MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Waikato Argus, Volume VIII, Issue 669, 7 June 1900, Page 4

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

A rumour, not confirmed, says that a new silver cob>i Vftlue 9d, is to be issued next year. In a ton of Dead Sea water there is’lß7lb of salt; Red Sea, 931b ; Mediterranean, 851b; Atlantic, 811b; English Channel, 721b ; Black Sea, 261b ; Baltic Sea, 181b; and Caspian, 111b.

According to anatomists, a perfectly-formed foot should be as long an that bone in the forearm which extends from the elbow to the joint of the wrist. If taken in a long-limbed person, this measurement seems abnormal, yet it is the one taken by artists.

Mrs Mairfair : “ I hear that your son is a great student, and spends most of his time over the midnight oil. Mrs Jones (a rich parvenu, in pony carriage); “ Not a word of truth in it. We ’avo belectric light half over the ’ouae, and Halfred ’as a ’ole chanticleer in ’is room.”

It is curious to find that there is a country in the world in which it is considered a crime to smoke. Abyssinia is the region ; and the law forbidding tobacco dates from the year 1642. It was at first merely intended to prevent priests from smoking in the churches, but it was taken too literally, and nowadays even foreigners have to smoke sub rosa, as if they were still schoolboys.

The following series of coincidences is given by a gentleman in England :—“ My grandfather,’’ he writes, “ was born on January 13tb, 1820 ; his eldest son, my uncle, was born on January 13th, 1845 ; my own birthday was January 13th, 1865 ; and my two boys were born on January 13th, 1895. and on January 13th, 1897, respectively. On the 18th of last January all five celebrated the common birthday under my own roof.”

Fertility of race, says the Hospital, is at the root of many things, Our merchants complain that in every land they find themselves met in the keenest competition the übiquitous German. The reason lies with German mothers. They are now producing 35 children a year for every 1000 of the population ; just what English mothers were doing 25 years ago. Now the English mothers are content with 29 per 1000 —one more nail, as one would say, in the coffin of the Empire.

Queensland has found it necessary to take strong measures in coping with the truancy evil, but, unlike New Zealand (observes a contemporary), they don’t make the enforcement of the compulsory clauses of their Education Act almost farcical. The Government has just issued a proclamation which makes S revision for sending to school all chilren between the ages of six and twelve years, unless there is a valid excuse, under a penalty of £1 for the first offence, and £5 for the second or subsequent offence.

Once, at a dinner party, Mr Edmond Goose, Translator to the Board of Trade, tells of a discussion that arose as to the relative merits 6f the Biblical military heroes and of modern generals. Someone who took the antique side quoted Joshua as an instance of a soldier the like of whom could not be matched in modern history. Mr Gladstone, in his vehement way, took this up at once. “ Joshua 1 Joshua J” he exclaimed. " Why, Joshua couldn’t hold a candle to Kedvers Boiler as a leader ot men I” This, Mr Goose remarks, was the more valuable a tribute in that Sir Redvers Buffer was never a supporter or much of an admirer of Mr Gladstone.

It has been decided in the law courts (says the Live Stock Journal) that if a horse die while in the bands of an intending purchaser during the period of trial, the loss falls on the seller. In the case of Elphick v. Barnes, the plaintiff sold defendant a horse with the condition that he might have eight days in which to try the animal; and, if be did not like the horse, he might return it at the expiration of the eight days. Three days after it was sent to defendant’s stable the horse died, from no fault on the part of defendant or bis servants. Payment was refused, and the judge upheld the refusal on the ground that defendant had not had what he bargained tor, viz., a horse of which he should have eight days’ trial. Had the plaintiff been able to prove negligence on the part of defendant, be would no doubt have secured the verdict.

What is probably the most lingular day’s racing ever known in Europe was held at Le Vesinet in France on June 28th, 1880- There were four races on the c&rd, and when all the horses bad arrived the manager found there were only six to compete ; one horse being withdrawn, five were left to run in four races. The obvious way out of the difficulty was to postpone the meeting, but the executive, mindful of the circumstance that well - filled “ specials ” from Paris were on the way to Le Vesinet, determined not to disappoint their patrons. The meeting was solemnly carried through, two matches and two walksover regaling the crowd. Sensible of the modesty of this entertainment, the manager threw open stands, enclosures, and field gratuitously. It was the next best thing to do, but his generosity cost the management about 10,000 francs.

There are various ways of losing a race, and perhaps that discovered by a gentleman jockey riding his own horse in a steeplechase at a meeting near London a couple of years ago was the most exasperating. There was but one other competitor, and he was jumping so badly that the gentleman jockey felt the stakes were in bis hand, but to get away from his swerving opponent he put on steam and came down. His horse was big and he was small, and as he could not remount alone, he called a bystander to give him a leg-up. There was still nearly a mile to go, and if he could only get into the saddle at once the chance was still a good one, tor the other horse deprived of his lead was jumping worse than ever. “ Give me a leg up, if you’re not afraid of the horse ! ” he shouted for the third time in despair. “ I ain’t feared of the horse,” replied the bystander slowly; “but my bet’s on t’other one and 1 ain’t agoin' to take no risks.”

As some uncertainty exists as to the origin of the flag of England, the following information will no doubt he interesting Until the year 1606 the flag of England was a red cross upon a white ground, the design taken from her patron Saint, the Red Cross Knight, and known as St. George’s Cross. It was under this flag that England defeated the Armada and gained supremacy of the sea. Three years after the union of the two kingdoms—viz, in 1606—a new ensign was used by order of James 1., in which the cross of St. George was blended with that of St. Andrew, the patron Saint of Scotland, the latter being a white diagonal cross upon a blue ground. These two flags combined formed what is known as the first' “ Union Jack the flag under which Blake, Rodney, Benbow, and other celebrated admirals gained their victories. With the union of Ireland and Great Britain, on January Ist, 1801, came the final addition to the national flag, which then became the “ Union Jack ” of to-day. This was aceomplished by blending with the former design the flag of Ireland, a red diagonal cross upon a white ground, popularly known as St. Patrick’s Cross hue more correctly as Fitzgerald Saltire. Thus it will be seen that the “ dear old Union Jack ” was not the design of any one person, but that it had taken centuries to acquire its present form; also that it is full of meaning os representing the union of three nations, who in the past were quite independent and very frequently hostile.

A country contemporary is responsible for the latest and most pathetic parody on " The AbsentMinded Beggar ” " When you’ve sold your wheat and liuttei, when you’ve sent your milk to town, when you’ve got your cheque for Iniemi. pksm, or hay. will you kindly eas' your opiio on your little printer's bill, and settle it at once without delay. Vou're an absentminded beggai, and we are really tired of having to so frequently remind you, yon come into the township on every market day, and always leave this unpaid bill behind you. Cook’s sou, squatter’s son, son of a cockatoo—twice five hundred little accounts unpaid on our books to-day. Every one could be settled at once if you would only try. Feel in your pocket for Heaven’s sake, and pay ! pay !! pay ! !!”

Mr Alexander Wilkie, general secretary of the English Associated Shipwrights' Society, has issued the annual report of his union for 1899. During the year no leas than 2,450,000 tons of shipping were built, or 90,000 tons more than in 1898, which was the record year to date, The union now have a total membership of 15,582, a total income of £30,935, and invested funds £BI,OOO. The total expenditure amounted to £10,856, of which £7,919 was disetibuted in the form of sick and accident benefit, £6OOO for accident bonus, £1,464 for funeral benefit, £319 was paid in the form of superannuation grants, and only £52 5s 8d on dispute pay. With reference to this last item Mr Wilkie says: “ Experience has clearly demonstrated to organised workmen that strikes should not be entered into unless as a last resort, and even then only when there is a probable likelihood of success, as otherwise such action only redounds to the detriment of the strikers.”

The London correspondent of the Bradford Observer gives an interestina account of a curious wedding which took place in the West End a few days ago, and at which he was present. The bride and bridegroom belonged to rich German families. During the first part of the ceremony the bride stood in a ring made by the eight bridesmaids, holding in their hands a lovely rope of flowers. When the time came for putting on the ring, she gently broke the flower rope and joined the bridegroom. This, the correspondent was told, was an old custom in the country parts of Germany, and typifies the leaving of her girlhood and its interests behind. “ The bridesmaids left the church before the bride, strewing the flowers from the broken rope upon the ground. On the return to the house we each received a copy of an * extra special ’ newspaper, printed ‘ for this occasion oniy.’ It was an exact reproduction of one of the well-known evening papers in appearance, but contained leaders on ‘ Love,’ * How to be Happy Though Married,’ besides advertisements for supplies of * good temper,’ and 4 give and-take.’ A notice appeared to the effect that the bride would dispose of old love-letters by auction, and various amusing points were made.”

A good deal was heard about Clutba a few months ago, but hero is something fresh painted out of the Free Presslt may not not be generally known that with the expiry, on June 30th, of the two licenses to sell liquor at present held in Clutha, a series of stringent regulations not hitherto enforced will come into operation. These regulations are contained in the Alcoholic Liquors Sale Control Act Amendment, 1895. (1) It shall not be lawful for any person whomsoever—(a) To solicit or receive any order for any liquor within such district; nor (b) to sell, or expose, or keep for sale any liquor within such district ; nor (c) to send (either from without or within such district) or to deliver to any person residing therein, or at any place situate therein, any liquor which the person sending or delivering the same has reasonable ground to suspect is intended to be sold, or exposed or kept for sale, therein ; nor (d) to send or deliver to any person residing therein, or to any place therein, any package containing liquor, unless such package bears distinctly written or printed on the outside thereof a statement that it contains liquor. The maximum penalty for a breach of any of these provisions is £SO for a first offence, and tor a second, imprisonment for any term exceeding three months. The effect on the existing state of things in Clutha of the provisions mentioned being brought into operation will be that liquor coming into the district will have to be marked as such, and will not be allowed to masquerade as something else. A repetition of the kerosene case episode, as exposed by Mr Morrison during last session, will be rendered practically impossible, as the merchant consigning the goods is rendered responsible. Also, it will be an offence for a person residing in the district to act as agent for a brewery or wholesale house, and the breweries and wholesale houses are prohibited from sending travellers into the district in search of orders. It is scarcely necessary to add this stringent clause of the licensing law has not previously been in operation in any district in the colony, and how it will ‘ work out’ remains to be seen.”