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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 143, 17 June 1872, Page 4

The following letter appears as an advertisement in a late number of the N. Z. Herald : —To the Editor of the Herald : Sir —We, on behalf of several of the young lady barmaids of Auckland, request "Polly Plum" and " Sketcher," of the Evening Star, to mind their own busim-ss. We are not half so badly off as they imagine. Maude Hennessey, Barbara Witdon, Ophelia Marlel. An Auckland Telegram, dated June 7, says :—A deputation of settlers waited upon the Hon. D. M'Lean at Harapipi. He stated that it is the intention of the Government to organise the militia on a new system. The plan has not yet been decided, but the Waikato will probably be divided into two districts. The militia will be called out for a week's training once a year at a central encampment. "A Rather Good Story has come to our ears," says the Clunes Guardian, " relative to an erstwhile provincial correspon dent of a Ballarat paper, and now or recently an applicant for a newly-created Government office. This individual, it appears, waited on a certain member of Parliament in order to request his influence in obtaining the coveted appointment. Now, as the M. P. had been unfortunate enough to be frequently ' slated ' by bitter paragraphs emanating from the pen of the aforesaid office-seeker, the legislator was surprised at the application, and appears to have expressed himself to that effect. He was, however, told that*bis services were not expected gratuitously, that in fact a bonus of £20 would be paid on the billet being secured. M.P. thereupon inquired what the situation was worth. Agood round sum per annum was named as the probable salary. ' Then yon are quite sure it is a good and permanent billet, Mr. ?' * Quite sure,' was the reply. ' Then as it is such a good one,' said the M. P., 'I think I'll try and get it for myself or one of my friends. Good day !'" The Sydney Morning Herald does not wonder that the mail contract made by Mr. Duffy and Mr. Vogel with Mr. Webb is more favorably regarded in New Zealand than in Victoria, as the arrangement is more favorable to the former than the latter colony :• — " Hitherto New Zealand has had to bear almost alone a burden disproportionately heavy to its resources; but it elected to pay that price rather than forfeit the leading position in the negotiations. Under the new arrangement it will reduce its own payment, and secure an ally that consents to a higher charge than its own people are asked for. If-the Victorians approve the arrangement, it is not for us to dissuade them. If they see it to be more to their interest to pay twice or three times as much for a line organised in New Zealand as they were asked for one organised in Sydney, they are the best judges of their own interests, and we have no quarrel with them on that score. But considering the proportion they have hitherto paid to the Suez contract, and the amount 1 they will probably have to contribute for the Cape service, they ;will certainly exhibit an un-^ expected liberality if, after disparaging and discouraging the' California'!) route as they have hitherto consistently done,, they] should now come forward and offer to pay £32,500 a year, for eight years and a-half

to employ vessels of an old pattern, never constructed for such a service, and nol the best suited to it. Life Among Savages. — While th? Adventurer was lying ut one of the South Sea Islands, which seemed to promise every luxury in which a runaway sailor could indulge, late one night, while the vessel was lying at anchor, five of the men took one of the boats belonging to the ship and rowed ashore, taking with them a number of hatchets, ship's knives, &c. On landing, they made their way to a native village some three miles off, ami although a search was made for them by the ship's crew, they could not be found The captain had had experience of this sort of thing before, so set sail without, them, but returned to the same harbor iu the course of two or three weeks. A canoe then came off with an old chief anri several natives, for the purpose of trading with the vessel. The captain at once seized the chief and put him in irons, and sent the others hack, with instructions to brinjr off the five deserters that niuht, or the ship wouM sail away with the chief. . The savages made all the haste they could, and although it was then nearly dusk, they returned shortly after dark, with the five deserters, and every article they had taken ashore with them. The chief was then allowed to go at large. The deserters jirpseuteri a most wretched appearance. They were stripped of their clothing, their bodie.were covered with sores from head to font, and they were uearly starved to death. They stated that immediately on the vessel's departure they had received the most scurvy treatment from the natives, who looked upon them with jealous eyes, au<s were several times going to murder them They described the mode of living, &c. of the savages, which was of the most barbarous description, scenes of strife being of the most common occurrence. A Young Lady at, Council Bluffs, U.S., being informed by her "'feller" that huintended to cease his attentions, cowhided him round the room, and, as he sprang through the open window, told him with a parting lick, that that would teach him to be more careful for the future not to trifle with a gentle and loving heart. Simplicity Itself. — A sailor dropper] out of the main-top of a man-of-war, and after in some degree breaking his fall by catching at the rigging, fell against the lieutenant, and knocked him down on the quarter-deck. The sailor jumped up, as did the lieutenant. " You rascal," said the lieutenant, " where do you come from ? " Frum the north of Ireland, an' plase yer honor," answered the sailor.