FROM OUR EXCHANGES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1375, 20 October 1886, Page 2

FROM OUR EXCHANGES

NEW Zhi ALAND EXPORTS;

In an art ole opon “ Mr Stead’s statistics” the “New Zealand Insurance and Finance Journal” points out that “in five years, the export of haem and hama has been multiplied by 65, that of batter by 12, of cheese by 17, of potted and preserved meats by 40 That is to say, for £L in value of bacon and hama oared and sent out of the colony in 1880, £65 worth was sent out in 1885 ; and so with the other products named. The coal trade has grown tenfold, potatoes nearly trebled, hides have more than doubled ; the export of grass seed is five times what It waa in 1880.” A MARITAL BOWL-OUT. The following good story comes from Wellington :—A young wife went to a hop, while her husband sat at home with his head against the wall and held the baby. After some hours however, being nnable to soothe It he went the ball and asked fond partner to return, whereupon she told him to go to—Greece and leave her to her enjoyment. Half-an-hour afterwards, the father solemnly wheeled a perambulator across the hall, and ran his equalling brat right into the qaadrille where bis wife was disporting herself. Then he yelled ont, “ Mary, here’s the baby; he’s hungry," and walked away. The lady has not been to a dance since.

BULLY FOR BULLBR. Poffthe paragraphic of the Press (Wellington writes. —“Isee Bailer’s pat is name down for £SOOO towards the Permanent Colonial Museum in London ! He headed the list 1 Bravo Buller I He’ll get that K.O.M G. or bust 1 Don’t you think it’s just a leetle too conspicuous? Well, perhaps It is, but the Prince of Wales is hot on the thing, and money goes a long way in these matters 1 He mast be a rum chap if he’s prepared to give £SOOO for a handle to his name, and such a brummagem one too I Human nature dear boy 1 It takes different shapes in different people 1 Oh yes, it’s a free country 1 If there was no difference of opinion, there’d oe no fancy waisti o*ta 1 SERVED HIM RIGHT. Anl-ish contemporary tells a little story of conjugal infelicity at Waterford, to which place a prominent yonng gentleman named Arthur Higgins recently brought a bride from a neighboring town. She was a frail little creature, pretty and attractive, and yesterday two of the natives detected Higgins in the act of brutally beating his bride. They reported the esse to the Eagle Hose Company—a volunteer fire brigade, of which Higgins was a member About sis o'clock last night a false alarm of fire starred the place, and young Higgins h* I ued to the scene. Be was qn only ae z sd, a crockery orate placed over him, and a strong stream of water was then tamed on him, while a crowd of 603 men and women witnessed the punishment. The firemen subseqnently publicly expelled Higgins from the department, and still later he was expelled in disgrace from the United Workmen and the town dobs. Prominent ladies have, moreover, raised a subscription to send Mrs Higgins back to the home of her parents and there is great indignation displayed throughout the town against the brutal husband.

TOTALISATOR DIVIDENDS. Some amusing stories are told in con nrotion with the big totalfrator dividends at riapier. One of the tickets on Liberty was (the Post says) takei by a man who was more thin half drunk, and who got the ticket in mistake for another. Those who had laughed at his folly In backing a duffjr were quick to congratulate him on his sacces", and when he went to get his money he « as surrounded by a crowd of hnngry-looking loafers, all of whom were loud In their offers to take care of him. The quick eye of Detective Grscs, who was on the field, spotted among the numerous “ friends ” two or three of the Sydney gang of sharpers, and he heard two of them concocting a scheme of diverting the cash from the pockets of the winner to their own. Much to the disgust of these gentry, the detective made his way up to the machine, and as soon as the man had received the £l6B ai rested him on a charge of drankannesa and at once took him to the lock-up. In the morning he thanked the police very sincerely for their timely interference. Two other tickets were taken by the “ boots|” of the Masonic Hotel who was not present, but who gave the money to a friend to put on for him. When the “ haul ” he bad made was brought to him, he generously gave bis friend £3O of the money. The purchasemoney of one of the tickets on Forester, which realised £75, was subscribed by four man, cue of whom was commis stoned to get the money. He carried out this part of the business faithfully, but, instead of rejoining his friends and dividing, took the first train up country. It was another case of misplaced confi deuce. THE OUTRAGE OP THE SUNSHADE.

It is a pity that those women whose illbalsnced minds and a restless desire to Keep themselves be'ore the public- takes the form of meddling with political questions of which they do not comprehend the simple t rudiments, would not devote some attention to advocate a reform and a decency in the use of the sunshade. The public baa all the winter endured in every ooncert-hall and theatre the outrage of the high hat, and now the outrage of the sunshade is upon us In full force. To see the perfectly cool and indifferent mien with which a seemingly respectable and by no means apparently immodest young woman will take her tranquil way along the street, dealing destruction and misery with her parasol, is enough to tarn the head of any man nrematurely grey. One hat she knocks off with a dexterous backward flirt of the umbrella just as its wearer bad supposed himself safely out of reach ; into the smoothly brushed plaits of soma other girl she skilfully thrusts a point, ruffling »nd spoiling the arrangement ; with want n caprice she jabs the instrument of torture into the neck of one, the cheek of a second, and the eye of a third; with the subtlest of skill she keeps the gay silk exactly before the face of the man who Is hurrying to catch a train, or whirls it swiftly away from the debtor, who relied upon its shelter to aid him in passing nnmclesled his irate creditor. And all this and much more, the damsel does with a serenity, a spontaneity, and an unconcern which are the height of act. It may be offered In retort that the young man with a cane is sufficiently obnoxious when he gives his mind to it, especially If he has little mind tj give. But while this and a' host of other masculine failings are admitted, the consideration does not, upon the whole seem entirely germane. It does not wholly remove the smart of a scratch on the cheek to reflect that the brother of the young lady inflicting It may be carelessly punched on the riba by the awkwardly held walking-stick of some dude or other; and, moreover, two wrongs do not make a right; besides which, It is to the gentler sex that we look for example, at least of politeness. If they fail us, even the ballot.ln the hands of all the women in the land can hardly be expected to bring satisfaction. —Boston Courier,