of l-l, was brought up at tho Police 'Court yesterday as a neglected child. Senior-constable Hannigan, in charge of the AVoolloongabba station, said that he had constantly boen her about tho streets late at night, and had often warned her. Of his own knowledge she had stayed ass'ay from home all night more then once. ?Frederick Wolff, a labourer, and a decent respectublo man, appeared with his svifo in court. Ho said ho could do nothing with his daughter. On soveral occasions sho had stayed nss-ay from home, and the lost timo «ho had remained away for a Aveok. In reply to Mr. Piimock, ho suidhe lind seven children alive, four of whom were younger than Minnie, and ho svas willing that sho should be bent to the Indus-trial School at Toowoomba. Ho svould do his best, although a poor man, to pay 5s. lOd. pur weak for her support, ns anything svas hotter than to allosv hor to bo ruined at home where she AVUS beyond his control. Mr. Pinnock commended him for the course ho had taken, and ordered tho girl to bo sent to the Industrial School at Toowoomba for a period of five years. Ho explained to tho father that after a yenr or tsvo his daughter could bo apprenticed to him if he desired it and return home te bo sent back at

once to the Industrial School if sho gave any caut-e of complaint. Ho also informed the mother, Avho AVUS crying bitterly, that she would be able to go up and boo hor duughlor occasionally at Toosvoombu. Minnie by this time svas also crying, and the sad appearance of the parents and daughter created quito a painful impression in the court.

The Under Colonial Secretary has received a telegram dated Curdsvell, 9th instant, from Mr. W. S. Walsh, P.M., as follows :-" William Wilson, a selector on tho Murray Ris-er, near Cardwell, and a recent arrival from Victoria, was drowned on Monday last in attempting to cross Dalrymple Creek whilst cn route to Towns-ville to pinchase store cattle for his »?elections. The deceased svas accompanied fio:n Cardwell by a friend named A. Workman,

ss'ho, though iolloiving close behind, did not j actually pcrceis-c the accident. Workman sur-mises that the deceased, finding his horse on getting into deep water would not ssvim, struck out for himself, and svas taken by an alligator. Alligators are numerous and audacious at that spot. Tho Avater, though swollen, ss-as still, and roA-ealed no trace of the body, the hat only com'mg to the surface."

The " Mooidight Promenade Waltz," by Herr JP. N. Rosenstengel, is the latest addition to local musical publications. The waltz, or rather set of waltzes-for it con-sists of the usual introduction and four num-bers-possesses many if not all the element« of popularity, Tho molody interwoven in tile

waltz, though pot strikingly original, is rather J pretty and tuwful. The first and third numb?rs are the best*/ the set, which should and doubtless will be iicquently heard during the coming ball season. The work hin been pub-lished in an attractive illustrated cover by Messrs. H. J. Pollard and .Co.