MISCELLANEA.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume V, Issue 248, 5 April 1865, Page 3

MISCELLANEA.

Exportation* of Wheat. —The result of the exportation of wheat and flour to England is the testing point of the future agricultural prosperity of the colony. Hitherto we have enjoyed a proud and profitable pre-eminence in the production of breadstuff's amongst the colonies of the Australian group, in consequence of our large extent of arable land and the extensive demand which has existed for our cereals in the sister colony of Victoria. The power to produce still remains, but the market on which we have mainly relied is all but closed against us •, and there is no other market of adequate extent on which we can depend except the British market. If that is available, then agriculture will swell into a great and increasing interest among ns ; if not, the commercial greatness of the colony, so far at least as that particular branch of industry is concerned, will bo considerably retarded. We believe that the English market is open to the farmers of South Australia, and that they can compete in that market with any other grain-producing country m the world. We know that by some this statement will be received with incredulity, and that Russia and America, with their cheap labor and boundless facilities for growing corn, will be pointed to as rivals whose power of competition cannot be gain* sayed. We should not, however, be deterred by such a reference. We look not to some imaginary and suppositions effort which this or that country may be capable of putting forth. Powers supposed to be inherent are some times controlled or modified by a hundred circumstances, and are never put forth at all. We take the corn averages of (Treat Britain for the last thirty years, and we find that even in their least favorable aspect—when the nations of the earth are at peace with each other, and when the fulest scope is given for industrial operations —the prices are such as would Justify the exportation of wheat from this country. What, then, may be supposed to be the facilities for the disposal of grain when one of the great exporting countries—America—is comparatively crippled in her powers of production by her own intestine strife? —Souih Australian Apveriiser.

Cube of Hooping Cough.—lnhalation of the fumes prevalent in gas-works has often been tried with success on the Continent as a cure for hoopi 'g cough, and further evidence in support of the efficacy of the remedy is to be found in a paper read at *the last sitting of the Academie de Medicine, at Paris, from which it appears that the breathing of an atmosphere charged with the volatile substances which are developed from the matter which gas is extracted produces the best results. That the immense majority of patients are cured by it, even in most obstinate cases, and at any age. That even when a perfect cure is not obtained, there is always a great improvement. That the number of inhalations to effect a cure ivaries between three and thirty, each inhalation in the room provided for the purpose at the gasworks lasting two hours. That cold we infer is lees favorable to a cure than warm weather, because of the cold experienced in the room, unless it is warmed; and that the process is perfectly free from danger, whatever may be the age of the patient. The roan who is perplexed by religious doubts should be. advised to cure hiinselfj not by the physic of reading and controversy, but by the diet of holy living.

Ju the Wat.—A Dublin merchant running out from his counting-house to get his lunch, was impeded in his progress by a poor man with a wheelbarrow. In his excitement, the merchant *old the man to go with his wheelbarrow to—no matter where. Pat looked round, and curtly replied, “ Maybe, your honor, we should be more in your honor’s way there than here.” Mb. Cableton and the “ New Zealander.”— A rather amusing scene occurred '"in the Provincial Council on Tuesday last. The New Zealandsr has been of late writing some very scurrilous articles, of a personal and political nature, against Mr Carleton, and that gentleman, on a debate arising from an unfounded accusation of corruption made by that journal against him, took an opportunity of retorting. “ This paper,” said Mr Carleton, “ had changed hands some time ago, and he had been greatly in hopes that this would lead to an improvement of it ; but he was sorry to say it was not so. It had now for its editor & parson,—what they called when he (Mr Carleton) was at college a * wet’ parson (oh ! oh!) —but this had done it no good, and he feared it vraa fast deteriorating in intelligence as it was in circulation, in which respect he believed it was on its last legs.”— N,Z. Herald.

South American News. —By the arrival of the barque Prospector from Valparaiso we (Otago Daily Times ) have a few items of Chilian and Peruvian news. Our shipping report mentions that a line of steamers had been established between Liverpool and Valparaiso, and that the two first boats had arrived, making the passage in about thirty-five days, after culling at three different ports. The probability of a commencement of hostilities between Spain and Peru increased daily, A frigate belonging to the Spaniards has been burnt at the Ohinchas, snd although said to be accidentally, there wore some rumors as to her destruction being the result of design. The cathedral at Santiago, which was burnt down, and the burning of which was attended with such au appalling loss of life, is about to be re-built on a magnificent seal;. Among the articles announced for sale in one of this week’s auctions, wc perceive an article ontitled “ a mahogany child’s chair.” The father of this wonderful infant must have been of the Wood family. —English Paper. Important Geographical Discovert.—A new source of connection between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans has been lately discovered : “It is, says the Maritime Register of the 26th November, that the great River Amazon has been found to be navigable from one end to the other ; that, in fact, a new route has been opened between the Atlantic and the Pacific. The Morona, a Peruvian steamer, which was sent to explore the Amazon, has arrived at Mayro, about 30t) miles from Lima. The Morona navigated more than 2000 miles of the Amazon proper, and 700 of the Yeayali and the Pachitea rivers, which, until then, had seen only Indian canoes. The country is, of course, inhabited only by savages, but it is of wonderful fertility.”

After all there is something about a weddinggown prettier than any other gown in the world. The Brands of Tea and Their Mf.txing.— The following will interest housekeepers:— “ Hyson” means “ before the rain,” or “flourishing spring”—that is, early in the spring; lienee it is often called “ Young Hyson.” “ Hyson skin” is composed of the refuse of oilier kinds, the native term of which is “tea skins.” Refuse of still coarser descriptions, containing many stems, is called. “Tea bones.” “Bohea” is the names of the hills in the region where it is collected. “ Pekoe,” or “ Poeo,” means “ white hair,” the down of the tender leaves ; “ Powehong,” “ folded plant;” “Souchon,” “ small plant.” “Twanky” is the name of a small river in the region where it is bought. “Congou,” from a term signifying “ labour," from the care required iu its preparation. —Missouri Democrat.

It is stated that more than a hundred vagrant children are every month rescued from the streets of New York and sent to the West, where the farmers are glad to receive them. This is done by an association, styled the Children’s Aid Society. The whole expense does not average more than 15 dollars for each child. Postage Tax on Newspapers. —We see that in New South Wales the Colonial Secretary had been waited upon with reference to their newspaper tax, in order to show that it had not realised the revenue expected from it. “ Mr. Cowper informed the deputation that he had always been opposed to the newspaper tax, and that if he fonnd that the statements contained in the petition could bo substantiated, the Government would be prepared to take the necessary steps for the repeal of the tax.”

Weak and Tear of the Coinage.—Our House of Commons votes the sum of £IO,OOO annually for the purchso and recoinage of worn silver coin, and there is always a considerable loss to the nation by the transaction. Of course we all assist in the operation of deteriorating the coinage, and f is but fair that we should share the expense of renewing it. Those who carry coins loosely in their pockets inflict the heaviest amount of punishment upon them, whilst the users of portemounaies add to the longevity of the currency. It has been discovered by the Mint authorities that the life of coins is much shorter that it was prior to the introduction of the railway system and cheap travelling. People move about now more frequently than they used, and so does money. Whether the former wear out sooner from their greater activity is a problem of social economists, but the latter does is certain. Towards the close of the last century, careful experiment deduced the fact that deterioration among ten-year old silver coins of the various denominations was as follows : —Crowns, 3£ per cent.; halfcrowns, 10 per cent.; shillings, 24-£ per cent.; and sixpences, 38 2-10ths per cent. Nbw the loss is nearly as follows, on coins of the same age:— Crowns, 5 per cent.; half-crowns, 12 per cent.; shillings, 30 per cent.; sixpences, 45 per cent.; and threepences, over 50 per cent. This increase is evidently due to “ fast living,” so to speak, and the weakest individuals, or at any rate the smallest, suffer most from its consequences. The gold coinage does not deteriorate in anything like the same ratio.— Mechanics’ Magazine.

Beddy ani> the Buttee.— A shopkeeper pur- : chased of an Irishwoman a quantity of butter, the lumps of -which, intended for -pounds, he weighed in the balance and found wanting. “ Sure it’s your own fault if they are light,” said Biddy, in reply to the'complaints of the buyer ; “ it’s your own fault sir ; for wasn’t it with a pound of your own soap I bought here myself that I weighed them with ?”

Too Clevee by Half I—Little Girl.—“ Oh Aunty, baby’s mouth is so funny—it’s just lik’ yours before you get out of bed—-Not not on 6 tooth!” 6

“ The Smiths.” —John Smith—plain John Smith—is not very high sounding ; it does not suggest aristocracy; it is not the name of any hero in the dieaway novels ; and yet it is good, strong, and honest. Transferred to other languages, it seems to climb the ladder of respectability. Thus —in Latin it is Johannes Smithus ; Italian smoothes it off into Giovanni Smithi; the Spaniards render it as Juan Smithus; the Dutchman adopts it as Hans Schmidt; the French flatten it into Jeau Smeets ; and the Russians sneezes and barks Jouloff Smittowski. When John Smith gets into the tea trade at Canton he becomes Jahou Shimmit ; if he clambers about Mount Heela the Icelanders say he is Jaime Smithson ; if lie trades among the Tuscaroras, he becomes. Tom Ga Smilita; in Poland ho is known as Ivan Schmittiweiski; should he wander among Welsh mountains, they talk of him Jihom Schmidd; when he gets to Mexico, he is booked as Joutli F’Smitri; if of classic turn, he lingers among Greek ruins he turns to lon Sinikton; and in Turkey he is utterly disguied as Yoe Seef.

The Timaru Herald administes a caution to the miners who are 'rushing off to the new diggings. It says —Whilst men accustomed to work and inured to a life of hardships are sure to get on well, never mind how large a number go there, still there is great danger of the place being overrushed by many of those who know-nothing of the discomforts of a digger’s life, and who will return to their homes directly upon arrival, circulating reports of the complete failure of the diggings. It is at this time especially necessary to publish this caution for not since the first rush to the Wakamarina has such an extensive movement set in favour of any particular field as that which is now not only exciting the different digging communities, but is leading many to throw up permanent situations on the mere chance of making rapid fortunes on the West Coast. Covext-Gahden Market. —The two great national theatres on one side, a churchyard full of mouldy but undying celebrities on the. other, a fringe of houses studded in every part with anecdote and history, a collonade often more gloomy and deserted than a cathedral aisle, a rich cluster of brown old taverns —one of them filled with the counterfeit presentment of many actors long since silent, who scowl or smile once more from the canvas upon the grandsons of their dead admirers; a something in the air which breathes of old books, old pictures, old painters, and old authors ; a place beyond all other places one would choose in which to hear the chimes hfmidnight ; a crystal palace —the representative of the present—which peeps in timidly from the corner upon many things of the past; a withered bank that has been sucked dry bv a felonious clerk ; a squat building, with a hundred columns and chapel-looking fronts which always stands knee-deep in baskets, flowers and scattered vegetables; a common centre into which Nature showers her choicest gifts, and where the kindly fruits of the earth often nearly choke the narrowthoroughfares ; a population that never seems to sleep, and that does all in its power to prevent others sleeping; a place where the very latest suppers and the earliest breakfasts jostle each other on the foot-ways—such is Covent-garden-market, with some of the surrounding features.— Corhhill Magazine. “ Well my fine fellow what are you in here for ?” asked a visitor of a young man in a penitentiary. “ For faking something,” he replied. “ What do you mean ?”—“Why,” said he, : “one morning I did not feel very well, and went to see the doctor. He was writing at the time, apd when I went in he looked at me, saying, ‘Well you do look bad ; you had better take something.’ He then went on with his writing, and left me standing behind him. I looked round, and saw nothing I could take, except ’his watch, and I took that. That’s what I am here for.” The Railroad to Destruction. —No man and no woman is safe who has once formed the habit of looking to drink for solace, or cheerfulness, or comfort. While the world goes well they will likely be temperate; but the habit is built, the railroad to destruction is cut ready for use, the sleepers are laid down, the station-houses are erected, and the train is on the line waiting only the locomotive ; it comes to us ; and away we go in a moment, down the line we have been years constructing, like a flash of lightning to destruction.— Charles Iteade.

“Isn’t it about time you paid that little bill?” said Stubbs to one of bis debtors. “My dear sir,” was the consoling reply, “ it’s not a question of time, it’s a question of money.” Oats and Indian Corn. A correspondence has been going on in the Times as to the propriety of the English poor eating rice. It is said that brown rice, which is just as good as white rice, can be sold at 10s. per cwt., or a fraction over a penny pound. The offer seems tempting, but the popular instinct which rejects rice is, we suspect, sound. As an excuse for eating, milk, rice is of course good food, hut even the Bengalese the instant they are ill prescribe themselves a course of bread. Wet rice without milk is nasty; parched rice, though better, wants spices to make it palatable, and in both forms the food produces habitual constipation. That suits the Bengalee ; it would not suit Englishmen. -The only two grain food really neglected in England are oats and Indian corn, in both cases for the saine reason—that nobody seems to know how to cook them. The true cure for a deficiency of carbon in the laborer’s food is higher wages.— London Spectator. The Superintendence.—A Requisition to John Wallis Barnicoat, Esq., is now in course of signature, requesting that gentleman to permit himself to be put in nomination for the office of Superintendent of this province. —Nelson l£z'a miner. .

Respiration. —Mr George Gatlin, in his lately published work, called “ The Breath of Life," curiously shows, that diseases of the lungs are generated by breathing the cold air through the open mouth, instead ol through the nostrils, winch were designed for that,; pupose; that the lower animals, who never breathe through the mouth, never have such diseases ; that it is the cause of much mortality among children, and of painful distortions amongst adults ; that the habit of sleeping with the mouth open not only produces snoring, but in the long run, in multitudes of cases, an idiotic expression; and that it is detrimental, in many ways, to human life and happiness. —Home News. The Exhibition.— The Otago THail says : “We should like to see the New Zealand Exhibition become throughout the province. It has been opened several weeks, and it is truly painful to witness the small hold it has taken on the public favor. Except on special occasions, you may saunter round the spacious building without seeing a score of persons in it, and these look sometimes more like mourners at a funeral than enthusiastic students of the works of art and nature.”

AfflnttflAK ChauWh atever may be the’ j/injjjnstic merits? of the Americans, it is certain fsio they show their worst side to the world. tpfy) key tp their character seems to be in a too pyerweening confidence a 100 self-reliant independence. This is a trait, often seen in those who jjjhye been the architects of their own fortunes, ||h'd who have come to consider success, apart from the means by whidh it is attained, as the essential point, to care more for what they have .done than for what they are. Such a tendency (becomes enormously exaggerated when it is common to a whole nation. Then it will produce its pbst and worst results. We" see its good side in the self-reliant, upright New Englander, the true pjtild of the Piiritans, firm and possessing in hirapelf resources to meet all consequences. Such a fp#n can in a great degrees dispense with the restraints which men born in greater dependence on the past and on others cannot afford to neglect. We see the bad side of the same tendency in the vulgar and boisterous politician, who has freed himself from principle in freeing himself from jyadition and is indolent to all established things fit earth and heaven. We see it in the travelled over-polished man who “annot conceal a perpetual conciousness that he is a citizen of the greatest nation in the world ; who is indeed cosmopolitan, but only because iie has the impudence ff> overide all distinctions : who adapts himself to fhc ways of all men only by following his own ; who speaks all languages fluently, by the easy method of despising their niceties. Men of this sort cast off old checks and cannot supply new pnea, so that they run into any kind of extravagance- No ordinary man can altogether cut himself free from petty conventional retrains without finally breaking away from the more essential ones ythich hold the world together. To be able to g|qnd alone without the aid of tradition or of the ypst of the vvorld-is the high reward of those who have laboured honestly and painfully to deserve their freedom. To those who have the reward without having earned it for themselves, freedom is its own punishment; just as intellectual faith becomes a slavery if not deserved by intellectual labour. We know little of the character of the fecst part of American society. The rowdy element, the offensive egotism, the self assertion of tjie worst and lowest, comes to the surface. The reason is that constitutions cannot be made to or ffe£ They must grow up by cotmual adaptation to the changing exigencies of social tendencies. These cannot be provided for beforehand ; and a Constitution framed beforehand, no matter with how much wisdom and integrity, breaks down in practice, the more surely in proportion to its ex aetness. The American political system has pro yided itself with no cheek upon the lawless mob. before which it has set too many temptations to be self-indulgent. It is well for a country which makes its own precedents and its own political pjoradty, that its downwaid progress must in the end be stopp.-ci by a collision with nations which adhere to the old civilizasion.— Exa.iiher.

Climate of England. —•. 'f Mi the climates of Europe, England seems-to tue to lie most titled for a< tivitj of mind, an. I tar ha isn't. .1 to repose. Tbe alternations i f a climate -o varsou • ami rapid pousiantl, awaken new Mn>.-ia;iov.s, and die changes pf the sky from dryness to unon-mrc, iV’-in tile blue ethereal to cloudiness and nogs. seems to keep the nervous system in a const..at stale of ■■xeiieuieut. In the changeful and tuainluous atmosphere of England to be tranquil is ;■ li i lor. and . mploy nictu is necessary to ward o.fihc at Jack.-- of ennui. The English nation is pre-eminently active, and the of no other country follow their object with so much force, lire, and constancy. —Sir M. DiU'u. *