MISCELLANEOUS.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 4 June 1880, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS.

*~r. » Mr J. B. Wafson, the Sandhnrsfc millowner, made bis fortune out of the Kent olaim, Garden Guily. For several years be kept twelve batteries going on his own quartz, and got so much gold that the small differencp between the mint and bank prices enibled hinj to net thousands

by selling direct to Government. He has £500,000 forested in Melbourne property, and has large interests in Sydney, where be has a brother. He has seven unmarried daughters. The Home News says :— ' The Genets newspapers have just made the announce* merit that the Commission appointed by the German Government for the Inter* national Exhibition at Melbourne has chartered a special steamer at Hamburg for conveying the goods of German ex« hibitors to their destination. The journals add with pride that the German I exhibits will thus be shipped to Melt bourne under the German Big, and re* marks that this is the first instance of a German merchant steamer proceeding straight to Australia.' Mr Grant-Doff, the new lfnder«Secre« tary for the Colonies in the Gladstone Administration, in a recent speech, was (says Truth) very happy in his cjmpari* son of our Afghan policy with that of a French Terrorist. •Be my brother, or I will kill you.* He wisely derided the fantastic scheme of a Euphrates Va'ley Bailroad, * Let us keep our eves fixed on Egypt ; do not let anything interfere with the Isthmus transit.' And his idea of what our foreign poliry should be ii eloquent and sag?cious. * Let ours be a policy which abhors aggression, which trie* to promote peace everywhere, which while always letting it clearly be seen that, we possess sufficient force to make it highly imprudent for any one to assail us, leads us to behsve in the society of nations as men of the world behave in ordinary society, with as little inclination to take as to give offence.' The Auckland Free Lance thus play folly sums up a gentleman who has re« eentW been fora sin? for news on the Plains :— ' What a gifted race of peo, Io are those peculiar individuals yclept ' special correspondents !' I notice that one distinguished specimens has just re« cetred his conge at Parihaka, and I ex« treme'v regret the fact. No more shall we be electrified by bis wondrous suffusions, no more listen to his marvellous recollections. Did it rain, be was again on the praries of South America. A cold morning, and once more he donned the snow* •shoes, and dared the grizzly bear in his lone retreat. A blazing hot day, and oar hero'Jwas again in sultry Madagascar* basking in the smiles of some dark beauty. Did he camp out in the ti-tree, and a sandfly nestle on his nose he dreamt once more of that terrific en* counter with the fierce lion of the Indian jungle. No wonder, with all these varied recollections, that he is a>ike the enyy •md pride of bis compeers/ The Morning Post of the 3rd April says ? «-' Yesterday Castro was visited in Portsmouth convict prison by Mr Guild* ford Onslow and Mr Quartermaine East. His hair and beard are no longer kept cropped, and as this is always the case some month or so before a convict's disa charge, it is looked upon by his friends as a favourable sign. He expressed much sorrow on hearing of the death of Lord Bivers. An understanding was arrived at that should the Claimant be released he would at once commence divorce proceedings. Since the birth of the last child he has frequently expressed a disire to hear no more of bis wife, and is a 'so anxious that his children should be removed from under her care. Sip John Holker, and Sir Hardinge Giffard, the Attorney and Solicitor-General, were engaged with Mr A. L. Smith, to appear for the Crown in the writ of error ; and Mr Benjamin, Q.C., and Mr Atherley Jones, for the Claimant.' I was looking over the stories thai were sent in last week for the prize, and I wonder that the editor did not insert this one, which is really too good to ho lost : ' There is a curious duel now pend« ing in Boston, which began several years ago. Mr A., a bachelor, challenged Mr 8., a married man, with one child, who replied that the conditions were not f qaal ; that lie romfc necessarily put more at risk with his life th*an the other, and he declined. A year afterwards he received a challenge from Mr A , who stated that be, too, had now a wife and child, and he supposed, therefore, the objection of Mr B. was no longer yalid, Mr B. replied that be now had two ebi!« dren, consequently the in- quality still existed. The next year Mr A. renewed his challenge, having now two children also ; bat his adversary had three. The matter, when last heard from, wsi still aoing on. the numbers being six to seven, and the challenge yearly renewed.'— • London Trnfh.

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