THISTLEDOWN.

Te Aroha News, Volume XII, Issue 1774, 28 September 1895, Page 2

THISTLEDOWN.

“ A man may jest and tell the truth.” —Horace.

Though Hansard is generally stigmatised as the dullest of dull reading, yet a little research 7/ill reveal a few gems even in it, much as the toad in Shakspere’s time was credited with carrying a precious jewel in his head. Mr O’Regan, the chosen of luaugahua, is regarded by most people as simply a single-tax faddist, but I can strongly recommend his speech in moving the second reading of the Referendum Bill as (ne o e the best I have read, while Mr McGowan on the same Bill descends to the depths of imbecility. He attacked the principle of the Referendum on the ground that Lynch law a 3 practised in the United States was the Referendum reduced to practice. The same night poor Marsden Thompson got told off by Dr Newman. Marsden objected' to the admission of women to Parliament. ‘ But it is nothing for him to object. If he had been with Moses in the wilderness he would have objected to the Ten Commandments as a piece of harassing legislation, though they have endured for forty centuries to show how good they are.’ A member with more than the average knowledge bf the Bible suggested that Marsden would not have objected to the Golden Calf. * Perhaps not, but I think Puhipuhi silver more in his line.’ Had Parliamentary usage admitted of it he might have added that a ‘ pig ’ of Puhipuhi ore would be about Mr Thompson’s weight. * #

I wonder what Change it would have made in the destines of Europe if Charles Wesley had been grandfather to the Duke of Wellington. And yet more unlikely things have happened. When Charles was a<Westminster boy, a distant and wealthy relative wrote to his father offering to adopt any son of his named Charles. For years he paid the lad’s school bills, and being in London once called at Westminster school to see him and asked him to accompany him back to Ireland. Charles, though left free by his father, declined, and his relativ- s estates were left to a person named, 11 I remember aright, Cowley, who took the surname of Wesley and eventually became Earl of Mornington and grandfather, of the Duke cf Wellington and the Marquis Wellesley. It is reinarkable, though hardly creditable to these two distinguished men, that they changed the spelling of their name to Wellesley expressly in order to disclaim relationship to the great Wesleyan hymn writer and his. greater brother John. By the way, talking of John reminds me of a story I once heard in Albertland at a meeting. The speaker spoke of .* the great Parson,’ who being John Wesley’s executor, burned the reformer’s Shakspere because it contained notes denoting its appreciative study for fear it might suggest some doubts about the wholesale denuiuciation of the stage by the ultra-religious. So we see that doing evil that good may come, is not the monopoly of any religious body.

Since the introduction of the Homestead Protec’ im Act, I have been on the look-out for in o :mation about the state of legislation on the subject, in the United States, and at last I have just succeeded in getting it. The States of Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut and Maryland, and the district of Columbia alone protect no homestead while in Peninsylania the limit of protection is 300 dollars of real or personal property. In every other State or territory the head of a family has his homestead protected against every legal process save mechanic’s or workman’s liens for wages or suit for recovery of its price- The size of the homestead in country districts varies from 40 acres in Wisco: s n to 160 in Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana and Kansas, and in value from 500 dollars in Vermont and Maine to 5000 in California, Nevada and Texas, the generel rule being 1000, 1500 nid 2008 dollars. Iu lieu of this a town l )t of i or i acre to JsameJ value is allowed exemption. All districts allow exemption for a certain amount of personal property, Maryland being lowest with 100 dollars of tools, or professional instruments, or libraries, and Arkansas about the highest with 2000 dollars. The constitution of Maryland, however, directs the State legislature to make provision for exemption up to 500 dollars. Most States define the class of personal property exempted. Artisans’ tools, fisherman’s boats and nets, professirnal men’s libraries and instruments, doctors’ horses, buggies and harness are protected to certain values, and everyone’s personal clothing, and bedding and o king utjnsils. Sewing machines, and sometimes pianos, spinning wheels, schoolbooks, family Bibles, family pews, and cemetery dots are also exempt. In New York a whole quarter a ere in the last case; Maine a’one classes a copy of the statuts with the Bible. Food and fuel for the family for periods ranging from 30 days to a year, are not liable to distress nor is food for such stock as are exempted. Many States go into great detail in this' respectWages and p srsonal earnings are protected up to a limit varying from 10 dollars up to the complete earnings for 90 days previous to suit for debt. Unmarried persons are allowed no homestead exemptions, and in personal y ro ierty are generally confined to clothes, tools, aid in a few cases a certain small amount of wages. In Ohio, for instance, unmarried girls are allowed a sewing and a knitting machine, 100 dollars worth of clothes,' and 25 of books. WTiat appears a very fair prov’s’on in the interests of a mortgagor is made in Indiana and New Mexico at least, that no fixed sale of real proper! y is legal below two-thirds of its appraised vrlue It will be noticed that the new and southern States, which have modern constitutions, are all in advance of the New England States cn this point. The Dominion of Canada is in this respect a striking contrast to its neighbour as barring certain special settlement districts in Ortario, Nova S :otia, alone gives any exemption, and this to the limited extent of 40 dollars of personal property, while mechanics have no lien for work. lapyx.

Are you Furnishing ? The best and cheapest stock is at ‘The People’s’ Furnishing Warehouse, Auckland. J. Tonson Garlick is determined to maintain the position held so long for giving best value in furnishing goods. He is selling very cheap, all kind of Furniture, Carpets, Carpet Squares, Linoleum, Bedding, Iron Bedsteads, Woven Wire Mattresses, Furnishing, Drapery and Bamboo Blinds. -He furnishes a house ! throughout, and sends an illustrated cat, alogiie to intending buyers. Write to J. Touson GARniCK, Qneen-street, Auckland, We have received news from Mr W. Hetherington, draper, to the effect that he has also secured thfi services of a first-class milliner, s > that dressmaking and millinery will be carried on in all its branches on the premises by competent young ladies. The firm of H and Co. will be ready to receive orders for millinery on same date as that of dressmaking, viz., on and after the 28th of this month. —Advt. .