MISCELLANEOUS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 135, 8 September 1870, Page 6

MISCELLANEOUS.

The Wellington correspondent of the " Oamaru Times " writes :—": — " Rumour says that an Auckland gentleman was engaged and brought down to edit the " Independent ", but as soon as Messrs Fox and M'Lean heard his name, they remembered that at some past period he had written in a Hawke's Bay paper some strong articles against those gentlemen, and they at once paid the proprietor of the " Independent " a visit, and told him not to engage the gentleman. Of course, I don't know the truth of this, but I know he came down under a sort of engagement, and that another has obtained his place." The gallant Major Ropata Waliawaha intends, it seems, to burn powder shortly in a very different occupation to that of fighting Te Kooti, viz., in shooting rabbits in Australia. The " Geelong Advertiser" gives the following account of the circumstances which led Ropata to form this determination :—lt: — It appears that a relation of Mr. Stirling, at Winchelsea, a neighbour of Mr. Austin, of Barwon Park, and who is intimate with Ropata, was conversing with him about the excellence of the sport to be obtained at Barwon Park, when the chief intimated that as he intended shortly to visit Victoria, he would like to see if the sport was as good as it was i^epresented to be. This wish being conveyed to Mr. Stirling, that gentleman saw Mr. Austin about it, and the result was just what might have been expected from the hospitable squire of Winchelsea — a cordial invitation was at once forwarded to the gallant New Zealander, and doubtless he will show himself as expert in killing rabbits as he was in destroying the enemies of the Queen.

"The Sketcher" in the "Queenslander" writes a number of articles entitled " Life in New Zealand," from one of which we extract the following story :—": — " During the late war a settler wished to be rowed across the Waikato River, and the Maoris demanded for this service not less than £5 ; but after tedious negotiations, he succeeded in inducing their demand to 15s. Being a Government official, he reported the case to Auckland, and the Government issued a notice prohibiting such extortion. On his return the same gentleman offered the Maoris 7s 6d to be carried across. In the middle of the river, however, the canoe capsized in consequence of an intentional motion of one of the Maoris, and the settler, who, with a heavy bundle on his back, could not swim ashore, was compelled to cling to the canoe and beg for help. ' Why did your write to Auckland V asked the Maoris. ' Because I had a right to do so, and because I felt insulted at your extravagant charge,' was the reply. ' Well, then,' said the Maoris, 'you will recollect that we asked only 7s 6d to carry you across ; if we help you now, and keep you from drowning, you'll have to pay us another 7s 6d.' And so they again made their 15 s.

The only survivor from the wreck of the Tauranga was a dog, which must have swam eight miles to have reached the beach at Waipu, where it landed. In a lecture on " Catching Cold," delivered by Dr. Symes Thompson, at G/esham College, the professor explained by means of drawings the effect produced on the system by an attack of catarrh. The minute vessels of the nose, throat, and chest become surcharged with blood, and if this congestion be not relieved, inflammation ensues, aud ultimately derangement of structure. For prevention of cold there is nothing like a cold bath every morning ; "it trains the vessel of the skin to rise vigorously into renewed action after the application of a chill." Hot rooms should be avoided, the skin protected with warm clothing, and when the temperature of the air is between 32 deg. and 40 deg. Fahrenheit (which is the condition of atmosphere most liable to produce catarrh) a generous but careful diet should be adopted. For cure, the Turkish bath, or an ordinary vapor bath, is most efficacious ; but the action of the bath should be supplemented by the administration of meat stimulants. Dr. Thompson highly recommends Whitehead's solid essence of beef for this purpose, as it contains the gelatinous as well as the fibrinous properties of

the flesh ; and he cited a remarkable instance of the restorative powers of the preparation. A cupful of beef tea made from the solid essence, administered on the very day when he delivered his lecture, had in ten minutes diffused a steady warmth through the system of a patient who had been brought to the Brompton Hospital cold, pulseless, and apparently on the brink of the grave. Dr. Thompson concluded by warning his hearers that colds, unlike eruptive fevers, the more frequently they recur, the more frequently they may be expected.

The telegraph, says the San Francisco " Bulletin," gives a brief account of an occurrence on the railroad near Platte River, which may be taken as typical of the rude, but necessary manner in which civilization is disposing of savage obstructions. A large party of mounted Indians were descried by the engineer, upon the track ahead. As the train neared, the Indians set up a yell; and the engineer fearing an attack, put his engine to its speed, and the consequence was a hustling of Indians and horses into the air, thirteen of the former and a number of the latter being killed. The engineer app'rently could not have ventured to do otherwise than he did, for the consequence might have been worse if the Indians entertained hostile intentions. The loss of life is pitiful, especially if it resulted from Indian ignorance or indifference to railroad regulations. But the opinion may be ventured that the same party at least will not again attempt to stop a railroad train with horseflesh. And Indian objections to railroads generally will have to take some other form than making war upon them. Later accounts would go to show that the Indians meant to capture the train. They were armed and mounted surrounded it in large force, fired several sViots into tlie oars, and made other hostile demonstrations. But they hadn't sufficient head of steam to buck against the locomotive, and speedily came to grief.

The Colonial Treasurer, in laying on the table of the House of Representatives a return of the expenditure under the civil list, took occasion to explain the allowances received by Ministers during the recess. They had all drawn their salaries. Mr. Fox had a residence, and Mr. Gisborne drew &n allowance in lieu thereof. Mr. M'Lean did not draw residence allowance, but received £2 2s a day while absent from Wellington. For himself, his position was that of resident Minister at Auckland, and while there he only drew the usual salary ; when absent from Auckland he drew £2 2s a day travelling expenses, and during his mission to Australia, £4 4s a day.

Mr Fox may well be jubilant. He walked into the House when attention to the deserted Government benches was alluded to in strong terms by Mr Hall, an ex-Minister, and remarked that the Otago members had better settle their own differences by themselves. Any measure affecting the land is at once carried by the squatting party — as witness the Otago Hundreds Act. Any measure affecting the interests' of the people is as summarily rejected, and if not rejected, mangled — as witness the Otago Road Boards Act, and the proposition of Mr Yogel to give to them the right to expend their proportion of the capitation tax. The combined Superintendents were too strong for that proposal, and even Mr Yogel left his proposal as a bantling for the House to deal with, and a shuttlecock to be played with. He saw he could act in no other way than lightly treat the subject. And thus it is Otagonian interests fare, and we shall have Mr Reynolds and the Separationists throwing dust in people's eyes by advising a strong line to procure Separation. One thing the session has shown — that Mr. Macandrew has been received with open arms by the squatting party, and that he can carry his motions now. Proud and happy day for him. The idol of the demos, but — through his promises and cajoleries — the betrayer of those promises, and the opponent of the principles so grandiloquently urged. — " Wakatip Mail."

The conductors of railway trains in America hold a somewhat different position to that of guards in this country. They collect money on the journey, and give tickets to the passengers Immediately before starting from any station, the conductor runs along the platform, and calls out, " All aboard?" and the train then starts. On one occasion the guard going his round observed with the quick eye which practice alone can give a passenger in a train of two or three hundred persons, who had not paid his fare. He inquired of the defaulter, an Irshtnan, " Where's your ticket, sir ?" Said Paddy, " Sure, I haven't got one yer honour." " Where's your money?" "Devil a red cent have I got." "I shall turn you out at the next station," was the reply. As soon as the train stopped Paddy was rather roughly ejected. The conductor walked along the cars again, calling out as usual. " All aboard !" When the train had been some time in motion, he walked through the carriages, and, to his surprise, discovered the Irishman snugly seated in a corner. In a towering rage he said, " Didn't I turn you out at the last station ?" The man replied, "To be sure you did, your honour ; but I thought as I was a poor man your heart warmed towards me, and you'd

altered your mind intirely ; for didn't I hear ye call out 'All aboard !' and how the blazes could we be all aboard if I was left behind ?" The conductor burst out laughing, and said, "All right, old fellow you're good for a ride."—" Public Life of W.F. Wallett."

The "Wellington Post" says:— While the debate on the Immigration and Public Works Bill was progressing in the House of Representatives, and when the great question it involved was being anxiously discussed, an hon. member had occasion to cross the House to speak to the Premier ; and how did he find the foremost man in New Zealand engaged while his colleague was endeavoring, with all the sophistry at his command, to justify his measures to the representatives of the people ? Why, buried in the most comfortable corner of his bench, deeply immersed in the study of Disraeli's new novel ! Nero fiddled while Rome was burning, and, possibly with the view of emulating so noble an example, Mr Fox, while the debt of the Colony was being doubled, and measures passed which will make or mar its future destiny, read Lothair !"

At the Church of the Madeleine at Paris one Sunday, one young woman was particularly remarkable for the energy with which she struck her breast while acknowledging her manifold sins and wickedness in the usual words, "Mea culpa, inea culpa, inea maxima culpa." As this edifying young lady was leaving the church, her foot caught in the skirt of her dress and she had to fall. At the sare moment a dozen portemannaies fell from her pocket. " Hallo !" said a police officer, who was standing near, and who ran to help her as she fell, " I have heard of the miraculous multiplication of loaves, but not of purses. Have the kindness to accompany me to the commissiarie of police, in order to explain the interesting phenomenon." On the way to the police station the pious young woman threw a handful of snuff into the eyes of the officer with the remark. " Remember that you are only dust," she bolted round the nearest corner, and has not since been heard of.

On the afternoon of the sth July, a carpenter, named James Davis, entered the Old Post-office Hotel, and saw Mr. Musika, the landlord, who turning suddenly round, presented a revolver, saying, " I bought this for you ; prepare, for lam going to shoot you." Davis requested him to hear what he had to say first ; but Davis replied, " I will hear nothing ; you have seduced my daughter." He then pulled the trigger, but the cap only snapped, and the charge did not go off. As there was only a distance of about three yards between the men, Davis regarded the m-itter as a joke ; but Musika speedily convinced him that he was in earnest, by again cocking the weapon and presenting it. Once more the cap snapped without igniting the powder, and Davis again asked that he might be heard. Musika replied, " I will hear nothing ; I'm going to shoot you ; " and almost immediately fired, striking the man on the left side. Davis said that if the shot was fatal he would forgive Musika if the latter would only listen to what he had to say. The other, instead of complying with his request, remarked that if the wounded man did not clear out he would make it fatal. Musika subsequently met Davis going out of the front door, and told him to stay where he was, saying that he would get a doctor for him and a policeman for himself. The revolver, which was once the property of a man who committed suicide in Williamstown a few weeks ago, was purchased at auction by Musika last Saturday. A subsequent issue of the "Argus" says: — "The prisoner was remanded on a charge of shooting with intent to kill. Since the occurrence his wife and daughter have been taken ill. From further information which has been elicited regarding this unfortunate matter, we gather that Davis was at one time living at Musika's Hotel, when he became intimate with Miss Musika. When he proceeded to Gipps Land a few months ago, he corresponded with her, and, knowing that she was enceinte, he returned a few days ago with a view of making arrangements for marrying her. The father had also been absent from Williamstown for some time. He returned last week, when he was much incensed at discovering the relation which Davis occupied toward his daughter, and expressed his intention of proceeding to Gipps Land in search of him. He did not do so, but remained at home drinking; consequently, when he met Davis he was partially intoxicating. The wounded man still expresses his wish to marry the girl."

Holloway's Ointment and Pills together, from the two great health-giv-ing remedies of the nineteenth century. While the former acts through the external orifices, as water penetrates the parched soil, the latter purifies the blood and renders the physical machinery healthy and vigorous. By this means dropsy may without doubt be effectually cured ' if large quantities of the Ointment be well rubSed into the complaining part. The patient should eat heartily of animal food two or thrqe times a day, and take if posiible, some good port wine.