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Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1605, 11 January 1886, Page 2

T;he once mighty Euphrates., seems likely to,«li«agpear altogether, according, to v tho Times of India. > For some years past the .river banks below,B.*bylpn have been giving way so that the stream spread out into a marsh, until steamers could not pass 8 , and only a narroV channel remained for the native boats. Now this I passage is becoming obliterated, and unless matters improve the towns will be ruined, and the famous firer itself be swallowed up by- the dessert. ' j The drought still continues with unabated fierceness and id beginning to be severely felt m the Fbxton district. Excepting m the swamps feed is all dried upland water is getting ' Very scarce m all directions. Under these circum stances, and considering the intensely dry and inflammable, condition to which ( everything subject to fire is beinc rej duced, persons should use every care jjand precaution m starting fires, and smokers especially should see that matches are properly extinguished before thrown down. A lighted match, thrown carelpsuly ■ down now m sotniv | places, would lead to m< st disastrous results.' On Sunday one of Mr PurcoU's j boundary fences got alight, but a' few persons who were close at hand t when the fire broke but, fortunately iexlini, gnished it after a few chains had been i burnt— Foxton paper. Considerable amusement was caused 'm the Wallirigton Supreme Court two or three days ago, when the hearing of | the charge against Ah Get wan begun. ! When theMndictra<Mi,t was { about , to read, His Honor remarked that' he did not supposp it would be possible, to interpret the familiar conclusion "against ' thfl peace of our lady the Queen, her crowu and dignity," and Mrlzard.Crown Prosecutor, said if the prisoner' could understand the indictment that was more than nine Englishmen out of ; ten could do. When an interpreter wag procured a difficulty arose, Mr Devine, (for the defence) objecting to the person selected, oti the' ground that he had ,ex ; i.reesed an opinion that it would serve Ah Get right if he got two years! Another interpreter haying been secured as a check upon the one all ready m attendance, the case proceeded, not without interruption, however, for the accuse was- evidently opposed to the iut«rpret«'t, and frequently complained. — N.Z. Times. The Wairarapa Daily says.— For some days past a report has been current m the district that Mr J. Renall haTcapfured a strange animal on the' banks of the,Rua!uahunga, on his propeity Te White,\.but nothing definite 1 was known about, it. ,Mr Renall in-j formed iisyesterdayV that he had captured an animal measuring -about six feet six inches m length, and covered all over the body with a. soft brown fur about an inch long, ! the tail/however; reseinbling that of a large lizarq.. It •had irn f raefis«*ly powerful jaws laridi. a double row of. teeth, as. well as strong tusks. It'was web-footedl Be secured it by a dog chain, by means of which he tied it tp.a stump;. 'Duriffg' the; ; few days it was m his possession it came", to know him fr'ojn 'the other members of , the houseHold, and seemed to prefer his .corapanyj as when left alone it generally gave l 'a dismal sort' of whine. It refused, all. ekoept .vegetable foon\ On Wednesday last) on returning from a school. picnic, he found that the chain had.been gnawed m two, and that the animal had disappeared. ' Mr Renall is "making efforts to re-captura it. The Defence Bflinister has recently .issued a,c,i^cular tq.the polipe m which ihe directs the attention ,of ' merhbers of the force. to the fact tiia> the prevontibfi ■of crime is their first arid, most important duty and pointing, out that promotion will depend as much on efficiency, smartness, tact and special service, more than upon length of service and good 1 conduct alone. The Eton Mr Ballance also states that there is reason to belie v.e that iilict distillation and smuggling are extensively carried on as well as other .breaches of the Qbstom laws, to the injury of the, revenue, and adds that detection, of such, cases will be regarded'aa special service of a meritorious character, but the members of the force are not for :the sake of any .pecuniary or personal advantage, to forget that their primary duty is to prevent critnej arid they are jo subordinate this .consideration ■'to-' any otner - .-:.•■.. ■ i -.'.''.}>'>'}' y,.,.['i '.■.,. '■