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New Zealand Mail, Issue 27, 29 July 1871, Page 15

A Valuable Peize. —The “ Otago Daily Times” mentioned recently that the volunteer officers in Dunedin had resolved on procuring from Messrs Elkington, & Co, London, a Milton Shield, as the ‘ Ladies Prize.’ The shield it is intended to secure is one which gained the gold medal at the Paris Exhibition, and was subsequently sold for £2,000 to the Science and Art Department to be placed in the South Kensington Museum. The eentre contains a representation of Adam and Eve sitting in a leafy bower in the Garden of Eden, and being addressed by an angel. Round the sides of this centre piece, but not meeting either at the top or bottom, are two large panels, on which are depicted scenes representing the war in Heaven, and the hurling of the wicked angels into Pandemonium. At the top is a piece of workmanship emblematic of the Godhead, and surrounded by the heads of cherubs. At the foot is represented the Archangel Michael with uplifted sword, trampling on the prostrate form of Satan. The outer rim is filled with scroll-work and various emblematic figures, such as a harp, a crown, a serpent, a globe encircled by a ring, a sun, &c, the whole being surmounted with figures of angels with outspread wings and hands pointing upward. Chaucee. —As Chaucer’s works have been selected by Professor Sale as a portion of his course at the Dunedin University, it may not be out of place to quote some remarks made by Mr Justice Richmond in a recent lecture on that poet:—“ At no time,” said the Judge, “ not even among the contemporaries of Chaucer, was the interest in his works deeper or more widely spread than at the present day. The study of his writings as an English classic is beginning to form a regular part of liberal education.” Odd Fellows’ at Hobaet Town.— The inauguration of ,the Odd Fellows’ Hall at Hobart Town, last week, was attended by 600 visitors.

A Diamond. —A diamond has been found on the Manumbar run, in the Burnett district, Queensland. Deeence OE London. —Captain Du Cane, surveyor-general of English prisons, proposes to establish a line of defences round the metropolis, to construct an arsenal at Cannock Chase, and fortified stations along the east and west coasts, particularly at Liverpool, entirely by means of the labor of convicts, who will, he represents, when certain works are finished, find themselves without anything useful to do.

The Caeeee oe a Paeagbaph.—Once in a while a paragraph or an advertisement appears in some out of the way newspaper that somehow or other seems to tickle the American journalist, who sets it a-going in such a way that it speedily travels all over the country. For example: Some little time since a “ broken hearted woman,” as she calls herself, Mrs Laura Hunt, of Broadalbin, Fulton County, New York, notified the public through the “ Amsterdam Intelligencer” that her dear husband, Jo9iah Hunt, had left her bed and board, and strayed to parts unknown ; and she forbid all girls, old maids, and widows to meddle with or marry him under penalty of the law. She earnestly entreated all editors “ throughout, the world” to lay this information before -their readers. “ Mrs Hunt will please to perceive that we have complied with her request.”—“ Courier.” “ And we (two) too.”—“Transcript” “And we three.” — “ Cincinnati Mirror.” “ And we four.” — “Standard.” “And we five.” —“Western Methodist.” “ And we six.”— *' Zion’s Herald.” “And we seven.” —“Maine Free Press.” “ And we eight.”—“ Mobile Free Press.” “And we nine.” “Woodstock Whig.” “Leave her bed and board, the villian ; And we ten.”—“ National Eagle.” “ And strayed to parts unknown, the vagabond ! And we eleven.”—“ Daily Advertiser.” “He left her bed and board, the vagrum !” —“ Statesman.” “And we start him again.”—“ Miner’s Journal.” “ Break a woman’s heart, the fiend! Take that!”—“Telegraph.” “ Go ahead, and haunt him, Laura.”—“ Sentinel.” “ Pass him aronnd, and start him again.”—“ Ever-so-Many * ibids,’ ” Dollingeeism. —The conflict of opinion in Germany, growing out of the Dollinger schism (opposition to the infallibility dogma) is progressing, although the vast preponderance of German Catholicism is against the doctor’s position. Dollinger’s attitude has induced a general and influential manifestation of devotion on the part of the Catholics of Germany to the Pope. Philosophical. —At a meeting of the Otago branch of the New Zealand Institution, held on the 18th in9t, his Honor Mr Justice Chapman was elected President of the Society. Among the new members is the name of Professor Sale, who was appointed a member of the Council of the Society. Captain Hutton, of the geological staff, Wellington, was introduced, and made some very interesting remarks upon the collection of specimens in the Dunedin museum. He particularly commented upon the fact that some very rare birds were to be found in the collection. He mentioned several species of procellaria (petrels), the skew duck or sea hen, a large penguin, and the black waika. He also pointed out that four specimens were wrongly named. The first important instalment of a library had arrived from home, and consists of the following standard works:—Dana’s Mineralogy, Owen’s Anat. and Phys. of the Vertebrata and Invertebrata, and also his Paleontology ; Dieffenbach’s N.Z., Strezlecki’s N.S.W., Bentham’s Flora Australiensis, Sir H. R. James’ Instructions for taking Meteorological Observations ; and lastly, a perfect copy of that now extremely rare work, Cuvier’s Animal Kingdom, in xvi vcls, with colored plates.

Cablyle’s Woeks.— The new “People’s Edition ”of Mr Carlyle’s works is meeting with an astonishing success. The first volume, “ Sartor Resartus,’ has been in such demand that the presa has been kept continually at work, and cannot keep pace with it.

The Thames. —From a perusal of Mr D. J. O’Keefe’s circular, we find the yield of gold for the month to be highly satisfactory, amounting in the aggregate to 40,0000zs from 8000 tons of stone, or an average of sozs to the ton. This yield marks'New Zealand as pre-eminently ahead of any quartz mining goldfield in the Southern Hemisphere. We also find that the population for the Thames proper is estimated at 8000, and to supply the adult portion of this number, 88 hotels, complying with the very strict clause of the recently passed Permissive Bill, have been licensed, paying to the local revenue £3720, the buildings being valued at about £30,000 sterling. All other branches for the sale and supply of merchandise e\’e reported to be well represented. Betting on the Wae. —The Rothschilds are said to have lost from fifty to seventyfive million dollars by the result of the Franco-German war. They all believed at at first that the French would be victorious ; but two weeks after the Germans had crossed the Rhine they saw their mistake, and made new investments, which prevented them from losing thrice as much a 9 they would have done had they not corrected their blunder in good time.

M. Thiees and the Obleanists. —In the Versailles Assembly on June 8, the debate on the removal of the political disabilities of the Orleans Princes, adjourned from Monday was resumed. The Committee reported in favor of abolishing the law of proscription, when Thiers rose and said he had opposed the abrogation of the law, because he believed such action to be dangerous. He only assented to the views of the Committee on the Princes engaging not to sit in the Assembly, and not to enter into any intrigue against the Republic ; the safety of the Republic had been confided to him, and he should not betray the trust. The Assembly then voted to abrogate the law of proscripition by 484 yeas to 113 nays; and proceeded to declare valid the elections of the Duke d’Aumale and the Prince d Joinville to seats in the Assembly by a vote of 448 to 113.

Quite Optional. —A committee of 150 ladies of North Attelboro’, Massachusetts, having tried in vain to persuade the liquordealers of the place to abandon their business, now threaten to substitute violence for persuasion.

Disputed Reconciliation. —A correspondence between the Bishop of St. David’s, Dr Macleod Campbell, and the Bishop of Argyll, on the meaning and use of the word “ Reconciliation,” will shortly be published in London.

A GEOGGY Shock. —A drunken man, sprawling on the ground in Patterson, the other night, anxiously wanted to know whether * anybody else had been struck by that earthquake.’ Convent Scandals. —The correspondent of the “ Argus” writing from London, May 13, ha 9 the following paragraph under the above heading :—There is a powerful positivist element in Paris. The disciples of M. Comte are numbered by thousands. His biographer is a member of the Commune, and philosophical as well as political influences have united with corrupt social manners in hostility to religion. But the actual effect of Materialism in loosening the bonds of society has made many of the boldest thinkers pause. It is a singular sign of reaction—or, at least, of rural sympathies as opposed to city theories of life—that while the Commune has been desecrating churches and imprisoning the priests, the National Assembly has adopted a motion in favor of public prayers, only three voting against it. The notorious M. Langlois opposed it, on the ground that the state should nob interfere in such matters, but, on the understanding that synagogues and Protestant churches should be included, it wascarried. In the raids inside upon the religious houses several scandles have come to light, which will not help the priests to recover their influence. For example “ the curiosity of the many-headed mob in Paris led them to knock at the doors of the Jesuit establishment and the Convent of White Nuns, which lay conveniently adjacent, and surrounded by high walls, which have hitherto effectually preserved the privacy of the inmates. At the end of the nuns’ garden were found three old women, who seemed to be hopelessly iditioc, and caged in pens like chicken coops. The lady superior admitted that they had been confined in this frightful manner for nine years, her excuse being that they were idiots when admitted. But why brought there at all, and why so bruitishly used ? In an isolated building were also a species of rack and other instruments apparently used for punishment or torture. The nuns have been taken to prison to undergo judicial examination. All may be capable of explanation, but the nuns will find it difficult to dislodge from the public mind the inferences which the existence of such objects instinctively suggests, The Suez Route. —News was received by the last Suez mail to the effect that Mr Verdon was busily engaged in pushing the Cape route at home. Victoria will soon have to bestir herself as regards her position with the present mail service. The London correspondent of the “ Age” wrote positively that Mr Dutton, the Agent-General for South Australia, had given notice to the P. and O. Company in London of the intention of that colony to discontinue their present subsidy. A telegram from Adelaide also gave an intimation to the same effect. New Zealand, as we have already intimated, has declined to continue the present arrangement, and it is hardly to be expected that New South Wales will continue her subsidy, with the Californian route open to her manifest advantage. Were it not for the diplomatic secrecy of Sir James M'Culloch, we might know how much has been done, and how much remains tc be done, in providing the colony with an available route, should Victoria be compelled, by the retirement of tho other colonies, to bear the major part of the cost of the Suez mail.

The Daeien Canal. —Reports have been received from the Darien Canal Surveying Expedition up to March 19th ; they are encouraging, it having been found that the Atrato and Thyra rivers’ route is perfectly practical for a canal route. The distance from ocean to ocean is 125 miles, 75 miles of which is through navigable waters It has been determined to construct the required 50 miles of canal, 30 of which will be along a level surface, and of the remaining 20 the highest elevation is reported at not over 150 feet. The Consteuction of Animals.—Professor Huxley, in a recent lecture delivered at Liverpool, on the distribution of animals, said the doctrine of evolution was daily receiving more completeness of proof. He ascribed that diversity of animals to geological changes having isolated the original fauna in large islands, where under the influence of climate, departures from the original types took place, as the horse was a modification of the auchuherium.

“ Penny” Acts of Paeliament. —A series of“ Penny” Acts of Parliament for the people are being issued in London, the first two being the “ Married Woman’s Property Aot,” and the “ Pedlar’s Act.” A Fabewell. —Laura Fair was condemned to be hung on the 28fch of July inst., her> application for a new trial having been refused. The “New York Times,” in commenting upon the Fair case, says:—There appears no way in which the California murderess, Mrs Laura D. Fair, can escape the penalty of her crime. The laws of that state do not permit the Governor to interfere in any other way than by granting an absolute pardon —a power which he will be loth to exercise in the present state of public feeling. The doomed woman, we are told, continues to receive demonstrations of sympathy from the “ strong minded” of her sex, who protest in the most violent language against her execution. Therein, it appears to us, they are a little inconsistent. They are continually boasting of their equality with men in all respects, and clamoring for the rights of men. Why, then, should they not be subject to the I same penalty for their crimes P There is cer-*| tainly nothing in Mrs Fair’s case requiring j that mercy should be strained in her favor, j Even “ strong minded women” could find no justification for the murder of her lover, however excusable she may have been in getting rid of two husbands. -

A Sectaeian Peint.— The “Sacristy,” is the title of a new quarterly which has just appeared in London ; it is wholly devoted to the interests of the elder children of the Anglican Church, and not only are the contents strictly ecclesiastical in character, but even the advertisements areconfinedto memorial brasses and works written on church principles. Feeemasonky and Communism. —At the eighty-eighth annual convention of the. Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons in America, held in New York on the 6th ult, the Grand Master delivered an able and eloquent address, in which he said : I have been compelled to file with the Grand Secretary an order recalling the commission of our former representative to France. This was required, perhaps, by the former resolution of non-intercourse; bub the present position of French Masonry, leagued with communism and atheism, and bearing the banner of masonry into the front ranks of civil war, indicates too surely that until purified and reformed French Masonry differs so widely from our own that fraternal relations are impossible with it and other bodies sharing its errors.

The Roman Catholic Chdech and Republicanism. —The “New York Herald” of June 10, says: —“Still another difficulty may exist in the Church or Catholic hierarchy of France. Though the Catholic Church has the facility of accommodating itself to the different institutions of the various countries where it exists, whether they be republican or monarchical, there is no doubt that in Europe it favors more monarchy and absolutism than democracy. There, at least, it is the natural ally of monarchy, imperialism, and the priviledged orders of society. The Pope is or was a monarch, and both he and the hierarchy of the Church in the Old World cling to the old order of things. The ordinary priests, in France, at least, may incline more to democracy, and might not offer serious resistance to the republic ; but this could hardly be expected of the chiefs of the Church, who, with the Pope, dread the progress of democratic ideas, and regard the restoration of the temporal power of the Papacy as dependent mainly upon monarchical supremacy. It was no doubt the impression on the minds of the Commune that the heads of the Church were an obstacle to the establishment of the republic which led to the murder of the excellent Archbishop of Paris and the other priests. But should M. Thiers succeed in showing that republican liberty is compatible with order and progress the hierarchy of the Church in France may see the futi’ity of the opposition. ‘The A.ppaeatus Can’t Lid.’— -An Ohio photographer presented a revolver at the head of a gentleman who was sitting for his photograph, with the encouraging remark, ‘My reputation as an artist is at stake. If you don’t look smiling I’ll blow your brains out.’ He smiled a ghastly smile. “ Berkley, Sept. 1869, —Gentleman, I feel it a duty I owe to you to express my gratitude for the great benefit I have derived by taking ‘ Norton’s Camomile Pills.’ I applied to your agents, Mr Bell'Berkley, for the above named Pills, for wind in the stomach, for which I suffered excruciating pain for a length of time, having tried every remedy perscribed, but without deriving any benefit at all. After taking two bottles of your valuable p*ils I was quite restored to my usual state of health. Please give this publicity for the benefit of those who may thus be afflicted.” —I am, Sir, yours truly, Henby Allpass.—To the pro paietors of Norton’s Camomile Pills.