RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT, ALEXANDRA. (Before W. N. Slarancke, Esq., R.M.) WADDINGTON v. BELL.

Waikato Times, Volume III, Issue 153, 1 May 1873, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT, ALEXANDRA. (Before W. N. Slarancke, E sq., R.M.) WADDINGTON v. BELL.

T!n> « vi .in <iclioii bi j ij; it b\ plamtiit' to reover damage* for delivery of t'nilicr ol an interior description U> t.uiL (le-soribi'il in a curtain contract. l)r Wftldinglon, bring B. lorn, deposed : That lh<* timber he ordeicd from "Ur Uell wis not according to contract. Ho said that 12')0 feet of flooring boards, 6xl, tongued and gy. unod, \w_mv ordui-cd laal October. Thi>y were to bo of liiM-el.isi (<^iial>t\. The timber arrived j I leit home on the Sfcli. I <sent IVU a cheque for £12 Gs 16d by Bertram, and left word with 1113 111,111 to ivLeivo the timber and cart it up to mv Umu I lilnrned lio.nc on Saturday, 19th October, .md then I first saw the timber. It was of an inferior quality, .md unKtted lor the purpose for which I required it. I sent Air Bell ft letter on the 28 th October, telling him of the inferior quality of the timber. lie replied that lie could not help it, but would speak to his principal, as he was only Acting as agent, and would let me know tho result a» soon as possible. I waited till the end of December, when I sent him a letter. (Copy produced). I saw Mr.Uell a short tune after I had written him ; lw gave me no (satisfactory answer. Ho would not give mo the name of his principal. I told him I should h:v\e to sue his principal or himself. On 31st January I wrote to- him again (copy of lettor produced), telling him that Ui© timber waa lj mg at Alexandra at his hcrvice. No reply to secon I letter. I wrote a third letter on tho 7th February, 187! i. Had I been at ho^no I shouM not have allowed the timber to l»vo been taken from tho Hteumor, as it was worm-c il«,u. I oent Bell an account for ■Cl 2 Gi 10d, pftid for 1200 feet timber, as- per account f»oin Hell, but received in portion of the money back. Edwnrd On- nonsway, settler, Puterungi, deposed: 1 look from the »t 'Minor some timber lor Di Waddington. Ifc was anything but good timber, being worm-eaten and bad ; the ends of BOino were burned, tongues knocked off, spfintercd lio ikL-, oficLed it t'\o ciuU L remarked to tho carter the ilitlbrcnep between that and oilier timber that ennio up with il. Tt was very inferior, aad seemed to be cut oIF an old log liyng in tho bm'i. Admn McOihbm. bus>inian and saw vrr, Alexandra, deposed : — I saw tho timber got fro n lie Iby Dr Waddington. 1 did not consider it (ir-t-cla« h.uhor b\ ivnv moans. I would In ke it, fur lhir.l-eln-<» tinth «i ; sp.'uv.mv iit for that lv wad charred and ep! : ', an I Ungi * and grooved broken

1 oil 1 jiw ltwillnn a week .lltcnts irrival, and last within ' two months. It^.wno worse tlwin when it came up. It had been carefully stacked. Robert McG-ibbin, settler, deposed : — I saw some 6x 1 kauri timber lying at Dr Wadding! on'o in November, and saw it in the dray going up. Idn.l not consider it first cla^s, but ' considered it refuso timber, ta'ien when all the good had been jjicked out. Robert McGrutW, carpenter, Alexandra, deposed : — I 6.iw the timber ab»ut two months ago, and also a week after. Jt was not firat-i^ais timber The greater portion was sap nnd worm-eaten. It loolved as if in had betn cut don a long j before it was s.ja'iv. It had been knocked abo it greatly The I edges wera split oif. It would not be considered iirdt-cl.Ls-> j timber. Tire largest proportion was of inferior qualit). I would not take it and pay 11 r»t -class pnee lor it. Phillip B >nd, eirpenter, deposed r— About five months- ago I was working on Dr Waidmgton'o farm. I looked at the • timber then on the ground. It was Kauri flooring boards iorthohoiue It w.is not first-chut timber, neither was it j lit, to be used for purposes of building. The greater portion ' \\.i-> norin-eiten and some of the ends Mere burned. The timber, as u whole, I would not use or allow to be used in a building. The boards were riddled with worm-holes. "~. Judgment for £12 Os 10 I. Costs of C >urt and \\i\ncsdi!-., £7 1-a •

Rrnsrv vvi)Em;lvxi> ix Central Asm.— The Augsburg Alltjeinehie Zriiiniif publishes the following article oa thu> subject : — " The situation of affairs in Central Asia w now assuming a form in the highest degree interesting. Russia's expedition against Khiva is n proof that she is proceeding with resolute consistency in the- accomplishment of her programme — 'to go forward till oivlcr meets order.' Central Asu has a two-fold importance for Russia. It affords her markets for the products of her factories,, and, on. the other hand, it is indispensable to her as- a traffic between European Russia and the rie'i and thte-kly-peopled districts of China and India- Russia, is firmly resolved— and from tluj point of view of Russian commercial policy she cannot be blamed for it — to clear out of the wiw nIL impediments which obstruct the development of her "trade in this direction. The Ainu-Darja, which falls into the sea of Aral, wiia even in old tune? a great mean *of communication. Russia must obtain possession of it, and Khiva's e\istcnce as an independent State can only ibe of short duration. The preparations for the expedition against K'n- i mtc commenced us fir biek as April, IS7I. The town ot Djesak was chosen as (lie lie.i lqturters of the Russian nnny, and Orenburg and Krasiiovodsk as. the chief points oi" the basis of opei.ition. The Khan of Khivi saw thai he wu threatened, and he was full of dwtrust of Russia. The following occurrence furnished the pretext for the present expedition against Kinva :—: — Vbout a year ago 24 eiispecied R.issi.vi subjects of the Cossack races, which inhabit the country at the south end of the sim of Ariel, and recognize the Sovereignty of tlio K'lan of Klnva, were taken prisoners. On which side of the boundary the Russians were ae'iA-d is not clear. But it is a fact that the Russian prisoners wore c!clive:vl u/> by the C )ssaoks to the Khan Kiuut, and that the latter asked the Russian, authorities to conclude an agieemenl with lain by whwh botli parties should bind them-elves not to molest one another, and to preserve peuv on the frontier. Shortly afterwards aßmsum \u nbissv w is smit to (lie Khan to demand that tlic pi-i-uiici -. -h juld he g.\en uu t > The Khiva at once set five of tliem nt liberty, and declared, that the rest should be released as soon as the above mentioned agreement was concluded. Tlie Russian Embassy would not hear of any such condition, and departed. Soon afterwards the Khan was made iwieaey by news of warlike movements of Russian forces, and he sent an Embassy to the Viceroy of India, Lord Northbrook, to ask him for advice as to what he should do in this state of things. Tlio Indian papers assert that the Viceroy, in an autograph letter,, advised the Khan to release the Russian prisoners unconditionally, for that, even if he were in the right, the detention ot the prisoners '•ould not be justified ; and that, if he released the- prisoners, he would be m a position to enter into negotiations with the Russians with a view to a mutual abstention from hostilities The Khivan ambassador is said to hxve assured the Viceroy that the Kb m was determined to follow his advice unconditionally. If this was really so, |the answer of the Vic Toy must have arrived too late, for recent telegrams inform us that the Russians have crossed the frontier of Khiva. Tlie rapidity with which this step has been accomplished shows that it had been long in contemplation. This news has created the worst impression in British India, but a still worse impression has been produced there by the wellknown article of The Times, in which that journal justifies the conduct of Russia and represents her as the oivihzer of Central Asia. A British Indian journal makes the following remarks on the article of The Times : — « We have never been Russophobistß, nor are we so now, but one must be blind not to see m- this constant advance of the Russian armios a djtermmation to be not only the civdizer, but also the highest authority in Central Asia, and the English Government should consider whether it would be pleased to see a Russian Generalissimo in possession of Cabul It is t rue that the Emir of Cabul rules a country which it is very difficult to march through with an army, but his rule is very precarious and divided, and Russian gold might be a more efficient means of decomposition than was Hannibal's vinegar on the Alps. We do not believe that Russia will ever desist in her enterprise till 'he has become our immediate neighbour. To do so w ould be altogether contrary to her patient, serious, and determined organization. Unless she had Cabul in view the present expedition would be utterly useless, for it would require much credulity to believe in a commercial fiction not founded on considerations of general policy.' From these reflections of tins suspicious journal we turn to the views as to Russian policy m Assia developed by the English General M'.Murdo, of the Indian army, in a lecture which he recently delivered at Ruwul Pindee before a meeting of English notabilities. Tins lecture was delivered in the middle of September, and in it the General foretold what has since occurred lie said 1 that the Russian-* hid occupied Bokhara, that they would ta'ce possession of Kokand, that tlio Khivans wore threatened in the flank, and that a battle was at hand in the neighbourhood of Khiva Kirn a was alway?, as the experienced General expressed himself, a thorn in. the side of Russia. All the efforts of the Russians to make themselves masters of that country and its capital have Been unsuccessful. In the year 18 AO they inarched; from Orenburg in a southerly direction towards Klma, but in crossing the wilderness between tho Caspian Sea and the Sea of Aral they lost 5,000 men in the snow, and the rest of the army rcturnod home with that disastrous news. Since then Russia lias changed her tactics ; she has sunk a scries of wells through the wilderness, and has slowly but steadily advanced along the northern shore of the Sea of Aral, 'then, southwards towards Tnchkend and Kokand, n/nd westward towards Khiva, for her final object is to take possession of that flourishing country. The Khivans nro taken in the flank, and will probably now be defeated by tho Russians, for tliev havo to fight on ground favourable- to the RussFans. (This is what the General said, and ho was right.) Further on in his lecture the General said he did not assume that the Russians cherished any plan against India, but, if they had any such plan, their best strategy would be to occupy Cashn*ere, for the conquest of Cabul would only place them in a position to fight their way through the Soliman tains, which operation, however successfully it might be carried out, would compel them,, though with weakened forces, to fight a bittle with the British army, which ould have taken up its position on the left flank of an almost impassable boundary wall. 'Cashmere,' said the General, m conclusion, 'the Paradise of modern tunes, and probihlv tho Kdeu of antiquity, should be immediately occupied by English tro >ps Of course Exeter-hall would raise its soft-hearted' complaints against the injustice of this proceeding, but when a great crisis ii impending over our heads, lapidity ought to be our motto. It is also a duty of humanity to deliver this wretched" peoplefrom the degrading despotism of their present ruler and from future enslavement by the Russians " Can this public lecture of ono of tho ablest Generals of the British Indian army fail to be of serious importance? This is hardly credible, ftivl we learn that a eomnany has been formed in India for the foundation of a colony in Cashmere, and that in the course of last summer thai paradise was the favourite resort of Engl sh tourists, about 400 of whom visited it. Can tho great training camp which has been established be without a special object, and may not tho occupation of Khiva by the Russians furnish n pretext for an English expedition against Cashmere ?" L.vmr.s 1 Tvlk — T'tc great swiftness of perception in women is a very brilliant and attractive quality, and one of which they are conscious and proud. Their mental ma- ' chinery works more quickly and easily than docs that of men. In that kaleidoscope-like welling up of thoughts which seem to tako place in the mind, theirs seem to be thrown to the .surface in greater abundance and more rapidly than are ! 1 hose of men. A woman will never sit long together without home available thought coming up. Her fancy is richer than ours is, and she has more fecundity of ideas. But this greater fecundity produces widely different results in rlifferent individuals. In women of high capacity and i-itelli«cuco it leads to the development of many very ('olightful social qualities. They have a readiness of resource which enables them to say tho vory thing thnt is most l ight, at tho very moment when it is most wanted, to rectify tho blunders of oilier people — of their stupid- mule relatives not ibly — to anticipate and prevent the threatening confre/t'tiips, or to counteract the effect a moment after it occurrence. It enables them to set the- talk going at critical moments, and to keep it alive with bright answers and lively icparloe alwa>s. It gives them tho power of keeping people in good humour, and of restoring their equanimity when it is jiono —Coruhill. The !as L tour suggested for Mr Stanley is a voyage to discover the- North Pole. Waving cut on it. his namo and the date of discovery, ho is to bring it back vr th him, with the banner of tho Stars ond Stripes flying from tlio top. — (fraphic. What ;5; 5 the difleivnep bet we. n nn alarm boll put on a window at night, and half an oyater .J. J One is u bhuller bell, the other but a shell. I

I Under the heading of " A Pretty Fix for a Senator," the Washington correspondent if the Chicago Tribune writes .—. — " I have obtained a complete narrative of the celebrated light between the hoit Zach UlundlMypf Michigan, and Mr Ilannegan, of Indiana, ion of the- ox-Senator Hannegftn ,„ who- was Minister to Pi-ussia. It happened in the National Bank, at meal-time. Zaeh took advantage of the fortuitous concourse of several person* to irtuse Voorhees loudly, while m his presence. His remarks resounded all o\ er the elixir groom, such as ' traitor,' ' scoundrel,' &c, pentifully comimed. 1 with oaths. ' Dan,' said Hannegan to Voorhees, ' I wouldn't stand that foul-mouthed vituperation*' ' I won't,' said Dan,. and lie walked over to Chandler, and struck him a backhanded blow which, re&ouuded like a- whip crack. Chandler, who had got up wrong end foremost, immediately struck out at Voorhees, nmd Mr Hannegan interposing, remarkod : — ' Gentlemen, this is not the place for personal collision — a dining-room where you disturb othor people. Think of positions, and do not disgrace your constituents.' ' WU<r the h—llh — 11 are you ? exclaimed Chandler, and with tliatiift struck Mr Hannegau with all hit) force on the side of the f.ice. Hannegan was stunned by the hlow, which be had not expected, being a peace-maker aud not a lighter ; but he picked up a molasses pitcher and brought it down on Zuch'd ion-head so thab he was covered with blood anil molasses, w Inoh, strange a* it' may appear, seemed rather to improve hi* irppearance. He took up the nearest jug lie could find A strike Ilun-negim with it; but Hannegan ducked his heVf,iind Z.ich blritck an entirely harmless person iv the abdomen, who- forthwith got the cramps and walked out of the room on his belly. Ilannegan now said he understood Zach meant business, so he took the great patriot by the top-knot, and pushing his haul' down towards the floor, he dragged him aloug r planting blows all over his frontispiece, and nearly making ai intelligent countenance out of the Senator's. Much spent, gasping, and frothing, Ziohnriah followed hu hair across (lie floor, and several ladici rushing in, cried: ' Oil ! don't kill that man ! ' ' No, ladies, 1 said Hannegan, ' I just want to keep him from injuring me, nnd if you will take care of him I shall let him go immediately.' With this Hannegan gave Ziich a last snot, which effectually finished him, and the Michigan Ajax rolled' oier on his back and was wlieolbiirrowed away by bomc of hfs servants." His Excellency Sir James Fergusson, Hart., wlio' rcently returned to this country from South Australia, on a- visit,, previous talus assumption of the; governorship (jf New Zenland, mut wifth his tenantry on the Jvilkerran estate, at Kilkei ran House, Ayrshire, yesterday . The tenantry numbered" about seventy. Sir James expressed (he pleasure ho felt at living once more iiv tlieir midst, and ».iul he wHicd to udd'rpis I hem briefly on general nutters in which he and they were interested. He did not. intend to sneak on political > queM ions at all. In connection with the question of hypothec, however, he thought it was more a.qj'.rstion whioh concerned the ten uit ry than the landlords, and he had no doubt that if the tenantry wanted it abolished, it would be abolished. He wished more particularly to speak to them on. the question of cottage accommodation. He thought there ought to be botter accommodation for labourers on all estates than there w as at present, and it was his intention to provide such improve 1 accommodation on his- estate. He intended l to provide good cottages for the farm labourers, giving to each of them a bit of ground', and in some cases aeon's grass, an'l by this means the labourer's condition would be bettered He intended to dball this in co-operation with his tenantry. At the close of his address, three cheers were given for Sir James nnd 1 his family, and the company were afterwards entertained to luncheon. — Scotsman. The following is an extract froim Mr Anthony Trollopc's " Australia and New Zealand ":—"" :— " An Englishman cannofe bo a month in Australia without finding; himself driven to speculate — aluioit driven to come to some conclusion as to^ the future detunes of the Colonies At present they areloyal to England with an expressive and' almost violent loyalty, of winch we hear and see little at home There may be causes of quarrel on tlm or that subject of customs duties and postal subsidies. One Colony may expostulate with a> Secretary of State at home m language a little less respectful than another, in accordance w ltli tiie temperament of the Minister of the moment; but the feeling of the people is one ot affectionate adhcranee to England', with some slight anger caused by a growing idea that England is becoming indifferent. The withdrawal of our troops, especially from' New Zealand, has probably done more than anything else to produce an apprehension which is certainly unnecessary, and, to my thinking, irrational. But the lo\e of the Colonies for England, and the Queen, and English Government — what may best probably be described as the adherence of the Colonies to the mother country — cannot be doubted. An Australian of the present day does not like to be told of the future independence of Australia. I think that I met with no instance in which the proposition on my part was met with an unqualified assent. And yet it can hardly be doubted that the independence of Australia will come in duo time. But other things must come first Bofore that day shall, arrive,, the bone and sinews of the Colonies must b« of colonial produce. The leading men must not only haveIn ed but have -been born in Australia, so as to havo grown up into life without the still -existing feeling that England is their veritable ' home.' And I' venture to express an opinion that another great change must havo come first, as to the opening of which there is at present nosign. The Golonios will join themselves together in som» Australian, federation, as has beeu done with our XortU American Provinces, and w ill learn the political strength and commercial advantages of combined action. But therenre difficulties in the way. oi such a union. The Australian* Colonies, are very jealous of each othor, and in theirpresent moods are by no> means ready to mute. Victoriaclaims supremacy, New South Wales disputes it, and Queensland looks forward to a future in which she shall become aslarge as either. DouJbtlcas any further immediate subdivision among the Colonies would have a tendency towards producing it ; but it cannot be mid that the time has yet' come for combined action, or that it is near at hand. Thereis no such feeling yet as Australian ambition. There isambition enough, — Victorian ambition, New South Walea ambition, Queensland ambition ; and, above them all, there* is British ambition, very pleasant to) the ears and the heart . of an Englishman. The other w ill come, and separation wilf indirectly lead to it." Tlio Times, writing on the Maoris, say 3: — "Five short years ago this ruthless savage was hovering about our settlements with his tomahawk, and so terrified the colonists thatan army of British troops was thought all too little for their protection. In 1869 the last regiment of the Imperial^ garrison was recalled, aud New Zealand was left without A ( single red-coat. Our readers can hardly, have forgotten tlie ' outcry or dolorous prophecies of massacre and' ruin, combined with no little menace of retribution, which then crowded our columns. Well, the step was taken ; the consummation occurred, and what are now the results as shownby actual experience 9 Since that time ' there has not been, anything in the nature of rebellion.' New Zealand wars have already become tiling of the pasf , and ' the position oC affairs have continued to improve.' There is now hardly a Maori to be seen, except, indeed, in the Colonial House of Commons. Abroad in the country he is scarcely to bo rccogI nisc.l, save by his skin. He has become an industrious,, money-making subjoet of the Queen, clover at making a bargain, thoroughly up to tho advantages of a good contract, and wanting only a Trade Union to put him on a level with the moat humanised art irons." The present influx of Otago capitalists intent on taking up country in llawko's Bay and along the Hast Coast may prove J to be a* circumstance not altogether devoid 1 of political siguifieancc. These gentlemen will have an opportunity of judging for themselves what incalculable mischief has been created in such districts as Poverty Bay, for instance, by Mr Stafford's rash and shameless course of actiou. with rofcreuce to nativeaffairs last session. His promises to gne back the land, eagerly circulated and exaggerated as they were by K.iraititnia/Takamoana, and by tho European fomenters of tho repudiation movement, have been sadly effective in unsettling the minds of the natives in that district, and in preventing them from opening up tlieir land-, to settlement us freely as they would have done. Mr Stafford's popularity in the Middle Island is not likely to be increased by the impression that can hardly fail to be made by these facts on the minds of these visitors.— Hawke's Bay 'Paper. Destruction of Property ur the Sand. — It is fearful to see the destruction of property near the beach, caused by tho drifting sand. Acros and acres havo been ruined, and the ownors°aro likely to loso more if they do not take steps, to prevent tho encroachment of tho sand. Wo notice in' an exchange that there is at present growing in the Government Domain, at Christchurch, a specimen of a valuable gri»xK— tho Cynodon Daclt/lon, commonly called " dool " from Sydney along with some other plants, and which should prove valuable to those settler* who possess loose or sandy lands. The grass, it is stated, grows luxuriantly on this description of soil, is very nutritious, and has the valuable proportv of remaining perfectly green in the driest weather, and of spreading with extraordinary rapidity-. We think it is the duty of the Government to inquire into the matter, and to ascertain from the authorities of Canterbury whether such a plant is there ; and if so, his Honor should endeavour to procure a few roots for the benefit of the public.— Kir anaJei Herald. A Boy ox "Heidi."— A "boy's composition on, " Heads" is ai follow s r—" Heads are of different shapes and' sizes. They arc full of notions. Lnrgo heads do not always hold tho most. Some persons can tell what a man is by tho shape of his head. Hi^li heads arc the best kind. Very knowing people arc long-lieaded. A fellow that won t stop for nnythiii" or an} bo ly is called hot-hearted. If ho isn't quite so bright they call* him soft-headed; if he won't be coaxed or turned they tall him pig-headed. Animals have very heads. The- heads of foob slant back. Our heads are* all covered with hair, except bald heads. There aro barrel heads, heads of sei'mons— and some ministers usod to have fifteen heads toon»>serinon ; pn -'leads ; heads of cattle,, as the farmer calls his cows and oxen; head-winds; drumheads ; cabbage- heads ? at logger-hoods ; come to a head Ike a boil ; heads of chapters ; head him off; head of the f mily, and g-» ahead — but fir«t bo sure you are right." Somebody pvopo«os that every bald- headed man should bayo Ins monogram puinlcd on the cxpcsoJ spo'.

STiRViJfo Clergymen ix Victoria.— Fancy, sfaiving clergymen in rich Victoria ! Yet such appears to be the fact" At the last meeting of the Church Assembly, Dr Poirv, the Anglican Bishop, stated that some ot lii 3 clergy — ionic, indeed, of the most estimable of them, were suffering extreme privation, being reduced attunes almost to the verge of starvation, and he expressod his fenr thot, owing io the withdrawal ot the State grant, they would; reach that yerge. At his instance, a Stipend Augmentation Fund was established, under the management of a board, but subscriptions do not t-eeni to hate come in, nnd the Bishop's fears are being realised It is a matter of unhappy notoriety that one clergyman within twenty miles of Melbourne has been -ned by his tradespeople in the County Court, and has had his furniture seized, because his income, after pacing off travelling expenses, did not amount to above £28 per annum. — Grey River Argus. The following, concerning the late Lord Lytton, is an extract from an article contained in the Morning Adver/iser. — "Like LJyron, .at one time, he gave a tone of unsound sentimentality to foolish youths, who are apt to su/e upon the we<ikues>3o3 of those whom they idolize, rather than imitate them in their strength. But this he has long ago condoned. If ' Pelham ' assisted to mike a few puppies, and ' Ernest Maltravers ' and 'Alice 'were not tevt-books of sound morality and a correct view of life, the later novels of Lord Lytton have been unes.ception.vble m their te idling, and full of fine sentiment and elevated ideas On the whole, Lord Lytton w rote as a scholar and a gentleman of geuins and talent should wnte He died i working still, with no signs of intellectual decadence, and the publication of his latest woik, ' Kenclm Chilhngley,' yyas announced on the very day of his death. Indeed, the last pi oof-sheets had only just passed thiough his indefatigable hands." The following remarks on horse-breeding are contained in a letter which appeared in the Town and Country* Journal. — " 4s I have been connected with horse-breeding lor the last twenty years, I presume I may venture to pass an opinion on the iiib)ect I iind the best hor«es to stand a hard day's or a week's hard riding, arc half-bred Arabs, or else from a colonial-blood stallion from half-bred Arab mares ; the great sc>kHt> in breeding a good hiiek is this, the mare should be, or havcbeeM a good one herself, frcm 15 to 15 i hands, short in th» leg, roomy m the body, with plenty of pluck, and staying capabilities ; and the sire should be either an Arab or 'omal-blood horse, not o\er 15 hands, close to the ground, strong in the bone, or what is commonly called a big little home, and not nfc all like one that would be placed for the Sydney Gold Cu;->. It is a well-known fact in horse-breeding, that the foal in variably takes its temper and powers of endurance from the dam, and shape and size from the sire. I have at present a fow siddle hordes bred m this way, any one of which I tun rule 300 miles in a week with the greatest case. Tho way in which the falling off in quality of our hone M.ock has occurred, is this: when a blood stallion comes into a district, every Tom, Dick, and Unrry, who happens to be the owner of a mare, no matter what she is like, send her off to the horse, the owners, to a man, ospectmg their fouls to turn out. race horses, especially if the dam happens to be one of tho.se spindle shanked, flat-sided brute*, and that their owners fancy can go a bit. When the young stock comes round, perhaps, there may bo one in twenty that could be classed us a tliird-rato up-country hor*e, the re)n.under being perfectly useless, as either racers or roadsters, but still fancied by their owners, and put to the stud to produce a yvor^c class of animal than they have proved themsehes. Tins is hoy? the number of weedy horses that arc at present in t lie colony have been produced, and yvdl still continue so, as long as men yvho have not the means to purchase first-class mares, attempt to breed race-horses. On Mr Wilson's Yanko station they have been breeding from an Arab horse and a lot of useful marcs ; the consequence of which is, they have as fine a lot ot light harness and «addle horses as can be found m the colony." A R\IL\V\Y TUUX STOPPKD BY LOCCSTS IX VICTOIUA. — The statement that & train had been stopped by a host of locusts yvill seem to most persons to bo one of a most extraord iniirily exaggerated nature, and yet the Bendigo Advertiser is assured that sucli is the fact on the line between Castlcmain and Sandhurst on Saturday night. As the forty-five minutes past seven train did not arrne to time, the stationmaster communicated yvith Caatlemaino by telegraph, and \yas informed that it had started at the usual time. Having waited for some tune he ordered a special engine to be got ready to proceed down the line, but before it could start, the tram arrived, being half an hour behind time. The guard reported that when near Ilarcourt tho train was suddenly brought to a stand-till, and on inspection it yyas found that an obstruction had been caused by an immense accumulation oi locusts on the line, covering the ground to a depth of four inches. As the insects were crushed under the fore wheels of the locomotiyc, the line became so slippery that the driving wheels would not grip. The rails were Bunded to no purpose, and at last small peebles were used, and eyen then four trucks hud to be left behind. The trains yvlnch nrrned later reported that they had not experienced any such difficulty, the locusts probably having cleared off the line. Hoyv they got there in such numbers it is not very easj to guess. It was mining at the time the 715 tram encountered them, and it is most likely a heavj flight of them had been driven together by a strong gust of yvmd, and been beaten down by the nun. From this strange occurrence, persons who have teen nothing of the dense flights of locusts •with which manj of the proyinces have been infested of late, will be able to gain some idea of tho immense numbers in which they frequently pass over the country. Most absurd telegrams have been, during the past month, puling over the wires to our contemporaries in respect to utenm line matters at Washington. A corrupt lobby which, it is understood, was to receive one yenr'ssubsidv for passing Webbs bill, is terribly yyrath at the turn events" have taken. Against the influence and character of General Burnsidcand Thomas A Scott they were now here. First they denied that the organization, whicu we last month authoritatively announced, existed. Then Burn side and Scott arrived at Washington, and, being interviewed by the press, admitted the whole facts precisely as we stated them, except that larger intentions than we had ventured to give publicity to were expressed. It appears that the new organization own sufficient stock m the Pacific Mail Company, which runs fiom here to China and Panama, to enable them to control that company. Then we were told that the personal feeling fi«umst Webb had much to do with the formation of this new organization. If this were truo it would only suffice to show that yvith such railroad opposition the continuance of Webbs line would be impossible. But men of General Burnside's and Thomas A. Scott's calibre don't enter into speculations of so large a nature from motives of meir personal feeling. Again, yve w ere gravely informed that Mr Anthony Trollope's visit to Australia was as an employe of tlio London Post Office, and its object yyas to induce the colonies to have nothing to do with the San I'rancipco route. This silly statement was at once exploded by General Burnside's testimony that the Right lion Robert Lowe had intimated that " if the colonies were satisfied with the Webb line the Home Government would contribute £20,000 per annum towards its maintenance," an Amerienn line though it was. Then we had tho stale news hashed up that MrVogel had again obtained office in Neyv Zealmd, but to that waa added the statement that he was a " firm friend to tho Webb line, and that his accession to office ensured the success of the service." This statement was made, it is alleged, on the faith of a telegram received by Mr Webb himself We venture to think Mr Vogcl will not be too much obliged to his friend for the use of his name throughout the American press, 'these nre only a few of the many silly telegrams that have (wen flj ing ahout, -and it is feared here that equally abaurd messages have been sent to the colonies. Our friends will do well to bo on the look out for canards. — From tho San Francisco New* Letter. The Pall Mall Gazelle (Jan 22) says : The Court for the consideration of Crown Cases Reserved was the other day ' engaged in considering one of those cases which fill somewhat the same place in the practice of law as is filled by what doctors call a " beautiful case" in tho practice of medicine. The latter is full of interest and value to medical science, but the patient dies. The former is similarly interesting and valuable to jurisprudence, but the criminal escapes. The question in the Queen v. Burt was as folloyvs : Mrs Burt, the prisoner, kept n "merry-go-round" ot a fair, let out at ft penny a ride and the prosecutor, a girl, got on to it and gave the prisoner a wnereign, in change for which the prisoner returned her lid at once, and §aid she would pay the rest when the ride was over. At the end of the ride the girl asked for her change, but the prisoner denied that she had received more than a shilling, for which she said she had given full change. The prisoner was tried at, the Bucks sessions, at Ajlesbury, for stealing 19s, and found guiltj, a C a*e, how- . yer, being stated by the chairman for tho opinion of this ( mil t. No counsel appeared for the prosecution— a not altogether ("atinfoctory circumstance when we consider thut tho point was an entirely new one, but doubtless the Treasury would have disallowed or reduced the fee if counsel had l>ecn retained, For the prisoner it was ingeniously aigued that there was no stealing either of the sovereign or of the 19s— not of the sovereign, because it was never intended by the giver that it should be returned ; nor of the 19s, because no such moneys were ever received. The Court, after retiring to consider the case, delivered judgment, gnashing the conviction. The inajonty of the judges •w ere of opinion that the prisoner was not properly convicted of stealing the 19s, and neither upon this or any other indictment could she be convicted of stealing 19s. They did not, howeyer, decide that she might not have been pi operly convicted on issues being properly left to the jury, of stealing the sovereigu Upon the present indictment, however, she must be dischaiged In our admiration of the nice point thus settled by this " beautiful case," let us not overlook the fact that Mrs Luit is now at laige with 19s in her pocket, which do not belong to her. A grandmother, in a transport of joy assured her grandchildren, eho had provided for their future, and presented each of them yvith the title-deed to a free gravo in perpetuity in the local cemetery. r One who is, perhaps, a little too critical, o njs that the majority of tl-c country preadieis could burn quite as i\ ell as the old religious niartjis— they are so drj.

Vehv Abjkct Indued!— When a newspaper publisher feela himself called upon to print such an apology as that written and published by Mr Richard Cuimng, of the Jlosi Newt, it is high, time lip rrtertamed gome idea of altering his avocation. The np>lo;\ is to .Mr W.u-d -u Aylmer, of Ross, and reads as follows . — " St.— Rel'crriii;: I > a. leading article m my issue of the 3rd in-lanf, writ ton by mjacll, wherein I made certain st.iiemcnt-. ,vml conum-ut- rcspc ting your conduct as a Mngistrafc, I beg to retract them ill m-> boing false and malicious ; Jiml I h.ive (uitlier to apologise to you for the gross libel contained therein, and to express mj deep regret th.it I should have so far forgotten myself as to havo inserted in my paper, not only upon the ommon alluded to, but upon many previous ooeasion*, that winch was untrue, and calculated to delaine and injure you.— (Signed) Richard Cuming, Printer and Publisher, Moss yen s. — Greymonlh Star. There is evidently some "outcome" in the bo\ in a Louisville school, who wrote the composition upon " The Pin," a subject chosen by his teacher. Knovwng the bo}'& lucr&ion to literary efforts, the teacher exacted but two sentences After a considerable effort the little hero produced the following: — " Pins are very useful. They haxe saved the lives of a great many men — in fact, whole families." In replj to hi-, astonished teacher's question as to the manner in whicli the lives of so many people had been saved through Ihe instt'umcntality of pins, the boy innocently remarked, ' Why, by not swallowing them."

A Splendid Orrojm'XJTY. — A good many people seem to be unea>y in their minds about Lord Byron's gramm.ir and meaning in some of Ins famous lines to the Ocean Cannot the Spiritualists help them' Cannot they communicate with the poet, and ascertain irom him what ho really did write ? By so doing, they would dissipate the anxieties of many sensitive and excellent persons, and probably, after giving such a proof of the u*e of Spiritualism, convert sceptics and unbelievers into inquirers and disciples. — Punch.

I'ood fob Bhuns— The correspondent of a contemporary alludes to a new book (li.it lms recently appeared, containing remarks about the diet of certain literary men ; and he stales that he is ncquninted with n well-known writer who cleaves to oatmciil porridge whe.l he is in working trim. In this respect the said writer imitates Gerald Massey, who swears by oatmeal porridge as a brain inspiring compound. " There is a deal of phosporous in oatmeal," Mr Massey says, "and phosphorous is brum. There is also a lars?e amount of phosphorous in iish. Consequently I never miia having fish for dinner at least once a week, and take n dish of good thick, coarse, well-boiled Scotch oatmeal porridge every morning of my life." A would-be author was advised to try the effect of one of Ins compositions on the foils at home, w ithout confessing the authorship. His mother fell asleep, his sister groaned, his brother asked him to shut up, as they had had quite enough of words without wit, and at last Ins w ile tapped him upon the shoulder, with the sweetest possible "Won't that do ?" He then saw* how it was himself, burivd his portfolio, recovered Ins digestion, and has been a huppy mnu ever since. A Kansas man dropped a little note to a neighbour's wife, inviting her to meet him under the pale silver moon. The husband got the note first, and kept the appointment. Two doctors h.ive been at work on the Kansas inuii, in w lioin they found a rich lead mine. "fJo\r i'.ir is it to Cub Creek 3 " asked a traveller of a Dutchwoman " Only bhoost a little •wiys." Is it four, rix, right, or t<>n miles 9 " impatiently asked the stringer. " Yos, I dink it i«," berenuly replied the unmoved gate-keeper. "Let well alone," as the tippler said to the teetotaller. The most difficult gun to keep clean : A fouling piece. Nkw Hook — " The Stray Wig," by the author of " The Wandering Heir." What is the difference between a gauze dress and a drawn tooth v One is to thin and the Other 18 tooth out. Large quantities of frozen Kentucky whiskey are being shipped out of the State as " medicated ice " for summer use.

Mrs Pahtixgtojt Agaik. — "As to being conflicted with the gout," said Mr Pnrtuigton, " lugli living doenn't always bring it on. It is incoherent in pome families, and is handed down from father k> s>on. Mr Hummer, poor sonl, who has been bo long ill with it, disinherits it from his wile's grandfather."

An Editor's Valedictory. — MaryviUe (Cahfornin) Standard n deucl. Tlic editor, in his valedictory, sa\s lie has "denoted two and a half years to his efforts to kiep up the paper, which ho considers equal to iivc jcars in the State prison." A Rising Mas.— A bullooniot. Fiat Falsehood — Ljing on jour back. Dr Feathcrstono is securing a number of dairy u onion and clomcitic servants for New Zealand.