CLIPPINGS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 2978, 11 January 1881, Page 4

CLIPPINGS.

When the last census was taken it was found that the white population of Now Zealand was about 300,000. Of these about 230,000 were males ; and of these 140,000 were between the ages of 14 and 60.

A number of the ruby shades ab the Oamaru lighthouse have been recently broken. The N.O. Times says it is believed

that the breakage has been caused through birus (King against the glass at night. Mr Shirks, M.H.R. for Matavn-i. i* of opinion that Southhmcl sod-oith. lie is i:: favour 01 the sale of every acre of tfducationai reserve, and believes that a bill with that object in view will be passed next session. Jesuits and Primitive Methodists are the two opposite poles of religions thought, yet some of the expelled French Jesuits are going to Fernando Po, one of the principal foreign mission stations of tho Primitive Methodist Church. From analysis mads of the various American and Australian tinned moats and vegetables, Wigner concludes that these articles of diet are slightly if at all inferior lo raw meat and fresh vegetables. The number of cigars smoked in Germany in 1878 is estimated at 6,504,000,0 10 ; and besides these, Germans smoked during the same period more than 60,000 lons of tobacco, sniffed 8000 tons of snuff, and chewed 700 tons of plug. The Bruce Herald says that the folk who patronise the various games on local show grounds, are not aware that the average day's takings of any one of the "chance " men ai-e seldom under 4540.

The North Otago Times states that in consequence of his winning a 100 yds race against a baker at Kumara, Mr .Richard Seddon, M.H.R., has been christened " Nimble Dick " by his constituents. At Timavu, according to a local organ, there is hardly an institution, from the Hospital to the Education Board,*in which the members do not sit and unblushingly vote money into one another's pockets. Even T.he Cemetery Board is not free from the tar-brush.

Mr Frank Buckland, whose deatli is announced by cable, has played a prominent part in the introduction of salmon and trout to New Zealand waters, and his death will be regretted by all who take an interestin acclimatisation.

The income of the Zoological Gardens, Regent's Park, is £30,000 per annum. The Melbourne Society noting this are desirous of charging a small sum for admission to Royal Park, so as to give a fund for the purchase of specimens. The South Australians are not satisfied with the name of their colony. The Daily Advertiser suggests " Adelaide" as an imjjrovement. The fact that that is the name of the capital of the Colony should be fatal to the proposed change. The first fasting doctor on record is Doctor Duns Scotus, of whom a legend relates that he undertook to translate the Bible without once tasting food, and that he expired while finishing the last verses of the book of Revelations.

Under the heading "sheepfarmers m the last census we find enumerated altogether 5516 persons. Of these 867 are runholders, 342 overseers, and 3848 station bands. Under " industrial" we fiud diggers 12,979; while under "labourers" the figures are 11,000.

The average life of a Sheffield forkgrinder is only 2Q years, but that of the dry grinder of sickies is 38 years. For every 70,451 tons of coal dug up in Prussia the life of a miner is sacrificed ; and in England there is one life lost for every 89,119 tons raised to the surface.

A card sharper was arrested on the Toke Farmers' Club Show grounds lately, for cheating at certain card games. Three days' imprisonment was all the- punishment he received. In D'u-nedib a man on a similar charge received a month in gaol. The Mormon Church at Salt Lake City has just excommunicated six of Brigham Young's daughters. They were plaintiffs in the recent suit against the Church and the executors of Brigham's estate, which put Delegate Cannon and others in gaol for contempt. There are about 11,000 Church of England benefices in England (including Wales) ; of these about 1000 are under the patronage of the crown, about 1000 under that of the bishops, about 1000 of deans and chapters 700 of universities and colleges, and the balance, 7000, of individuals.

The Jewish Herald states that the Committee of the Victorian Branch of the Anglo-Jewish Association have decided to take steps towards convening an Intercolonial Jewish Conference. The boards of management of the various congregations are invited to join in the movement. Mr Jonas Hartly, of Kartigi,, has two acres of strawberry plants in full bearing. The Oamaru Mail states that up to the present time this season he has realised close upon £200. Two shillings per pound was obtained two or three weeks ago in Dunedin for the fruit, while at present 9d is the amount received. Mr Hartly says that an average of 4d would pay him. Writing of an auction sale of horses last week, the Oamaru Mail says : —For all good lots the bidding was animated, and the market for this class of stock has at last risen from its de]:>ressed state. Nobody could have credited the revival unless he had been present at this sale. Good draughts brought from £45 to £69 from £30 to £35 ; and inferior from £15 to £25.

At a recent meeting of the British Balloon Society the president read a letter from a member of tire Society who had made one of his ascents in a thunderstorm, and found I lie atmosphere at an altitude of about 200 iVH:, and for a, height of 100 feet to be of a diill Ui'len hue, but as soon as he had risen above this stratum he found the sky quite unclouded, and witnessed perfectly clearly the storm raging below in all its grandeur. It is worthy of note that one of the ships in the Chilian navy is called " The O'Higgins." She recently entered tho Peruvian port of Chimbote, and landed a large number of troops, under the Command of Senor Don Pat Lynch. The presence of Don Pat appears to have somewhat reassured the defenceless inhabitants of Chimbote, as lie is described as a gentleman of high character well-known in Iquique.