Doctors targeted by students
A SEISMIC disturbance of peculiar force and intensity struck the city early on Saturday morning, and, strangely enough, its effects appear to have been confined to the districts affected by the medical fraternity. As a rule a doctor and his plate are not easily parted; it is his sign manual; to ‘‘put up his plate” is a visible indication that he has commenced to practice upon his fellow creatures. The meteorological phenomenon already referred to dislodged the brass plates from the gates of the residences of a number of leading city
medicos, although in every case they were well screwed, and carried them to distant quarters of the city, where they were subsequently discovered. Most remarkable of all, the plate of one leading surgeon was found attached to the Morgue. Amongst other vagaries, the plate of a wellknown ladies’ college was exchanged for that of a public institution in Forth Street, whilst so violently did the tempest rage that the gates of Knox College were removed from their hinges. Students of weather inclined to the belief that the disturbance had its origin in the conditions prevailing in and around the Art Gallery on Friday night, where the annual dinner of the medical faculty was in progress, and where the moon at least was at the full. Later in the day the doctors had a busy time picking up their plates and screwing them on again.
wellknown and highly respected resident. Mr Edmondston was born at Unst, Shetland Islands, on January 7, 1837 and he came out to Melbourne in 1860 by the sailing ship William Kirk. In keeping with the common employment of the Shetland people, the Edmondstons had for many generations followed the calling of the sea, and when the late Mr Edmondston was still of tender years, news was received that his father’s ship, with all hands, had been lost. In 1861 he was attracted to New Zealand by the gold rush and he worked on the Dunstan, West Coast and Marlborough diggings. He next travelled between Central Otago and Oamaru, dealing in farm produce, and finally settled in Moeraki and was among the pioneers who started the fishing industry of that port. Mr Edmondston married the eldest daughter of the late John Moncrief, of Oamaru, and the family consisted of nine children, comprising five sons, one of whom made the supreme
sacrifice at Passchendaele Ridge, and four daughters, two of whom predeceased their father. At the age of 60 Mr Edmondston had the misfortune to lose a leg in a train accident, and ever since then he has been practically an invalid and suffered much pain, which he bore with great fortitude and patience.