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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 17, Issue 1037, 8 June 1871, Page 2

The following extracts show the opinion of two leading London papers on the subject of a neutral Australian federation : The London Spectator says :—" Mr Gavan Duify and hid associates, who have been engaged, as we reported some time ago, in the preparation of a report as to the federation of the Australian colonies, have presented their report to the Victorian Government, and included in it a pioposal that the new federation should be neutralised —i.e , should not take part in England's wars, but be regarded as the lonian Islands were during the Crimean war, as an independent State under the English Protec orate —not bound to share in its quarrels. It would never do. A State really in dependent and able to negotiate inde pendently with other States, would never endure to have a sovei'eign at the antipodes whom they never saw, and whose views in appointing a viceroy would necessarily be influenced by other considerations than the good of the colony. Besides, when you destroy the substance of a relation, you had better destroy its form, too. Alliances between equals would be far better than such a tie No doubt we must engage to protect our colonies by our fleet, and keep our engagement as long as v e give them r:o influence in declaring war But till they think themselves fit for real independence, that is the only reasonable solution of the difficulty. Mr Duffy's plan is a chimera"—The Economist, commenting upon the report issued by the Commissioners appointed in Victoria to deliberate and advise upon the policy of bringing about a federal union among the various Australian colonies, says ;"A colony might be neutralised for a time, as a sort of halfway house to separation, but to separation neutralisation must inevitably lead The first time that a colony found itself compelled to close its ports against a ship of war of the mother country, and to exhort \t< citizens to take no part in our quarrel, the final dissolution between that colony and the mother country would be a mere question of weeks or days." The following romantic story is related of Carl Formes, the well known basso. While abroad he was suffering from three abscesses, which had formed in his throat, the result of ove* - exertion of the vocal organs. Hearing of a distinguished ltdy surgeon of the University of Vienna, who had made the study of the throat and ear a speciality, Mr Formes paid her a visit. She informed him that an operation was necessary, but she felt confident it would be successful in relieving his bronchial trouble. He entrusted bis cse to her and the result was an entire recovery. The intimacy thus formed resulted in a proposal of marriage, and the distinguished lady physician of Vienna is now the wife of the most distinguished basso in the United States,

Heavens-gates are not so highly arched as those of princes' palaces ; they that sere entermust go on their knees.

A Hungarian gentlemen has, we are told, constructed a railway five miles in length on a mountain in the heart of Hungary. A remarkable peculiarity is the total absence of all permanent way. Square beams of oak 3 inches high and 14 inches broad are laid on the ground, and only at rare intervals, where the great unevenness of the ground absolutely requires it, cross sleepers are laid under them. Each of these longitudinal beams has a length of 18ft, and on the two edges* of the beams are tha rails, which are only 2in. broad, and so thin that they weigh about lib. per foot. These beams and rails may be taken up at any moment, and the railway tlius relaiil whenever it is required The trucks run on two pairs of wheels Sin. in diameter; the bodies of ihe trucks are about three times the width of the rails, and are placed so low on the wheels that they have just room to pa*a over them. The arrangement of the weight and the system of breaks are said to be so perfect that the train may be stopped when on a gradient of one in seven, and going at the rate of twenty or thirty miles an hour, within six to eight jards. The five miles cost 10,000 dollars, and after the experience now gained the work may be done forabout 1,000 dollars per mile.—Scientific American,

The organ of the Zurich Society of Natural iiiVtory publishes a curioua account of the travels* of the glacier of Mount Jtiosa during the last sixty yearn. For fiftv years it steadily and surely approached the town of Zeraiatt, moving at the rate of about three feet a week during the spring months. Its way was through pastures and grain-fields, over which it passed like a devouring pestilence. Its approach was heralded by great boulders, which it kept constantly moving before it. Seiious apprehensions were at one timeentertained for the safety of the town, which lay directly in its track. But, during the last ten years, this ice monster has changed the direction of its movements, and thus the danger has been averted ; but the fields through which its track lay can never again b e cultivated, on account of the many immense fragments of stone by which its course was thickly marked, and which are deeply imbeuS ded in the so*!.

Have the courage to discharge a debt while you have money in your pocket.. Have the courage to do without that which you do not need, however much your eyes may covet it. have the. courage to speak your mind when it is necessaiy you should do .so, and to hold; your tongue when it is prudent you should do so, Have the courage ta speak to a friend in a " seedy" coat, even though you are in company with a rich one and richly attiivd. Have the courage to make a will, and a just one. Have the courage to tell a man why you do not lend him your money. Have the courage to show that you respect honest}- in whatever guise it appears; and your contempt for dishonest duplicity by whomsoever exhibited. Have the courage to wear your old clothes until you pay for your new onei. Plave the courage to obey your Maker at the risk of being ridiculed by men. Have the courage to prefer comfort and prosperity to fashion in all things,

A young woman writes to a literary weekly asking to be told what kind of stationery ia proper for a love correspondence. We should like equally well to know what, kind oflo~e correspondence is proper for a young woman. But if .she must write, let her use good, stout paper, with a monogram—that of the manufacturer is best—paper that will bear a great deal of handling by her lover's confidential friends. The kind of ink is not important. The letter should always begin " My Darling Sweet," and end " From yours exclusively." The great simpleton will piobahly believe this, and address you in reply, " My only Treasure"—which you will believe in return There is na danger in a correspondence of this kind; it never ends in marriage, and may be indulged in with the most reckless prodigality. Besides, the letters will prove extremely interesting to your future hut-band as he shall pick them up in the various bar-rooms which he is sure to haunt for that purpose.

The following circular (says the Southern Cross) has been forwarded to the respective Governors of the Pacific Colonies : (Departmental Circular.) Downing street, March 15, 1871.—My Lord, —The Secretary of State for War has informed me that, as her Majesty's troops have been withdrawn from the Pacific colonies, he does not consider that it would be expedient to claim for further services any men who may be in such colonies in a state of desertion from their regiments. It will, therefore, be unnecessary to take any steps for the apprehension of such men in the colony under your Government. I have, &c, Kimberley." The Gardener's Chronicle gives the following extract from a letter received from Caunes, which will interest our readers ;—*-" We have had 100 men sent U 9, some wounded, others invalids. Dr C. Bukersiey has 16 bad cases in an hospital with two French doctors; they are nursed admirably by the petites seeurs, and what is very interesting is the new method of dressing the wounds one of these two, Dr Giinbert, has introduced. He has tried, instead of lint, Eucalyptus leaves. The leaves have a catty smell; they are merely laid on the wounds. The bal-amic nature of them not only cures, but after a few hours all the unpleasant odour of the matter ceases." A wiit j r in Notes and Queries says : " An old gentleman informed me that he had made it a constant practice for the last fifty years, during the frost, to watch a mole-hill, and had always found that, jf the mole threw up fresh earth, within forty-eight hours the frost would be gone."