Horsham Times (Vic. : 1882 - 1954), Friday 21 December 1900, page 2


The Horsham Times. ¶ PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY. 28th Year. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1900. Once again the Christmas season is with us, and.everywhere there are now active preparations for the customary celebration of the festival time. . In Australia the. circumstances of the celebration are unique, including as they do the inauguration of the new nation that is to be expressed by the Commonwealth. The GovernorGeneral of Federated Australis has arrived,and has even now made the initial arrangements for the government of the Commonwealth. Thus what has been the dream and the ideal of all true colonials for a quarter of a century past has been practically realised. Than its realisation there could scarcely be a more splendid Christmas box to Australia, to the British Empire and, without exaggeration, it may be said, to civilisation; anti it is not surprising that there should, under the circumstances, be, a tendency for

the Commonwealth inauguration ceremonial and rejoicing to dwarf even the celebration that properly belongs to Christmas itself. The dominating note of Christmastide is that of peace and good will, a note that is, unhappily, almost.always sounded in an unsympathetic atmpsphere and is met in opposition by adverse conditions. Last Christmas saw Great Britain fairly launched, ,with the fortunes of battle turning strongly in her favor, in what it was even then becoming evident was to be the great war with the South African Republics. This Christmas does not, unhappily, find us with the war 'ended, or even with its.end well in sight. Within the year great things have been done -things that, if that were possible, have cast a greater lustre than before utpon British prowess, and exalted still further the valor and heroism that we are proud to know are associated everywhere with the British name. The year has been rich in heroes and heroism, the revelation of which will go not a little way to compensate for all this war has cost us in life and treasure. As long as the world lasts the records of Mafeking, Kimberley, and Ladysmith will be glorious, and the names of .their brave defenders and deliverers will stand e? eloquently representative of pluck, endurance and the capacity for magnificent self-sacrifice. Long, aye forall time, shall the tale be told, of how the besieged cities and the brave Englishmen who defended them stood out to the last against those onemies of Britain who.were arrogantly determined to humble her. Thanks to these men and to others like them the humiliation has been on the other-side, Great Britain standing to-day mora proudly, and holding her head higher thun she has done for centuries before. ;And her colonies have no reason to be ashanied of the part they have taken, in-the upholding and advancement of the national honor Nothing, of all the outcome-of the war, is more important or more beneficent 'than this, that it lias taught thlm world that Great Britain and Greater Britain are one, 'bound together. for common defence against a common foe; by a'tie so.strong' as to be unbreakable, and that those who: would liumble the grand old .mother,: herself stronger with her growing years, must also reckon with those strenuous sons and daughters to be found in all. the ends. of the earth, building, in the far south, away in the west and also in that east where the Star of Empire perennially glitters,; communities that' bid fair as the .centuries roll. on to rival the natioins of the Old World. And we venture to say that all this m tkes 'for civilisation and that it makes, too; and that alihdst immediately, for the establishment of that reign of Peace; the consummation of which was the ideal of the Divine. Child born nineteen hundred years ago in Bethlehem. The evidenced determination of her colon-ies to stand by Great Britain against every enemy is an excellent guarantee of peace;,because it will keep those who, jealous of the growing greatness of our face, would insult and injure us, in continnal dread of biting off more than they can chew. Whilst war still wages in South Africa there are not wanting.evidences that even to those not inclined to take too optimistic.ia view of things seem to be confirmation strong of the hope of an early establishment of a peace that shall be all but universal. One of these is the ?refusal of the G(reat Powers; one and all, from impulsive France to phlegmatic Germany, to g?eB" encouragement- to the- beaten .Republican who is perambulating Etirope,~begging to be saved from the consequences of his folly and injustice. This ' refiisnl f'}l it aseems, as ;it min~ t seem; to 5Mr.'' Kruger and his friends - to l~icruel, is in reality at gret kindness nto his' misguided biifgh rs aind" to the world. Already enough, and more than enough; iprecious [blood: has been spent in South Africa ;and those who would, either out of symipathy with the Boers or hatred of Enigland, do gnythiig to unnecessarily prolong, by asinglh day, this cruel struggle that, whether now or 12" months or two years hence, can have but one result, are wicked in the furtherest degree. It is horrible to think what the active interference on his behalf of 'any of the great nations to whom n i.; Kruger lias appealed 'would have meant. Almost' certainly-for : England must have resented aýny attempt to ba"ilk her of .the:fruits-of her hardly-earnt victory and would not have been found friendless when the matter .was forced" to an issue-the. ~bnsequence woild have been a war in which- every considerable nation in the Old World and the New would- have been invol;ed-a war in which countless millions of lives would have been lost, and on which countless millions of money would have been squandered.The fibe sense of justice and propriety and thegood feelingand humanity.of Europe have prevented this; and in preventing it they have,it may be believed,laid firm the .foundations of a lasting peace between GreatBritain-who wishes for nothing-so little as for war-and the nations. Of this peace the present fighting in China, paradoxical though the assertion may seem, is another inlication if'not a guarantee. In China all the great powers of the world, ancient ally and ancient foe, Lstin and Tenton, Protestant and Ettholic, are fighting side by side, in loyal cooperation and in generous emulation, for civilisatiou and religion, and in righteous andl necessary revenge of atrocities, thie comiiittal of which has pladed those, responsible, directly or indirectly, for tliem, outside the pale of considtration and in practical outlawry. The fight-, too, is for those opportunities of freetrade with the Far EBst which are essential to the full ldevelopment of the would's commerce, and the common interest in which is uniting in aspiration and endeavor those who elsewhere are commesrcial rivals. The cynics were prodigal in their predictions that the Powers would once they got to China and had effected the relief of the besieged embassies fall to fighting amongst themselves. But happily the prediction hais not been fulfilled, nor seems likely to be. There have been, of necessity, small differences of opinion, and here and - there a little friction; but on the whole the allied troops have worked in magnificent amity, Japs and Russians, Germans, French and English, vieing with one another in heroism and endurance and devotion to duty. The subject has been pursued perhaps too far already, but before leaving it we -must say that thequestion forces itself.-Why if this amity and friendly cooperation .1 against a common -foe is possible in

China is it impossible throughout the world, in' which every nation is brought to the necessity of battle. with forces that are the enemies of all religion, of all civilisation, of all that makes for the well-being of the peoples. Is it too much to hope that at last, and not far off, the nations may realise that what is common to the interests of all so far out-balances the sum of what makes them rivals that they will spend their energies, their money, and the lives and talents of their heroes in the promotion of what is for the common good, arriving at last, as the resuit of the social regeneration that would be so brought about, at the time at which there shall be no need of arsenal or fort, when the common sense and good feeling of most shall rule everywhere, controlling passion, overcoming prejudice, and enforcing' as between both individuals and nations the royal law of charity. Let this at least be the hope of Christmas. He who could guarantee its realisation would give to the world its best Christmas-box --just the Christmas present that the Prince of Peace has offered it year by year, but which in its ignorance of its great worth it spurns. On the first page of this issue will be found C.Y.MLS., Lake Bolac Clearing Sale and Hamilton Stock Market. On the fourth page will be found the Horsham Borough Water Trust and Gazette Extracts. As previously announced, there will be no publication of "The Horsham Times" on' Tuesday next, (Christmas Day). . The weather appears to be warming- up for Christmas. Yesterday the thermometer at Horsham attained a maximum shade registration of 97 degrees. There was early in the evening a most welcome cool change. At the special meeting of the Horsham Borough Council on Tuesday the Mayor gave notice of his intention to move at the next meeting that permission be given to Mr. James Millar to erect, at the intersection of Firebrace and Wilson Streets, the handsome fountain he is generously presenting to the town. The Mayor said, so that to provide against the liability to accident, a lamp would have to be kept always at night burning on the fountain. We have received from Mr. Denis Ryan a bag of vegetables grown on some of the land included in the Blue Blocks, similar to that now being made available for selection ' These include turnips, parsnips, onions, and carrocs.The turnips, onions, and parsnips are exceptionally large, the turnips being phenomenally large. - The vegetables, which may'be seen at this office, have all been'grown without'sirater or manure, and'they certainly are evidence that the Blue Blocks include ssine richly productive land.At At the Horsham Police Court yesterday William Ford, a laborer, was charged, before the Mayor and Mr. 'A. 'Hocking; J:.P, with the larceny of part of 'a'gold watch chain, valued at £4, the' property of F. H. A. Scheele, of the Coinmercial Hotel,.Horsham. The complainant had on Wednesday. left his watch land chain,in the pocket of his waistcoat, in the bar at tire hotel. He examined-the watch and chain about 11 o'clock at night,' when he found half the chain to be missing. Charles Burbardt, barman at the hotel, about. 10 o'clock on Wednesday night was going from the bar patlor into the bar when he saw the accused, standing near where Mer. Spheele's waistcoat was with the watch and chain in his hand, Questioned by Barhardt, themain said he was only looking at the time. He took the watch and chain from him,.but could not say whether the 'chain was then broken. When arrested by Police-Constable Lavitt the man was lying in a bunk in's room at aiotlier hotel, at which he the same day. had obtained employment. When awakoena he -denied all knowledge of the missing piece of chain.' A search of the room did hot disclose the missing property. The man said he had simply taken . the watch to have a look at the time, and had not interfered with. the chain. ;It.is alleged' that the same night Ford swindled a man named Johnson of 10i by asking for change of half a sovereign and having got it going away without handing over the gold. .hb hearing was adjourned to Saturday to permit of further search being made for the missing chain. : The Rev. Thos. Gray, minister of the Hersham Presbyterian Church, who has been on' an extended visit to Scotland, has'retrned to Australia by the mail boat Orton a 'He' will arrive in Horsham on Friday next and will be entertained at a Welcome Htome social on the same evening. The Rev. J. Stuart'Ross, who haisacted as Mr. Gray's locum 'tenens, will preach id1Horsham for the last time on Sunday, aid Mr. Gray will preach on the last Sunday in the month. ' For the 10 allotments of land made available by the throwing open .of the pastoral allotment popularly known as Blue Block' K, countyof Lowan, 45 applications'have already. heen putin.. Applidations will he received up to the 28th inst, and shortly afterwards the date and place of the board to allocate the land will be advertised. For the Blue Blocks made available in the county of Follet 120 applications have been received. These will be dealt with by a land board to sit shortly at Casterton ".Mr. .Mr. T. .Q. Kenipson .yesterday afterhioon ompleted hs audit of the books and accounts of the Horsham Borough. The result, as was to be expectd. is highly satisfactory. MIr. Patrick Daly, farmer, of Gunobower, some time since had his hand badly crushed through a horse knocking 'him down and trampling on him. It has since been found necessary to amputate, at the third joint,: the middle finger at the right hand. This was done, .at Natimuk, by Dr. Bird, on Tuesday, Dr. M'Millan, of Horsham, giving chloroform. There is one case of typhoid, a.young woman from the town, now in the Horsham Hospital In reference to the request of the Wimmera Shire Council that a State school should be established at Ledcourt (Dadewell's Bridge) a communication has been received from the Education Department, stating that if the residents of the locality are willing to provide a suitable building at or near the site chosen by the district inspector of schools, and lelss et to the department, the necessary.steps toward opening the school will be taken. The department's decision will be communicated to the residents at Ledcourt. Thos. Young, J.P., who has been ill with the prevailing influenza, and who was confined to his room, though still weak, is now able to get aboutagain. Our Melbourne correspondent last night wired that a thouoand tons of coal had been sold at £3 a ton. The Scripture Lessons Referendum Bill passed all stages in the Assembly, on Wednesday evenmg, with an addition by Mr. Reay providing that the electors should be asked if they favored the maintenance of the free, secular, and compulsory system of education. A large pane of glass iI the window of Messrs. Bleakly and Ward's butcher's shop was broken in a most extraordinary manneron Tuesday afternoon. It appears that a gentleman had fastened his horseto a post in the front of Mr. Tauner's saddlery establishment, and thi animal got on to the.footpath, when, holding the thnog df the whip, he gave the horse a smart hit. As he did so the knob of the handl6 flew off with terrific force, and, travelling across the street, crashed through the window. Mr. Greenwell, who narrowly escaped being hurt, was for a time at a loss to account for the' mysterious mishap, and, noticing a boy on the road, thought that he had thrown a stone, when the lad offered the explanation that the top of a whig which was subsequeotly found, had caused the damage. A very large number of books will be issued by the Mechanics' committee to-morrow in anticipation of the first three days of next : week being gazetted holidays, on which the bookroom only ii strictly closed. Some 30 books are from the withdrawn stock of Melvilleand Mullen's library,all being good examples of modern fiction. In additiona number of the very be.st books of the library have been strongly and tastefully rebound land-will be available for distribution. A Saturday is always chosen to table new boeks, in order to oblige country subscribers.

Mr. John M'Donald, for some time past employed by Broadbent Bros. and Co., at Horsham, is proceeding to West Australia. He acted aslibrarian of the Presbyterian Sabbath School, and on Sundaythe scholars presented him,: through the superintendent, Mr. C. Rennison, with a handsomely bound teaher's Bible. The "Land Tax Register" has come to hand and may be inspected at this office. We have received the "Review of Reviews" for December. The front page is prettily emblematic of the Federation to be inaugurated on the 1set January. each colony being represented by an appropriate device and a flag. In the centre is a well-engraved likeness of Lord Flonetoun, and below is the motto Qois Separabit. The number itself is a strong one, The history of the month, in the Old World and in Australia,is readily told,and there is a special article, generously illustrated, describing the preparations being made in Sydney for the celebration of the inauguration of the Comnmonwealth. Mr. G. RIyan is the Horsham agent. A monster picnic, to mark the hoisting of the Federal Flag, will be held at Morea State School, Fireshovel, on New Years' Day. An attractive programme of sports has been arranged, and a highly enjoyable days' outing is promised. Master Edward Shann, who will be well remembered as the talented sob of Mr. Frank Shanno for a year or so a very popular resident of Horshamn, is now on a visit to the town. He is still a student at Wesley College, but expects to proceed to the University next year. Master Shann, who is still very young, has already had a brilliant academical careerIn 1897, up to which time he had been educated in State schoola, he won, at the Horthasm State school, a scholarship upon which he proceeded to the \Vesley College. There at the dnd of 189 he won the Draper Scholarship. of the value of £2-I, and matriculated in 8 sub. jects. In 1890 he took a State school scholarship of the value of £200, and again matriculated, with honors in English and history. This year he won the first prize, of the value of £5, at the annual examination of the Shakespeare Society, the Walter Powell collegiate scholarship, the "Argus" college prize, value £5, as the dux of the school, and the Jamieson Icollege) Scholarship, of the value of £25, tenable at Queen's College. It is not taking any very great risk to predict a brilliant future for this young student. , • It is announcod.that the Horsham Savings Bank will be. closed on Saturday evenings, 22nd and 29th December, but will be opened until two o'clock in the afternoon on those dates; viz., for deposits and payments from .10 till 12; and for deposits only from 12 till 2, and not 3 o'clock as previously advertised. The Savings Banks will also be closed on the ordinary bank holidays,Monday24th, Tuesday 25th,' Wednesday 26th and Monday 31st December, and Tuesday, 1st January. -Early on Monday morning a fire occurred at the residence of Mr. P. Plozza, by which several garments were destroyed. The matter was reported to the agent for the New Zealand Fire Insurance Company, .Mr. J. C. L. Bowden, with the result that by return post the company forwarded a cheque for £2 2s to cover the loss. The best crop of wheat seen in the Toosu district for 27 years is growing on the farm of Mr. Henry. M'lure, who has got 90 acres under crop. The Amending Land Bill was-read a third time in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday. Mr. Best having carried an amendment, ultimately supported by the Government, pro. viding for the compulsory resumption of" estates required for Closer Settlement. The Minister of Water Supply, Mr. Burton, has asked the Railways Standing Committee to treat the Lake Lonsdale Water Storage as an urgent .work. He hopes to. receivp the committees' report by the end of the year and will take immediate action upon it. The Assembly sat until half past four on Wednesday morning, when it passed the Public Service Reclassification Bill through all its stages. There have been disastrous bushfires in various parts of New South Wales and Victoria. In the former colony many settlers have been burnt out. ;About Albury 30,000 acres of grass and 5000 scres.of wheat have been burnt. At Corowa 20,030 bhsgof wheat were burnt. At Wangaratta business was entirely suspended whilst the fire was being fought. Visitors to Melbourne during tiis holidays should not fail to witness Mr. J. C. Williamson's grand Chgistmas attraction, the s'moar vellous Anglo-American Bio-Tableaux, which is to be presented at the Atheneum Hall for a short season. The entertaiiment is under the.direction of Mr. Williamsosdnwhich in itself is a guarantde that it will be out of the ordinary, and in keeping with. the reputation which this gentleman has of allowing his name to be associated only with attractions of the highest excellence. A correspondent writes :--As the .Christmas festival has now almost come, Mr. Geo. Ryan, wishing to show a Christmas tree in his large establishment for his young clients, proceeded totho pine grove noarthe pound, to obtain a pine tree top for the purpose, in a spring cart, accompanied by three young lads. "Mr. Ryan commenced operations an a suitable tree with an axe, bat onathe first stroke the head of the axe flewv off, felling the tree and at the same time frightenieg the hores ttatohed to the eart. The horse'bolted and, strikinga stismp with the wheel of thecart, completely overturned it, andonlyforeMr..Ryan's well-known runnoig pioweros the :whole turnout would soon have been dashed to pieces, and loss of life might easily have taken place. The Stirlinigdivorce case has resulted -in a win forthe petitioner, Dr. Stirling. Justide WVilliams held the charges of adultery prefer?ed against iMrs. Stirling to have besen proved, and. the counter charges against the doctor were withdrawn. The Western Wimenera Irrigation and Water Supply Trust intimate by advertisement that water is now beiug supplied in the DeoenKalkee chaunals, and as the water will only be sentonce along each channelthis season those requiring water should make immediate appliDr. E. Tobin, of the well-known Yale Opticallnstitute, Melburne, will visit Horsham to-morrow (Saturday) and may be consuited at Mr. Ic. M'5Mulhlu's pharmacy, WVilson-street. The "" G4ulbnrn Herald" says :-Frous our personal knowledge of Dr. Tobin's ability as a opticiao, lie may be safely recommended to persons affected with indifferent sight.On On Sunday evening MJr. A. WV. Conner will preach in the Christian Chapel, Horsham, taking as his subject " BJmrn a Sisviour." Mr. Charles Lea, boot and shoe delar, intimlates that he has a laige seck to choose from. Messrs. P. Learmonth & Co. announce that the drapery auction said held in the Mechanics' Institute will be continued for one more day, to-mrrow (Saturday), comenanciu at 11 o'clock. - " Mr. Oswald Drnry, of the Horsham Photographic Studio, nnlorouces that he is taking special photographs suitable for Christmas present. The drawing for Messrs. Bloakley & Ward's Christmls presents took place yesterday afternoon, uunder tile supervision of Mr. HI. C. Crouch, witll the followeing result :--ltt prize, pig, No. 43, MIre. W. Rushebrook u 2od. ham, No. 83, Mrs. O. Roberts; 3rd, lamb, No. 57, Mr. J. Riley ; 4th, 121bo. roast beef, No. 115. M1r. \V. Ribbons; 5th, 5lbs. bacon, No. 106, Mrs. Gee. Brown; 6th, leg mutton, N. 140, MIr. Alles; 7th, roast beef, No. 158, Mrs. Tuckfield; 8th, forequarter lamb, No 42 (unknown); Oth, 51b, pork sausages, N~o. 9, Mrs. J. Ore; 10th, 4lbs.tripe, No. GL, Mr. R. Ayrton. Mr. J. McAuley announces that lie has a largea stock of furulture in his warehouse, and invites inspection. Aceounts are awaitino payinsnt at the Horslisa l Sub-Treasur for t. M[ciL Stewart, J. G. Macgnlllas, J. }.liutt, J. M1Lfachlai, \V. Couche, Arapilos Shire Council, Natimuk Rifle Club, W. T. J. Newell. In connection with the MIildura divorce case, Frederick B.,rnholm, a principal witness for the IpetitLioer, has been coamiuitted fuir trial for perjury. Tnree of the fen.dle witness fainted. The patitioner is hilmself similarly charged. Tenders are invited for repairs and painting * the Cannuin South State School, and ftrramoval of State School at Ballarvok and reerection at Watclupga. The Dumnnunkle Shire Council, at a special mneeting on Tuesday, unanimously appointed Mr. Artlhur William Maude engineer to the shire. Parcels are at the Horsham Railway Station for J. Eagles, F. Hohles, Mrs. Roberts, M. D. Williams, F. List, A. Collins, C. R Iuon-a ton, J. Bushby, G. Sawyer.