MISCELLANEOUS.

Waikato Times, Volume V, Issue 277, 19 February 1874, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS.

A very serious matter it treated by the PaX 3fol/ Gazette in the following rather comic but decidedly forcible way :—: — " A sentence of almost unexampled severity was passed by the Magistrates at the Chorlej Police Court, on Wednetday, on a poor boatman named Liveeey, who had merely, in a moment of irritation, committed nix* of theie alight asiaulta on another boatman, named Loibam, which, even when perpetrated by a husband on a wife, are rarely thought deterring of any serious penalty by our London magistrates. It teems that on the night of the 28th ultimo Loxham wat asleep, together with his ton, in the cabin of his boat, when Livesey entered, and, doubtless not without some reason, belaboured them both with a poker. Of course, it it almott impossible to use a poker as a weapon of chastisement without to a certain extent producing some disfigurement, and thus unavoidably the back of Loxhaw's son soon became the oolour of the poker, while Loxhtm himself received several fontUMont about the breast and arms. Livesey's indignation wat unfov* unitely increased by tliA impudent attempts o( LoiLsm to defend lnniaelf and son, but with aJmirablo srlf-control he refrained from killing either of them, and, simply producing a knife, warned them against trying his temper too far by threatening to ' cut them up into junkt.' The chairman, instead of treating the matter at ' much ado shout nothing,' said that ' the assault was a savage, brutal, and unpi'icoicd oiirf. and might linve resulted in the destruction of two lives ,' and really it Livesey had actually committed murder, he would probably have escaped with far less punishment, for he was sentenced to pay a fine of no losi than 405., or m default to be imprisoned for one month. The scene which followed was one of the most distressing description, for Livesay, it is stated ' highly amused,' burst into fit 9 of uncontrollable laughter, and, indeed, it must hnve been difficult for any one present, unless, perhaps, the Loxbnius, to refrain from mirth." An extraoi dmary eve tin poultry-breeding has, according to »he Bendigo Evening Ncus, lately occurred at Mr Clifton's homestead, Yankee Creek. A turkey cock having sat upon two eggt for a day or two, Mr Clifton, out of curiosity, placed a full olutclt under him ; and, itrnrge to sot, the bird sat his time, and biought out a fine broou jf joung turkryt. He is now cooped up with them, and it ts proud and careful a* any hen could be. He if quite a motherly old father, and to all appearance, will prot a a. terror to all the poultry of the yard when h6 it liberated. At Bancbwy, lately the parish whodlmattit, out of curiosity, put the qiKnioL to tile feciu.L'.s, ' \Thut u notlifag *" A. p»v»o en-uod, until :m urohin> vhese proclivity fiyr eiraing 4 penny wfre woit kno*u auunur Sh« uuocl- leiiuwa, not up apa rtnlwu, "It i» -*h««i « ms.u «t»«a yd to ba>u& U<artu ui4 ji*i »uy» thauk y«L" A New J«ney maiVliaTfnf hasrd that Ckilvtabus «m ia Ohio, iiumediHtol} ntarted out WcM to iuter<w-» tr-e "oW xn^ft." about the toy.'gc which resulted iv ihv dta-oven al AuicTica,

The Geelong policemen seem to bare a happy knack of dealing with thei^ m" The Jdvert : w •■"» -.—An amusing incident occur-. . jt •— - ' «' ' *h» ho> P\^ l th « other day. A woman im^i. i ut Niwionon suspicion of lunaor, was be hi f"' '"«" d ' ' the I'"'" ' court-house by a i stalwart constable <c" irushingNU- '* Church, sli j •uddenly chans.-i ier v ati >ns, ami -u "ir'o»aontm ' footpath, resolute' dedm t R ing ami <rtln Urn 1 tlu circumstances, a « "int 1*:1 *: '' n «»»d _t<> 1 r. m" 'ted t . 'r round the ooruoi •id i jue!-' n^isum - f. .n the i .cc Btation adjoining, .s ».unt 'iW.ej, . . uv i in m -f emergency, at onoe y \ • • ' .o the u 1)u 1 ) »,i of uu biati.i oi the force. 'Be off with you,' was his citi! salutation, ' and let the young lady take my arm. The c »*i*i ible, too glad to get rid of his charge, made a circuitous route to the police court, while Sergcint TnoVr, lock? 1 in the nnn* of nil newly-found fnenc, walked straight in the direotion of the hall of justice. The insane one carried an expanded umbrella, ami neither thio, nor the turn of her new escort, could »he be induced to forgo. Shortly, contrary to the decorum of Sergeant Morton, the court-keeper, the Bench had the ludicrous ipectacle presented to it of a sergeant of police arm-in-arm with a ieuiale lunatic brandishing an umbrella adorning the barruters' table. The sergeant endeavoured to rue, but hu attempt was futile, the lunatic kept possession of his arm, and the embrace reminded him forcibly of a pair of handcuffs. The woman was remanded to the hospital, and, yielding himself to circumstance?, the sergeant walked alongside the derated umbrella till the prisoner reached the lunatic ward. Here an endeavour was made to get the unfortunate to relinquish the umbrella, but in Tain. As a last resource, Sergeant Toohey adopted the happy expedient of suggesting an Irish jig. This was at once accepted by his lair partner, and, casting aside her umbrella and outer garments, to the astonishmont of the warder, matron, and on-looking inmates, one of the best dances that had taken place in the institution since its erection was performed. As might be anticipated, at its conclusion Sergeant Toohey nad disappeared, and the prisoner he had so pleasantly conducted had the pleasure of finding herself in sole possession of her apartments. The progress of American shipbuilding at the present moment is regarded with special anxiety. Although for a time the " interest " was under a cloud, more thoughtful men held aloof from the jubilee over the deohue and fall of the maritime success of the States, satisfied that the restless enterprise of the Yaukoe would again assert itself. It has done to, aad from an English journal we select the following in regard to one shipbuilding yard :—": — " The most favourable specimen- of American shipbuilding to be seen are turned out near Philadelphia by the Chester ship yard, a remarkable establishment in every way. It U but two years since one of those exceptional geniuses whose administrative talent and undomitable energy bend men and material to their will, one John lloche, fixed upon a certain swamp adjoining the deepest and broadest portion of the Delaware River, and laying at the foot of hills rich m mines of iron and coal, as the best place for the rapid and satisfactory construction of American ships. That swamp is new a shipyard furnishing employment for 1,300 men, and paying out to them $38,000 per week. These workmen have all been educated in shipbuilding by Mr Boche himseli, who takes pains to secure their permanent co-operation by giving them facilities for becoming the owners of the very complete little dwellings built on the premises, and of a certain amount of stock. In order to giv# tb« body of employe's a thorough insight into the whole business of shipbuilding, they are set to different branches of ths> work from day to day. A dozen ships have been built in the yard, and nine more are now on the stocks, including two Government sloops of war, and two ships for the Pacific Mail Line, 425 feet long, 46 beam, 38 feet deep, with a capacity of 5,250 tout." This story it in the best style of American humour. Between eighty and ninety year* ago there lhed in the Connecticut river valley two faraera, one of whom was named Hutt and the other Clark. In the course of a few years they wen appointed deacons of the Church, and they both adorned their profession. About the time of their •lection a rery grievous famine prevailed in the valley, and the farmers generally were laying up their corn to plant the ensuing season. A poor man living in the town wont to Deacon Hutt, and said : " I have come to buy a bnshel of corn. Here is the money It is about all 1 can gather." The deacon told him he could not spare a bushel for love or money. He was keeping double the usual quantity for see-l corn next year, and had to stint his own family. The man urged his suit in vain. At last he said : " Deacon, if you do not let me have the corn I shall curse you." "Curse me ?" said the deacon, "bow dare you do so ?" "Because," said the man, "The Bible says so." " Nonsense," exclaimed Deacon Hntt. " Yes it does," replied the poor man. •' Well," said the deacon, if you can find any such text I'll give yon a bushel of corn. They went into the house when the man went to the old family Bible, turned to Proverbs 11, xxvi, and said, " He that boldetb corn, the people shall curse him, but blessings shall be upon the head of him that selleth it." The deacon was fairly caught. "Come along," said he, "and I will be ss good is ray word." He took him to the corn house, and measured him out a full bushel of corn, helped the man to pit it into his bag, assisted him in slinjin g it upon his shoulder, and, just Lefore his departure, being somewhat of a wag, he said, with a twinkle of the eye, " I say neighbour, a'ter jou have carried this corn home, go uj. to Deacon Clink <md curse him out of another bnshel " The Times of November 24th, in its reoortof MxDi»ra< 1/s visit to Glasgow, says :—' Yesterday (Sunday) efternoon Hr Disraeli attended Divine service at Glasgow University Chapel. The Very Key Principal Caird officiated. The presence of Mr Disraeli ana the high reputation of the preacher attracted an immense crowd of people. The Lord Hector who wore his robes of office, and who was accompanied by Mr Edward Gordon, the members for the Universities of Glasgow and Aberdeen, occupied one of the scats reserved for the senators in the north aisle ; the Profe&sors, who also appeared in academic costume, and a number of the members of the University Council were also present. The service occupied nearly two hours, about half of the time being taken up by the sermon. The text was taken from the Bth and 9th versus of the 14th chapter of John's Gospel. While Dr Caird was delivering one of his finest passages, an amusing incident occurred. The weather was very d<imp and about half-past 3 o'clock the light in the chapel was very bad. The Principal at this time came to a sentence in his sermon in which, occurred the words, ' Or for light, more light ! ' when the beadle turned on the gas, aud the building was in an instant brilliantly illuminated. The preacher looked a little disconcerted, and the circumstance provoked a suppressed titter from the audience. The high rates of living begin to press more hardly upon the poor with the approach of winter weather. Medical officers complain of the scarcity of coal, which still keeps np its price, so that there is risk of the old and the infirm being left to shiver and die in unusual numbers. Indignation has been aroused by the abominable frauJs practised by the sellers of coal. Many so-called ' merchants ' have been summoned before the Magistrates aud severely fined, fur selling as the best ooals coals of a very inferior quality, or stone that would not burn at all. The most barefaced cheating hu thus been exposed, and sometimes insolently justified as the custom of the trade. Amother grievance has also been brought into the Courts, the old standing one of the adulteration of milk. Not a few vendors of milk and water have been fined, and in one case a London dairyman took action against the country farmer who supplied him, showing that before he received his milk it had already been diluted by 30 per cent of water. It is an uncomfortable fight for the hencst householder against these iniquities, and he cries out the louder when ho finds how hard it is to btnd the stubborn laws of supply and demand to his home requirements. — English Paper. At Aldgate Pump thers «ts a platform for the Ward Committee, who, on the Lord Mayor's arrival there, was to deliver an address to his lordship as ht sat in his sUte coach, and the address was to be replied to. Never was there such a damnnd Cor panoramas of the procession. The constant cry was deafening, 'Who'll buy a 'rammer" '"Who'll have • penny-rammer, ilev colored, and three yard* long, with a ' krect portrait of Lord Mayor Lusk ?' The great demand for this article tempted at least one hawker to attempt a swindle of the most barefaced character on a credulous public. There was one fellow who h d brought out his unwld stork of the City progress of the Shah of Persia. ' Why, that's the Shah,' said a woman to him, as she wju on thn point of parting with her penny ; ' that's his portrmt, I'll swear ' • Course it is,' returned the audacious ren<\or, with the utmost gravity, 'he's Lord Mayor this year' 'Good gracious me!' oaid the woman ; ' he's worked his way up to I that, has h» ?' ' That was bi« objii in coming over here, mum,' whispered buck the artful one, with the most confidential of winks ; keep it >lni-k, 'cos there's not many people knows of it as yet." And slie paid her penny and went oil' delighted with her pme. An extraordinuiy dispute has arisen amongst the mechanic* connee'ed with the Consett Irom Company's collieries, near Durham. The men at one of the collieries ]\a\«, in times of scarcity, been in the habit of getting water from a well near the overman's house. This official, however, not wish* ing to have the water disturbed so ftrquemly, looked up the well. One of the men, a binckmiith, removed the lock, and subsequently received notice to leave the colliery. The matter «»i at once taken up by fcbc other mec'un'cs who decided that unless the ina'trrs at once withdrew the blacksmith's notice, they themselves would resign. The masters, however, refund to do so, wad * fortr.igM a-rn the men tendered their notices, which expired on ffiiday last. The collieries not being able to work without these men, the whole ot the miner-, about 2000, have been thrown out of employment. Unless the dispute oointa* to soeedv sVtleraent, tbo men couuec.eu .wt'i tLa iron woAs uiU al*> be tUrown out of work. Itisonl} a nonth sm=e<fo« miners cenueoted with the same co^p^^y itroc'iwoyi tactuse tteaaaoters put » joiner into a, new jor-e, vine* ill- ii.uiflr« belon?^ -o-.'itftt— >Sbu*ic;/<£. i. 3fcur -Zc-l .v.ov r .*»»"•• "Jut 5 tV «*-«. » whoa visa fib* a6c!ttw» of outwwa-'wurid ciur-j} ' r haw woa csjfat v« »dwrtU«4. Xh«t» "•»» »*▼* «» a fora wili ut« »t o*b«». :

The editor of » country newnpaper gire« notice that be cannot be Jbribod with ft twopenny cigw to give « guineft puff. "Wore yoa guarded m ir adi... >i m vYvjik?" niked a father of his son, >h.> !* ,d )« ,t retu u«l f«> n -i vint to that city. "Yes, Sir; pa i »».wti» »' tw.. p..!-t. nen. j\ Kentucky paper, >» r^j) r » >m '% * -^ <vat tho l mde wai not parttculur . n u *o-m 'ml i « latun ihrv-W i > -eten muli 8, and the bu I) nd > ■» vju ned Afacetioui gixioer >un ,on . pt. u-i ut Ciedoor. ( I JA fresh invoice of choni^t 1. jjrs *hiM, ue rcw n. 1 «no« ( lot of smoked tonguca. | " Doctor, what will cure th Ip% tol lnw 5 T'i< <-"Ul <■ ' wedlock, mademoiielle." If there are any more cough remediei inrented, we sb&U have to go to work inrenting coughs for them. When doei a man have to keep his word ?— When no one will take it. ... Women are like horses— the gajor the harness they have on the better they feel. We got tins fioiu au old .buthelor Wbo was early crossed in love.