ORIGINAL POETRY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 165, 26 July 1879, Page 2

ORIGINAL POETRY.

WAIF. Only a snowstorm, thickly it falls. Drifting its feathery flakes on all ; Out on the meadows, beyond the town, Silently, lightly,, gently down, Dressing the church in dazzling white, And the mossy stones' in the churchyard are bright • . : With this wonderful snow—emblem divine Of purity, virtue; and love combined. Snow in its virgin purity ; snow that is not defiled; ' Pure as the sky, from whence it comes, , Till hurrying feet through the crowded street. With many a shout; and many.a cry— With many a byc-woivpahd apt reply Trample it into the mud hnd mire, Hurrying home to the cheerful fire. All save one ; she alone of the throng Careworn and tattered, and yet so young. To be out in the desolate street alone, Without a friend, and without a home ; •Is there not one, in the city wide, Who for charity's sake her tired feet will guide, Or for hope of reward in heaven above To offer her shelter, and food, and home. Weary and wandering on so lone, And the snow falling lightly seems to caress Her tresses brown with a gentle kiss, And .softly covers her mud-soiled drsss. All pass hen by with a far away 100k — She is but a waif and as wqythless forsooth .As the flakes.of the snhwHhat are filling the air, _ And nothing to ns ! why should we 1 care Whether 'she falls in the mire of the street, To. he with the snow wantonly trodden beneath. ' “.Only a waif,” say the hurrying crowd, And the little one humbly, with head that is bowed, Asks Tier Father above, who takes note of the fall Of the sparrow, to think of the waif ifshft falls. And now the town has fallen asleep, And stars anon through Ihe flakes as they peep Seem to wonder to hear no bustle or din, The errs of the city the live long day, Marks each throb of the heart that it seared and grey, _ 'j] And the silence is now so profoundly deep j Weird and solemn the distant bells Chiming the hour from-many a tower ; And the cadence with many an echo spreads O’er the city like a call from tlie dead. Only a snow-storm, young and old, With merry song and glee it is told. The schoolboy with laughter goes on his way To join in the snowball tournament. And near the steps of the lofty church 'They found the waif ; she had heard the call And now she is brighter, purer than snow. And will wander homeless no more below ; Out of the“mud of the.street she has flown, And now stands at the foot of the radiant throne, Washed whiter than snow by the blood that atones. . Bangles. Temuka, 18th. Ju1y,‘1879.. U33inW3 r~v*. ix ic*

■ In the Melbourne Supreme Court on,the 15th, a question was decided as to the liability of a land-owner for damage caused by fire spreading from his 1 land to adjoining property. .John ’Batchelor-sued Isaac Smith,.alleging-that.-a fire had occurred on Smith’s land, which Smith, by the exercise of due precautions, could have extinguished'; that Smith did not extin.guish the fire, which.spread to Batchelor’s land and caused damage. It was contended for the defendent that he was not answerable for any damage unless caused by the negligence of himself or of his servants ; if he had lit the'fire in the first instance he would be responsible for preventing any damage by it, but otherwise he owed no duty to any'one ; as, for instance, if he kepi a wild beast on his premises it was his duty to see that no one was injured by it, but if the beast came on bis property, the law’imposed no obligation on him to .destroy it to preyent injury to a neighbour. The Court agreed with this, view, and gave judgement for the defendent. The police were again deceived respecting the reported appearance of the Kelly gang at Corowa. The ‘ Age,’states that Miss Kelly recently arranged with Captain Oliver, of the steamer Victoria Cross, to convey four or five friends of hers to California, stating that they would embark at Queenscliff. Later a suspicious looking man endeavored to clinch the bargain. Captain Oliver communicated sfttli the police, but the gang apparently had become suspicions, and they ceased their inquiries. Wild Wright, and otlfer Kelly sympathisers have been seen near Jerilderie, and the residents there are uneasy.

47,285,213, being an increase on each A L 904.362 over the previous year, iere being an increase on each of the ■' air heads of excise, stamps, nixes, and come tax. In the excise Ranch the 'ply item of consequence on winch there las a decrease was malt, which yielded A,721,548, or L 318,530 less than the irovious year. Sugar is, however, now irgely used in brewing as a substitute or malt, and the amount realised on dia'i commodity was L 526,208, showing Ai increase of L 38,445, which should be ■ot off as a diminution of the decrease n malty In Scotland the quantity of spirits charged with duty was 9,211,817 gallons being an increase over the previous year of 18,209 gallons orO 19 per cent. The quantity of spirits retained for consumption as beverages in Scotland was 7,141,755 gallons, showing an increase ■of 135.952 gallons, or 194 per cent. The actual quantity consumed per head of population in the j'ear 1877 was 2,005 gallons. The quantity of spirits charged with duty in the three divisions of the kingdom does not coincide with the quantities retained for consumption therein, which arises from the preference given in England to Scotch and Irish whiskies, which are largely imported : after duty is paid. The increase in the quantity retained for consumption in; 1878 was to some extent due to speculative transactions. For some weeks before tbe Budget was brought in, excitement prevailed in the spirit trade from an expectation that the duty was to bo increased, and large quantities were taken, out of: the. bonded' warehouses, which, while reckoned by the revenue as going into consumption, only went to swell the duty-paid stocks in the hands of the trade, of which there is no account. The quantity of spirits in bonded stores in Scotland had increased from 11,461,438 gallons in 1876, to 14,397,313 gallons in 1877. With reference to this increase the Commissioners say;—“ It is important to notice that the production of spirits in excess of the immediate demand for consumption continues with unabated force, and it will be seen that the overplus which has gone into bond in the United Kingdom during the year amounts to 5,191,017 gallons. In Scotland there is now a sufficient quantity in bond for two years consumption, while in Ireland it is estimated that there is sufficient for three years. One-reason for this we are glad to think is a growing demand for spirits properly matured by age. Spirits, when newly manufactured, and more, especi ally those intended to be consumed as whisky, contain more or less ! fusel oil,’ and when consumed in that condition, ithfaunot be doubted that a highly intoxicating effect is produced, extremely injurious to the consumer. By prolonged storage in ordinary casks it is luiind that the ‘ fusel oil’ is gradually changed into an innocuous compound, and the spoils are much improved in quality and flavour.” It is remarkable that while illicit distillation isalniostunknown in Scotland and England, it is still very common in Ireland. In England in the last two years there were respectively three and ten detections of illicit distillation, and in Scotland two in each year. In Ireland in 1877 the number of detections was 979, and in 1878 the number was 745. It, however, prevails only in remote localities in Ireland, and the decrease in the past year is credited to the exertions of the Royal Irish Constabulary and tbe coastguards. The quantity of malt charged with duty in the United Kingdom has decreased during the year to the extent of 3'94 per cent. The decrease in England was 7‘82 per cent., in Ireland 3 - 64 percent., and in Scotland 5 - 16 per cent., the total quantity charged upon in Scotland being 2,865,846 gallons. The inferior quantity of much of the barley used in making malt is shown by the fact tnat 21,385 bushels were spoiled in making into malt, upon which a remission of L 2900 of duty was made. That represents about double the quantity spoiled in the previous year, and it is pointed out that maltsters make applications for remission with great reluctance, as the excise authorities require the damaged malt to be ground, mixed with linseed meal,-and used as cattle food. The Commissioners further remark on this subject:— “Another effect of the scarcity of good malting barley is an increased use of sugar in the brewing of beer. The duty on sugar now used by brewers exceeds half a million per annum, and it increased last year to'the extent of L 38,445. The substitution of sugar for malt is no doubt contingent in a great degree upon the relative price of these articles, but apart from price the use of sugar appears to grow in favor with some brewers.In the taxation of the two articles it is assumed that 2101bs of sugar is the equivalent of a quarter of malt. It is. a matter for regret that our officers have not the same means of checking the quantity of sugar used by brewers that they have-in the case of malt. When sugar is dissolved all trace of the quantity disappears, but with malt the exhausted giains, which remain in the mash tun, afford an excellent criterion of the quantity raashe 1. From repeated instances of the fraudulent concealment of sugar used, which have been brought to our knowledge,Ave fear that evasions of duty by such means are not uncommon. The attention of our. chemicd department has been directed to the matter, and it is found th at by certain precautions the presence of sugar may be detected in wort- hiw.-"d from malt and sugar.' 'Wo thus hope to restrain any fraud of this kind within narrow limits,”