MISCELLANEOUS.

Grey River Argus, Volume V, Issue 315, 21 January 1868, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS.

The Hokitika Leader publishes the following mining intelligence : — Of the new rushes we alluded to in our last issue that one in the Big Paddock is, we are glad to say, excellent beyond the most sanguine anticipations of the foatunate few who secured a cection of the narrow lead. So satisfied are the shareholders with the prospects that fell to their lot, out of what they are now convinced is a distinct and bona fide lead of gold, that they resolved to christen it with becoming ceremony, and to that end assembled in some force on Monday evening last and there and then dubbed the new lead the " Erin Go Bragh." Aa we have stated in former issues, the lead is situated between Madman's, and New Chums, but not further than one hundred and fifty yards or so of the former. There is room for fifty such lead with respectable spaces of blank ground between them in the wide strip of ground to be crossed ere '< New Chums" is reached, whilst in an opposite direction' towards Cement and German leads, there is twice the extentof ground unprospected. The Woodstock rush has not expanded to the anticipated dimensions, but for all that there are some dozen claims there that will give the owners steady work for a few months. Not until Saturday last did the mining companies on the Five Mile Flat re-commence pumping, the continued flooded state of the river having restrained them from putting the pumps to work again with an almost certainty of failure, the ground being saturated with water from the surface. The river ha» since fallen considerably ; but even now the two engines and the water-wheel have much ado to keep the water under. The Victorian Company have got out an immense quantity of dirt during the last day or two, and once more can boast of a splendid face to their work — no slight advantage, as the initiated well know. The Parliament of North Germany has abolished all laws 'against usuary. The majority of Germans have long been awaiethat a legal maximum for money is as absurd as a legal maximum for coals or corn, but the landowners have a notion that it enables them to borrow money on mortgage cheap. The Jews, they say, unless restrained by law, will cheat them, poor innocent country folk ! and they have [ actually carried a clause in the Act providing that a mortgage on land may always be paid off at six months' notice, written agreements no the contrary notwithstanding. The effect of this very funny arrangement will be, that every landowner who boilows money will have to pay an extra per-centage because the law enables him to break his word. The secret of the contest is, we imagine, that city capitalists in Germany, aa elsewhere, are gradually thh old proprietary, who aro sore in consequence. Japanese Jeddo is larger than London and the largest city^in the world. It hag a population of five millions. Many of its streets are twenty-two miles long, and its commerce (coasting and inland commerce of course,) is enormous. The Coining Fashion.— The Paris correspondent of the Post writes : — " I have endeavored to find out what colored hair and eyebrows will be worn this year. The artists in hair have met and agreed that dark eye-brows are to. accompany golden tresses, and golden eye-brows black hair. Brown or chesnufc locks and curls are not to be tolerated. It is not quite settled if the chignon is to be maintained, it is believed not, if a more expensive and complicated decoration can be invented. The complexion is to be dead pearl pale, tho Ups very light pink, and the mouth to be worn slightly open." A correspondent of the New York Tribune at Queretaro, on August 24, states that he visited the remains of Maximilian, and found the coffin containing the corpse in a room in the second storey of the house occupied by Don Munos Ledo. A soldier guarded the door, but any one was admitted, especially if they were willing to pay him a few reals. The apartment bore the appearance of having once been a

storeroom, and was both very dark and extremely filthy. The coffin was in the centre, resting upon two rude wooden benches. It was covered with black cloth, and adorned with a cheap quality of gold lace, while the top hud a false .cover, the opening of wliich revealed three glasses, through which the remains of tho illfated emperor were dimly visible. He was dressed in a blue coat with military buttons, dark blue pantaloons, and heavy cavalry boots. His hands were covered with a pair of white soiled gloves. His mouth and eyes were partially open, having, with a greater part of his hair, been cut off, it is said, by Dr Lisso, who had charge of the embalming, who sold it, receiving as high as 5oz(80 dols.) for very small locks. This same man, the correspondent adds, had the Emperor's body for some time at his house, using it as a means of speculation, and selling pieces of his garments and his personal effects for large prices. The body of the Emperor was in a good state of preservation as far as outward appearance showed.