LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 224, 19 August 1884, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A coach is announced between the Square and Terrace End, fare 6d each way. Parcels will also be delivered at reasonable rates, and weekly passenger tickets will also be issued. The late Mr J. G. Holdsworth was a faithful devoted public servant, against whose good name or reputation there never has been a whisper of evil, during a long official career. The number of mea on the unemployed list m Melbourne by latest advices was 278, of whom 130 were married men. As an example of the benefit derived by the starting of the Oamaru Woollen Factory, the North Otago Times mentions that the Company gives employment to 58 parsons, and disburses between £3000 and £4000 per annum m the town for waejes. The special correspondent of the Napier Telegraph sends the following : — " The Hon. H. R. Russell, of the Legislative Council, has forwarded his resignation. It is denied that the appearance of ex-Judge Fenton on the scene has any political signification whatever. Says a Wellington paper : — We are giyen to understand that very shortly several changes will be made m the police force now stationed at Wellington. So far as we can learn, it is intended to change inspectors and firstclass sergeants periodically, as it is considered the force would be worked more efficiently if heads of departments were more frequently shifted than is at present the case. An unfortunate woman, named Mary Anne Winters, was found by the police lying on a sofa m a very weakly condition at her house m Wellington on Saturday. She stated that she had been ailing for some time, and was anxious to be sent to the hospital. An order from the Benevolent Institution was pro-cured,-and she was sent to the hospital, where tho doctor pronounced her to be m a precarious state, as, m addition to her constitution being ruined, she had apparently taken no'npurishment beyond alcoholic liquor for several days. In a recent number of Nature Mr E. F. Hardman, Government geologist m Western Australia, reports what he regards as an instance of suicide by black snakes. A. half-killed snake was attacked by black ants m the wounded parts,when " it instantly turned round and bit itself twice m the neck, with seeming determination." In less than one minute it was dead, poisoned, Mr Hardman believes, by it own venom. His men reported this to be a common occurrence.

We believe Mr Waltou intends delirering a lecture m the Town Hall on Sunday next, subject, " Spiritualism forbidden of God." Admission will be free. Writes " Atticus" m the Melbourne Leader : — The Redmond brothers having scooped m £15,000 from Australia. Mr Michael Davitt is to visit thesse shores on another foray. The Redmonds complained of the degraded tone of colonial society, and Mr Davitt's visit will be welcomed by all colonists desirous of effacing the unfavourable impression we I have unfortunately created m the minds I of our late visitors. One piece of vulgar curiosity must, however, be permitted to us, and that is to inquire before further subscriptions are promised, how the £15,000 previously subscribed has been expended — how much m dynamite, and how, much m dinners to the patriotic consumers of the article. The cleverest piece of obituary advertising has been done by a widow who put on her husband's tombstone : — '• Sacred to the memory of Mathurin Bezuchet, who departed this life aged 68 years, regretting the necessity of parting from the most charming and best of women." The Ballarat Star mentions that " onma people have not yet lost faith m the old Eureka, iUo oo«<> o f the insurrection of 1854, where a good deal of gold was obtained m the early days. Within the past few weeks a couple of small parties have put down shafts on the now celebrated spot, and each body of diggers is sanguine of unearthing some treasure missed by the men of 1854." A marvellous escape from death, which reads more like a passage from Baron Munchausen than an incident m real life, is reported of a private of Marines who arrived home invalided m the Jumna troopship. During the first battle of Teb a bullet struck him on the chest, and actually passed through his body, out at his back, and struck a comrade who was standing a few yards away. Strange to say, the comrade was killed instantaneonsly, whereas the man who was first hit was not even dangerously hurt, and is now actually convalescent. An Australian native, standing 6ft lOin m his boots, was lately noticed m Ballarat. The giant was observed by some active members of the Ballarat battalion, who wanted to enlist him m the militia. The young fellow, with good spirit and patriotism, said there was nothing he should like better than to take his place m the defence force, but his nomadic life — that of a shearer — prevented his doing so. The young fellow, who weighs 15st, and is well set up, is a native of Garngham, and states that he has a sister 6ft high, the others of the family to which he belongs being also of a remarkable stature. A San Francisco drummer was recently shot at four times by a highwayman. Fortunately the bullets struck him on the cheek and he escaped uninjured. A salvation navy is one of the latest ideas of General Booth. At a very enthusiastic meeting held m Exeter-hall during the month of May, at which 500 saved drunkards were present, the general said that it had been decided to form a navy, and that a yacht had been bought by way of commencement. It had been considered, though, that a sailing ship would be too slow, and he asked for a steamer. A contemporary says : — •' A sensational story went the round of the press recently to the effect that a rabbiter on Greenfield station had been attacked by dogs, and m self-defence had to despatch several of them. It has been represented to us that the whole story is a hoax. A dog did jump on a rabbiter, and drag a skin from his back, with the result that the rabbiter killed the dog, but there was, our informant asserts, nothing m the nature of an attack." There was a sad, not to say ominous, coincidence m the fact (Frank Leslie's Newspaper says) that on the same day (May 1) that the Thetis, flagship of the Greely Relief Expedition, sailed, Boatswain Jack Cole, of the ice-wrecked Jeanette, was buried. Since his return home he has been m a mad-house m Washington, where he died. His mental malady was due to the terrible strain of the retreat from the Lena Delta. During a casting operation at the Clyde Ironworks, near Glasgow, an explosion occurred m the ladle containing , molten metal, and four men were fearfully burned, three of whom afterwards died. The men were preparing to run off the metal to cast the pig iron at No. 1 f urnaco, when, from some unexplained cause, an explosion took place, and the molten iron, slag, and cinders were showered upon the men. Their fellowworkmen extripated them from the redhot metal, and they were conveyed to Glasgow Royal Infirmary.*