MISCELLANEOUS NEWS.

Inangahua Times, Volume III, Issue 75, 9 February 1877, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS NEWS.

A curious remark (says the Shanghai Coiiiier) foil the o ispr day from the lips of an educated Chinaman, apropos of the well known resemblance between certain of the observances of Buddhism and Christianity. Being in the foreign settle* nient of Shanghai in company with an English friend, he expressed a wish to. visit the cath 'Ural. Accordingly the doors were opened, and the two gentlemen walked m. At last, after noticing, the stained glass wiaclows, the altar, the, organ, and the foat, the Chinese took up his position in front of the pulpit, from, the cushion of which hung a silken fell, inscribed with the sacred tnonagram IHS arranged in cipher. His attention was aroused, and calling the English gentleman,, to his side, he asked him how it was that a Buddhist symbol was permitted in s Christian church? Mis companion was naturally somewhat perplexed, and requested an explanation. " There,, "said the Cliinamap pointing to the letters— " tint is wh-.t I moan. That isthe sacred symbol of "Buddha, and has been so from immemorial time." The Scotsman's correspondent's letter fla'ed August 2 Uh says: — The Kimberley is about 220 feet deep, and covers in one sreat open digging of about 9 acres. There is now Soft of water in the mine, increasing in depth hourly. The claim-* holders, who could have easily obtained £4.000 per claim for tlieir claims sis months since, cannot get £100. in some, places not £20"). The distress following upon this is so great that 7000 diggers wiiite and black, left the fields last month, and every vehicle that leaves Kimberly for the Cape Colony goes away loaded. This day two years ago, the population of the diimond field was estimated at 43,000 ; there nre not more than 15,000 all told to-day. There are men here who were men of large property a few months since, but who ire now penniless ; capitalists who were lending large sums of money afe henry interest who nre positively dependent on their neig'ib ts. The Sydney Morning Herald says: — At the close oi 13(i7 tiio public debt of this colony, si* citHaily returned, was £6,017.830. on winch the annual interest is given at £'.r,3.8 >>9, or at the rate of 4897 f percent. ]n em' analysis of the estU mnfe* in ThutvsJjsy's Ksue it will be noticed that only part of this interest is charged against dse account for the year us shown m tV Andi'or'Gcneral's abs'raet. Onr indebtedness for that year, was at the rate of £1-5 Its 5d per head of the people, and the aeiu-tl amrml charge for interest wn« n* tho rate of 15s 5d per head. .l?v (he last financial statement the vn'^iic ■],■'>> ot'tlu- colony on Oot. 3i, 1875, was .U 1.17:1, TO 7. or at tho rate ct £18 18s ad per head.