General News.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 320, 4 July 1889, Page 4

General News.

■ 11 the Chinese are as shrewd as they are I generally said to be, there ought, some day | or other, to he a very large demand from that I country for foreign agricultural implements. I The Chinese are great agriculturists and garI deners, but they work with extremely antiquated tools, and labor incessantly upon their land with relatively poor results. They thrash their grain either with flails or by means of a atone roller, and then dress it in the air in a slight breeze. They gather all sorts of refuse for use as manure, and irrigate their fields in the moat patient manner, but do all by hand. The American Consul at Pekin, describing the agriculture of North China, says :— *' Chinese agricultural implements are of the rudest character. They are, chiefly, the plough, the hoe, the harrow, the rake and the atone roller. The plough is simply a broad blade fattened to a rough handle, guided by a manjand drawn by teams of the most miscellaneous description. The teams are made up of horses, ( donkeys, mules, bullocks and human beings. Foreign agricultural implements, especially ploughs, might be introduced with good effect among the Chinese, except that the price would deter all but a very few from buying them. A Chinese plough can be bought for the equivalent of two ‘or three Mexican dollars, and smaller tools in proportion. There are no great stores devoted to the sale of agricultural implements as with us, they being made by hand, either h? • neighbouring blacksmith or by the farmer himself, as the occasion demands?' Our Melbourne correspondent writes:—l dare say that Mr Montgomery, the brewer, will in future buy his wife’s diamonds in Melbourne, and thus comply with one Qf the fundamental principles of Victorian policy. That unfortunate gentleman took a fancy to a diamond necklace while on a recent visit to Sydney, and bought it to present to his wife on his return. That he was able to pay £7OO for it is an indication of the profit to be made out of malt and hops when turned into beer. He did not, however, see any reason why he should make the Victorian treasury a present Of £lj4 in the shape of duty, bo he said nothing about his purchase when crossing the border. His wife was not quite so reticent, and she let the cat out ot the bag, That particular oat found its way to the Custom House, ana there mowed out the story, The . Melbourne customs authorities are not gifted , an inordinate amount of delicacy, so they Murdered a domiciliary visit, and the diamond necklace was seized. Mr Montgomery had to pay £154 duty, besides a fine of £3OB. I see nothing in Mr Montgomery’s conduct to blame. He bought an article in Sydney for his wife'« personal use, and not for sale, It is tf, e customs people who have committed, an offenpe-against good sense and the us'age of " Civilised nations, If Mr Montgomery should y . esr ' Bnd buy * Kit PeoP ’ B 10 V puty pn that article on his return ?