THE Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. FRIDAY, FEB. 11, 1881.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 11 February 1881, Page 2

THE Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. FRIDAY, FEB. 11, 1881.

In the cricket match at Nelson yesterday the Australians only made 72. and were therefore beaten by the local players. The Warden's Court will sit at ten this morning, when the application of Byrne and Eilgour will be proceeded with An "electric boy" has been on exhibition at Nelson. He U reported to have imparted a •' shook " to all those who shook hands with ! h m, until one gentleman, wiser in his gener--1 ation, found that by standing on a piece of plate glass or on a broom, the " shocking powers" of the boy were non-plussed. It is said that st this stage of the experiment the proprietor of the show let flow such a voluble current from the organ of speech that the sightseers went away completely " shocked." In China, during the summer months, all kinds of vegetable refuse are mixed with turf, straw, grass, peat, weed* and earth collected into heaps, and, when quite dry, set on fire. After several days of slow combustion the entire mass is converted into a kind of black earth, l'his compost i* only employed for the manuring of seed. When seed time arrives one man makes holes in the ground another follows with tbesned, which he places in the hobs, while the thirds adds this earth. The young seed planted in this manner is enable to bush its rootlets through the hard, solid soil, and to collect its mineral con(jtituents. Amid the turmoil of the Presidential election in America there has been closed one of the largest and most successful speculations that ever excited the brain of Chicago, the ' Armour Pork Corner-" Jts influence in advancing provision prices was felt in all parts of the world. A Chicago telegram describes the speculation and its results :— ln July, 1879, after one member of the firm of Armour and Co. had returned from Europe where he had been taking observation of the pork market, the firm began buying pork ; and in December, when it had risen to 14dols, closed out, making a profit of 2,000,000d015. Not satisfied that it had reached the highest point, they continued buying until pork bad dropped from 14dola to 9dols 25 cents, absorbing their prolt and an additional million. In April of this year they again began buying at fiom lOdols. to lOdols 50 centti. a barrel, and bought up 350,000 barrels spot pork between 'hese figure* and 1,250,000 barrels of options. For the last tbree months they have been bloiing out thoir gigantic purchases at prioes ranging from 16dols. to 18dols 50 cents, clearing over seven millions on this deal and being winners on the two deals to the extent of bix millions.*' The Imperial Government of Germany has made a display of petty spite in ordering the destruction of all Heinrich Heine's works containing his spirited Castle. Legend, in which a preceding King of Prussia wos lampooned. What ' a blaze there would be if all the books which «peak disparagingly of the Four Georges were collected on Tower-hill, and a torch ap» plied to them .! France, in a spirit quite as paltry,' punished and then banished a young English lady, who in a moment of excitement, caused by' the expulsion of the orders, spoke disrespectfully of a Cabinet Minister. People who are so thin-skinned should epeud their lives in safe obscurity. The Home News says :— '• When any of the renowned oaasmen travel north, they are always most warmly received. Laycock, another Australian 'crack,' has just been paying a visit to some friends in Northumberland, where he was feted on every side. Amon? other he took part in a pigeon -shooting match, and showed himself nearly as good ' v man with a gun as with the sculh." • • ■ ' • The last of the series of band contests was held at the Novelty Theatre Melbourne, re-

ccDtly and attracted a Urge attenchnce. Six bands competed— Geelong Artillery, Melbourno City, Brunawi3k, Cerberus, Ilorsham and Sar.dhurst. The final performance was over at ten o'clock. The judges, Messrs. Siede, Summers and El«a3scr, ctesired to interview the manager. Mr Fulton, before giving their decision, bub he could not be found at teu o'clock, when, as he was still absent, they decided' as follows :— llallas's Sandhurst Band, first ; Melbourro City second ; Cerberus, third ; Geelong. fourth ; Horshatn, fifth; Brunswick, sixth. There was only a point of difference in merit between the City of Melbourne and Cerberus bands, the former, after a careful consideration receiving second place. A protest was entered by the members of tho G-eelong Band against the Melbourne City on the ground that there were playing in their ranks several professionals, which is against the rule. The judges decided that fta the protest was addressed to the manager. Mr Fdlton, it had nothing to do with them, and they therefore could not interfere in the natter, though at the same time wishing to act with justice to all concerned. The giant gum trees in the Tasmanian forests are supposed to be no more than 75 yeara old. - x . „ . , M A quantity o f silver pate, stolen 10 years ago from Sir Francis Stnith, Hobart Town, was accidentally unearthed a few dayß ago at the ' Bed Lion Inn, Liverpool street. She was the young wife of a betting man and though a strong minded intellectual woman, did not understand the technical terms and abbreviations of racing language, and when, therefore, she recived in her husband's absence on the Ledger day a telegram worded as follows $ — Put your last shift on the Devil,' she was mystified, and immediately wired to her husband's friend as follows : — ' I know my husband is a fool, but if he takes your advice and gives his spare underclothing to Satan and his imps, here is & woman going to get a divorce.' The small Pritiah garrison stationed at Lydenburg, in the Transvaal, has capitulated to the Boers. The weather favors the operations of the Boers against the British troops, and they are taking every advantage of their opportunity . Mr Justice Fitzgerald summoning up at the trial of the Land Leaguers, has been regarded as impartial and felicitous, both by the prosecution and the defence. His Lordship referred to the influence exercised amongst the Land League agitators by returned l American loiterers, and refuted the analogy which was sought to be drawn between the present land agitation in Ireland and trades' unionism. The putting in force of ihe provision in the licensing laws, against Sunday trading, seems to have been attended with successful results in Dunedin. The Times says: — "The last two Sundays have been marked by an entire, absence of drunkenness in the city, as the police charge Bhect will testify. Many of the publicans seem inclined to lend all assistance to keeping the law. and are pleased at the opportunity afforded them of keeping the day as one of rest. Wo believe the law is defied to a remarkably entail extent, and at any rate no drinking goes on co glaringly and openely as previously." The Oaroaru Corporation want la 3J per 1000 gallons ' for water supplied <o the Railway Department. The Minister for Public Works offers Is per 1000 gallons, which offer the Mayor, on behalf of the Corporation, refuses.