ODDS AND ENDS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume II, Issue 74, 10 July 1869, Page 5

ODDS AND ENDS.

A Brave Young Officer. — The dea'tTof poor Travers, who fell in the fig]?* on the Bth May, is thus described by a correspondent of the " Southern Cross " .— " The gallant Captain Travers refused .to seek cover, but kept cheering on his men. He had just shot a Hauhau, who had made himself very conspicuous, when he received his own death wound. He was struck about the waist, the bullet severing the aorta. He gave his men a cheer, said ' Q-ood-bye, my boys ; stick t.o them, stick to your colours ; I've stuck to mine,' then sank down, and resting his head on his hand, the next instant he was dead." A Maori Dignitary's G-rave. — It seems that during the march, of Colonel "Whitmore's expedition, they came to a place called Omaru te Ani, the most sacred place in the Uriwera country, being the resting place of the bones of the great ancestor of the Uriwera, Te ' Mura , Kareke ; his tomb, though 3QO or 400 years old,, is still tended with great,care, and kept fenced round by two rows of small totara" splinters, and as soon as one of those' sticks decay it is carefully replaced by another. The Ngatipukeko, to offer the greatest insult to their enemies, cooked their food on this spot with these sacred sticks. A New Bonnet for Ladies. — An agricultural paper recommends country ladies to take a large-sized pumkin seed, carefully cut out the meat on the under side, put a narrow strip of fur around the edge, and fasten the strings on the sides, and they will have a bonnet in the pink of fashion. The broad end of the bonnet should be worn in front, to keep off the wind and sun, A Compliment to Scotchmen. — His Excellency Sir G-eorge Bowen, in one of his despatches, when speaking of the escape of Te Kooti from Ngatapa, says, " He retreated to the mountains of the . interior, where he was joined by the wild and savage Uriwera clan — the McGregors of the Maori Highlands." " I am afraid, my dear wife, that while I am gone, absence will conquer love." " O, never fear, dear husband, the longer you stay away the better I shall like you "

■ In ancient days, says a contemiporary, the people of Grimsby formed an admirable notion of the wisdom required for corporation honours. The burgesses assembled at the church, and selected three of themselves as candidates for the mayoralty. The candidates were conducted, with a bunch of Kay tied to each, of ilieir backs, io the common pound, in which they were placed blindfolded with a calf ; and he whose bunch of hay was first eaten by the calf was thereupon declared mayor for the ensuing year. Intelligence has been received from England that H.M.S. Clio (sister ship to the Challenger) has been brought forward for commission, to relieve the Challenger on this station. Commodore Lambert will remain here with the Clio, the captain of that vessel taking the Challenger home. The Clio may be expected here about I October next. — " Southern Cross."

During the recent cruise of H.M.S. Blanche, when under steam at full speed, the sudden alarm of a " man overboard" called everyone to their stations. A boy had fallen from the fore rigging. The life buoy was promptly let go, engines stopped and reversed, lifeboat lowered, the first lieutenant, boatswain and the boy picked up, and ship going ahead at full speed again in nineteen minutes five seconds. This we may call smart work. Lieutenant Markham and the boatswain had both jumped overboard to save the life of the youngster. — Ibid.

Illegitimacy nr Scotland. — Although. Scotland is, as every one has heard, more pious than any other portion of the United Kingdom, there is one circumstance constantly brought to light by the Registrar- General's reports which is seldom commented upon by Scotch divines. These authorities often boast of the superior intelligence of their countrymen and women, but they never explain the cause of an awkward proportion between the number of legitimate and illegitimate births in their part of the country. Last year for instance, 115,673 children, were born, and. of these 11,266 were illegitimate. In the north-eastern division the young women who became mothers without being wives were in the proportion of 15.2 per cent. At Kirkcudbright it was 17.3 per cent. And yet at Kirkcudbright all pious forms and ceremonies (save marriage) are rigidly observed, and a man dare not brush his hat on Sundays. The improving circumstance of the Scotch example of national character is, unfortunately, diminished by the irregular increase of their population. Have the writers and divines who reprove immorality in the darker pai'ts of these islands nothing to say about the little failings of the "unco' gude?"— "Pall Mall Gazette." Lamaetine cot Advertising. — Some one asked Lamartine whether he was not spending too much money in advertising his publications. " No," he j he is reported to have answered, " advertisements are absolutely necessary. Even divine worship " (in the original, le lon Dieio) " needs advertising. Otherwise what is the meaning of church bells ? " A Sensible Resolution. — The young ladies of Swamp town (U.S.) have passed the following resolution : "Resolved, that if we, the young ladies of Swamptown, don't get married this year, somebody will be to blame." U. and I. — A lady happening to say variation instead of variation, seemed to be offended when informed of the error by a gentleman, but had her good nature restored by him " Madam, heaven forbid that there should be any difference between U and I." Oue Next Governor. — It is said that Mr. "Weld, who is now Governor of Western Australia, will most probably be nominated to the governorship of New Zealand, when Sir George Bowen's term of office shall have expired. Six Tons of GTold from tiie Thames. — The total amount of gold from thh Tbrmes from February, 1868 to 39th May, 1869, was 131,828 ounces, which is nearly six tons Six Months' Yield of Hunt's Claim. — During the six months ended on the 30th May, the famous Hunt's claim has produced 16,794 ounces, of the value of £43,244. Why is the letter i like the snort of a horse 1 -Because it makes a noise out of a nose. A Curious Muddle.— Newspaper people are proverbially temperate as well as virtuous. We believe, however, one of the craft did get " slightly tight " a fewweeks ago, and the following is a specimen of his broadsheet as it appeared next day ; — " Yesterday morning at four p.m., a small man, named Jones, or Browne, or Smith, with, a heel in. the hole of his trousers, committed 1 arsenic by swallowing a dose suicide. Verdicate to the jury that the diseased came to the facts in accordance with his death. He leaves a child and six small wives to lament his untimely, loss." HoUoway's Ointment and Pills. — Never neglect a Cold.— lt is painful to hear of the many fatal cases which commenced with the or Unary symptoms of a common cold. Holloway's Ointment rubbed on upon the back and chest, prevents all disastrous consequences ; it soothes the inflamed lining of both throat and chest. After rubbing in the ointment for a few days, the pectoral irritation and the tightness of breathing diminish, the cough becomes looser and less frequent, and the phlegm is expectorated with less difficulty, till the lungs become free and respiration natural. All subject to take cold from slight exposure to varying temperatures, will find Holloway's Soothing Ointment and Purifying Pills an effective safeguard against pleurisy, bronchitis, asthma, and consumption.