General News.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3676, 6 October 1880, Page 3

General News.

'■'■ - is tbe little Benjamin of New Zealand. Public money, amounting to about half a million has been, spent in that land ofi Goshen in one way or another by the Hall Government during the last twelve months,, and still the thing goes ob. A large colonial expendi- ' 7, is ;■■ proceeding i for, ■ the purpose of creating a land revenue, one-fifth ofwhich will be "expended on the pet harbour scheme, while simultaneously tbe one-fifth of land revenue hitherto paid to other districts is taken away. On the basis of population, Taranaki was entitled to £292,645 during the ten years of the Public Works and Immigration Policy, but it got £435,509, besides raising a Harbour Loan of £200,000, which tbe colony will some day have to take- oveK the nine years ended 1879 the entire !reyenae from Taranaki has amounted only to £124.487. The cost of-her railway was £181,000, and it has contributed over and above working expenses since its opening the sum of £63i What a fine thing it is to have a resident Colonial Treasurer !—Star. At Njatka, Russia, an actress, by name Madame Barbara Parmenovna Kossiakovskaja, owed a butcher eighty-four roubles for meat which she was temporarily unable to pay. One evening he went to the theatre Where she was playing a leading role in the Russian drama, .•f-The'Actress of Venice." He was so overcome by her acting that, in tbe midst of one of her impassioned speeches, he exclaimed in a stentorian voice: "Barbara Parmenovna, I consider myself paid for all the meat I sold you !" The; audience burst into uproarious laughter. The actress sued her creditor for defamation of character.

A peculiar custom in Corea is thus described by a recent traveller:—"ln cities and small townships, it is considered a great offence against modesty and custom, whenever a Woman is met in the public streets in the daytime, and they 'quit their apartments hardly ever during the day. To indemnify them for this strictly kept Tip seclusion, the following remarkable arrangement has been made : At 9 o'clock in the evening during summer, and at an early hour in winter time', the city gates of Saol and other towns are closed at a given signal. As soon as this has taken place all men are bound to leave the streets, and these, are abandoned to the women for the purpose of recreation /%nd promenading Any male finding himWelf by accident belated and behind the appointed time in the streets is sure to hurry 'to-'his., house as fast as possible without looking up or regarding anything about him, and severe punishment would fall upon any person daring in the face of the stringent prohibition to molest women in the least. Good breeding demands from any man (and this is always done) to cover bis face with a fan, as soon as he encounters ladies walking during these hours, so that he may not be recognised, and to walk over the other side of the street so as not to disturb or terrify them." . '"-■'.''■.■■'