The Shedding of Blood.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3312, 18 September 1889, Page 3

The Shedding of Blood.

In the manuscripts of the Roy. R. Taylor, now being published in the N.Z. Herald, occurs the following paragraph —" The shedding of blood to always consiilored a serious thing although but a drop was shed, ami that too, of a person in tho wrong. From being in tho wrong he bocamo tho aggrieved party, ami roipiired payment, Thus, if tho owner of a liaraka grove caught a man stealing the fruit lie could demand payment, but were he to strike a thief and causo but a smglo drop of blood to flow, native law would adjudgo that karaka gtovo to tho thiof as a payment to him for his drop of blood, and were tho owner not to resign the land to him, tho tribo of the thief would feel itself called to maintain his right to it. Mr M'Lean (late Sic D. McLean) ran against a post in my cottage at l'ipiriki and knocked off tho skin from his elbow, so that the blood flowed. The natives immediately deplored the accident aud said that according to their law the house would hnvo beon forfeited to him, as they wero ot his party it would have been thoir duty to Lave seen that it was given up to him, as every one of the company was affected by his blood being shed, In the saino way, if a canoe is dashed on shore in a storm, aud tho owner's life endangered, the land he ii cast on is thus said to be forfeited to that person.

Tho antiquity of dolls has lately been proved at Homo, where there was found in a sarcophayus, containing llieskoleton of a young girl, a wooden doll with jointed arms and legs, Tho idea of a telophoiio church in being carried on at Tnnbridgo Wells, England, whero the pulpit of a Congregational church is connected with sixteen subscribers, ■ Tho people of Bonn have purchased tho house in which Beethoven was born with tho intention of converting it into n museum of objects illustrating his lifo and works. Tho 'Argus' states that the time limit jor speeches in tho Victorian Legislative Assembly would operate with varying effect upon different members, For instance it would not affect MrDeakin at all, because he annihilates timo when he speaks. But it would suppress Mr Baker, who uses fewer words than pauses in addressing tho Chamber. Ho was speaking 0:1 tho stock tax question, and though tho hours wore precious and numbers of others had to follow before the sitting ended, ho moved atons; slowly in his accustomed style. Hero is a specimen sentence with its intervals—- " I know—that hon. members—wish to do—to do—their duty as—members—of their various constituencies—but what I desiro tolay before hon, members is—just a few facts—in connection—with tho price of meat—over a period—(hero a very long, pause)—of about—fourteen years," Each yap was taken advantage o f for a steady hard glare at opponents who were soon brought into subjection, They almost broke down in trying to follow tho argument, On tho night of the State bhll at Buckingham Palace, tho Shah's attendants noticed that tho Centre of the Univcrso had lost a diamond as big as a cob-nut from his shoulder belt, Distracted beyond measuro the domestics institued a thorough search fortho jewel but fruitlessly. When tho .Shall woke in tho morning lio would have to bo told, and then a high old time they'd enioy. Fortunately, just before oarly breakfast an English lackey espied the tho missing stone and brought it to tho chief of tho Persian valets, •'There," Baid he to the overjoyed servitor, " is your povornor'a big diamond; and you may tell him from mo as it's precious lucky for him none of the guests last night found it."