INTER-COLONIAL NEWS.

Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1184, 12 June 1874, Page 2

INTER-COLONIAL NEWS.

Two curious occurrences are reported as having happened in church recently. The Murray and Humo Times states that not a hundred miles from the Border, as a worthy clergyman was preaching from the text, " And there shall be light at eventide," one by one the lamps—which, like those of the foolish virgins, had not been supplied with their modicum of oil—went out, leaving clergyman and congregation in all but total darkness, and causing them to wish for a practical realisation of the text. No light, however, came, and the congregation had to disperse to their several homes. The Talbot Leader gives an incident of a different character : —'' A young man, who belongs to-a "set," among whom euchre is the principal intellectual study, took a young lady to church the other Sunday evening, and fell into a gentle doze before the minister had reached bis ' thirdly." He cannot explain how it happened, but just as the rev. gentleman said something about the "last trump," the young man earnestly ejaculated, ' I'll go alone !' The young lady says the next time she can 'go alone,' for she won't go with him. And she left him to go homo, alone, too." Of "La Juive" at the Melbourne Opera House the correspondent of the Hamilton Spectator says : —'• In one scene Dondi, as the Cardinal, and Mr Kitts, as the Emperor, enter on real horses. The first night it was performed Mr Kitts was bucked off, and the great Cardinal ignominiously saved himself by holding tight with both arms round the. horse's neck. I know of several who went to see ' La Juive' after this, not so much for the sake of the opera, but in the hope that the same feat of horsemanship would be repeated." It will be remembered (says the Argus) that some time siuce a Board was appointed by the Minister of Lands to enquire how far the O'Farrell defalcations were attributable to the neglect of Mr Fletcher to carry out certain instructions given to them. That Board has reported, and wc understand that iu consequence of the report, Mr Fletcher has been reduced from the top to the bottom of his class.

lieceutly, a Mrs Mahar, an aged widow lady residing near the Union Jack Drapery Mart, Golden Point, Ballarat, had occasion to throw some water on her garden, which had the effect of uncovering a nice nugget of gold weighing over 7 ozs. The Schoclhaven News sarcastically reminds publicans and others on the look-out for cheap blankets, that two bales have arrived, and will be distributed to the blacks, at the Courthouse on the Queen's Birthday. The price paid to the darkies for these blankets is 2s, or its equivalent—a pint of rum There is not much risk run by purchasing these blankets, for if the police interfere, the bench of magistrates will probably dismiss the case. Last year only six of the blacks who sold their blankets perished. Some months ago a speculator purchased from the Tasmanian Government the right to fish for the first submarine cable laid in Bass's Straits and long since abandoned. He has chartered a vessel and procured a report from an experienced engineer, and a company is in process of formation to utilise the cable. All right to the cable was sold for £5, and if it is ever recovered from the vasty deep, the probabilities of securing a profit on the purchase arc good. The professional gentleman entrusted with the task of reporting thereon states the total amount recoverable to be about 160 nautical miles, and as to the condition of the long submerged wire, quoted as an illustration the case of the Dover and Calais cable, which, after a submergence of nine years, showed a loss

of only two per cent on the iron covering. He thinks the value of the recovered cable may be reasonably estimated at from .£25 to £3O per mile. " Atticus " remarks that it is a compliment rarely paid to mortal man to be sworn by. In a case tried before Chief Justice Sir James Martin, a female witness did not think the usual oath and the kissing of the book sufficiently impressive, for she added, as she put down the Bible, " So help me Jimmy Martin." His Honor sternly demanded an explanation of this blasphemous taking in vain of his name, and the affrighted woman bad to assure him that it was only a way she had when she wanted to proclaim she was going to speak nothing but the truth, " Just as your Honor might say, 'strike mo blind if isn't so.' " I would like to be present when a woman would say to our Acting-Chief Justice, " So help me Reddy Barry." The Burragong Chronicle reports that one Saturday evening, as the upcountry coach was being driven through Burrowa, the diiver was much surprised by an unlooked-for event in his journey. Near the public thoroughfare was erected a pavilion, in which were performing at the time certain trained ponies, dogs, and monkeys. One of the guys attached to the portable tenement appears to have extended into the street beyond a reasonable distance, but the coachman and a fare sitting beside him on the box did not perceive this rope until it caught each of them by the legs, and gliding up their bodies placed them in a rather uncomfortable dilemma. The horses were pulled up a's soon as possible, but not before the coachman had one of his hands injured, and the canvas pavilion was razed to the ground, much to the dismay of the inmates, and to the intense disgust of the proprietor.