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Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1644, 25 February 1886, Page 4

We are constantly reading of windfalls by which men ■ are raised from poverty to afflueuce through the death, of some .relative or friend, but until now we (Dilnstan Times) never heard of a Chinaman dropping m for such luck. Yet the welcome intelligence has just reached a Mr Cock Fa, who for the past few years has beguiled himself with' cradling the auriferous sands of the Molyneux iiv the neighbourhood of the Clyde, that he has drooped m for the nice little sum of £3000. Mr Cock Pa, we understand, is well educated, and occupied the position of. jjchooltnaster m: his own country! •• The extraordinarily low- death rate of 13 per 1,000 of the population ot Loudon was reached last week k This -we are officially informed, is the most favorable rate of mortality ever attained eince statistics were regularly compiled and issued for the metropolis, and is beyond precedent also when compared with any other large city of the world. When we consider the enormous area and population of this modern Babj'.lon, with, the average addition of one thousand births over deaths within its radius weekly, it is the more astounding, and points unmistakable to the salubrity ot its .situation, thn thoroughness of its drainage,' its excellent water supply, and lastly, though not the least important factor, its complete sanitary, supervision and control. — Medical Press. .Captain Edwin wired at 4.3 p.m. yesterday :— Bad weather approachiug after 12 hours from now between north east and north and west. Glass further fall, and indications of rain. The Xiyttloton Times considers that; two chief things are wanted to make trade with Brazil at all temptiug — a trustworthy and energetic agent at Rio and encouragement from our steam shipping companies. Given these, and there should be no reason why our produce should all be carried past Brazil, as though that enormous country, with its, ten millions of whites and blacks were: not to be reckoned iv the world's cou- : suining power. „ ? On Tuesday the ordination of the liev.Mr Neville took place at Waverley. w Mr -- Wright, ;of - Palmerston" North,; preached, the Rev Mr Tread well or ' dnincd, and the Rev Mr Doull addressed: the pastor and people. On a charge of perjury heard at the Wanganui District Court, a man named John Boyle, pleaded guilty, and stated that what he had said when on oath was that he had never been* m that Court, not that he had not been m gaol before. Hie Honor, m delivering sentence, dwelt on the serious nature of .the offence;, for which seven years' penal servitude might be given, He, however, considered that there was a difference between a man who perjured himself asa'witness against an innocent person," and one who ' committed perjury to shield himself, Taking this into consideration, and also the old age of the .prisoner, ho would only sentence him to three 'months m the Wanganui Gaol. A German Journal describes a plant termed the phytolacva electrica which possesses strong electricnl properties. On breaking a twig a shock is felt, and a compass is affected at a distance of some feet from it. • The- directions of variation of the compass ncellle is reversed by reversing the direction of motion of the compass to and from the plant. The electric influence is said to vary with 4he 4ime of '■■ day,> it being strongest at about 2 p. m., and feeblest m the night. It is also stated that birds and insects keep away from the plant. ,At an extraordinary general meeting of the Wellington Woolen Manufacturing Company held on Wednesday evening, the resolution passed on January 18th, authorising the Directors to raise i; 25,000 on debentures and for security to' mortgage the property of the Company, including uncalled up capital, was confirmed. The time has arrived when it is thought advisable to open a Masonic. Lodge id Woodville. A meeting to consider the question was to be held on the 23rd inst. It ip not generally known (says the Vail Mall Gazette) that the Pope is a poet, but as a matter of fact his Holiness is an expert Latin versifier, and he has just presented Prince Bismarck, through the German Ambassador of Rome, with an elegantly bound copy of his latest volnme of poems, " Novissima Leonis Pont. Mar. Carima." Long before his elevation to the chair of Peter, Cardinal Pepci was wcl -known as one of the best classical scholars m Italy, and his poems are said to show such a mastery of Latin that quite modern turns of thought have obtained a classi cal tinge.'