MISCELLANEOUS.

Waikato Times, Volume VII, Issue 363, 10 September 1874, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS.

I The discussions in the Wellington City Council appoar tobe carried on with a good deal of animation. The Post recently gore a lengthy report of one of Tts meetings, from which wo make a few extracts : — The Mayor continued his speech and Councillor Pran6field bis explanation simultaneously, accompanied bj a chorus oi the other Council' lors, all speuking with intense feeling, nnd the two principal performeri gesticulating at one another from opposite enda of the table in a very impressive but alarming manner. 'I* was impossible to glean buj thing definite Irom the chaotic uproar, but at last Councillor Dranbfield asked, in stentorian tonei, whether he was not to be allowed hi* explanation, and the Mayor leiterated his answer, " Not until 1 have finished," on winch Councillor Dranßfield jumped up iuriously, seized his bat Tiolently, and rushed out of the hall. Shortlj after, Councillor Drausfield returned, and another altercation ensued :— The Mayor— l don't agree with you. Those matters are in the hands of our solicitor, and if I went to the House and interfered, 1 should be colled » veiy impertinent chap. Councillor Dransfidd contended that the solicitor's duty was merely to draft the bills in proper form. It was the Mayor who ihould watch the interests of the Corporation. The Mayor— What motion are you speaking to? There is nothing before the CouncilCouncillor Bransfield— l am asking you a question ai to what you bod done with thoie bills. The Major — Well,, you hare got my answer. I rule yon out of order. Go on with the business. Councillor Mosi— l object, your Wopsjiip. I object to Councillors being silenced in thii way. The Mayor — I don't caro ; you may object as much as you like. You are like a pack of disorderly children, and want some one to keep jou in order, and I mean to do it. I intend to Keep you in order, and I don't care whether you like it or not If you will go on like a lot of unruly children you must bo treated accordingly. Councillor Dransfield isalways sneering at what I sny and do, and I don't intend told him. Councillor Moss (wrathfully)— This is outrageous I This is past bearing! His Worship must be asked to resign ! We can't stand ;his. I'll table a motion asking him to resien ! I'll do it at this moment— this very moment I The Major (derisively)— Hear, hear, hear! Go on with the business. Councillor Moss then sat down, and began writing his notice of motion with fierce gesticulation. The Mayor again told the clerk, to go on with the businessCouncillor Moss — Not until you have taken my notice of motion. The Mayor— You haven't got any notice of motion. Councillor Moss— Yes, I have, I'm wilting it now. TheMayor — Pooh, pooh ! go on with the business. We regret to have to record the melancholy death of Mr James McGregor, son of Mr Alexander McGregor, of Matarawa, No. 2 Line. The sad story is related as follows :—: — On Friday morning a number of young men, residents on the No. 2* Line, left the Matarawa Valley, on an expedition in pursuit of a mob of wild cattle which had got away andwere supposed to be running on the Waikupa reserve or Toi flats. After searching the flats till the afternoon the party succeeded in finding a bullock at which several shots were fired, which it would seem were well directed* as the animal' became infuriated and began charging in every direction. This, of course, made the hunt more exciting and a good many shots were rapidly firod and the bullock was finally killed. The deceased took an active part iv the hunt and fired several times at the bullock. As soon as the bullock fell there was a general muster of the huntsmen all ready to convey a share of the spoil to their homes, but when the party were preparing to start with their loads the deceased was missing and a search was immediately made by several oi the men, which did not occupy many minutes, as the unfortunate man was found lying dead uponui* back, baringreceived a bullet wound on the right check bone. When found, his riilo was lying across his chest, loaded and capped, so the fatal shot must have been received from one or other of the huntsmen. The deceased was about 24 years of age, and was pronounced to be a most daring huntsman, as well as a general favorite with a large circle of friends, who will deeply regret his untimely death.— Wangamti Chronicle. For some weeks past the Wellington police have been< troubled by a kind of Will o' the Wisp, in the shape of a man named John Albert Halbitter, alias Hans Nisen, alias Kohn, &c. He was severally heard of at Palmerston, Foxton, Masterton, and all the other up-country townships, and everywhere he went he victimised some one, either by means of valueless cheques or by stealing horses. No sooner were the police informed of his doings in ai.y one place than he disappeared thore, to re-appear somewhere else under a fresh alias. A tow days ago ho victimised several hotel-keepers in the city by means of forged cheques, professing to be drawn by Mr'Monrad of the Manawatu. One police officer is said to have ridden over 100 miles in pursuit of this individual, and no fewer than four warrants — two for horse stealing, and two for forgery — have been out for him for some time,, and to-day Sergeant Price succeeded in effecting a clever capture. Mr Halbitter was just on the eve of accompanying two lady friendb to the Hutt in a private carriage hired by himself, when his career was cut shoitby being arrested and his fair friends had to return disconsolate to their homes. He came out as servant to Mr Fergusson, A.D.C., m the Jubilee. — Post. It is worthy of notice, as a sign of the way in whioh the electric telegraph brings the ends of the world together that the announcement in the first colurnne of Monday's Thus, of a birth on the 11th June, si. Teheran, in Persia, stood between two similar notices of births in London on the same day.

They have an Immigrants' Home in New York. Harper's Weekly states: — "In this city of >1 000,000,000 inhabitants, there are 60,000 girls and 40,000 married women who earn their own bread ; that is, they used to earn in prosperous times an average sum of 3 dollars 44 cents per week, with which to pay rent, clothe themselves, and live. \ One who appreciates the enormous rentals in New York will find it difficulty to calculate how a human being can subsist upon such a sum, and then have strength and heart to work. There are depths in *iv which miracles are produced, and poverty calculates by instinct, discerns as by a revelation, and in its expedients attains a something almost sublimity. In the light of tho present, those were gala days. Now the streets are filled with destitute girls, factory and workshop doors are closed on every hand, and 60,000 women are struggling ddthout work, and without means to preserve life in their bodies from day to day. On such occasions as these, the applicants for shelter come thick and fast to St !Barnabas House, 304, Mulbery street, where the Episcopalian Sisters of Mercy await meekly at the door, receiving with words of cheer and kindly greeting their unfoii.unate sisters, the waifs from the street. Inebriety is the only thing that has power to drive one away from that door, over which is written, ' Peace be to this house.' ' Fity beds,' matron tells us, ' are all we have in the house, Rnid we are so crowded ! Many nights the floors are covered by women and young girls, who are more than grateful for shelter and a blanket, or any covering we can provide. We give them food, and those who arrive earlier in the evening retire at nine. Lord Seaforth, who was born deaf and dumb, wai to dine one day with Lord Melrillf. Just before the time of the company's arrival, Lady Melville sent into the drawing-room a bay of her acquaintance who could talk w ith her fingers to dumb people, that she might receive Lord Seaforth. Presently Lord Guilford entered the room, and the lady, taking him for Lord Seaforth, began to ply her fingers very nimbly; Lord Guilford did the same, and they had been carrying on conversation in this manner for about ten minutes, when ■TLady Mr lville joined them. Her female friend immediately said, " Well, I have been talking away to this dumb man." *' Dumb ! " cried Lord Guilford, " blees me, I thought you were dumb ! " A correspondent writes to tho Times that a hailstorm of extraordinary fury lately burst over Lyons. Hailstones were picked up as large at pullets' eggs, and weighing in •ome few instances 12oz to 14oz. AH the skylights and greenhouses were shattered, and hou«es in exposed positions Lad all their windows and Venetian blinds smashed. Some people were wounded by the stones. All the crops within reach of the hail are ruined, but the storm seems to have epent its fury ever the town. The damage done to the hospitals alone is estimated at £35,000. According to Rocbard, a French veterinary surgeon, a ktiraplo method of preventing flics from annoying horses consists in painting the inside of tho ears, or any other part «specially troubled, with a few drops of empyreumatio oil of juniper. It is said that the odour of this substance is unendurable to flies, and that they will keep at a distance from the parts so anointed. If this treatment should accomplish the alleged result, it may perhaps be equally applicable in repelling tnoiquitos from the faces and hands of tourists and sportsmen, when passing through woods or meadows.