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Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1300, 24 March 1883, Page 2

The “ future duchess,” as sarcastic people ' cull Kate Vanghan, in consequence of her I relations with Colonel Wellesley, heir to the ' dukedom of Wellington (says a London correspondent), is still appearing at the Gaiety ' Theatre, and on the first night of the Christ ■ inas piece, “ Valentine and Orson,” work ndr 1 less than four dresses within an hour and I half, all of them mastcpicces of Worth, and specially designed for her by Pilotfell. The last of those costumes, a ladies’ paper sayst I “must have excited the wonder and envy of ■ every •/rande dainc present, for it was ' covered with lace so rare and costly that i even the diamonds which glistened on the ! neck and arms of the danwtfte looked trum- • pery beside it.” The “ Hobart Mercury” has been furnished 1 ' with the following story by a correspondent ’ who vouches for tne truth of it:—“ A welt* > known city man being too late for the bank on one of the race days, put his bank-book with several loose cheques in it into his coat pocket. One his way home he called at a place of business to gdt some gold, and as he entered his own shop his attention was ; called to the fact that some papers were hangi ing out of his pocket behind. These were , his cheques, and on examination he found ; that one was missing. Retracing his steps | he sought everywhere for the lost one but I unsuccessfully. Having again arrived at his I own door he was accosted by a friend, and ! they began to talk on some indifferent subjects. By-and-byc their attention was ; drawn to the vagaries of a piece of paper ; which was spinning round and round high in air above the shop. After many gyration j the paper slowly descended, till it alighted exactly between the two gentlemen. Some* i thing in its appearance caused the second ' gentleman to put his foot upon it to stop its i further progress, and on his lifting it up, the first gentleman saw to his amazement in the j funny bit of piper the Government cheque i which ho had so lately lost.” I The Rev. Mr Patterson, of St. Pauftf j Presbyterian Church, Invercargill, preached > lately on “ Commercial Morality ” and is reported in the local “ Times ” to have I said :—“ One of the most distressing signs , lof the times was the * matter-of-course 1 way in which people slipped otlt of their ; responsibilities by going through thfc Bullk ruptcy Court. A perfect cataract of lianki

ruptcy poured through the Courts of the i Colony. Men filed without reasoh and With* • out nhame, and renewed the game of credit • next day. The old idea of disgrace attach--1 ingto such an act seemed entirely oblitcraI ted. He thought there was urgent need for ’in improvement in public opinion on this ' matter ; and it was his and everyone else's 1 duty to endeavor to create a better public opinion on that subject—to do their utmost • to elevate the tone of commercial morality M? 1 present so deplorably low,” I The novelty of a mixed jury Uf Maoris and ; Europeans (says acontcmpoary) iflliksly soori i to be aven in some or our courts of justiotf. The , Juries act of 1880 provides that any Maori : whose capability may be certified under thsf i rules and regulations made by the Governor ; shall be deemed to duly qualified and liable to serve as a juror on any Maori jury or ‘ mixed jury for the trial of any case, civil or i criminal, where the person or property of any Maori brought forward for trial at the ! next criminal sessions of the Supreme Court i to be hold in May next, the probability i$ that some of the Maoris of the district Will be called upon to act c juryffieh. It will h* of interests to note how the first mixed will agree. --Jfuntdin Guardian. The Oamtiru Mail says Mr. Henry | Connel, in hi* capacity as a Justice of thfi Peace, has a very effective manner o* admonishing a “drunk.” An individual name Charles Willis was brought before hint ; charged with with having been drunk and disorderly, and the charge having been fully proved, Mr. Connel addressed the culprit ax i follows “ You UiilV got out on the 3rd 1 March, and thia is only the sth. you will be fined 10s., or go to gaol for 24 hours. You had better mind your eye, for if you get in again you'll get a fortnight.” The accused no doubt thoroughly understood this plain speaking. The “ Westport Times” says Froquan* ters of public officies arc often given reason for surprise at the carelessness which is ex* hibited in the transaction of private business as shown by the in anner in which private memoranda, papers. &c., are left lying about. An instance of this kind of thing we refer to ! occurred very recently, in connection with i the tendering of the stone contract. The ! specifications were on exhibition at the Post I Office, and several tenders were prepared ' there. One particular intending tenderer has filled in his form, and upon taking up a piece of blotting paper in order to dry the writing, he discovered upon it a faithful im* pvession of a previous tender. The figure at which the latter teneerer offered to do the work was so low that the other man then decided not to put his tender in. As it turned out no harm was done, but the little incid l ent should teach carefulness in future.