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Dunstan Times, Issue 1224, 14 August 1885, Page 2

The entertainment to be given on Friday evening, the 21st inst., at Ophir, by the united Lodges of Good Templars in tho district in aid ot the funds of the Duns’.an District Hospital, by all accounts is to bo ot tho first-class order. Tho Committee ot Management have been most indefatigable in their efforts, and so far have succeeded in obtaining tho promise ot assistance from the leading vocalists and rausioans throughout the district. These assured, it, is but to be hoped the audience will muster in such force os to make the affair a success financially.

Robin Hood Company has again forwarded qb the names and addresses of principal winners in the Qrand National and Waterloo Cup programmes. They also tell us that their Hawkesbury consultation is moving ahead fast, and will fill quickly, and enable them to open their big programme on Melbourne Cup. The editor of a Boston newspaper recently asked the subscribers to name the ten most important inventions of all time. More- , - than 800 answers were received, and the * ten inventions receiving the moat votes were:—The telegraph,printing-press, steamengine, gun-cotton, telephone, mariner’s compass, gunpowder, sewing machines, telescope, and potography. Twenty one votes were in favor of the steamboat, six for paper, two for timepieces, and only one for the ocean cable.

A comical misunderstanding gave rise to great merriment at a late meeting of the Education Board (says the 4 Hawke’s Bay Herald ’). Mr Ormond was reading out the result of the examination of pupil-teachers, when the following happenedMr Ormond: 44 Mary Parker, 20; she’s a woman.” Mr Hill: 44 No; a girl.” Mr Ormand: “Margaret Nicholson, 29; well, she’s a woman.’’ Mr Hill: 44 No ; a girl,” Dr Spencer; 44 At what age does a girl become a woman, then ?” Mr Ormond (somewhat mystified): 44 Well, the next is Elizabeth King, 53. Bless me 1 isn’t that rather old for a pupil-teacher?” By this time the Board presented a collection of puzzled countenances, but the brow of Mr Hill suddenly cleared at the last remark of Mr Ormond, as he ejaculated : 44 Oh, those figures are not the girls’ ages ; they are their numbers on the cards.” The Board found relief in a hearty laugh.

The Simpson’s Road Bank robbers may bless their stars at'getting off so easily. The three who were charged with the offence proper received six years each, with hard labour; the fourth, who was an accessory, and had lent the spring cart which conveyed them and their booty from the premises, escaping with twelve months; the other, who had peached on his mates, was brought upon a charge of vagrancy after the trial concluded, and at the request of the police discharged, Mr P, McDermott who is not unknown in Dunedin, had the task of defending the men. There has been a slight howl at the lightness of the sentences, and although Judge Cope expressed himself as averse to imposing long terms, the punish, ment he meted out to the desperadoes is somewhat inconsistent with his other remarks. Among other things he said the robbery had been one of the most daring that had been committed for many years, and he questioned whether the men could not have been arranged on the capital charge. Perhaps a more severe punishment would have served as a warning to others, but of late it has become a moot point as to whether long terms of imprisonment are the correct thing for criminals of ail sorts. The total national debt of Australia, New Zealand, and Tasman.a is close upon L 123,000,000. Not bad for about three millions of people all told.

Tho number of miles of fencing throughout New South Wales is esumded at 776,239, which, at an average cost of L 5! per mile, represents an expenditure of L 39,588.189.