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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 147, 13 June 1876, Page 4

Can't cut it: — While ; - travelling through the "Weet, a Down-Eas&er came aorosa ooe of its representative tavern-keepers, of whom he asked what he could furnish for dinner. " Anything-r?from r a snipe to an elephant,", was the reply. '.'..1 will take a piece of elephant,'' fluid the Down- , Easter. <c You will have to take a whole one," was the rejoinder ; .*' jwe never cut them."

In New r Guinea, jsdme^curious';>mari riage customs prevail. The number of wives a Motu has is only limited to the amount of his riches, but notwithstanding this it is quite the exception for a mnn to have more than one' wife, and none that I am aware of have more than three. In Ilema it is not uncommon for a chief to possess as -many as,. ten wives ; but the Mbtu women raise such strong objections that the men generally submit with a good grace. One case happened while T was in their country, which illustrated the truth of tbid statement, wherein a man having against his wife's wishes. married again, she in retaliation destroyed hi? plant*-' tion, and bloodshed would probably have been r the consequence, had not the natives, armed with clubaand spears prevented it. On (that ooeasion the women, also armed with (impromptu logs of wood and stout poles, took • leading part, their sbrill voice* being heard aboye'the excited tones' of th» men. The following articles given by the lover to the father -of I his betrothed,' or some equivalen v t lt fdrSny : ¥m"6n'g t them < that ha doei not poises? is .sufficient to purchase a wife :—l pig or T bnr,uma,- 1 nassa shell necklacs or UUUu'(6 folds)/ 1 dog's teeth necklace or xiodumj 1 pearlihell or mairi, 1 st«ne tomahawk or ila, 1 white oone_shel! armlet or toia, 1 spear or io» and (2 Women V giroMed-dr ramis, made from sago palm leaves.and coloured, — Few, rasn over-twenty tv y.<>j»r| of age,, are, single, tjoih ..sexes being nearly equally_repreienled^j but as a rule their, progeny „ is. n.o£ numerous. Some of the yqunger /women are remarkably pretty, but after matrimony they aoon lo»e ( their beauty, and wfcjen old their features become wizened and unattractive. 'The men carry their age' better.