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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 104, 1 May 1880, Page 2

In reference to the injury which a young lady sustained through the snapping of a sewing machine needle on Monday,., it has been found that the needle did no pie rce the eye-lid, the excessive pain being caused by the bruise.— N.Z. Times. Last session there were rumors in the lobbies of the Assembly that some of the more needy of the honorarium hunters " franked" their washing home on the score of economy. The practice has been getting contagious, if the following from a Hobart Town paper is to be believed : — " A few months since the Tasmaniau postal authorities had their curiosity excited by certain odoriferous parcels which were franked through during the session by the signature of a v/ell known wealthy wool king, a member of the Upper House, whose chief eccentricity is not to wear a collar. One day the string which bound one of these parcels got adrift — by accident or otherwise. A pair of very dirty socks protruded. The hon member explained that he didn't care about Hobart Town washerwomen, and fthat he liked to send his blancissage home. Those who know him say that he is too mean to pay even a washerwoman, and were [at first unwilling to believe that he owned any socks at all." The N.Z. Herald has the following :— On Thursday, two Chinamen honored a British Magistrate so far as to request him to arbitrate on a matter in dispute. Thomas Quoy, an intelligent young Mongolian, who speaks very good English, consented to act as interpreter, and was swoin upon the Bible. One of the learned counsel engaged in the case took exception to this proceeding, on the ground tbat there- was no proof that Quoy was a believer in Christianity. His -Worship put the quietus on that objection by pointing out that the interpreter rejoiced in the Christian name of Thomas. The man-of-law, however, proclaimed himself still as great a doubter as Thomas Didymus. Quoy was then interrogated as to his belief. He said that if he did whit was wrong, all sorts of evil would befall him. "But in this world, or the next ? " — inquired the Magistrate. "In this world : I know of no other," answered the Chinaman. The countenance of the irrepressible objecting lawyer brightened up ; it was evident be was sure he had scored a point. But again he was' doomed to disappointment. Mr Laishley carried the day by remarking he was convinced that if the 9ame question were put to half the educated men in England, no satisfactory answer would be obtained "that they would not admit their belief in a huge furnace of fire and brinistone awaiting the arrival of every human being when he shuffled off this mortal coil." Finally, the services of Mr Thomas Quoy were thankfully accepted by all parties concerned. " Asmodeus," a writer in the N.Z. Mail is responsible for the following:— How prons is the human mind, especially the specimens owned by colonial youth, to put a false construction on the most innocent action and words! Walking through Manners street one day, I noticed la small group of the genus larrikin standing in front of a furniture shop, earnestly speculating as to the probable size and number of some unknown quantity. Looking in at the window I noticed that the proprietor of the establishment having a vehicle to dispose of, had not advertised the fact in the legitimate and orthodox way, but had written three words on a large card, which he had exhibited by placing it on one of the articles of his stock-in-trade. But he had put it on the wrong article, and the lieges passing by could see a large bed bearing the legend " Buggy— for sale" attached Hence the wonder of the larrikins, whom I left still engaged in abstruse speculation.A loving couple paraded Featherston-steeet yesterday afternoon, the observed of all observers. The "he " was a tall youth, and wore a long overcoat, a slouched hat, and a vacant expression of countenance, while the get-up of his partner consisted outwardly of a large waterproof jacket, which dragged in the mud, a straw hat, and a pair of muddy boots. She was below the medium height, her head just reaching up to her partner's' waste, aud round her neck she wore the youth's arm, which grasped her so tightly as to be extremely suggestive of suffocation. One little arm of the maiden endeavored to encircle the young man, but failed in the attempt, her hand only reaching the middle of his back, and with the other hand she occasionally bestowed loving slaps upon the face of her swain. As they thus perambulated the thoroughfare they were the object of considerable attention, and not a little merriment was raised at their expense. We fear that Cupid was less reasonable for the strange appearance of these people than his half- brother Bacchus. — N.Z. Times t The Hobart Town papers are greatly exercised over the case of Colonel St. Hill. It appears that Colonel St. Hill, when required to do so, was unable to present; an intelligible statement of accounts ; the unpleasant result, however, was a deficiency of about £1400. In a letter to Mr Weld, he asked his Excellency to postpone any action, as his friends were prepared to guarantee a considerable amount of the deficiency, and that in six months hia commission would have increased £1000 in value, when he would sell out and liquidate the whole liability. Meanwhile he would assign to any person hi 3 Excellency might name 200 shares in the McAlpine Mining Company. It would seem that Mr Weld agreed to these terms and a member of the Ministry had the shares assigned to him, the proceeds of which were credited to Colonel St. Hill, as paid on uccount of his obligation. Subsequently Mr Weld was legally advised that he was compromising himself in acting thus, and he returned the proceeds of the shares and reported the matter to the Home authorities. The Sheik ul Islam has called on the Constantinople authorities to prevent the wearing of Paris boof.s, low dresses, and transparent veils by Mussulman women. He also complains of cafes being frequented by men in the hours of religious service. Dr Frazer, the clever aud accomplished Bishop of Manchester, is about to be married He is almost elderly, and there is quaint rumour that his courtship has extended" over 8 qWVtiV Qt fl fiSUtury,

A singular accident happened to the child of a respectable resident in Grey-street last week. The child was about two years of age, and had been punished before being put to bed, the mother heard it crying, but. paid no attention, believing it to be the result of the slapping. It cried further on in the night, but the mother did net notice anything wrong till morning, when she saw that the child's face had been bitten: by a rat, also three of its fingers had been gnawed at, and the child is likely to lose one of them. The little child, it appears, had a piece of bread and butter in its hand when it was put to bed, and probably that attracted the rat. There have been several instances in Auckland of rats having thug bitten infants, and in one case in Hobson-street, the child lost so much . blood that its life was for some time despaired of.-— Herald. The Americans have found a great many uses for paper, but the latest surpasses all in its novelty. Pasteboard shutters, ornamented with colored or stamped paper, to imitate the different kinds of wood, are said to be lighter and cheaper than wood, do not wrap or split, and can be easily fitted ; thus being well adapted to " cheap houses."