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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 168, 18 July 1871, Page 4

The Permissive Bill appears to be in favor in Wanganui. One evening this •week two members of the committee engaged in obtaining signatures to the petition got 50 signatures out of 52 amongst the residents of a place called the ""swamp." The other two refused to sign. The officers of the Armed Constabulary in the North Island have been officially directed to "learn the Maori language." According to some accounts the injunction is beinj; industriously carried out on the East Coast, the preceptors being of the gentler sex, whose capacity for imparting instruction in the native language is said to far exceed that of lexicons or grammars. The following is a specimen of the sort of Colonial news supplied by Home journals. We clip it from a St. Andrew's p a p er : — "The English war steamer Clio, having ou board the Governor of New Zealand, and a large party of excursionists, struck a rock in Blega Sound, and was compelled to run in to Bounty Harem. The party succeeded in reaching Queensland overland with much difficulty. Attempts would be made to repair the vessel." The Dunedin Evening Star, hitherto a strong advocate of Provincialism, in a recent article shows symptoms of a chaDge of opinion. It says": — "It seems very evident that so far as legislation, is concerned; a conviction is gradually growing up that it is passing from the sphere of the Provincial Council, and that in the development of the Colony unity of system must ultimately supersede the diversity of law resulting from division into Provinces. This has been the course indicated by the events of the last few years. When the Provincial loans were consolidated into a Colonial loan the doom of Provincialism was sealed. It was an acknowledgment of the advantage of unity ; and gradually, since that time, ifc has been proved that the Colony is regarded from without with greater favor than any section of it, however much in advance of the rest in local and material development. It may not be very flattering to a Province like Otago that it commauds hardly more respect on the Stock Exchange in London than Nelson or Marlborough or Wellington ; but stock-brokers at Home are not quite so well up in Colonial -geography as we are, and very possibly have an idea that Otago is surrounded by a number of Hauhaus, who, at a signal from Te Kooti , would eat up the white men and women and burn their houses. What, therefore, the Province could not command, the General Government obtained without difficulty. Otago's best efforts could not procure the means for constructing the Clutha railway. The General Government obtained the money almost without an effort." Scandal.— lf a writer in the Wagga Wagga Advertiser is to be believed, that district Buffers in a social respect from the prevalence of a disposition to slander and scandal amongst its inhabitants. Writing in a sarcastic strain, he says :■ — " At a meeting, of the 'Wagga Wagga Scandal and Character Defamation Society,' held a few nights since, it was decided by ths members present, owing to the rapid spread of the amiable principles which it is the object of the society to disseminate, and the great amount of prosperity which all itheir charitable, undertakings bave met with, to enlarge the sphere of action . It was, therefore, unanimously resolved to alter the present name of the association to 'Tne Murrurabidgee and Riverine Scandal and Character Defamation Society,' and with praiseworthy zeal, for its success a committee "wasappbin-ted to draw up a list' of prizes to be offered at the annual meeting, open to all. comers within the districts narn^Mhe. prizes to, be awarded to; those persona w|v> shall .furnish the best for the;

advancement of its various amiable pur-, poses. The following are a few of the prizes suggested at the meeting : — First prize — The best means of causing discord and ultimate separation between husband and wife ; handsome silver teapot and spirit flask. Second prize — The best means of destroying the characters of respectable young ladies ; elegantly mounted vinegar cruet. Third prize — The most expeditious way to break up a matrimonial engagement ; an embossed silver bodkin. Fourth .prize — The best menus of circulating false reports about one's most intimate friend ; a handsome japanned tea-caddy. These are but a few of the prizes I have heard of, and they speak well for the enterprise of the society. It they will allow an ouTsi4er to express his appreciation of their efforts by offering a prize, I will with pleasure,, give the following : — To the instigator of the most dangerous bit of scandal in the district — A superior strong hempen cord", scientifically knotted and greased, warranted to stand a strong sudden jerk."