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Manawatu Herald, 28 October 1899, Page 2

We beg to acknowledge, with thanks from the Government Statistician of New South Wales th«S Statistics of the seven colonies of Australasia from 1 86 1 to 1898, a compilation of very much value. From Mr W; Tyree, managing director df the Acetylene Gaa Com- : pany of Australasia Limited we have I received a pamphlet on " Two years experience with Acetylene Gas." Why they no longer speak.— She (romantically) : What would you do I if we should meet in the hereafter ? — He (earnestly) : I'd go through fire for you. Forty-three high Russian naval officials have been arrested at Sebastopol they having been detected in cop ducting a gigantic system of fraud, bribery and corruption. Several or them committed suicide in order to avoid trial. Mr F. Purnell, the Returning Officer for the Manawatu County Council, gives notice of the general election of seven councillors. Nominations must be sent in by noon of Wednesday nextThe N.Z. Times says it is understood that Mr George Fisher has decided to retire from the contest for the Mayoralty in favour of Mr T. K. Macdonald. " You haven't eaten a single mince pie," said his new and pretty young wife. " Yet I wouldn't let cook make them. I made them every one with my own hands." " You did!" he cried " Ah ! " he added, pathetically, " you'll kill me, dear indeed you will, with you little kindnesses." Two severe shocks of ea^t^quake were experienced at Port Darwin on Tuesday. The Hawkes Bay Herald says the new season's wool is pouring into the port by rail rapidly. Haying had an excellent winter and spring, the clip promises to be abundant and in excellent condition. Some Italian fishermen made a gruesome find at Whario Bay the other day. They hooked a very large shark which on being opened was found to contain a womans entire leg from the thigh downwards. A clue to the woman's identity may be found in a brassbuckled shoe and the foot of the stocking. The ghastly relic is on view at the morgue for purpose of identification.

On her maiden voyage from Liverpool to New York, the mammoth White Star liner Oceanic executed the distance in six days two hours 37 minutes. Her average speed was 19 57.100 knots, and her best speed was 2o£, with much- in reserve. The coal consumption was 400 tons, or less than was expected, though the journey was made under unfavourable conditions regarding the fireroom force. Although the weather was bad, the steadiness ot the vessel was remarkable. The extreme roll was sdeg. Captain Cameron says that the boat has surpassed the expectations formed of her.

Thin Party : I think it would be only fair if people travelling by train were charged by weight. — Stout Party : You may be thankful it isn't so the company wouldn't think it worth while picking you up.

A Grey River Argus reporter witnessed a peculiar sight the other day. A clucking hen had been sitting on a china egg, and having left the nest a cat went into it, and gave birth to three kittens. ' The hen, returning, drove the cat away, and appropriated the kittens, taking then under her wing the same as she would chickens. After a while, however, the cat and hen seemed to become reconciled, and at last report the hen had the kittens under her wing while the cat was layingalongside in the nest.

Snow was falling in various parts of South Australia and Victoria_this week.

An advertisement appears to-day about the Clydesdale stallion ' Pride of the Valley, which will be of interest to horse owners. The horse will be at Whyte's Hotel stables every Wednesday, leaving on Thursday morning for Awapuni.

With our present issue Messrs C. M. Ross & Co., of the Bon Marche, Palmerston North, circulate an inset announcing the completion of their spring and summer shipments of fashionable and family drapery, house furnishings, bouts ami shoes, etc., ex sioamers Waimate and Kumara, comprising to date 115 cases and packages. Visitors from these parts are invited to look over the firm's extended premises, when they will find one of the largest and most complete stocks on this Coast at their disposal. The goods being all bought from the first sources of supply by the firm's London agents, the values in every instance will be found unsurpassed in the colony.

The case of the man John Seamore, charged with committing an unnatural offence was heard this morning by Messrs Thynne and Fraser, J.s P., and committed to take his trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court to be held in Wellington on 13th November.

Lord Kitchener has stopped the expedition against the Khalifa, who is alleged to have left Jebel Gedir. Mr Michael Davitt, M.P. for South Mayo, has applied for the Chiltern Hundreds as a protest against the war. A deputation of natives, introduced by Mi? Stevens, waited upon the Land Board on Thursday with reference to some ancestral graves which are on one of the road lines in the Aorangi Block, recently purchased from Mr C. Bull. The Commissioner advised the Board that the matter would be brought before the Snrveyor-General for his consideration, with a view to taking the road in such a way as not to interfere with the graves, and it was resolved to approve of this being done.

The Coroner's officer will have much less trouble in procuring a jury in the future, in fact it is possible he may be rushed for a summons to attend. The payment of Jurors Act has been passed and any person who is summoned and duly attends and serves as a juror at any inquest held before a Coror.er shall be entitled to be paid for each day's service the sum of eight shillings if he serves for more than four hours in the day, and the sum of four shillings if he serves for not more than four hours in the day.

A remarkable chapter 4 of misfortunes befel the barque Loch Ranza, which put into Adelaide about a fortnight ago. She originally left Calcutta on ist July for Tocopilla, with a cargo of gunnies, but hard gales compelled her to make for the Australian coast, and run in for shelter. Her cook attempted suicide by taking carbolic acid, but the captain dosed him liberally with castor oil and he recovered. Then the mate fell overboord, but was picked up before sharks could sample him. Previous to this the vessel caught fire at London, the mate was afterwards washed overboard and drowned, her carpenter jumped over the side, and one of her captains found a watery grave.

Why he blamed him. — • You say the clergyman is responsible for all your trouble ; how is that ?' " Well, he married me."

Judgment was given by the Court of Appeal at Wellington lately in the case Count de Courte v. Edouard Bouvy. A Supreme Court jury had awarded Bouvy (formerly a cook in the employ of the Count de Courte) J875 damages for alleged wrongful dismissal. Mr Menteath then moved for a new trial, which the Chief Justice refused, hence the appeal. The Court of Appeal held that there had been direct evidence and probabilities on both sides, but the jury had chosen to believe the plaintiff, and there was an end of the matter. As to the point that fresh evidence had been discovered, the Court found that it could have been procured before the first trial, but apparently counsel had not thought of it. There was not sufficient to justify the Court setting aside the verdict arrived at by the jury. The appeal was therefore dismissed, with costs on the lowest scale.

The Agricultural Department has received from the United States Agricultural Department a quantity of Florida velvet beans, which in America are considered excellent fodder for cattle. The beans will be distributed to farmers in different parts of the North Island, which is especially adapted to their propagation.

An arrangement has been made by which letters intended for the members of the New Zealand contingent in South Africa can be forwarded on prepayment of one penny only. The rank of the addressee must be specified on each envelope. The letters here will be made up in special bags directed to the officer commanding the contingent, and will be forwarded on to the port nearest the locality where the New Zealand troops are stationed. A similar arrangement as to the amount of postage charged is being made at the other end for the benefit of the contingent.