South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), Tuesday 30 November 1886, page 4


A1 KETROGRESS1TE iRKHPOLIOT.

It- is now very plain 'that' the Tory Government intends to rule Ireland by the, sword. This policy, ' ware assured, has:.the concurrence' of X6rd.Hartineton.

and Mr. Chamberlain, finding that his compromise between Mr. Gladstone's scheme and things as they have been has been cast aside, will now have to choose betwjeen his Whig, leader, jmd-^his party. The:: Tories began slowly and:cautioualy enough. They dispatched as Commissioner SirRedvers Buller, who had gained a high military reputation, and was furthermore noted for his moderation, good; judgment, and fairness. He has. perhaps not been vigorous enough^ but In any case his role has not satisfied the Government. Instead of warring with fire and sword against., the .peasants. ..who .through inability declined to pay rack rent, h£ set himself 'calmly to enquire into the rights of each, individual .caaa brought} under his notice. The irate landlord, who knew- that' his -rents we're Tower- than they , , used , , to, be,..^ found Sir Redvera a veritable Job's comforter. He - did- not immediately' furnish the landlord -with soldiers to enforce his claim or to mete out punishment in the event of 'its refusal.':' *He required as 'a preliminary to eviction work that the circumstances of the proposed eviction should first be laid before him, in order thatthejnughts'dp^lujpSn^the justice or injustice of the proceedings.' This methods of working seems to some of the Irish landlords to be most objectionable. They. want-their^ientB, and if they canndtgetHihem'Uiey^want their tenants to be turned out. Here they have to Wag! V? the -mffifary^element, for the.- .Irish, peasant, is not prepared to grVe!up' his homoBtoad, humble as it

may be, «tthebidding of -ftr;landlo/d whohWexacted from him and~his~f OretathSrH! an exiortiohate rent. To their' credit -bj[ it said that tiie vast majority of Irish landlords has accepted ^the altered state of things, There are still a few who stick to the old order j who believe in rackrenting and in evictions; who will not take : into, aoqount hard times, or . the claintt£ of service, or of long tenantry; which their tenants advance ; who demand that 'the British forces ahall' be employed in maintaining what they: are pleased to call their rights. It is' on behalf of such men as these that the Tory Government have consented to return to the old coorcive methods. They have now definitely committed themselves, to a course of action which will render utterly worthless the pacific legislation of lateye^arfl. V '' 'By a strange fatuity on the part of the British Government the case ' of Lord Clanricarde has been allowed to be made a test question. Lord Glanricar4e belongs to the worst type of Irish landlords.1 Hia father, the first , Marquis, was a mant whose unclean .life* . and the scandals i attaching to it forced Ihim to leave Lord Palmerston's - Muustty. His eldest brother followed jdutifully wherd this father led, and ^suffered less ignominy^ because he was less Important. He himself, though in years he has passed; the half-century, and though he derives a large income from his Irish property, is not personally known amongst his tenants. He ia an absentee :— of that class of Irish landlords which has done moBt real harm to the English ascendency as well as to the causa of Ireland.; He not only lives away from his tenants j he will not answer a letter that he receives from any of them; he, cowardlike, leaves his unfortunate agent to bear the brunt of his unpopularity, to screw and drive the people, to be a target. for their guns, an object for their hatred and their curses. Meanwhile he stays quietly at home enjoying his bachelor life at the Albany, and leaving his agent to the fate which sooner or later must befall Mm. It seems absurd that at the bidding of such a man as this British soldiers should be employed to turn out women and children on the roads, and leave them starving and dying there for all that he cares. Here ia an instance of the cruelty and loss which such a policy as that favoured by Lord. Clanricarde inflicts. He had four tenants, who had paid their rent in full for from eighteen to forty years. Their holdings had been reclaimed from bog, they had erected their own houses and -had made their own improvements. They asked for a reduction, which would amount, all told, to £14 16b. each. Lord Clanricarde would not listen to them, though the landlords all round were reducing their rents on account of bad timeis. The men could not pay. Forthwith their landlord commenced proceedings, which entailed coats in each case of £17. The rents due were £59, and the coats amounted to £68. Thenihe interests of the tenants In their holdings were offered for Bale. Nobody dared bid against the landlord, who secured everything for some £9 or £10. Next he had to possess himBelf of his 'property.' To enable him to do this in safety the Government gave him the services of 700 policemen and 200 soldiers, at a cost to the nation of about £1,000. These laid siege to the properties, and after fourteen days succeeded in obtaining possession. Now they have to be kept, and the Government pays at the rate of £l;700 a a year to keep Lord Clanricarde in possession of homesteads thus secured: ? We should not have been bo particular in detailing this matter— authority for which is furnished by an English journalist on the spot — if it were not that the National League, very discriminatingly, and the Tories, very stupidly, , have . taken it as a test case. It is especially in regard to it that Messrs. Dillon and O'Brien have preached the no-rent gospel. They tell tenants to offer their landj(orda tiieir full legal rent leas 25 per cent., and, in case the offer is refused, to lodge their rents in the hands of trustees for the benefit of evicted families. Of course for such a proposal there is no warrant unless one-is to be found in the urgency of the case; Great allowance is to be made for men who -have been: goaded on to -the adoption of extreme courses by harsh and oppressive treatment continued during a Ions' series of years, but it ia as unreasonable io -visit all landlords- with the -pains and penalties which Messrs. DQlon' and O'Brien propose ; to inflict as It Is for the British Government to 'act indiscriminately in backing up landlords. That the policy of the Tories is to nudntain the cause of the landlords is only too-evident. In- effect they have,-after Snuch ^deliberation and much wavering^ decided to undo the work which tbir Liberals have of late yean dona with such care and labour. Under Mr; Gladstone's rule, whatever may be said as-to his great Bcheme for finally pacificaticg the country, Ireland was treated as if ahe had a body to be healed and a soul to be saved ; she is now, it would Heem, to be treated as if she were created to be kicked. She is a conquered province once more, and, again, vat metis. Tho ~ National League ia ba suppressed, notwithstanding tho service it has done in inculcating the* lesson 7-f patience. United Ireland, th& Parnellite paper, is to be snppresed, juBt as If in these' days any Government can silence* -the' voice of- the people. The* haWdoua experiment of trying men for treasonable utterances is to be repeated. F6r the policy of conciliation and oommom sense is to1 be substituted a policy of bruteforce 'and bayoneta.' It wonld occasion . Httla surprise if in such circamatancesj. Ireland should progress from disorder torevolution. ___—ThnvEBsOT ThnvEBsOT ExAMHAiHm— Last year ? *fiien have now passed the first* JSinajy examination for the Aria degree. -To complete the nine who passed tin*examination is a gentleman . who matngcSflted in 1883. These figure* voutt-aurely be enough, if proof wareneeded, to show ,,the abwrdUy of the ol-* matriculation Byatem. M«y the new on*.

be more successful! It is worthy of notice -yat-in-the—eacaminationa-idi^ the Arts Wfl^ifeTrtfKftQ fl5jjJlS»gfifr3Tfliifr« ate chiefly sntftpfafnT m ftm \thvrd ^ass. This is doe, we^aRCgtattto. thi^Tr, rather to the severity of- the;1 ei&iinera ' tnW to_ any extraordinary backwardness. 'W the part of lhe\. students.. \The Science School is singularly unfortunate'. Tor its ' third ordinary w vexannnatiqn .?{ there' were no candidates jifori the second year no students passed in-- either' the first, second, or third- class ? - and' for -the first year's examination no candidate was good enough ..for ' the firaV classi only one secured * a 'second class, - whilst three jostled each -other for alphabetical order in the third class. On the whole, we findl that Bixieen persons passed their ordinary^ examinations for the Arts and.-Saence i degrees. Of these one has gained; ia' degree. Meditation upon such: aTesulfc ofa year's labour cannot be particularly; satisfactory to the~~€rouncfl. ;, . and it certainly is not to the public, upon whom a large share of the costof the University falls. The fresh methods- for popularizing the institution that are to be tried hare not been adopted any too soon. -The University has ample machinery for-dealing with ten times the number of students who now-present themselves for examination. ' .- '- ?'? TgraargAPHic.— rAdvicea from Berne notify* that the 8-m'gh' and Nagasaki cables are interrupted. '' -? J --?..-Sib Eobeet FowitEE— ThiffdiBtinguiahed gentleman. .who recently was Lord Mayptof London and is at present a member of the^ House of Gomnibns, is a passenJRer^by the ~* Valetta, which leaves on Saturday, but Sir Robert will arrive overland from- Melbourne i on Thursday in order to Bpend a- day or two in this colony. Passksgeh bt the O.S.S. Cozco.— The only Biloon passenger who left by thissteamer was the Her. Francis Williams; ALA. The Postmaster - Geetkral. — Mr. ' C. Todd, C.M.G., who has been representing the. colony with the Attorney-General (the Hon. J. W. Downer) at the Postal Conference in Victoria, left Melbourne for Adelaide by tram yesterday. He should thetefore reach tne city to-night. Thb Chbisimas Holidays.— The notification in last week's Government Gazette that Christmas Day is to be observed as a pablii holiday on Monday, December 27, instead of on Saturday, December 25, haB caused considerable consternation in religious and other circles. A letter headed 'The Latest Mad Government Freak' appeared in Monday's Register, ,in which the writer condemned the Government rather severely for taking upon themselves the authority to postpone the celebration of Christmas Day from Saturday to Monday) The Treasurer (the Hon. J. C. Bray) informs us that the Government had no option in the matter, as the Civil Service Act of 1874 provides that in the event of certain holidays— including Christmas Day— falling on a Saturday, the Monday following shall be observed as a holiday in lien thereof. In these circumstances Monday, December 37, was gazetted as a public holiday. The Treasurer reminds us that although this is the case the Government offices will be closed on the Saturday, and he thioka it highly probable that the Banks will also close on the 25th, in accordance with a request made by him. The clause hi the Act of 1874 referred to above is No. 31, which furnishes some ludicrous reading. It provides for the contingency of certain holidays falling on a Saturday. Among these are Good Friday and Easter Monday. It may be interesting to note the course adopted when Christmas Day last fell on a Saturday —in 1880. On that occasion most of the shops in the city were closed on the Saturday and the Monday, but then the notice in the Gazette differed from the notices this year. In 1880 it said— 'The following public holidays will be observed at the Government offices, viz. :— Saturday, December 23 (Christmas Day) ; Monday, December 27 ; Tuesday, December 28 (anniversary of the proclamation of the colony) ; and Monday, January 3 (in lieu of Saturday, January 1, New Tear's Day).' This year, however, there are really two notices. The first of these is— 'The following public holidays will be observed at the Government offices, viz. :— Monday, December 27 (in lieu of Saturday, the 25th, Christmas Day; Tuesday, December 28 (anniversary of the proclamation of the colony) ; and Monday, January 3, 1387 (in lieu of Saturday, the 1st, New Year's Day.') The second notice reads — ' The public offices will be closed on Saturday, December 25, and Saturday, January L' All the notifications are issued from the Chief Secretary's Office. The question now is being asked, more particularly by those immediately interested, whether the retail shops will be open on Saturday, December 25. Doubtless the Saturday will be asked for by the assistants as a holHay, bat we understand there is an inclination on the part of some of the employers not to accede to the request. Proprietors of billiard saloons also want to know whether they have to dose their establishments on the Saturday or the Monday. As the Licensed Victuallers Act ot 1880 pro* vides for the closing of the saloons on Christmas Day, and not on the day on which the Government direct it to be v observed, they will have to be shut up on the Saturday. .?:????Mr. Mr. E. H. Babbage.— The South Aus-tralian friends of Mr. E. H. Babbage will be pleased to hear that he has received and accepted the appointment of Sub-Inspector of the New Zealand Branches of the Bank of Australasia. Mr. Babbage was in the same Bank in this colony for some years, and at the time of receiving this new appointment was the Manager of the branch at Wanganui. During his residence there, extending' over several years, he has, according to the local papers, thoroughly identified himself with all movements, outside of those purely political, for the good of the people, and succeeded in winning the esteem and friendship of his fellow-townsmen. Tes City Coracn*— The last meeting of the present City Oouncil waa held on Monday, when His Worship presented his annual report. It formed a small book of over 100 printed pages, neatly bound. The report was formally adopted, and subsequently a unanimous vote of thanks' was accorded' the retiring Mayor. Mr. Bondey has been In offics for the last three years, and the Oouncil heartily congratulated him os the efficient and courteous way- In which he had discharged the duties incidental to the Mayoral chair. Mr. M. R. Planing, the scavenging contractor, directed the Council -not to pay money due to him into the Town and. Country Bank. The Council, recognising a difficulty in connection with the matter, resolved that the Finance Committee should meet this morning to di»«iB» it. The Exhibition encroachment qusstion again engaged the Council for a short while, a communication having been read from the Commistionera notifying the appointment of a committee to consult with the Council. It was at first proposed that a committee should meet the Exhibition Mthflriftw, but by a later resolution the whole Council will confer with the Commissioners this morning. At the last meeting the tenders for ™afrmg a road along the southern bank of the river from Frome-jroad to .King William-road were not considsred. On Monday, however, Messrs. '-Fuller & Eogers, who were the lowest tenderers, secured the vote of the Council, their price bring fSSS. Owing to tin amalgamation of theTownand Country Bank and Commercial Bank of Australia ai arrangement - has bees made for the transfer of the Corporation account iron the former to fee latter Institution upon the recommendatioa of the. JTSnanee Com mittee. In tne ~fatare~ tie City Sur veyor win deal personally with matter* affecting the scavenging 'contact' between Biimffftf itty^ gig contractor anlesa- it flbould be necessary for the Council is fntrcpose. Mr. Tjmgdpn feu been In fibscted by the Markets Comarittee to prepare plans and spedncationsfor theprqvisioD of docble the present accommodation at the Fish Miariet. AfewwaeksagotheSurveym reported on the proposed erection of lamps in the varioojB wards, but the Council decided : to ' defer the woik / untO ibt election at the new' Council.

Bis Worship was called upon to give a casting-vote-during— the-afternoon. — Aldennao-Sfcawjnoyeathat thawageaof tfaeGanget «**n thefiard^i^depMtment^hduldHbeiatthe':) rate M^lflti «£d«yi *tew dMaiSac&i.jYPieiii for; and 7 against EtheiniQtion,rwhicb;- wasb carried: by the Mayor's jvotejiTh& jbusiuesa was completed shortly after 5 ©'dock, aud an ; adjournment : was :-: made; cto rithe^ Mayori:: Parlour,' where two or three .toasts were honoured. . .tr-?^!-:-: :;Lili_..; The Exo3ss 0P Immioraiioii over Emibbatiok.— The immigration by Be* during the week ended Saturday, November 27, exceeded the emigratiohy by : rimfla-r means' by 105. Of the 894 persons who arrived at Port Adelaide from «ther ports 8 came -from Bremen, 11 from Antweip, 6 from MarleDles, 13 from London, and 856 from Melbourne.- Of the 48& persons * who Isft 'Port Adelaide by sea 408 went to Melbourne, 73 tn New South Wales, and 8 to Fremantie. The balance- in favour of the oolony-is thus 405. * SXKKPEES 'P0B: IHJB- SlLVBBSOH: TRAMWAY. * —The Conservator ' of rForesfer -(Mr.: :ifFfE.; Brpwn) will leave for Melbourne tins morning by the overland: train.-/ - Thd .object of Ma visit is to arrange with the Directors of the SHverSra Tramway for the 'supply of South' : Ausioralian sleepers for the/-* construction of': that line. * ;;a- '1*'T '?-'-? : '?''? -i:V' K* Sl 'i ♦*''-r-:f Nobthkes.Tkehitoe.y CnsTOM3 REVENrra. ' —The; revenue received from the .Northern Temfory Cuatoms for the last two months ahowB a conaiderable'Mvanbaon! the amounts' obtained from, the same, source for tiie' pre-ceding two montiiB. For August and September -the- revenhe^^ur ^,165-and £2,074 respectively, while for October and November it reached: £3,351. and £S^45.;; The figures for Bovember are only up to. the 27th of the month.; :JBTom these it is held probable that; the Mfnister of -Education's estimate for the yeaiS-fiSO.OoO'— will be realized,, especially as further duties fare jiow ' being received' from ? the Chinese on rice, opium, and other : UrtTnTpn -»f-nnnTTifx? Viyfchnm, ? - . ?; ._:. ;2.-: ' Thx Bkv. F. Williams.— In the steamer, which left for Europe yesterday the Eev.t F. Williams, M.A., was a passenger. The work which has devolved on Mr. Williams as Head Master of St. Peter's GoUegiate School has told very severely on his health, and he was advised long ago to seek [the rest which was plainly needed. When, some four or five years ago, Mr. Stanford resigned the Head-Mastership Mr. Williams [was induced to forego the trip to Europe which he then contemplated, and a year later he' was appointed to fill Mr. Stanford's place. Of late bis duties have told heavily upon him. Some months ago, as our readers will remember, he had a Bevere attack of typhoid fever. From this he recovered, and if he could then have been persuaded to take a holiday there would now have been no immediate cause for his trip. His anxiety to fulfil his duties prevented his taking the needful rest, and later he was attacked by a kind of jaundice. He has now at length yielded to the advice of his friends, who have reason to think that he will coma back from his nine months' trip a far stronger and younger man. . Mr. Williams has been over a quarter of a century in the service of the College, and, if we mistake not, this is- his first holiday. During his absence Mr. J. EL London, B.A., the Second Master, will act for Mm, We unite with all his friends in wishing Mr. Williams a pleasant voyage and a safe return in renewed health and sfrength. The Subvetob-Gknebal ts zhb Southeast.— Mr. G. W. Goyder, SurveyorrGeneral, returned on Saturday from a nine days' trip to the South-East. During his absence he arranged for the survey in blocks under the new Crown Lands Consolidation Act, of lands within the reserved district amounting to 250,000 acres.. The land is of mixed character, some being exceedingly good, and other parts of the poorest quality. It wfll be generally divided so that the blocks may embrace a portion of each character where practicable. Surveyors are already on the ground to carry out the work, and the blocks will be submitted on the approval of the surveys. In the subdivision attention baa been paid to the possible requirements of people within the districts as far as could be done, the smaller blocks being invariably in the vicinity of settlements, more particularly near Kingston. Whilst the SurveyorGeneral was in the locality the men engaged upen the drainage of the flat into Maria Creek were increased from about twenty to fifty-five. Tha work is going on well, but owing to the quantity- of water, increasing as the cutting progressed, dams have had to be made to keep back the water eouth of the railway.- The cutting at the mouth of Maria Creek has been sufficiently and safely enlarged to permit of any outflow likely to be required, and Mr. Goyder is satisfied that the operations will successfully effect the object in view. Should the weather permit it is expected that the drains will be completed in time to allow of the reclaimed lands being offered m March next so that the leasing may date from April, if such a course is approved by the Commiaaioner of Crown Lands. The Surveyor-General returns to the South-East on Monday next to arrange for the construction of a portion of the dog and rabbit proof fence for the boundary, and to provide for the subdivision and leasing of other open lands. Mr. Goyder states that throughout the South-East the season has been most favourable, and he has never seen the vegetation of the country looking better :tban it does at present. ? Mat-toy ahd Eollinsok.— A large crowd assembled on the Oval on Monday evening to 'see the performances of the American trick : and fancy riders, Maltby and Bollinson. The affair was a complete success,- and the arrangements, especially the lighting, were 'good. There will be a repetition to-night. r. UKLETCoBPOBAiiOH.—After.the last meeting of the closing municipal year of the i Unley Town Council the Mayor (Mr. W. H. j Hubble) invited the Councillors and other gentlemen to adjourn to the' Unley ! Hotel, where refreshments were provided.. ! The Mayor occupied the chaii and Councillor JHampson the -vice-chair. Toasts, including ''His Worship the Mayor,' 'The1 Ktiring Councillors,' arid 'The Town Clerk and Corporation Officers,' were honoured, and a 'pleasant two hours were Bpent. . Lefbvbb^Pesinsula ScHOOifc— A petition is, we understand, being signed on Lefevre's! Peninsula for presentation to the; Minister of .Education, 'asking that Mr. James Fowler» ' the Senior A *n«tant td thaLefQVTe'aPeninHnla Public School (wh&bas beenvactingsas Head ? MasterforBome time during -the protracted fllnesa of the late principal,. 'Mr. John 1 Mallard), should be appointed to the vacancy. , Thb B^mrALL.— The following fa the rain- fall f orthe forty-eight hours ending 9 a.m. on iNovember 29 .?— Katherine, 0 880? Hoyleton, 10-050. - ' - ? ' OVEBEAKD PASSSHQEKS SO MstBOUBSB.— ,The following passengers left by train overland ton Monday morning:— Mrs. McBride, Mesarc P. G. Charley, J. J. Charley, and J-. Wbodfield. ' -'..-. ? NAKBOW ESCAKB IBOlt SXAB.VAHH0iKrf— ^ While -travelling in the north-west portion of the colony some hundreds of miles distant Mr; J. Li Surfing; M.T.; Dr. Stirling, M.P., and Dr. Leadon, en Wednesday evening, November 24, discovered an old man 72 yean of age: sitting .under, a tree in a waterless 'plain 'many miles from: any settlement The man; was very much ' exhausted and appeared nearly dead, bu£ on: getting a little food and drink, revived somewhat. He said that he had been cooking in the Far North for tome onev and had started to walk for the South. He had not had anything to eat ox drink, since the previous Sunday morning. - The. Messrs. Stirling having attended to the immediate necessities of the man, sent^a txap-for Mm from the nearest station, and in a «oople of ?days he had apparently quite recovered. . It was purely by an accident that the rescuers took the track they did,butifti*Byh*dn6tJthere is little doubt that than Wild ham been another caw of 'dfedia the bosh frouvthe j want of waterman tbeBumcooldfeardlynaro I survxred'siz boors longer without sustenance. I Thb Study' or GEotoWi— At the 'last; eommittos meeting of tin SLA. Teaeaers^ Assedatidna subcommittee, consisting of Messrs. W. J. Young,- M.A.t J. T. Smytii, B.A.. B.E., and W. G Grasby, and the Secretary (Mii K. Gamble), 'wasappointed to draw upasyllabnjifor a course of lecturea on the elementary gsplogyanuTmiBeralogy of South

Australia, to be giy^i$jSa{jtt}a-y morj|nS j ftfc thfl hflginning of aort ynar fnr thft pnrpftBff ofiiniarodu^fcibe^tudyioftixkinterealiog .Babj^iiaud cpre©aring boys:: fox- «@StB#9£ fafcttof valuable- prizes, offeced:.1 bjreftfos JcjG (B Alflihnson,'MiP- .The aom-: njittees?a»;also-Renerftlly^f opinion thatit iaf. desirable^ that teachers ahoold-Igive special c lessons', on n minerals ? to the .upper classes u wherever practicable, o. -A ' * x xHydb - PabK' Teamway- Company.— The-half-yearly meeting of Ishaxeholders-in.this-; Company was' held on Monday, November 29.4 1 Mr. -V. .W^ Strange presided, and' presented the Directors' report^ which has already been' published, and 'which was adopted. Messrs. J- S. Greer and G. Howell ' were re-elected Directors without opposition. The Chairman, in moving the adoptionof the report, mentioned 'that the Directors were desirous of establishing a Reserve Fund, after which they hoped to be able to pay regular dividends. ' Telegraph in Poht Lincoln District —On Monday Mr. J. Monle, M.P., and Mr.', J. St. G. Puckrldge waited on the Minister .of; Education ;and presented a memorial urging' that telegraphic communication is urgently; required In the large district extending from ^ the Hundred of Wanilla to the.Hundred^of ^ Way, and' that Lake Wangary will be a suit-! able place for the telegraph office. Mr. T^ B. ' Hiwson VofFered to board the operator, free on certain conditions. The Minister replied t that he would obtain a report... ; '' '^.t. t^-.'~— JfTE^rLT/UBUCT.^-Mr.4 F. Herring,^oij to'^ West-End Marble .Works, -has -just', finished 7 for Clayton Church a mural tablet 4 ,f t 6 in. r high and 2 It. 6 in. wide to. the memory of! the late 'Mr; Gflbert^Wbod. 'The tablet is ' made, of- ^Oamaru , iipne, -,. from , New Zealand w with: - blaokr Kapunda marble pillars and 'whlteritaliwL, iaaic^Ie, tablet. It bears the^cription,.-'Inl memory of Gilbert ;.Wood^'. for? many f'jea^'^ 'actiye* worker in this Cifurch, inwhicbhe held 'the. office of rdeaco'n. Died September 24, 1880. -The ineniory of the just is. blessed— -Ps. x. 7.' The.design of ;the tablet is Gothic, and ' the! workn^osblp Ls excellent. ,.;,.-'. ' , v. . ' Goveehmest TKKDBES.-rAtthe Engineer- . n-Chiefa Office on; Monday, November. 29, tenders were opened .for the supply, of 12 dozen carriage.roof lamps to burn; kerosine. Two were received, the lowest being that of ? Messrs. J. McEwan & Co. For the supply, of provisions on the. Hergott j|iTt» three tenders * were sent in, but the. lowest was not declared. At the: Hydraulic Emdneer's Office, five tenders were obtained for. the supply of water meters, : but the lowest was not ; disclosed ; and for the supply of stoneware and rainpipea one was received. . . Kapunda Mabblk and. Boildino Coiipahy.— The following is the Directors' report to be presented at the meeting to be held to-day: — 'Our quarries being now' in the hands of the Government the Company is not in a position to push business, although : a few- small orders have been executed since our last report. From the balance-sheet accompanying the report you will notice that the Sank overdraft is now £1,544 7s. 3d., being over £300 less than at last balance. It is our intention to borrow on mortgage on the first favourable- opportunity a sum sufficient to discharge this liability to the Bank. Mr. James F. Mellor and Mr. W. Patrick (Secretary of the Company) made an official inspection of the Company's quarries on November 20, 1886, and found the opening up of the property making very good progress, an immense amount of stone of a uniform and superior quality, being in sight. A splendid supply of fresh water has been discovered in the bottom of the workings, so that there can never arise any difficulty as to water supply in the future growth of the Company's business.' -Scabchy os Water at Paskeville.— A public meeting was held at PaskeviUe on Saturday, November 27, with respect to a scarcity of water. Mr. F. Milte (District Chairman) presided; It was the decided opinion of the meeting that the present wantof water was unprecedented. .The harvest had not yet begun, the Government dams' were all empty; and the private supplies were nearly exhausted. There were many fanners present who had been carting water for some time, and Borne who stated they had not taken the tanka off their wagons since last summer. As the waters .was expected to be laid on to the Township of Bate from Beetaloo by1 January 1 the Government, by laying the main from Paskeville to the Barunga Railway, and then' connecting it with a temporary pipe with Bute, would supply that district also. They were fully' entitled under the present exceptional circumstances to every consideration that would tend to mitigate the painful calamity they were labouring under, especially as the Commissioner had promised four months ago the pipe-laying .should commence at this end simultaneously with Beetaloo;' Mr. Bews, M.P., assured them of his co-operation to carry out their wishes. A resolution was then carried that, it be left with, the District Council to, forward a memorial to the Government to urge.them to lay the pipes on the route from Paskeville to the Barunga Eailway, and then connect, it with a temporary pipe to Bute. Fedbbatbd Seamen's . Union. — The; weekly meeting of the South Australian Branch or this Onion waa held at Port Adelaide] on jMonday evening, Mr. It J. Pudne^ presiding. There wasa fairattendance. The Secretary reported? tiiat a -nweting \ of' .the Maritime Tradesand; Labour Council had; taken place during the week, at which % code -of: rules was submitted :for approval. These ; . -were l read . i to .-: the r Union, ; and adopted. „ Eeferring ^ to the, working hours of trimmers, a,; member, asked if it were a fact that sixrhour watches; .were ; the rule' on boats -running through to* Sydney^ The Secretary repUed.in the, affirmative, jand added that this, was in vogue before, the Union had had anything to. do with, the matter. ': The only boats from Port Adelaide which carried .trimmers: were, the Adelaide^ the South Australian, : and r.the Victorian, and the men bad not asreat deal todo, ; Our boatB, too,- .carried more, men in rproportion totonnage than the Sydney boats, and. some of; the former paid the higher, wages^ 33k matter then dropped. Bef erring to steamers which remained in port, only one night* a member said It was the case, that sometimes men had to dean tubes during the night and proceed to sea the following day. The Secretary-said that by rule members. 'wiping down' aiTughtwere entitled to a day off; - if the vessel had to go to sea the day following, the leave should be given prior to. the. work. -Endoavojin were 'being made to remove the cause of. complaint* the Secretary *T»»'Mnff .that: the rule. a* to. M wiping down', should - apply* also to .the cleaning of tubes; Being the last night foe receiving nominations for.: offices* lar-the ensuing year the following were] elected unopposed :— 'Vice-PreaidentB, ~ MessrsC H. Hains 'and A. Malcolm ; Treasure^ Mr. 'W. Mead; 'Quartormaster,--Mr.^A. * Campbell; Trustees, Messn. Janes Williams^ L, M. fiiF, Charles Smith, J. Dyerr and T- &. Smith; Auditors, MessrsrH. Hains, W. £. Sard, and B, G. Eamsay. For the other officers elections -will -take place in due course. - ?*?- - -1'' - * ^ -* ? Eivbb Levels. — The' following figures show the state of the riven at the undermentioned places at 9 ,ajn. on Monday, November 29 :— Murray -^ Albury, *4 -feetj Wahjtunyah, 6 -ft 8 inJ.Echuca, 12 feet; Swanhfli, 11 it. 8 in.; Eoston, 23 ft. 6 in. ; Overland 'Corner, IS ft 5 in; Murrumbidtcee— Wagga- Wa«ga, 5 ft. 5 m.; Hay, 4 feet; Babanald, 11 ft. 5 m. Darling— Bourke, 27 feet ; Louth, 32 ft. 8 in. ; Tilpa, 37 ft 1 in.; WUcannia, 31 ft 10 in.; Menmdie, 27 ft 4 in.: Pooncarie, 24 fees ; Wentworth, 16 ft 7 in. Namoi and Barwon— Mungundi, 13 ft 6 in. ; Mozil, 15 feet j Namoi. 11 feet ; Barwon at Walgett, 23 it, 6 in.; Brewarrina, 17 feet Pobt Lixsbasy Sooiett. — The annual converearione in oonnection with this Society tookplace in the local Congregational Schoolroom on Monday evening. TEere waa a large attendance. Various. gsrae3 ^rers indalged in. Mr. R H. Dorrinston contributed to tee programme some mtercsti^^ e^.mp!s3 c:J:2i) action of the divining-rcd i-d cC v^Ill po 1. er3 Arid-h&ontertained tie crd^-cc -ritL c -c 7 factl about mesmertn. _^: : '.^—2 ,?-''.-pleaantiy. and voccl i=I ir-_trzr:cric2 pcric wafrcontributed by tis incncsrz cud ir:2^a^, ' JkwkhCalekdab.— ilr. A. Abraham he: sent- to ns« copy of the Jewish Calendar foi next year printed in coloured inks, and showing the days specially celebrated by ous Hebrew fellow-cofomets. - * ? '