A NEW NATIVE KING.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2058, 15 September 1885, Page 4

A NEW NATIVE KING.

Kino Li oivild of Belgium is now King ot the Congo. Their will he no attempt to unite the two kingdoms, and, as in the c.ise of Sweden and Nomay, the only connfction betwion Belgium and the Congo will bo the fact that the king of one is aUo king of the otlici. King Leopold is gnatly pleased with Ins new dominion*, winch air many times larger than Belgium. Indeed, it is thought that in view of the distuibed state of things in Belgium due to the quart el between the libeial and clerical parties, the king may tcMgn the Belgian crown and letnc lo the Congo What ever may be the king's intentions, it is well understood tli.it lie will soon pay a Visit to Alrica. His nnal lobes, conbisting of a blue jean bhut and a silk, hat artificially roughened M) as piesent a second-hand appeai.ince, h.we been picpared, and he frequently weais them in the palace when the queen is not at homo. He has studied undei Mr Stanley the art of making potnpee —or native Africm beer — and has become veiyfondof that simple beverage. A gio^s of old tomato cans was lecently bought by the king, with the view of coin citing the bottoms of the cans for decorations for the , members of the ' Order of the Afiican Tin Knights on Wheels' — an older of knighthood which Leopold proposed to establish in his Afiican dominions. ... If King Leopold really does go to the Congo w Hli the intention ot remaining theio ho will doubtless be warmly welcomed by his subjects when he first appeals among them in his high lint and blue shut. His skill in pel forming on the banjo will please the people, and his knowledge of the ancient and classical coimndmms of the Afiican race will gain for him the reputation of a man of tnofound learning, Has ho reflected, however, that is a nativ e king he will be expected to furnii.li tain ' One of the chief duties of a native king is to supply his people witn 1.1111 on demand, and the lesiilt of a faihue to meet such a demand is usually a ie\olution, followed by a banquet, at w Inch the dethroned mouatch is the principal dKh. If King Lcphold is not teady to face this danger he hail better not go to Afnca. lie knows very well that no Kuiopean can make ram, whatever a native king may bo able to do, and he need not expect that he can compiomise with his subject by establishing a weathei bureau. On the whole, King Leopold would be wi^e to btiek to his Belgium capital. 'lhe Belgians may perhaps, accidentally shoot him in the course of a heated and public theological aigument, but they will never thing of putting him to death in consequence of a prolonged drought. — N. Y. Times.

It is stated th.it tliere arc over 20,000 opium eateis in Chicago, and over 20,000 in St. Louis. In the same piopoition, that would make over 70,000 in NewYork and Brooklyn. Tin; Legislature of Connecticut has passed an enactment imposing a fine, with imprisonment, " upon every pel son who shall sell, lend, give, or offer, or have in his possession with intent to sell, lend, give, or offer, any book, maga/inc, pamphlet, or paper devoted wholly or pimcipally to the publication of criminal iiews.|or pictures and stories of deeds of bloodshed lust, or crime." Tin. employe's of the South- Western Railway Company are to wear neckties of a brilliant red colour — not for any idea of improving their personal appeal mice, but for a more useful purpose. They are to provide a ready-made signal in ease of emergency. These colouied nccktifs have been in use for some time on the Lancashire and Yorkshiic Railway Company's lines. Jpomm, fiom the following extracts the Licensing Bill now before the Victorian Parliament has given rise to moie intemperate language than any measure ever brought befoie that honourable House. Mr Bent asked his fnend (Mi Anderson) if he had been to the Melbourne Cup? Mr Anderson: No. — Mi IJcut : Then I say Loid help you. You do not know what life is if you have not been to the Melbourne Cup At th.it gathering, which was attended by tens of thousands of pedplc, there was nodrunkenncs", and the same might be said of the great cricket and football meetings. At their meetings he had seen more people drunk than at the meetings he had refened to. — (Laughter.) Lator on the following dialogue took place • Mr Bent • If I weie m office two days now such an evil (the sale of liqi or in Melbourne Clubs at all hours) would not e>cist very long. The hon. member has made seveial misleading statements this evening, but I have not taken him in hand yet. When Ido he will suffer. — Mr Gillies : Go it, Mount Vesuvius ! — Mr Gardner : He will burst very soon. Laughter.)— Mr Bent remarked that, when the volcano burst some of thn lnvn might drop on the hon. members' skulls, to the injury of their heads, but not their brains.— Loud and continued laughter.)