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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 22, 26 January 1880, Page 2

At the meeting of the N.Z. Insurance Company, Mr G. P. Pierce, in returning thanks on behalf of the officers, said : I agree that it is at times like this that a vote of thanks is peculiarly acceptable. It is at times like this that cur responsibilities increase, and our anxieties increase in proportion. We should do business so as not to have to run after other companies, or take excessive risks. In bad times, and with excessive risks, rats have a tendency to eat lucifer matches, so that fires are the inevitable result. Bats, it has been found, are not bo fond of matches when times are good. A commercial traveller arrived at Napier the other day (says the TeleQraph) a case of dutiable goods having preceded him. After securing the case, and getting it put on the express cart, he was accosted by the wharfinger, "Heigh! what are you doing with that case? There is 14s to pay on it" "Ohl that's all right, here you are." And traveller and box went on. Then the wharfinger remembered something and sung out again, f Heigh! there's 3s 6d wharfage on that.' The money wag paid, and again the cart drove off, but had not gone far before a commission agent called out, "Heigh! where are you taking that case? There's receiving RBd deJlYerjng 5s 0(3, to pay 00 it, 1 ' Ba}4 tsbe

traveller with a sigh, and paying the money, " I suppose it's all right, but while I've got my hand in my pocket does anybody want any more? Do you want to build a quay, or a wharf, or maybe you want a breakwater; just say the word before I go." And everybody looked injured like, and the ease and the traveller departed in peace. Judge Windeyer mentioned to a friend of mine (say a "iEgles," in the Australasian), in Sydney as a singular circumstance that the rifle which Captain Moonlight, the condemned bushranger, used in his late raid was one which his Honor bad himself won in a rifle match fifteen years ago ? Judge Windeyer was the man who sentenced Moonlight to death. When the steamer JPenguin was at Milford Sound during her Christmas excursion on the West Coast two prospectors in Me ranges there reported having sten several live moas, and spoke confidently of being able to capture one or more of them. The men are positive as to the iientity of the mammoth birds, and said they expected to make sure of one or two of them dead or alive. We (/V. Z. Herald) understand that harvesting commenced a few days ago on the estate of Mr J. C. Firth at Matamata, where he has over 1600 acres in wheat, which, we believe, is the largest quantity of grain on any single estate in the North Island. We understand that next season he proposes to lay t down double the quantity, 3000 acres having been ploughed and made ready, for sowing. The effect of the high tariff ''says the N. Z. Herald) is exemplified in many /ways already, and will soon be shown in more. One, instance, trifling in itself, has been mentioned to as. The Union Company have steamers trading to Sydney from New Zealand, and, like prudent people, the directors take the opportunity to lay in their stocks of liquors at the place where these can be procured at the cheapest rate. The duty on spirits in New Zealand is 14s per gallon, while in New South Wales it is only 10s per gallon ; therefore the Union Company purchases in Sydney. We believe that the Customs authorities do not allow the steamers to sell in New Zealand ports. The horse St. Julian, at a race given for General Grant in California, just before his departure, trotted a mile, without a skip or break, in the extraordinary time of 2min. 12£ sec. Goldsmith Maid did it in 2min. 15sec., andßarus in 2min. I4gec, but the California horse has beaten both. It is apparent (says the Mount Ida Chronicle) that the New Zealand colonist is a very large consumer of liquors, more so in , fact, perhaps, than any other nation. Hitherto America has been considered the greatest liquor consuming nation in the world, as every man, woman, and child in the States spends £2 18s on drink ann lally. Our Yankee friends, however, have lost | their prestige, as it ia proved by recent statistical returns that our own colony occupies the premier position among the imbibing nations of the earth, as, with a population of under half a million souls, £4 per head ig spent annually on intoxicating ! drinks, or a total cf £2,000,000. Our national debt now reaches the respectable total of £27.000,000, and some people are already Bhaking their heads seriously and woudering how it is to be paid. Our public works only produce enough to pay iuteresfc on the ;debt. Were the money Bpeut in drink annually by our people devoted to the liquidation of the national debt, in eleven years we should owe nothing. ■ Our working population would save one million sterling annually by being total abstainers. " All Europe," says the New York Journal of Commerce, " seems to be under the strain of a vague alarm. The possibilities of new combinations which may soon involve all Europe iv a fierce struggle are Dot to b« overlooked. At no time previously have so many preparations been made, or has a greater military activity been manifested, and the financial strain on the resources of each nation' of Europe ig overwhelming. The tollers feed and clothe the vast standing armies, and send out sous, husbands, brothers to slay and to be slain. Tho time will come when the masses will refuse to fight for their rulers' ambitions and petty jealousies. The standing armies of Europe are her danger and her curie. France alone keeps over 1,800,000 soldiers on call, and adds to the number yearly. The enormous expense of the Prussian Budget has been such that there is a deficit for 1880 of lO,soOJooodols, and new customs duties and taxes are everywhere levied. Meanwile in America the grasses grow, and the harvest s ripen, and our newspapers and people quarrel over our corporal's guard of an army. Our lines have fallen in peaceful and pleasant places." A considerable portion of the beef that arrives from America at Liverpool is sent up to Scotland, and from there sent to the metropolis as Scotch beef The reason for this is the prejudice against the imported article, which is supposed to be of inferior quality. An Englishman was the other days traveling towards^ the < Far West ' in America, and explained to a citizen seated opposite him that he intended to enter into partnership with an American. 'He will have the experience, I shall have the money.' « And in a very few years,' obseved the citizen, ' your respective positions will-be reversed.' Nothing seems to satisfy the " members of the bar" at Ashburton. If they are not squabbling among themselves, they are finding fault with the Resident Magistrate, District Judge, bailiff, or some other official connected with the Court. The latest is from the Ashburton Mail of the 15th inst., as follows : — "For a long time past complaints have been rife about the loose manner in which the office business of the Resident Magistrate's and District Court is conducted, and numerous instances have occurred in which suitors and other persons having business to do with those Courts have sustained pecuniary loss in consequence ; in fact, so far as the Resident Magistrate's Court is concerned, although its adminisntration is doubtless improved since Mr Campbell'* dayg, it by no means enjoys that public confidence which i 3 desirable, and the application of the " lesson of reform " seems to be urgently required. As to the District Court, an irregularity of a somewhat startling and suggestive nature was brought under the notice of Judge Ward at the last sitting of the Court, and may be taken as indicating an unpleasant state of affairs. The lega 3 profession also appear to be extremely dissatisfied with the present condition of matters, and are, we understand, bringing the subject under the notice of the Government.

■'• '^ ■ . - • -. ' i — A Sheffield paper states that another case of callous indifference to tho saving of human life., similar to that of (he "secondhand gentleman " at Darfield, is reported from :Uerby. A boy fell into the Derwent, and, while drowningr, a man came by, but refused to assist him, although it was asserted that, by merely stretching out his fishing-rod, he: could haVe saved the lad's life. At the inqjiest the jury Censured this fellow. «aacoca*»hi<iM.*»vi.kji^i4ut»B»iasKggsqa-gggj^itf'jv^B«gßaMß«ißMgßP