LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 276, 29 July 1880, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The R.M. Court was adjourned on Wednesday til] 12 30 p.m on Saturday next, in consequence of the illness of Mr Guinness, who caught a very severe cold on Saturday last. The Temuka contingent of the C.Y.C meet for dismounted drill in the Volunteer Hall at 7 o’clock this evening. “Correct Time’s” letter deserves consideration. The advantages of a good clock are great and a little from all would secure the much needed boon Any subscrip tions handed in to .the Leader office will be accounted for by the proprietor, and a list of subscribers published weekly. We beg to draw attention to the advertisement that appears in another column requesting those interested in the noble game of cricket to meet at the Temuka hotel, to-morrow (Friday) evening, at 8 o’clock. We hope to'see a good attendance.

The Auckland Herald is responsible for the following .—“ The District Court lias had an unusual amount of business before it this week, sitting for three consecutive days. Plis Honor the Judge, who sits also as a jury, had his deliberations interrupted by driving showers of heavy rain which rattled like hail upon the roof. This was accompanied by the howling of dogs, which appeared to be locked up in the ‘waiting’ room for witnesses. Presently was heal’d the solemn clarion of a huge Cochin-China rooster at one of the side doors, Bramah Pooti’a sounded the trumpet of the morning at the other. The clerk of the Court heard these mighty voices, and despatched the crier to proclaim ‘silence.’ But at this moment a small flock of geese raised their loudest protests, and the treble of sundry bantams could be heard in the intervals. His Honor the Judge bent his head over his

book and the clerk of the Court looked unutterable things.’’

The word “sell " has become a convenient form of expression in English to cover a great variety of hutnoious contretemps. The forensic “sell” is perhaps (he most sudden and effective. It usually 1 appens to a learned counsel when crossexamining an adverse, an unwilling', or a nervous witness. An instance occurred yesterday (says the Auckland Herald of July 10th) of the “ sell ” inquisitive before His Honor Mr Justice Richmond, an intelligent jury, and a full Court. Mr Brookfield was the cross-examining counsel, and a stout and very nervous lady named Connelly was the witness giving evidence in the case of Roberc Little charged with fraudulent bankruptcy. Some pictures had been placed “ under” the witness’s house with her consent by the bankrupt’s wife. The witness said she had refused to allow them to be brought “.into” her, house. With the keenness of a practised examiner, Mr Brookfield took this to mean that the witness had a knowledge of the fraudulent intention of the bankrupt and his wife, and he pressed Mrs Connelly further as to the extent of her knowledge in the following vein :—Did you not know that the goods were part of the bankrupt estate ? No. Did you not refuse to have them in the house because you were afraid that you ami your husband would get into trouble I [The witness trembled violen bly, and was helped to a glass of water by the crier of the Court.] Answer the question, madam, demanded the counsel. Witness: I had rather not. Counsel : But you must. vVitness : I cannot. Counsel : I shall ask B.is Honor to compel you. Witness [again trembling violently as if with fright] : I cannot. His Honor : You must answer the question, witness. You t orae here to give evidence. Witness : Well, I was afraid she had bugs ! This closed the cross-examination. Counsel, Court, and jury relapsed mentally.

The Palmerston Times, in reporting a lecture given by Captain Barry, says - “ Captain B irry may be and no doubt is a very estimable man, but we should have had a better opinion of him if he had settled his little account with us before leaving. The omission might have been absent-mindedness on his part, or perhaps be may imagine that newspaper folk do not want money, or that it ought to be considered an honor for him to patronise us.”

At one of the hosteliies the other evening, a newly married couple distinguished themselves by giving what appeared to be an unrehearsed scene from the drama entitled “ Married Life.” The dark curtain rose on the husband discussing political affairs with u number of choice spirits, and the play had all th> elements of comedy until the close of the first act. However the second scene proved a warning to lovers of “double blessedness.” The final act opened spiritedly, but the entrance of an excited Spanish lady with twins in hei arms sent a thrill of alarm through the audience. The blood of the actress was at boiling heat, and having seized her unfortunate husband, she treated him most unmercifully, She alowed the man whom she had sworn “to love, cherish, and to obey,” to arise from his prostrate position only to drag him down again, and the bystanders were awestruck or paralysed by the exhibition of her marvellous strength. At all events, none of them appeared bold enough to remonstrate with the viragoThe way in which she marched “that husband of mine ” to his peaceful home may be better imagined than described. Her exclamation, “ I guess lie’ll take tea at home to-morrow; night,” was the signal for the fall of the curtain, and spectators were glad that they had not been called upon to witness a tragedy' with such powerful artists as the Bendeict and a tigeress in the leading characters.

“Asmodeus, ” iu the New Zealand Mail, thus refers to a recently elected member for Waitaki : —What a funny creature the hon. member for Waitaki is How unsophiscated and how very edifying , in a legislative sense, about that case of wine, and in a newspaper man. And the House is said to have laughed—how complacent to be sure, possibly there may have been an association of ideas in connection with the wine and the hon. members former introduction to the ‘ bar ’ of the House. Possibly the House may have thought that after such a bibulous joke on the part of friend Jones, he would next entertain them with a little fiddling Certainly the one would be as much in place as the other, I am afraid, Jon s, you are inclined to buffoonery, but don’t, there’s a good boy—do try and resrain yourself, the collective wisdom is not of too high an order by any means, and won’t bear any lowering. If you can’t speak to the purpose, aud with average dignity, take my advice and cultivate silence —look as wise as you can and s.y as little as possible. Of the same member another writer remarks ;—“Of course he is Liberal, as all those who have nothing to loose and everything to gain by a general scramble.”

A correspondent writing in a Wellington contemporary, makes the following amusing suggestion as to another means of raisiug.the revenuej—Family men pay more, individually to the revenue than the unmarried. Let the Government introduce an act to levy

a tax on bachelors. What could be more pathetically just ? Let every man of 25 years or upwards pay in proportion to his income. Say 50,000 bachelors at an average of L 5 each—result to revenue, L 250,000 ; or pile on the agony, double the tax —result, L 500,000. Grand result, universal content in New Zealand ; revenue from all sources being ample to meet expenditure. A gradu atod scale for the “ bachelor tax ” might be desirable; the older the single sinner, the heavier the tax. How popular sue’:, a legis lativc act would be among our blooming maidens P What a forcible argument in favor of matrimony. Joking apart the idea is worthy of consideration.