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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 192, 13 August 1881, Page 2

A striking illustration of the amount of proof required to satisfy the law, was recently afforded in the Court, Melbourne, An application was made by a lawyer that letters of adminiatration in the estate of the Rev Joseph Waterhouse, who was lost in the Tararua, should be granted to the next of kin of the deceased. An affidavit in support by James Burnett, a survivor, stated that he (Mr Burnett) left Mr Waterhouse standing on the deck of the ill fated ship near the funnel, and that, inasmuch bb he had cot been beard of since, he must bave been drowned. His Honor Mr Justice Moleswortb, however, expressed bis desire for further affidavits, and stated that he would not be influenced on the subject by reports which he had read in the papers. In concluding a leading article on the rival schemes of local government the Ashburton Guardian says :—" Sir George Grey grapples like a man with the question— Who's to pay the piper, or find the funds for all this regal authority in twenty provinces ? He tells us that the surplus funds of General Government after all expenses have been met are to be handed over to the twenty Provincial Treasurers. It strikes us that this would be a mighty small sum. In fact, judging by the experience of the past few years, the General Government would only hand over a large deficit. But what would that matter in the arithmetical calculations of [a great proconsul ? Sir George Grey is a long bit in advance of his times. When we listen to his glowing eloquence, when we consider the wisdom of his new financial and judicial arrangements, we are always forcibly reminded of Punch's model member of Parliament who told his constituents that he ' looked forward to the time when men should receive taxes instead of paying them, and laws should be all repealed.'" The "Palmerston Times" furnishes the following particulars of a distressing accident at Waikouaiti, to which reference was made in Saturday's telegrams : — A distressing and painful accident happened at Waikouaiti on Monday last to a daughter, the eldest, we believe, of Mr Andrew Affleck, of that place. It appears that the unfortunate woman was in the act of lifting a kettle of boiling water off the fire when her apron caught fire. There being no one present at' the time except a younger brother, about thirteen or fourteen years of age, who did all he could to arrest the progress of the flamea but without avail, in which he and another lad Who was passing got considerably scorched, the fire spread with alarming rapidity. The screams of the suffering woman, however, attracted the attention of some neighbours who were inspecting the wares of a hawker a short distance away, and they at once ran to her assistance, but by this time she had become enveloped in flames and presented the appearance of a burning 'effigy; By great exertions the flames ; were gradually put put, but only to expose the body of a human being 'presenting' the appearance, literally, of having been rbastad alive/ the skin and flesh being : fearfully charred and burnt. The spectacle wa9 heartrending- to behold, and the sufferings of the unfortunate woman were of the most excruciating naturei Such applications to alleviate the intensity of the pain as the exigencies of the case suggested were obtained until the arrival of Dr. Brown, who had been telegraphed for. Within a short time after the accident the doctor visited the poor woman, but found the injuries to be such as to leave no hopes Of her recovery. About two o'clock the following morning death put an end to her sufferings. Apropos of the effects of alcohol in relation to longevity, there is a story extant of a man who had passed the Scriptural limit of three score and ten, who was giving evidence in an English Court. Struck by his healthy and robust appearance, the judge enquired to what cause he attributed his extreme old age and sprightliness " I attribute it, my lord, to the fact that I have never tasted intoxicating liquor in my life." The judge made a careful note of this remarkable proof of' the advantages of temperance. But when it came to the turn of the counsel for the defence, he placed in the box a grey centenarian with a rubicund visage, and a nose that too palpably derived its colour from the juice of the grape. " Dear me," exclaimed the judge, "arid to what do you attribute your remarkable longevity and. wonderful intention of your faculties .?" "I attribute 'em, my lord," said the old man, "to tbi3 'ere, that for severity years agone, I'ye never gone to- bed sober." ; ■'. ■ ■,-. The. Brute Herald, referring to the frequency of fires . as. indicating . deliberate design to defraud the iniurance companies, mentions a very snapicioue case that occurred within the writer's knowledge on a goldfields township some years ago. A fire took place iu the .local hotel, and was discovered by two disinterested minere, who put it out, and their efforts were received with frowns by the proprietor. Thii fire took place at one o'clock in the morning, and it was totally quenched. Nevertheless, the house was found in ashes when daylight appeared. The coroner's jury brought in an open verdict, and the owner got £1000 insurance money. Professor Church, while lecturing a short time ago at the Wilts and Hants Agricultural College, said that if a quantity of cream were wrapped in several folds of cloth and buried in the ground, at the end of twenty or thirty hours the water would be found to have left the cream, and the solid particles would, when washed, give.a remarkably pure and well-flavored butter. The professor's discovery may possibly cause a revolution in churning. Patent medicines in England now yield a Government revenue of over £20,000 per annum.