Clippings.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 130, 30 March 1901, Page 4

Clippings.

AN IRISH EXCUSE.

Mick : " That is a foine trick you played on your woife and family, Pat, goin' away for three months and not lavin'thim a boit or sup, nor sendin' any money to thim."

Pat: " Now, hould yer tongue, Mick, and I explain it all. Yer mind that case of Kafferty's comin' afore the court three months ago ? [Well, I was up as a witness, and I jtuk afore an, ould man with a long curly white wig, and he says, says the. 'What's yer name?' says he. I'Pat Murphy,' says I. 'What's yer trade ?' says he. ' Bricklayer's labourer.' ' Swear,' says he. 'Damn yer soul,'says I. 'Three months,' says he. Now, Mick, how could I support me woife an' family for that three months ?"

WANTED HER MONEY'S WORTH. An Irish lady called on a photographer to have a cabinet portrait taken. When the artist removed the plate, he told her she jneed not sit any longer. On coming out from the dark room he found her still bold upright in the chair, with that look of petrified despair on her face peculiar to the photographic pose. " You needn't sit any longer," said the frightened artist. "What's that?" she hoarsi'y whispered, without changing a muscle. " I say you needn't sit there any longer—l have finished," he exclaimed. " Ain't I to pay ye three and sixpence ?" she interrogated, in the same guggling tone, with her eyes strained on the mark. " Yes." " Well, then, do ye mane to say I'm to give ye three an' sixpence fo.' only five minits in the chair ? Begorra, I'll have a full tin minis for the money, an' that's little enough hraJi conscience !" And she had U.

NEW STAMPS

The death of Queen Victoria has not rendered a change necessary m 3ur postage stamps, but in most countries of the British Empire t will be necessary to provide an entirely new set of dies. When the changes are being carried out in Great Britain it is possible that bhe opportunity will be seized for effecting alterations that have been in contemplation for more than a year. The head of King Edward VII. will, of course, replace that of Queen Victoria on all stamps, but a curious controversy has arisen concerning the position of the King's head. It will be ptaced in a, circle, as at present, but there is some doubt whether it should be reversed. The practise with regard to the coinage has been to reverse the head with each change of ruler; and since postage stamps were only introduced in the last reign there is no precedent with regard to them. It has been urged that the reversal of the head would make His Majesty look away from the address. This may appear a frivilous objection, but it is, nevertheless, one to which the authorities are giving seriou? consideration. Their ideas on the subject of the new issue will be embodied in a report which will be placed before the King, who wiil give the final decision. One change of colour has already been announced. All the green adhesive stamps will be abolished, and the carminecoloured stamps substituted for them. The post office has been obliged to make this change on account, it is understood, of the discovery that the green colouring matter used in the printing of these stamps is of a poisonous character. The other colours are absolutely free from any such suspicion. The cost of the change may be estimated when it is stated that not only has a die to be cut for each separate stump, but, stamps being printed in sheets, each individual stamp in the sheet must also have a di& Eighteen postage stamps, ranging in valua from one halfpenny to.£s, will be affected by the change. These stamps are, of course, also available for inland revenue and telegraphic purposes. There art also two series of embossed envelopes, one bearing a halfpennj and the other a penny stamp, whicl require separate die?, as well ai newspaper wrappers and post cards It is stated that the necessarj preparations cannot be carried ou! in less than a year, so that for ths space, at least, the old stamps wil continue to be used.