South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), Friday 17 March 1899, page 5


BIRDS AND THEIR PLUMES.

The Society for the Protection of Birds has published the following letter sent to the 'Times' by Sir William H. Flower, Director of the British Natural History

Museum:— 'You have upon several occasions given some of your valuable space to letters upon the cruelty involved in the fashion of wearing feathers in ladies' hats. Especially has it been pointed out that the lovely, delicate plumes of the small white herons or egrets can only be procured by the destruction of the birds during the season in which they have their nests and young, as then only are these feathers developed. In the trade for some unknown reason they are called 'osprey,' though the real bird of that name, a kind of fishing hawk, produces no ornamental plumes. Notwithstanding all that has been said, the garden-party season shows that the fashion is ait prevalent as ever. I have noticed many of tbe gentlest and most kindhearted among my lady friends, including some who are members of the Society for the Protection of Birds, and who, I am sure, would never knowingly do any injury to living creatures, adorned with these very plumes. Why is this! Simply because, in order to keep up their trade and dispose of their stock, the purveyors of female raiment, to salve the consciences of their customers, have invented and widely

-ropagated a monstrous Action, and are everywhere selling the real feathers warnnted as artificial! Within the last few lays I have examined numbers of plumes, the wearers of which were priding them(elves on their humanity, relying upon the lssurance of the milliner that they were tot real egret's feathers, but manufactured, tn every ease it did not take a very close scutiny to ascertain that they. were unlucstionably genuine. The only 'manufac-ture' consisted in cutting the plume in two, and fixing the upper and lower half udc by side, so that a single feather does iuty for two in the *bnuh.' Thus one of the most beautiful of birds is being swept iff the faceoftheearth,nnder circumstances ai peculiar cruelty, to miuister to a passing fashion, bolstered up by a glaring falsehood.' The news of the death of Mrs. Thomas Caterer, wife of the well-known Principal of the Semaphore Collegiate School, which took place at her residence early on Thursday morning, will be received with regret by a large circle of friends. The deceased lady bad been an invalid for some years, but during the last few weeks her general health appeared to be better. A few days before her death, however, she had a seizure, and on Thursday morning she pas-sed peacefully away. The late Mrs. Caterer was a daughter of the late Rev. G. D. Mudie, Congregational minister of Salis-bury, and at one time Chaplain at tbe Yatala Stockade. She was married to Mr. Caterer in England, and followed him to the colony, arriving here in 1855. She was a lady of scholarly attainments, and for tome time after her arrival here she took a leading part in high-class concerts. She was trained as a teacher, and in addi-tion to holding several important positions as governess, she for many years took the oversight of the boarding establishment in connection with Mr. Caterer's school, first at Norwood, and afterwards at tbe Semaphore. Some hundreds of boys must have passed under her maternal care, and to all she endeared herself. The deceased

lady for many years took an active part in Church work. For about ten years she played the harmonium and led the singing at Clayton Church. In her early days she was closely associated with the learned and noted Elihu Burritt, acting n« one of his Secretaries in connection with his Peace Society work. The Rev. W. H. Mudie is a brother of the late Mrs. Caterer, who was in her seventieth year. The funeral will take place to-day. The cortege will leave the Semaphore at noon, and reach the Glen Osmond Cemetery at 3.30 pan. What are the P. & O. Company going into the money market for in face of their good and regular dividends! was asked yesterday- in shipping circles, says the ''Sydney Morning Herald' of Tuesday. The question arose from a cable published, to the effect that the Company proposed to raise £1,000,000 by the issue of debentures. It may be said that this would not be the tint occasion upon which the P. & O. had gone into the market. At present they have £800,000 at 3* per cent, represented by debenture stock, and, incidentally, it may be mentioned that when that amount was asked for it was subscribed in London within four hours. But the proposed million was hereabouts yesterday regarded with a certain amount of curiosity, and it was suggested that it might be the intention to retire tbe £SOO.OUO just mentioned out of the new issue, and by raising the money at a lower rate profit on the operation. * With the view to obtaining some information, a 'Herald' reporter yesterday saw Mr. E. Trelawny, the Company's Ma\ nager here. Mr. Trelawny favoured the ! idea that the amount was destined to pay ' for perhaps four new steamships. At present there are building, and more or less nearing completion, two more of the India type of steamships, those magnificent vesseltt which have established mail delivery records between London and Australia. These are uamed the Arabia and the Persia. Then, in the same list are tnc Assave and the Sobraon, superb vessels of 8,000 tons, besides the Banco, a cargo steamer of 0,000 or 7.000 tons. Practically the money to cover the cost of the whole of these vesseL* was provided for in tbe last annual statement, ifo that it is more than likely that the Company proposes to further increase its fleet with the million of money mentioned in the cable.

That fine steamship, the Perthshire, arrived at the anchorage at daylight on Thursday. She has on board two.magnificent. Clnle*-laJ-- stallions — Lord Burlev and

HU Celestial Highmss— which stood the voyage wonderfully well. They are conaipicd to Mtti.-n». J. Sanderson & Co., Melbourne, and will be an acquisition to the stud. 'Jliese splendid specimens of their race were bred on the estate of Lord Arthur Cecil, at Lunbridge, and arc goinu to Tarranvnore, New isouth Wule*. There is also a pair of the most beautiful ''ugly' bulldogs one has everseen, of a t-hape and feature calculated to make the mouth of Bill Sykes water, and, according to Dickens, he was a judge. The slut appears to have jwrfect points, and the dog, who w larger, skowB a head and frame characteristic of the best examples of his breed. They' also go to Melbourne. ; ; Dr: Spencer' S.1 Dunn, Mrs. Dunn, and family were passengers by the Perthshire from London to Adelaide. Both are South Australian born)/ and have been absent sixteen years. ' Dr. Dunn is a brother of the organist of St. Peters Cathedral, and Mrs. Dunn is a daughter ot that fine old colonist, Mr. G. F. Ind, whose name is a household word here. The doctor, who had a huge practice in Sheffield, intends to .take up the practice of his profession in his native place. He is something of a humourist, judging from the tenor of the.telegram he sent to his friends in Adelaide— 'Kill the prodigal son, the fatted calf has arrived.' Before he left the old country he was entertained at Ecdesall, and 're-ceived a handsome presentation and illuminated testimonial.A A number of gentlemen assembled at the Exchange Hotel on Thursday evening. for the I purpose of forming a Retail Grocers' Association. The suggestion, however, was not taken up with enthusiasm, and it was decided- owing to the lack of interest displayed- on- tbe part of tbe grocers thatjthe movement should not be proceeded with. Some of the gentlemen stated that they were prepared to take an active interest in a Society if it could be formed, but it would be useless to proceed in the matter unless support was forthcoming from their brother-emnlover*.

.The Manager, of the Government Cyanide Works at Petersburg, Mr. S. J. O'Grady, reports having treated during the past month 5} tons from the Mount Grainger Mine for 2 oz. 7 dwt. 12 gr&, battery extraction, and a yield of 1 oz. 1 dwt. by cyanidation, making a total of 3 cz. 8 dwt. 12 gra., .or an average of 13 dwt. 1 gr. per ton. A parcel of 5 tons 2 cwt. from the Medora Mine returned 11 oz. 10 dwt. 11 grs. as the result of battery treatment, or on average of 2 or. 5 dwt. 4 grs. The tailings have not yet been cyanided. The following is the rainfall recorded at the undermentioned stations for the twentyfour hours ending at 9 a.m. on Thursday, March 16:— Port Darwin, 1.57; Brock Creek. 0.30; Bnrrundie, 1.55; Pine 'Creek, \-£i; River Katherine, 0.83; Daly Waters, [1.32; Tennant's Creek, 0.15. Glcnelg and Plympton residents are informed by advertisement that a special train will leave North-terrace at 6.15 on Saturday evening next to accommodate those returning from the cricket match. It is announced in another column that Mr. Frederick E. Winchcombc, of Sydney, is a candidate for the office of Director at the forthcoming ballot in connection with the Australian Mutual Provident Society. To get behindhand with the sewing is a trouble to most mothers, and can be .partially avoided by purchasing the boys' school clothes ready made. Chas. Birks an j Co. have several hundred pairs of Boys' Knickers, made from tailoring remnants, which mothers' will 'find far more economical than f''tt-'i'ff up the material themselves. ^^ N68c Otto B. Hug. tbe celebrated Swiss medical cUirroyant, csn tie consulted at Botanic Hotel, Korthtemce, Adelaide, on Monday and Tuesday, tbe 17th and 18th of April: Brolun Hill, Wednesday, tbe 19tb. tiU Monday Evening, toe 2ttb of April. Swiss Alpine herbal treatment Patients at a distance can be diagnosed by ?ending a lock ot hair cut dose to tbe roots. No other person but patient most touch the hair. Correct diagnosis cuarantted. Fee, 10s. 6d, Otto B. Hug, East Melbourne. K£6c Most men are keen on dealing direct with the bottom market. Chas. Birks & Co. have imported direct from the beat of England's hosiery manufacturers a heavy stock of Gent/ Half-hose, in Merino, Catfiimerc, and Knitted Goods. These have opened up splendidly, and, bearing no middle nrofit, the value is excellent. 2»09c