FROM OUR EXCHANGES.

Temuka Leader, Volume 2, Issue 142, 3 May 1879, Page 2

FROM OUR EXCHANGES.

The North American Indians are (says the ‘Pair Mall Budget ’_) it seems, not decreasing in numbers, as is generally believed ; but on the contrary, are sensibly increasing. This curious fact has come to light from an official investigation of statistics on the subject decided upon last year by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs at Washington, and which has since been diligently prosecuted by the medical attachb of the Indian bureau, Dr Kellogg. The rate of increase has not yet been determined ; but the figures examined by Dr Kellogg, as furnished from more than seventy agencies under the control of the United States Government, put the fact beyond dispute that the births among the tribes are in excess of the deaths from normal * causes. Allowance is made even death from dissipation, and, i.:deed, for every ordinary cause of death among the Indians except gunshot wounds or injuffes'" in battle. The census of the Indians shows a total of about one hundred and seventy thousand. The popular notion that the “noble savage” is extinct, or nearly so, seems, in fact, to be a delusion. He still exists, as we have lately found to our cost in South Africa ; and although, owing to the influence of civilisation, ha is not quite so “noble” as formerly, he is as much a savage as ever, and all the more formidable now that he has dropped his nobiiit v.

Twelve ha ndreui.' sing the National J.y at the Governor’s recept. ..athed »il Square. & The following sfrahge but true story o> the ups and downs of colonial life is told by a contemporary David Henry, the well-known usurer of Melbourne, had, by exacting excessive interest for loans Ik, and by various evil actions, reduced a named Mrs Crawford to beggary. ;knry tried to bribe the Jury in the last 'of these actions, for which he was fined £SOO and sentenced to a long term of imprisonment. The latest telegrams from Melbourne state that he had been stricken down by apoplexy, and had remained insensible for several days. Henry used to have a splendid mansion on Eastern Hill, where he lived amidst all the luxury of the Turkish Sultan. He is now' a prisoner in a common gaol. Mrs Crawford, after being reduced to beggary, took a situation as manager of a hotel at Riverina, There she married a sexagenarian squatter, who recently died, leaving her a million sterling. Talk of romance after this. Surely ■truth is stranger than fiction. The billiard exhibitions given by Mr W. Cook, the champion billiard-player, were continued at the Melbourne Athenaeum on the evening of the 14th, when he played a match of 1000 up with Mr Joseph Byrne, announced to he the “ champion of Victoria.” There was an excellent attendance. Some disappointment was expressed by those who had come expecting to see a match between Cook and Kilkenny, as many had not noticed the sudden alteration in the advertised programme. Mr Byrne received 600 points, but even with such a handicap it was soon apparent that the champion could hold his mind easy as to the result. Mr Byrne, though his showy style contrasted absurdly with the quiet effectiveness of the champion’s manner, showed himself a good player, judged by colonial standards, but, even at the points he received, no match for Cook. The latter played, however, with the same care and brilliance as if he were contesting the championship, and made some magnificent breaks, the largest of which was one of 185, including 25 spot strokes. He also made a break of 109, including 30 spots. Mr Byrne made no very large breaks, but he seldom played without scoring. One of his prettiest breaks was 43, obtained by really fine all round play. Cook was unfortunate in making two mis-cues when he was in a fair way of scoring largely, so that Byrne was 882 before be was caught. The latter made no great progress after this point, and had only

reached 903 when the chanq ion scored out, with an unfinished break c; 50. The late shareholders of the Hobson’s Bay Railway Company have been paid the value of their shares. Those held m the colony amount to £301,353. The largest shareholder was Mr W." J. Clarke, who bad close upon £IOO,OOO. Young ladies with the toothache will be looked upon with suspicion by the foreman in the largest clothing manufactory of Dunedin after his experience of yesterday. A demure young damsel, with a “ raging r-. tooth,” so far traded upon his sympathies Sfa's to secure leave to go out and have the offender operated upon by a dentist. She went away in apparent agony not nnmixed with trepidation. That the latter was at .any rate not assumed may be believed qvlien the sequel is told. She came back * married woman. She had interviewed the registrar instead of the dentist, and instead of losing a tooth had gained a husband. Of course the toothache was cured. Where the husband came from our informant could not say, nor whether lie, too, bad to plead a like disorder. May all tbeir future troubles be as simply and as easily overcome ought to be the most suitable of ‘happy wishes’ for the occasion. There lias been a considerable falling off lately in items of news from Australia respecting the Kellys and tbeir movements. From a private letter received in Dunedin, written by a farmer in the vicinity of the Strathbogie Ranges, the haunt of the gang, it appears that the prevailing impression in that locality is that the Kellys have made their way through the interior to Queensland. A writer in the ‘ Advocate ’ suggests the following explanation of the difficulty in catching the Kellys, as far as the sympathy of the inhabitants of the district is concerned ;—“We are told that it is an ill wind which blows no one good, and

the truth of the adage is verified in the case of the Kellys. It appears that there are now some 300 policemen and a large number of horses in the Kelly country, and that the provisioning of this small army has proved quite a mine for the farmers, selectors, and business people of the district. All they want, it appears, is more men and horses just to carry them through the winter months. After ■which, it is suggested that the whole force, Chief Commissioner and black trackers included, should he sent after Weiberg, just to give the Gippslanders a share of the Government pickings. Whatever may be said of the inhabitants individually, there can be no doubt but that, taken as a whole, ii suits the district better to have the Kellys at large than to have them arrested.” Pope Leo Kill, has been cited to appear before a Court of Canton Soleure. A fervent Catholic of the canton who died a short time ago left by his will certain bequests to the Emperors of Austria and Brazil, and appointed the Pope his residuary legatee. This will is contested by the heirs-at-law, on the ground that when he made it the testator was not in his right mind. The two emperors who were made parties to the suit have renounced their claims under the implicated instrument, but the Pope, not having returned any answer to the inquiries which have been addressed to him in the matter, has been summoned to appear before the cantonal tribunal, and show cause why the decree prayed for by the heirs-at-law should not be granted. Holloway’s Pills. —-Disorders of the kidneys, known hy the the deeply-seated pain in the back and scanty secretion of water, can be arrested in their distressing and rapid course by these regulating Pills, --ffheir highly tonic and strengthening properties prevent the impoverishment of the blood and the derangement of circnhation. characteristic of kidney disease, and often ending in partial or general dropsy. Experience has proved the almost unvaried success obtained when Holloway’s Pills are taken in the earlier stages, and the •ease they afford when the complaint is more advanced. They relax the hot and parched skin, overcome the attendant •costiveness, induce a copious secretion hy the kidneys, and are the harbingers of •disease departing, and health returning.