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Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 718, 23 January 1877, Page 1 (Supplement)

WHITS RIFLB BIGHTB AND BLACK Tablets — Mr Soall writes regarding the use of white rifle sights, for which he Ji»B so long pontended, mentioning that the Defence Office authorities have nr»w i .allowed the adoption of the: white Bijht m competitions. He gives the following as the finding of a board of officers h Id at Hamilton, Waikato, on the 2Qth Nov. 1876:—^T»e Board ia of opinion that jixe proposition by Mr Soall to use vyhite for rifle sights should be entertained, aid that the permission granted for prijw firing for 1877 be au "hered to." Mr Soail then advocates a suggestion made by Mr "W Swanson, that at the Qovernmeat com.pelilions to take place this year all winnerß of prizes m every match should make ■ known to the offloera m charge of fche ' firing the kind of rifle sight he has made i uee pf, whel her whita or black, the fact to be embodied m the return of the score pub'ished for general information. The suggestion, if cirried out, would prove an (excellent test. Spiritism.— The spirits appear to be having rather a bad time of it alj over the wprld. Do what they may, the poor things fail to give satisfaction. Eveu the most melodious baufj-thrummiug is heard with a nasty suspiciousnesa ; and we have recently seen the disrespect ?rith which messages from the other world are received when written with slate and pencil f No less disagreeable 19 the treatment accorded. at present to Jibe unhappy Bpinta m the United States. At Rochester, the other day, they were almost as vilely used as an Jrish Nationalist would »'c who attempted tp promulgate his creed at a Home Eule meeting. Atfiißteverythiigwent pleasantly enough. Daniel Webster obliged the company by reciting a speech about nothing m particular, which gave great satisfaction. After Daniel bad made bis bow the doors of tbe cabinet m which Mrs M irkep, the medium, had previously taken her place, opened pf their own accord, and out stalked a materialised spirit, ' named Lizzie. As there wag only a single ■ kerosene lamp m the room, aid thit had been darkened, the spectator ooujl distinguish little more of this interesting visitor than she was clad m white, wore a long veil, and had neither shoes nor Blockings pa her feet. Altogeth3r, a most satisfactory spirit, as things g >, ami the people of Ro.coeß.tor ought to hive baen c >utent with the apparition. Uufortunately, a terrible eceptio named Prum happened to be pra*eut who had evideutly attended for the express purpose of creating a di&turbauce. Jumping suddenly from his seat this profane persoa clutch d Lizzie m his arms aid m a psconci there was as 8. week a little row aa ever chanced at a seance. The insul? ted spirit wriggled out of her assailant's unmanly gra*p, and fled back shrinking to the cabinet ; Mx Markes, the husband pf the medium, hit Crum oa the bead with tbe lea of a chair •• every-pae else followed this good example by striking his neighbour; and the ropin took the appearance of Donnybrook Pair m its prime. At last a voice was heard coming from the cibinefc, begging the audpnee posing Jest the medium should die; and they sang accordingly ouj; of respect fjr Mr Marke "a agonised feelings. Pboblb atjout tq Df b had better thiuk twice about it, at least if they have any property to leave, pr they may entail both trouble and expense beyond tip cost of their burial upon their friends and relatives.' To persons about to die, this comes greeting from tha Government at, Wellington, through the mouth, or rather pen of Mr X 0 Hammeiton, for tjjie Commissioner of Stamps ;— " Whatever property or effects a dccca s el parspn may leave his survivors, those taking possession of, or receiving pr paying money belonging to, or accruing from the property (real as well as personal) of $ny person dying on and after Ist January 1877. without haying first filed the re- I quired statement and paid the duties assessed thereon, shad forfeit a sum not exceeding £§QQ. Whether probate or letters of administration are granted by any Court or not, a statement of all property must be filed and dutie3 paid before the property or auy part thereof pf any deceased person is m any manner dealt with.. On payment of the proper duties, the probate or letters received |rp,m the Court, Qr statement of property m other cases will be stamped and delivered to the person entitled thereto. !Fprmß of thh statement (L) m.ay be ob- ' tair-ed at any Stamp OflEjca, at tip offices, of Registrars and Clerks of the Supreme and Districju Courts, and from tbe Postmaster ' Depositaries throughout the colony, from whom also may be obtained further information.'' It will be seen by the above that people of property B^ould, cogently speaking, hid they been thpugfytful and prudent, have died before the Ist January, to have saved jbhose to whom they have bequeathed money from much trouble and the. risk of subjecting themselyea to a penalty of The TJshtei) State 3 aa an Eldorado for the working man, is losing its attraction. The truth is distress prevails over a very large extent of territory. They haye been overdone with German, French and IrUTb. iinmigratipn. A New York correspondent writting tp a fyome paper says :— r" Labour troubles are coming to tfte surface m various parbs pf the country and the winter is looked forward to with a great deal pf apprehension m many localities. Never was there so much forced idleness at thjs season — never so much misery anpngst working m.Bn of all trades, fa this city there are believed to be nearly 50 000 out of employment. There are not wanting demagogues who preach a mild Communism, at public meetings, and urge upon the city authorities for work or food. Amerioans, however, are not easily deluded by the inflimatory appeal^ of German, French, and Irisfy talkers, who luckily quarrel among them, pelves, and co counteract their respective efforts tp prpduoa mischief. The meetings have all been comparatively small, and the largest procession has not exceeded 1,500. The M*ycr has had parr leys with the representatives of various crowds, and has done, his best to dispel the delusion that the city should or can provide employment tor all who need it. Plerk3 ia corporation oflioea are among

the most con^pioious of the demagogues who are now trying— happily m vain — to excite the unemployed to disturbance. Similar scones are enacted m other plitceg. They have been very demonstrative at Cincinnati, and they occur also m places of much leas note. The same socialastic idea that the municipality is bpund to provide work when none else can be had, is everywhere inculcated. Outside the towns the " tramp nuisance" is unabated. The East ig not more /amiliar with it than the West, and m both it is •an evij of the first magnitude. The ocou pants of isolated dwellings are m some neighbourhoods exposed to what is little short of terrorise. Groops of rough, worthless fellows help fh^msfilve3, if denied whit 'ttay ask, and incendiarism nob seldo*n follows attempt to punish them. In soinn villages wor'c is enacted as a condition of relinf, but the lone fannhpuse or the ser eluded villa is at their mercy, and helpless families are glai to purchase exemption from violence at nLnost any price."