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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 113, 15 May 1877, Page 2

The new edition of that favorite book, " Old New Zealand," received a highly laudatory notice, a column and a half long, in the Times of January 25th. The Pomare, lately arrived at Sydney from the Hcrvey and Society Groups, reports that a cyclone had been raging for three days at the latter islands, causing much damage to the crops. The Pomare was under bare poles during the whole time. Says the Lyttelton Times of the peripatetic tendancies of Ministers: — "It is surprising to see the facility with which Ministers at a moment's notice and for any length of time can undertake, we canno. say fulfil, each other's duties. An ordinary mortal has only one brain and two hands, and would he itate, if he were fully occupied with his own business, to look after that of another man. But Ministers, it would appear, are exempt from human imperfectious, and each is a host in himself. Their chief instinct seems to be locomotion. They are always going to and fro in the earth, end walking up and down in it. We never hear of any beneficial result from their peregrinations, but we hear much of a reverse description owing; to their absence from their offices."

A curious thing connected with the Servian military bands is the manner in which nearly all the regiments carry the big drum. In stead, as in other, armies, of being slung in, front of the man who plays, this instrument is put upon a small two-wheeled cart, drawn by a large dog, the latter being so trained that he keeps his place in the band even through the longest marches. The drummer walks behind the cart and performs on the instrument as he goes along.