MISCELLANEOUS.

Kumara Times, Issue 977, 17 November 1879, Page 4

MISCELLANEOUS.

R. S. Smytho comes out as representative of Cook and Sons, tourist managers, London, who purpose organising an extensive tourist expedition to Australia and New Zealand during the Melbourne Exhibition. Todd, Postmaster-General, represents Adelaide at the Meteorological Conference at Sydney. It has been proposed to erect a monument in Market Square, Pietersmansburg, to the officers and men who fell. John Dunn’s action respecting the exclusion of missionaries is exciting much interest. The statement of the receipts and expenditure of the Public Account for the quarter ended 30th September, 1879, is published in the last Gazette. The total receipts amount to L 1,420,894, which, with a balance of L 744.292 on the June, last, makes a total of L 2,165,187. The total expenditure amounts to L 2,045 302, leaving a balance on 30th September last of Lll9, 85. Unless they are graetly sinned against, the purchasers of the Piako Swamp made a very good bargain out of their purchase. The price paid for it is stated to have been a trifle over L 13.000. It has been valued for land tax purposes at L 200,300 ; and for purposes of general taxation (so far as we can understand our telegram) at L 126,180. The year’s land tax, at one halfpenny in the pound, will therefore amount to one-third of the original purchase price. The Hon.JDr Grace almost electrified the Legislative Council on Friday (says the New Zealand Times), during the dis cussion on the asylums, by asserting as a positive fact that the majority of the greatest experts in the treatment of insanity were themselves insane. When the laughter and astonishment which this statement evoked had partly subsided, the hon. gentleman continued by remarking that it was generally agreed among the profession to which he belonged, that those medical men who had for a long course of years been inattendance on mad people, and had allowed their whole faculties to be absorbed in the study of their duty, became mad themselves. The continuous tension in one unvaried direction was sufficient to unhinge the strongest intellect, and doctors came to regard it as axiomatic that all those who studied the treatment of insanity, and were enthusiasts in their vocation, were invariably themselves non compos mentis Here Mr Wilson interrogatively ejaculated, “Dr Skae?”—“Dr Skae has a wife and six children—that is enough to keep any man’s mind to mundane affairs ; there is no fear for him,” Dr Grace replied. It was some time before the look of mingled surprise and amusement which Dr Grace’s assertions caused wholly dis appeared from the faces of hon. members. , A clergyman at Thornhill, Dumfriesshire, was lately examining the parish school. In the course of the examination, the Bible class was brought forward. After many questions had been asked and answered, greatly to the satisfaction of the minister, he proposed that any boy might ask him a question, as he might then have an idea what particular information they wanted. A pause ensued. At last a bright-looking boy said “ Sir, I would like to ask one.” “ Well, my little man,” asked the minister. “ what is the question you are to ask?” Sir, said the boy, “ what was the use of Jacob a Ladder when the angels had wings ? ’ The minister felt taken aback took out his suuff-box, and looked at the boy. “ I think my little man, that is the very question I should have asked of the class, and I will give sixpence to any boy in the class who will answer it.” After a somewhat long pause, one little fellow, third from the bottom, held out his hand, “ Well, said the minister, “Well, what was the use of the ladder when the angels had wings ?” “On, sir, the angels were poukin’ (moulting) at the time, and couldna flee.” The minister is taking an interest in that boy. The Southland News’ Wellington correspondent writes: —“ A couple of good stories are running round the lobbies. A member from the East Coast, Mr Macdonald, in the presence of a lot of people in the lobby, said to Mr Hurst, ‘Have you seen that boy who was looking for you on •urgent business? ’ Hurst, in great agitation, replied, ‘ No what can he want with me Oh,’ replied Macdonald, ‘he has that long expected portfolio under his arm- That is number one. Then last night, in the course of the debate, Mr Pitt asserted {that the Liberals should insist on women being allowed to vote. Seddon replied that the night the Grey Government were defeated he happened, immediately after the division had been taken, to go into one of the lobbies, and there he saw a lady throw her arms round her husband’s neck and explain rapturously , ‘ We have done them at last.’ If,-said Mr Seddon, this was a sample of what ladies would do in politics, bethought that the ‘Liberals at least, would not have anything to do with giving them power than they at present possessed. It is stated that the lady alluded to was Mrs M Lean. I hear it said that Sir George Grey will most likely address every centre of population during the recess,” An extraordinary cricket match took place in Dorsetshire in August last between the Cattistock and Maiden Newton elevens. The former went in Erst and scored only 19 (4 extras,), and yet they won in one innings, with 8 runs to spare ; for the Maiden Newton eleven in their first innings all made ducks -egos the score, oo- slating of 1 extra, and°in *". lr Beco ® < * innings amassed only 10, of which 3 were extras. In the whole match only 30 runs were scored, and of these only 22 were off the bat.