Miscellaneous Items.

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 1458, 18 September 1885, Page 4

Miscellaneous Items.

The amendment of the conditions for payment of rewards for the discovery of gold- fields provides that the maximum reward shall not exceed £500, and no re ward shall be payable till at least 20,000 ounces have been extracted within two years of date of the registration of ihe discovery. The Wairarapa Daily says : — " It has been remarked that all the peach trees m the district present a remarkably healthy appearance! this year, though they have not lost the marks or effects of blight of former years. It was remarked last year that there was an improvement, and as this has continued, it is not improbable that we shall again have a supply ot the healthy and luscious fruit which once made New Zealand famous. It is also stated that a large portion of the scale ou apple trees has died off since last summer." Intelligence was received by last mail that m the Edinburgh University examinations Mr W. J. Cattan, of Dunedin, came out first m his class (chemistry, botany, and zoology) ; , Mr Louis Barnett, of Wellington, third; and Mr Burns, of Dunedin, fctth. As the class contained several hundred students, the positions of the New Zealand men are exceptionally good. General Morrin, an authority on hygienic matters, estimates the proper amount of fresh air m schools m temperate climates at 883 to 1U59 cubit feet per houi^for schools for adults, aud 424 to 520 cubje feet per hour for schoola for children. A shocking fatality is reported from Grassmere (Victoria), the child of a farmer named Mewha having diet! from injuries received through burning. Mewha and his wife left home, the house being m charge of a girl 12 years of age, with her young sister. The latter thrust a broom into the fire, and withdrawing it when on tire touched her sister's clothing. The child was quickly enveloped m flames, and, rushing out of the house, throw herself on the grass, rolling about and screaming for help. All efforts to extinguish the fire were unavailing, and her clothing being consumed she returned to the house naked aud fearfully bunted, when she got into bed, taking her young sister to keep her out of harm's way. She was found by a neighbour, who happened to call at the house. Medical aid was sent for, but was of no avail, aud after fearful suffering the child died. ,

The Home News has the following : — " It appears from statistics recently published that, m 1789, the total number of Jews m Paris scarcely reached 500. By the year 1806 the number had risen to 3000; m 1812, to 12,000, and m 1872 to 40.000. At tha present time the Jewish population m the French capital ia believed to exceed 50,000. As am example of the increase m the number of Jowa e,tnployed m tho various branches of the public service, the following figures relative to the army will suffice. In 1821, the army had m its rauka one Jewish general, Baron Wolff, one chief of battalion, an i three captains. In 1883, there were serving under the French flag, five Juwish generals five colonttls, uiue majors, twenty- five chiefs of battalions, ninety captains, eightynine lieutenants, and 104 sub-lieuten-ants." . The M-irlborough Express says: — " The Rev Peter Mason, B.A. — a divine ♦re confess we have never heard of before — has written a ' Geography of New Zealand and 'Oceania," publishrd at Auckland. This is what Mr Mason, 8. A., has to say of our own district-:— 1 Marlborongh— Btaiheim, chief town is situated, on the Opawa River. To the north of Blenheim are Marlborough, Piclon, Havelock, Ren wick. Kaikoura. Marlborough is on the Wairaii River, four miles from Blenheim.' It is painful to reflect that tins misleading rubbish has been ' authorised for the use of schools,' and that 8000 copies Iteve been sold." Mr Bryce intends leaving for England m connection with his prosecution against Mr Rusden, by the Kaikoura for London direjet on the 27th inst., and will be absent from the colony for about foui months. It is with more than ordinary regret that we notice the death m Nelson of Mr John George Blackett, the eldest son of Mr J. E. Blackett, Engineer-in Chief of tlm colony. Mr J. 0. Black! tt was only m his thirty-fourth year, but had already made his mark as an exceedingly clever engineer. He has for several years filled most creditably the position of Engineer-in Charge of Public Works m Nelson, and has there carried out a largo number of most important works. He was one of the engineers employed m carrying out the Rimutaka line here. He was "highly esteemed m all the private relations of life, and was generally popular. As Captain of the Nelson Rowing Club, he visited Wellington m March last. The unfoatunate gentleman died of typhoid fever, after a few. day's illness The greatest sympathy will we know be felt for his parents and sisters, who- reside m this city, as well as for his wife and family . lie leaves three children, tho youngest born only a day or two before its father's death. — Post. The many friends of Mr August Frederick, one of the most prominent German settlors m Rangitikei, will regret to learn that he died oh Monday night. Mr Frederick, has been m that district for more Ihan a quarter of a eentiiry,anrt was regarded as a leader by his fellowcountrymen. A Sydney telegram m the Melbourne Herald states that Frederick Sayers, son of the late great pugilist, Tom Sayers, whose memorable battle with Keenan, representative of America, will always be regarded by persons of a certain class as an item of English history, was married to Miss O'Brien, ti young woman who has for some years been m the employ of Mr Bowden, of the Clubhouse Hotel. The happy pair will shortly leav« for England. Sayers is a gentleman of- means, having been be- j qiifathed an annuity by an English duke, an admirer of his fathei's plnck. The Magistrate of the City Court, Melbourne,' ab'riiit a fortnight ago Btated, from the Bench, that fully nine-tenths of the charges investigated at that Court were the direct result of intoxication.