PROVINCIAL AND GENERAL

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 198, 16 November 1871, Page 7

PROVINCIAL AND GENERAL

Fresh butter is selling at Wanganui at 6d per Ib. Seventy eight women are now ordained preachers in the United States. In the office of a New York paper there stood in type the report of a sqvmon, and a parapraph about the career of a mad dog. In "making up," the two got mixed up, and the readers of the paper next day, were astounded by the following melange : — "The Rev. James Thompson preached to a large audience last Sunday. This was his last sermon previous to bis embarkation for Europe. He exorted his brethern and sisters, and after a devout prayer, took a whim to cut up some frantic freaks. He ran up Smith street to Brown, and down Carr street to College. At this stage of the proceedings some boys seized him, tied a tin-kettle to his tail, and let him go. A great crowd gathered, and for a few moments there was a lively scene. Finally he was shot by a policeman." It is reported that a photographer who took several photographs of a dead child a Fall River, Massachusetts, one day found clearely defined on the 9fch negative the face of the child's mother, ; who has been dead for some time. There is a sensation at Fall River in consequence. A year or two ago two very respectable gentlemen commenced business as agents in one of the thriving villages of Illinois. It is quite common for business men to have a little card printed on one-corner of their envelopes, and these agents, conforming to usage, printed theirs, giving their name and residence, and underneath, in smaller type, the following extraordinary announcement :— « Collections promptly attended to, and remitted on day of judgment." An. old Brooklyn gentleman started^ to go to Albany, a short time since, and almost as soon as on the train asked the conductor if the next station was Po ugh keep ie, repeating his question at each succeeding stopping plage, until the irate official curtly said he ; would tell him when they got there, and upon arriving there exclaimed j " This is Poughkeepsie, Hurry up and get off. We are behind time." " Oh, thank you," deliberately drawled the quondam questioner, "but I am going through. My daughter cautioned me particularly to take a pill at Poughkeepsie. That's all. The latest thing in London thieving is : • Dress in the uniform of Her Majesty's navy, go out late, walk smartly up to old gentlemen, and ask the time, snatch their watches from them, and be off with all available [ speed. In the course of some remarks on i the late numerous insolvencies in Wanganui, the " Herald " makes the following disclosures : — " Some of our late insolvents must have had extensive financial transactions, to judge from the fact that accounts at two banks were absolutely necessary for i the proper ' flying ' of all the ' kites ' used by them. Immense ' cards ' they were too ; one of these notabilities had a balance of 2s Id in one bank, and no less than 9kl in another. Another, but he belonged to the law, which perhaps accounts for it, had 10s 8d and j 4s Id. The business atmosphere of Wanganui has wonderfully improved since the- late rush for the brush." ! Eight or nine men, lately engaged as miners in the Caledonian claim at £3 a week, having saved some money, have been spending it lately in driving about- Auckland in four-in-hand ! drags. The " Wakatip Mail " discourses as follows :—Much of the opposition that arises against the present Ministry is on account of the colony having been made, in certain portions of it, the modus opemndi of settlement by cadet branches of the old country aristocracy, who do not view favourably the principle exemplified of working up from the ranks. We gave credit to many of that class for having don,e their duty as colonists. They started with a fair field, and with the advantage of home support ; but it is wrong for them to call men who come" to the front "adventurers." It only creates an .ill -feeling. Yet .no ott^r class, theor-'se so much ajboufc the. • sabieici.

_Aa > long -as> the governing hand is not seen, or'-'tb.e vote ia absent; so long f&fry patronising ways afyl plausibilities be indulged in safely, We do deplore that despicable, feeling of envy, — that. hatred, almost, of a fellow man, because iie rises from the ranks. We have too much of this feeling yet leavening the old governing and upper classes. A kitchen is now a common adjunct to churches in the United States, but & church at Tenipleton, Mass., has not only a kitchen, but a ladies' parlour, a library, and a lecture room attached to it. At the sitting of the District Court, in bankruptcy, at Greymouth, a few days ago, a bankrupt, named /William Shilling, appeared to pass his final examination, and to apply for his order of discharge. In the course of his examination by his Honour Judge Ward, the bankrupt said that there was a maintenance order made against him for the support of an illegitimate child, but he had paid nothing on its account. He further said, in reply to Mr. Guinness, who appeared for bankrupt, that he had children to support in Dunedin, Auckland, Christchurch, and Greymouth, but he did not say how many in each place. The order of discbarge was suspended for six months. Among the articles sent to Captain Hall to cheer his journey to the Polar regions was a tin can carefully sealed and labelled " Not to be opened until the Polaris reaches the Arctic seas." But it met with an accident, and 'the secret leaked out. It was a can of patent axle grease, with which Captain Hall or his survivors were affectionately requested by letter to lubricate the axle, when the Pole should be reached. Mr. Ah Toung, an enterprising Chinese speculator, arrived in Launceston by the last trip of the Derwent, from Melbourne, accompanied by Mi 1 . Ah Kin, for the purpose of purchasing fat pigs for the Victorian market. They have made (says the " Cornwall Chronicle ") arrangements for supplying their countrymen throughout the Victorian diggings with live pork, and they are in a fine way of doing an extensive and remunerative trade. A young lady, giving in her religious experience, said " that she once wore jewellery of all kinds, and took great pride in it, but, becoming convinced that the practice was sinful, and would destroy her so jl, she sold her jewellery to a younger sister for $10 and bought a lottery ticket." There is as much merit in catering to the humourous side of our nature as to the sober and sedate. Men and women were made to laugh and indulge in pleasantries just as much as to pray and fast. Because a face is uncommonly long instead of wide, it does not follow that its possessor is a firstclass saint. We would as soon trust a countenance got up on the broad as the long guage. The "Melbourne Punch" furnishes the following information regarding fcl»e Victorian Permissive Bill : — " Messrs. Vale, Longmore, and Bur LI, and the other amiable and largehearted teetotal legislators are,-we are informed, prepared to add some additional clauses to the Permissive Bill, when the measure is committed. Drafts of the clauses have been furnished to us, and they provide as fol--lows : — No publican is to be allowed Christian burial, nor be permitted to have his children hristened or educated. Publican's wives may be burnt at the stake, and dragged through a horse pond at any teetotaller's request. Any person holding a publican's license to be considered an outlaw, and treated as such. Any person seen entering an hotel may be arrested as a rogue and vagabond, and in the event of being discovered drinking, may be hung up at the nearest lamppost. All Government employes to be required to sign the pledge, and in default to be instautly dismissed. Grants of money and land to be given to temperance hotelkeepers, who shall by virtue of their business be justices of the peace. In each district " smellers " are to be appointed, the duties of these officers being to smell the breath of every man, woman and child they meet, and in the case of a smell of spirits or beer being detected, offenders to be at once taken before a teetotal justice of the peace. Bacchanalian songs to be suppressed, and the black aboriginal woman never to be called " gin " any more. Confectioners selling brandy balls or brandy snaps to be placed in solitary confinement fora week,' and any porter or person regarded as stout to be sent at once to Ptentridge. Another clause provides that any member of Parliament vobing against the bill shall forfeit his salary, and that the name of ihis paper, being one suggestive of drink, shall be changed." The efforts of the rigid Sabbatarians in Melbourne to prevent the public from visiting the- ironclad Cerberus on Sundays has provoked a counter demonstration on the pait of those who do not see that the Sabbath is desecrated by a harmless pleasure-trip. The contest is raging furiously, but the Sabbatarian bigots are getting the worst of it. A smart thing in trading is reporied from Queensland, A ' cute ' person from Sydney is said to have negotiated for the purchase of the vfhole of the first issue of a Government m.ap. of' Queensland. Failing in this h@ canvassed " and obtained ■ a. 'largo, number -of .su,lj,scrrbera for a

forthcoming 'large and- accurate map of Queej&land, the price two guineas. The Ghayernttfent map waa issued at 4a a copy a few months ago, and the two guinea map soon after, being simply the ooyer&ra«ns map coloured and mounted. Instead of grumbling (says one of the Brisbane papers) Queenslanders should be delighted to patronise colonial ability. Mr. George F. Train on July gist delivered an address at Cork — where he has recently arrived from New York-^-. in which he described his experience in France. He stated that he had devised a plan, which he detailed, of exterminating the Prussians in four days, but at the critical moment Gambetta- became jealous of him and threw him into prison, where an attempt was made to poison him. The Jews of Turin are erecting a magnificent synagogue which will, it is said, be the finest structure of the kind in the world. It is like a Greek temple in form, mounted on a little elevation, and elegant and grandiose. Its massive tower is rather bizarre, but the whole structure calls" to one's mind visions of Nineveh and Thebes. Teetotallers will be glad to learn that in proportion to the population, the consumption of beer in England has diminished one-half during the last 150 years. Instead of scouring the bush, the Armed Constabulary of Wellington have been employed, under the able direction of Colonel Gorton, is scrubbing the floor of the House of Eepresentatives. The " Court Circular " relates the following anecdote respecting a noble lady, who "is young, beautiful, and good : " — During the Army Bill debate her noble husband, who is as proud and fond of her as he should be, and just about to rise and deliver a violent attack upon something or someboly, when a telegram was put into his hands. He read it, turned pale, and quitted the House ; called a cab, drove to the Charing Cross station, and went to Dover, and was no more heard of until the next day, when he returned to his own home, and to his first inquiry was told the countess was in her room. He hastened to her, and a terrific row ensued, the exact words of which no one knows but themselves. At last, however, he burst out, " Thenwhat did you mean by your telegram ?" '" Mean ! what I said, of course. What are you talking about?" "Eead it for yourself," returned the still unappeased husband. She did read ;—"; — " I flee with Mr. to Dover straight. Pray for me." For a moment she was startled, but then burst into a hearty fit of laughter. "Those dreadful telegraph people ! No wonder you are out of your mind. I telegraphed simply, ' I tea with Mrs. in Dover Street. Stay for me.' " Bishop Patteson's will has been sent hither from Norfolk Island. It bequeaths the whole of his property to the Melanesian Mission. News from Fiji states that the Government there is working well. Only the British Consul is backing those opposed to it. The American man-of-war Si." Mary, and the French war-steamer Hamelin, saluted King Cakobau with 21 guns. The stakes, amounting to £300, in the rifle match between Mr. Walker and Otago, were deposited with Captain Dargaville. The Victorian ' Assembly voted £1000 to Dr. Lang, of Sydney, for services in effecting the separation of Victoria from New South Wales ; and £1000 to the widow of Mr. Frazer, a late member of the Assembly. News received via Sydney states that Rosenwax, the defaulting pawnbroker, was apprehended in Fiji, the Government there surrendered him. Roseuwax and his friends offered a desperate resistance, and one man was wounded. The Schooner Helen reports the loss of the ship Loch Leven, which left Melbourne for London on October 23rd, on King's Island. Her captain was lost ; the mate is on board the Helen. The Loch Leven was a ship of 1210 tons register, and had on board 6523 bales of wool, 92 barrels of tallow, and other valuable cargo. The acceptances for the Melbourne Cup are : — Glencoe, Nimblefoot, Warrior, Mermaid, Little Dick, Barbelle, Lapdog, Romula, Bylons;, Lottery, Baron, Foam, Monk, Valtine, Pearl, Praetor, Dukeof Montrose, Pyrrhus, Hamlet, Rambler. Aruna, Cleolifce, Saladin, Irish King, Miss Jessie, Lord of Lorn. A Sydney telegram says : — A swordfish over a ton weight was taken on Manley Beach. A Mr. Higford Burr has established a " snakery " afc Aldermastou Park, in the hope of effecting an improvement j in English reptiles. A " distinguished captain " complains that very ir-any of the officers of the Royal Navy are very ignoront of seamanship and navigation. There are now about fifty Japanese students at the Univei'sity College, London. Their industry and good conduct are highly spoken of by the Professors. The sixty-third annual poor-rate return of England and Wales, which has been issued, showa that in the year ending at Lady-day, 1870, the amount of the levy for poor-rate in England and Wales was no less than £11,573,608, l! Deducting county-rate, police-rate, and other charges, " -which, chough, XLot for the relief of the poor,- are levied as part

9* the poor-rate, 1 the amount expended in the year on relief was £7,644,367, being 6s. lid. per head on the estimated population oi" the kingdom. An American Editor withdraws from bis profession in the following valedictory, — ''The undersigned retires from the editorial chair with a complete conviction, that all is vanity. From the hour he started his paper to the present time -he has been solicited to lie upon, every given subject, he can't remember haying told a wholesome truth without diminishing his subscription list, or making an enemy. TJnder these circumstances of trial, an<i hayiug a thorough contempt for himself, he retires in order to recuit his moral constitution." • / The International Society is issuing " tracts for the people." Here is one of them recently published at Yevey (Switzerland) ; — ff "Workmen. ou who are so often in want of work, or who toil for a few pence like slaves, look, around you. See all those people well fed, well clad, well housed : they only work a few hours a day, or .even do not work at all ; and yet they can indulge . in all the pleasures of life, while your families are wanting bread. Why is it you and your children should be condemned to endless misery, and what right have they who work the least to perpetual enjoyment? But patience ; the day of justice will soon come to put an end to the sufferings of the people. In the mean-time prepare yourselves and join en masse the International Association, thatyou may learn what are your rights and your duties." It appears from an official paper recently published that in IS7O the emigration from Great 13 ri tain to Australia and New Zealand amounted to 17.065, being 4265 more than the emigrants of 1868, and2 l64 more than the emigrants of 1869. Of the whole number, 2155 were sent to the several provinces of New Zealand, of whom 267 were nominated in the colony and 1919 selected in Britain. Of the 17,065 persons, 1933 were rnarriedmen,2o74 married women, 0020 single men, 379S single women, 1366 boys between the ages of 1 and 1 2, 1359 girls between the same ages, 942 male, 218 female infants, and 33 males and 12 females not distinguished as to ago ; 11,165 were English, 2L 92 Scotch, 5169 Irish, 491 foreigners, and 48 not distinguished. The " Virginia Enterprise " says that an outraged husband at Cheyenne, Wyoming territory, where female suffrage and political and social appnr- > tenances thereto appertaining are re-r cognised, denounces the female jury business through the "Cheyenne Leader," and in justification offers a pertinent scrap fron£his d nnestic his-, tory. ■ His wife was summoned and empanelled as a juror in an important case. "When night came — the case not being concluded — the huaband applied to the court to have hia wife sent home, as there were several small children requiring her attention, the smallest, in fact, being in a starving condition, owing to the fact that it had not been habituated to the use of the bottle. But the husband's request was denied. The Judge paid the jury could not be seperated. The husband then requested permission?;to send the infant to the mother. This was also refused, on the ground that the law does not permit a thirteenth person in the jury room, and there is no statue to show that an infant in arms is not a " person " within the intent and meaning of the law. Tho desperate husband then attempted to induce the Court to send all the jurors to his honge for the night; but the effort was a failure, and the husband was informed that quarters had beenprovided for his wife at the hotel, and if he wished to speak to her for a moment he would have to take the place of the cook. It is confidently anticipated that telegraphic communication with Europe hy the Australian overland line will ba established in January, 1872.