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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 49, 26 February 1880, Page 2

F. M. Mort, si law clerk, recently commit- . ted suicide at M'Donald Town, (Victoria), by placing his head on a rail and the train nearly severing it from his body. He left a memorandum, saying he did so because his employer's ion had stated to him he was kept in employ inertly from charity. The office of Mr Johnson, the Relieving Officer (says the Post of Tuesday), was literally besiegad for about an hour this morning by men whd required employment. Amongst the applicants were men of nearly eyery trade and calling, and they all seemed most anxious to get work of any kind. Mr Johnson did all he could for them, but of course a great many had to go away disappointed. A Queensland telegram saysi — The success of the Strathleven meat experiment is inducing speculative purchases of cattle. It is reported that an extensive butcher at Rockhampton has bought 12,000 head of cattle on the strength of the new opening for export to England. Extraordinary yields frem the Gympie mints (Queensland) are reported. The Nerth Gladmere Company washed 100 tons for 786 ounces of gold, South Lady Mary, 49 tons for 160 ounces; No. 1, 'North Gladmere, 1&0 tons for 350 ounces. The comet (says a Melbourne paper) has passed its perihelion, and is rapidly receding, being ho longer visible to the naked eje on 14th February. Viewed through the great Melbourne telescope, the nucleus appeared simply as a faint nebulous mass, with a slight central eondemation, and the tail like a. thin wisp, extending a couple of degrees. Under the heading, " Christchurcb aßking for more," the Pott publishes the following telegram :— Mr Rolleeton goes to Wellington to morrow. He was interviewed today by a deputation from the City Council, asking for some Parliamentary help in the shape of a grant of land or money to Chrißtchurch. It was pointed out that other big towns, by reason of their large or wealthy endowments, had to levy comparatively small rates, while Christchurch, with an endowment not worth more than £16.000, consisting of very unreuaunerative property that brought no more than £156 rental, had the cheering prosnect of a rate of aomethiug like 3j lid iv the £. Mr Rolleston would give no decisive answer. He admitted the hardship of the position, but said the Government had shut down on grants of land to municipalities, and fresh legislation would be needed. He did not hold out muoh encouragement that anything would bo done to meet the wishes of the deputation. The Auckland- Star relating the manner in which a Maori prisoner lately made his escape at Helensville : — " It appears that the constable had furnished the Maori with bags for a pillow, and the Maori rigged up a dummy with the bags, and stuffed the same under the blankets. The native got behind the door about breakfast time, and as the constable came in and walked towards the bed, the Maori popped from behind tbe door and escaped from the house, running over the property of Mr McLeod, with Constable Naughton following hard and shouting to a man named Remmer, in the employ of Mr McLead. The native passed the house of the latter about thirty yards in advance «f the constable, but Remmer, starting fresh, ran the fugitive down in three minutes. The latter, armed with a pair of boots, was about to make a fight for it, when he saw Mr Isaac McLeod bearing down on him, and tho sight of so formidable an antagonist at once extinguished tbe fighting ardour of Mr Heremaia, who surrendered himself once more to captivity. The North Olago Tints, a good authority on such matters, throws a light upon the cause of the many complaints that ever in the busy harvest season men cannot get employment. Our contemporary aays : — " Harvest hands have been very plentiful ; pood men hare been getting good wages, but there have been hundreds of men travelling about the country in search? of work, who, as the saying is, are not worth their ' tucker.' The fruits of careless immigration are now very perceptible in thi3 class of individuals." At a certain railway station the other day (says the N.Z. Times) a contractor, who is trying to reduce his proportions by partaking of " Anti-fat mixtures," complained that it cost him 8s a week to keep his corpulency within bounds. " Hear that," ejaculated a son of Erin.. " In this country men are doing their best to keep down their fat, in mine they can't get rid ef tfeeir lean. Surely this must be a foine country for tho working man ! " M. Hermann, the Viennese conjurer, unlike the " mediums " who perform tricks and call them miracles, does miracles and calls them tricks. M. Jules Claretie is reponsible for the accuracy of the following tale : — " Hermann was engaged in the difficult task of amusing that monarch " who lives the life of a wounded rabbit in a hole " — the Sultan. The scene was a boat moored in the Boaphorus. " Will you oblige me," said Hermann to the Grand Vizier, " by throwing your ■watch overboard ? " The Grand Vizier looked doubtful, but tho Sultan nodded, and the watch, sauk glittering through tho sea. " Now," said Hermann, " Will some one kindly give me a fishing rod ? " A rod was brought, a line and a hook, which the con juror baited before the eyes of the Padishaw, as a Pushtoo contemporary calls the Sultaa. He Boon had a nibble, struck, and after an exciting interval, had a fine fish in tbe landnet. Herman* opened the fish, and took out the Vizier's watch, still keeping capital time. Repressing a strong inclination to refer to the ring of Polycrates, we go on to prove that Hermann can juggle as well for the wily Muscovite ns for the gallant Turk. While amusing the leisure of the Autocrat of all the Russias, he broke a large and magnificent mirror. The superstitious potonate winced, for to break a mirror is unlucky, and a curtain was thrown overthe glass. Hermann went on with his tricks for awhile, then suddenly exclaimed, "1., forgot tho glass, look at it." The curtain wan removed, and there was the mirror whole and unharmed. — JPaily News,

At the carnival at San Francisco, in honor of General and Mrs Grant, the latter was presented with a bouquet of flowers indigenous to the various countries she had passed through aaring her tour round the world. The flowers were placed in regular order, starting with Philadelphia and ending with San Francisco. The bouquet-holder, five inches long, was made of pure Californian gold, and inlaid with quartz and metals found on the Pacific coasti Mrs. Isaac Bell, jun., sister of Mr James Gordon Bennett, recently became the mother of a fine son. The day after the young gentleman's advent his uncle called to see hirpj and laid on his cradle one hundred United States bonds of lOOOdols. each as a christening gift, or rather a gift of "joyous arrival," accordiug to the old medieval custom at the acc^sion of a king. Under the heading of " Our school system;" the, folldwihg letter was contributed to the Dunedin St&r »— Sir,— Respecting your observations on Inspector Petrie's report, I can safely say that if the results prove the present sohool system to be a failure it need be a matter of no surprise. The children ars crammed with knowledge which they do not understand, and cruelly punished for not learning what is far beyond their capacity. The teachers in many cases are allowed to administer correction in any way they please; the scholars' ears are boxed, their backs thumped by heavy fists, and their hands caned till they bleed. Again, the number of lessons given them to learn at home is moat unreasonable, keeping them up to a late hour, which is alike injurious to their health and inconvenient to their parents. But there is one mistake of which I would now speak more particularly, and that is the study of human anatomy in common schools. Sir, modesty forbids me to repeat the information given on this subject by a male teacher to a class of little girls ; and that such a power should be placed in the hands of men of immoral tendency makes one shudder, whilst I foresee incalculably sad results, for which no learning can compensate. — I am, &c, A Mother.

It is a fact which is not generally realised that America widena at the north until it juts out into the ocean so as to be within thirty-six miles of Asia. In severe seasons Behring's Straits are frozen over, and animals have passed on the ice from one continent to the other. A peculiar diamond robbery is thus relatea in the Cincinnati Commercial -.— " A Mr Hawthorn who came from New York on a visit, has had an experience on Broadway which is simply unparalleled. Setting off his handsome dress with a 600dol diamond pin, the diameter of which was about half an inch, whilst sauntering up Broadway ke stopped in front of Hapgerty's produce establishment, and bent over a pile of coops to watch the antics of some of the chickens which were feeding. The diamond caught the eye of some silly fowl-a hen, of courseand darting its head between the laths it seized the gem. Unfortunately the fastening was loose. The hen swallowed the diamond, and

Mr Hawthorne's attempt to catch it gaye it such a fright, it rushed amongst the other chickens and lost its identity so far as be was concerned. He weutinto the btore to complain, and was delayed somewhat. When he came ' out again the coops had all been moved, and Hawthorne could not even recognise the ■ 600d °1 one" A conference was held with Mr Haggerty, and it was agreed that the onjy way to make sure of the jewel was to kIU all the chickens in all the coops. This was »ofc » gre *t undertaking, for the house »upplwß hotels with dressed chickens, and would not have much trouble m disposing of the lot So Haggerty agreed that if he was allowed 25 cents a dozen for killing iramediately he would find the diamond. The C°°P3 were carried to the dressing-room, and the seven ty-two dozen chickens were killed, The 858 th chicken had the diamond careful y stowed away inside, and Mr Hawthorne gladly P? ld 10dol t0 tne woman wno found the diauioud.