MISCELLANEOUS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 507, 5 January 1872, Page 5 (Supplement)

MISCELLANEOUS.

The Stamp Duties Amendment Act, passed (hiring the late session will affect In-' surance Companies in this wise. Under clause 15 it is enacted that: —" Every company now incorporated in New Zealand, or that may hereafter bejincorporated, whether under any Act for the registration of joint - stock companies, or incorporated by Act of the General Assembly, and every / company carrying on business in the Colouy, . whether incorporated in Ttew- " Zealand or not, except as hereinafter provided, shall, on or before the Ist day of January next, and thereafter in every year at the expiration of twelve calender months from the date of obtaining" the same, procure from the Commissioners a license in the form or to the effect"in the Schedule B. hereto attached. And the Commissioners are hereby authorised to issue jsuch license on the payment to them of the dutyprovidedforin the Schedule A. to this Act, and upon production to them of Act of Incorporation, or other instrument incorporating or extending the incorporation of any such company : Provided that in a case of a company not incorporated in New Zealand, the Commissioner may require from such company, or any director, manager, secretary, or other officer thereof, such evidence of the due incorporation of such company as may be satisfactory to the Commissioners : Provided' further, that no company incorporated by Act of the General Assembly shall be required to produce their Act of incorporation." Under Schedule A. of the Act it is provided that an annual license is to be taken out by all joint-stock companies and inco -porated companies exclusive of mining and flax companies carrying on business in New Zealand, whether incorporated in the Colony or otherwise. One shilling per cent, on nominal capital: but not to exceed a maximum of 200/. in respect of any one certificate of incorporation. ■n^tf***' During the examination of a witness at an inquest recently held at the Thames, one of the Government officials made himself conspicuous by his cross-questions. He, however, met his match in a witness. The following is reported by the Thames Advertiser as having taken place on the occasion referred to. —Question: "DoFyor. believe, to the best of your knowledge, on . your oath, that your wife was sober when she went to bed last night ? " Witness : "Can L decline to answer that question, your Worship?" Coroner: "You cannot decline." Witness: "To the best of my belief and knowledge, on my oath, she was sober. She might have had a glass or two. She was as sober as most Government officials are when they perform their duty." Mr. Eullen. called the attention of the Court to the remark. The Court, we presume, looked grave and shook his head, and Mr. Eullen foolish, we suppose, after this unexpected reply. - " ~ The Bishop of Wichestcr, on the occasion of laying thefoundation-stoneofa' ewsehool \ at Shanklin, in the Isle of Wight, dwelt on \ the necessity of conjoining religious with secular instruction in tho education of chiidren. He held that if a man,having the opportunity, would not allowed his children to be educated as good Churchmen, such a man made a very great mistake. Nevertheless, everyone ought to be allowd to enjoy his own opinion, and, if any good, wholesome Baptist were present, the Bishop would let him have his own way, though ho did not consider him a wise man. For himself he would never take part in educating children without religion. If they wanted to have tho good old types of English character blown up into a set of wind-bags, they could not do better than give children what was called education without mo'.alsandwithout religion. The d'stribntion of the New Zealand War Medal to brave and loyal defenders of Her Majesty's rule, doc-f, not seem to give unmingled satisfaction. The Wanganui Herald is exceedingly irate at the manner of award. It says : —-"We find that the recipients are in the company of rank Hauhaus, cannibals, ami the worst scoundrels in the whole island. Here is an instance. Wepiha was present at the murder of the Rev. Mr. Volkuer, and wasjlie man appointed to sell by auction the effects of the murdered man, a duty which he performed with horrid levity. N ""atrHliJit' 10 gvins and howls of his infuriated caimibrdToWrQ"'*- This same Wepiha has claimed, ami and gazetted for the New ZcaTpTijfc^ ! S" Here is honorable company to reward of bravery, loyalty, and fidelity ti-» the Colony shall dangle at the breast of one of the most degraded of the savagehave been revelling in the Wood of the colenisLS. After this there could not be any consistent objection made to Te Kooti having the medal."

“Every State, every city, every village in America,” says Macrae, “boasts of something. Massachusets boasts of her brains, Pennsylvania of her oil veils, Virginia of her illustrious men, Alabama of her cotton, Louisania of her sugar, California of her big trees, Missouri of her iron mountains, Illinois of her boundless farms, Kentucky of her horses, Canada of her incomparable wheat. Towns stand next. Philadelphia has the longest and straightest streets and the largest orphanage- in the country, New Orleans has the smoothest drive and the biggest river trade, M+kvaukee lias the best bricks..New Vork lias the finest park and the largest population, Boston has the best schools and the biggest organ, and Chicago lias the biggest saints, the biggest sinners, and the biggest pig-killing establishments in America. According to the Aivhitui. Chicago will have another hig thing to boast of in the Pacific Hotel, now being built, and expected to bo open next spring, it covers nearly an acre and a half, and is all built of Ohio sandstone, - From east Jo vest it stretches three hundred and twentyfive foot, from north to south one hundred and eighty-six feet, and it is one ’hundred and four feet high. It will cost about eight hundred thousand dollars.