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Patea Mail, Volume VI, Issue 515, 4 May 1880, Page 3

TO THE ROSE OF SHARON. The following letter was found on Lambton Quay :—“ My Dearest Marey—i be very well and appy to inform you that i be very well at present thankgod and, i hope you be the same. Dearest marey i bo very sorry to here how as that you dont like Wellington, As i shant he able to look on yer Dear fase so often as i have done Dearest marey pure and holey meek and lowly lovely . rose of sliaron. Dear marey i bant got now know particulars moore to tell you at present but my sister thats married have got such a nice little babby and i wish how that ,our affiars was settled and we had such a nice little dear; to. Dearest marey i shall not be happy till then. Dearest- marey pure arid holey meek and lowly lovely rose of sliaron sometimes i do begin to dispair as i am afiaid our not will never be tide; but my maister have ,a promised i how as that when i get you and he will you in the darey ; .yard-to, j serve the. pigs land' gie_yie 6d a week. Dearest marey meek and holey pure and lowly lovely rose of sharon. i bo a coming to Wellington to-morrow to, by the ring, and you must come to the 1 station to meet me, and bring a peace of st.ing the size of your finger,and be. sure, you dont make a mastake. Dearest marey father is going’to gie us a bedstead aud grany a 5 lb note to by such as a washingstand fireions,mousetrap and soap,.and ye rmist’wate until we can by ‘carpeting 'arid glass, crockery were and chiney-. Dearest marey pure and .holey meek aud lowly ; lovely rose of sharon, i be very happy to jtell you our old sow has got young uns dast .nito gnd father, is a going to gie us a roaster for f our own wedding bi'eakfust; Deafest marey pure and holey meek and dowly lovely, rose of sharor| somp, mqre at ■present*from your future and 1 loving husband.” .M'.'i.n

BURNING THE. TOWN OFFICES AT • NAPIER. A diabolical attempt, was made on the 261b to burn down the Corporation offices. On the messenger-coming to the .office at 9i o’clock, he found a fire smouldering in the Rate Collector’s office, and a large hole burnt in the floor., He found theßoor bad been strewn with, kerosene, but the cocoanut matting bad only smouldered, preventing the fire 'from spreading to the walls, it is not known at present how it was done, but the police have a clue. It is lucky the lire was discovered as it was, for if the building had caught, the Post and Telegraph Offices dose by would not have been saved. It is also probable that several building on the other side of the road would have caught. The Corporation Buildings arc occupied by Education Board, County Council, Corporation, Stamp's Department, and Property and; Land Tax Departments ; and many valuable documents would have been lost. The man after committing the deed coolly washed bis hands in the Town Clerk’s lavatory. BLACK OR WHITE. 1 It is rather Judicious to behold how public men, who persistently and scathingly condemn the faults of their political opponents, commit precisely similar sins as soon as ever opportunity offers. What was weakness in their enemies is strength in them. Black is changed with magical rapidity into white. Vice is metamorphosed into virtue. While the late Government hold office the present Ministry were never weary of railing at them because they spent too much of their time awa} r from the seat of Gpvernmcut. They were accused' of neglecting tiic business for which they were highly paid. They wore hardly ever in their offices during the recess. But the offences of the Hall Ministry in this respect are very much greater,, and that too though one of the strongest grounds they put forward for being allowed to take their seats on the Government benches was that the la'a Ministry had been guilty of flagrant dereliction of duty. Only put them in, and hey, imsto! nM would come right. Order would be evoked out of chaos. Departmental business would be. scrupulously attended to. Ministers would then be, indeed,. .Ministers. The men who were responsible to parliament would direct the affairs of the State, and the irresponsible officials would have no more control than belonged to them of right. But what has been the result of all these protestation ?s —Chronicle

A DARK SERMON. A rather good story .is toltl of how the congregation of u Scotch Cinch within a 'hundred miles of Wellington, was on a certain occasion involved in real and: no. figurative darkness. The learned divine who occupied : the pul pi) was warmly engaged in the delivery of a forcible se.imon to his flock, and had reached one of the most thrilling,points, wherein he dainteb the woeful fate of the benighted ones, of earth, when suddenly the gas .went outt the minister and congregation were wrapped in ulter gloom, and “in an instant all was dark and chaos reigned.”. All was confusian, and divers voices in anything but congregational unison were Heard demanding and receiving no explanation of the cause of the mischance. A general but cautious movement was made to the door, and the preacher abdicated the pulpit, whilst other droenred candles, several eldorty ■ ladies, of a superstitious frame of mind, in the meantime imputing the visitation to the machinations of the “ evil one." On a search for the delinquent it was found in the corporeal shape of an old tom cat, that had in its endeavours to .each a higher position jumped on the nrncock of the meter, and cut off the gas. Mr Parnell was elected for three Irish constituencies. De Lksskps intends to visit the principal towns of Great Britain, for the purpose of promoting his Panama Canal scheme. ; A difficulty .has arisen between Portugal and China, in consequence of the latter claiming Macao.' Russia supports Portugal, and it is stated that the Russian and British Envoys at Pekin are acting in concert. Charles Dickens the second promises to dohonoui to the family name. He manages one of the largest printing offices in London or in Europe ; he has very, .successfully published the “ London Dictionary” and the.!* Guide to London," and is. now.preparing a “ Dictionary of the Thames.” lie inherits his father’s love for printing offices and newspapers. Otacjo Harbor—There having been considerable doubt at Home as to the depth of water which can be relied on upon the bar at the entrance to the Otago Harbour, the Committe of Lloyd’s lately addressed Lloyd’s agent here on subject, and early in t this year, we have reason to believe, a reply sent to the effect that no vessel drawing, more than 19ft could enter or leave port without incurring the risk of considerable detention. At streamers of the Norfolk plassidraw 20ft to 21ft light, and 2lfl to 25ft fully loaded and coaled, it is useless to expect such vessels to come here till the bar is improved. At the same time that the above statement was sent Home it was also distincely stated that the Harddur Board was taking. steps to import a dredge to improve the bar.