ONE THING AND ANOTHER.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 3, Issue 290, 29 April 1879, Page 3

ONE THING AND ANOTHER.

(Collated from our Exchanges.) An American naturalist, while investigating the causes and effects of the poison of a wasp sting, nobly determined to make himself-a martyr to science, and accordingly handeil his thumb to an impertinent insect he had caged in" a bottle. - The wasp entered into the martyr business with a great deal of spirit, and backed up the thumb with an abruptness which took the scientist by "surprise.' He was so deeply absorbed in the 1 study of remedies that he forgot'to make, -any notes, but his wife wrote a paragraph in his note-book, for the benefit of science, that the primary effect of a'wasp' stirig* is abrupt and terrific—and such words I—Medical Press. We extract the following from tbe Timaru Herald: —"We have heard of a great many comical instances of b Anders, intentional or otherwise, in fillint \the valuation forms for the Land Tax, I ,the oddest of theni l all was reported to Js J a few days since,- as having occurred in this district. The ( owner of a considerable acreage of unfenced tussockland put down the natural value of-ins property at two thousand pounds, but reduced this sum to five hundred- pounds for taxation—thus claiming 'exemption from the tax. altogether—by valuing his > improvements' at fifteen hundred pounds. Tbe vainer could not see any • improvements' except a lean-to, worth, perhaps;fifty pounds; and on enquiry as to how the fifteen- hundred was made up, was rather staggered to hear that the, proprietor classed as 'improvements * two mortgages which he had effected on the land, one for eight hundred and the other for seven hundred pounds. The valuer heartlessly refused to accept these'as improvements, in spite of a liberal offer on the part of the proprietor to 'throw the shanty in'; and the,latter says he doesn't think much of Sir George' Grey if - hewon't let a poor man get a fair start in life." : Says the "Loafer in the Street":— There is probably no place on'the face of the known globe where testimonials are so popular, as in Canterbury. A,short white ago,'if a fellow shifted from Hereford street to Cashel street his acquaintances rallied round with a presentation and appropriate remarks, particular's of which were duly recorded in. the local columns of the daily papers. During the time Ihave been a regular peruser of your valuable journal I reckon I have learned the particulars of 5000 presentations in connection with the virtues and good qualities of those who happened to be the fortunate recipients, but I never came across one to equal the beneath, which appears in the form of an advertisement regularly in your columns: —"To Professor Gusscott, George street, Dunedin." Sir,-—I am happy to present you with a worm twenty-five yards long. When I came to you you told me you could cure me in two days. I was rather doubtful, but hearing you were rather hasty, I dare not tell you that I doubted your ability to cure me, as I was told that if I did so you would probably refuse to treat me. But I am happy to say that I overcame my scruples, and having placed myself unreservedly under your care, you have completely cured me, as the slight donation in the* shape of the Tapeworm,, which accompanies this amply proves. I am yoursjrespectfully, Alexander McPherson. North-east Valley,' 1879." One is puzzled which "admire most, the unmistakable gratitude, of:.tbe Macpherson, or the manner in which, he expresses it. Professor Gusscbtt' certainly possesses twenty-five yards of the most orifrihaT presentation 'in the' world. ' The oldproverb relative.Jo this; difficulty of one man serving,two masters, says the New Zealnnder, was practically exemplified yesterday in the Supreme Court, and it certainly should be a question whether that judicial body should be'so completely " Supreme" when private interests must so materially suffer from upholding, that supremacy_ It was; shown; at the sitting that one individual who had been called asajuroij had.ahjo;been subpoenaed as a witness time and "day, at the Resident Magistrate's Court.' -Though liable to fine for not'obeying the subpoena, the unhappy individual was liable to worse consequence as a defaulting juror, and on appeal to the judge he was told that he tad to obey the higher Court and settle matters as best he could with the inferior authorities. That was pretty bad anyway one' would imagine, but: the '-climax was by no means reached, for Mr .Valentine informed the Bench that he was sued for, £100 in the Resident Magistrate's Court on that day, and his absence would pro bably jeopardize or lose his case. Now to fulfil one's duty to one's coontry is all right, whether the fulfilment takes the direction of jury or other service, but' when the chance of being undeservedly cast in £100 and costs, comes on the carpet the matter assumes altogether another complexion. Still if Judge Richmond's ruling is correct, such Ib the unhappy condition of any suitor or defendant who may be called as juror or witness at any sitting of the Supreme Court in .which they may be in any way concerned. It i 3 to bo hoped' that Mr Valentine was not a victim on this occasion. Though the ruling of his Honor, that the lower should be subordinate to the superior Court may be all very well, still it was never intended that the public should be victimised in order to satisfy the majesty of tbe higbest Courts. :_. A luckless swain near Ashburton, wntihg to a friend, says he " regrets to say that all the single girls in this part of the colony are married." A better state of affairs appears to prevail in Germany, judging from a letter which was lately addressed to the Kaiser by a servant girl. " Majesty," she writes,'.' do send a couple of lineß to my Bobert. Tell him he must marry me, and that if he marries me he shall have work at the railway station as long as he lives, but that if he does not marry rue he shallnot.be allowed any work. But do, I pray, send your most high commands to him at latest by Saturday, so that he may come again to vißit "me next Sunday." She goes on to say that if the Kaiser does not write to her Robert," she does not believe that any "power on earth can move him, and that she will be obliged to throw herself into the Oder.