MISCELLANEOUS.

Inangahua Times, Volume VII, Issue 1033, 9 January 1882, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS.

There are few who have* visited Sydney who have not been to or head of " Kissing Point," (now called Ryde), but few we imagine, know the origin of the name. It appears that good old Governor Macquarie, and a party of pleasure seekers were on the river one day, and landed on a point of land. In giving one of the toasts, he is said to have exclaimed, "Ladies, I kiss you all around." One of the fair sex ofthe group replied, 'By your Excellency's leave we shall name this place Kissing Point," and the spot has borne the name ever since. Gas and petroium have claerly to look to their laurels. A French chemist of inventive mind, M. Bouilliez, is busy patenting, in the various countries of Europe, a new method of extracting gas from coal, by which the latter is made to yield more than double the quantity of gas obtainable by the methods hitherto employed. On the other hand vast deposits of petroleum have just been discovered in Hanover causing an immense sensation all over Germany, for it is hoped that Germany will be able to supply riot only her own wants from these springs, but also to export a considerable quantity. The more sanguine believe that these newly discovered springs will be able to supply the entire European demand for this dangerous but highly serviceable fluid. A rumor has been going the rounds (says -die Home News) that it is contemplated to establish hereditary honors in some of the larger colonies. It is probably not without some foundation in fact, although the. Government are* not likely ter give pfatical effect to the motion until it has been fully and freely discussed. There is much to be said against such a creation. 'The principal of general equality is too widely admitted in most colonial communities to allow of great social hereditary distinctions. But the quarrel is mainly with the idea of their transmission. Colonial sentiment might be strongly against the formation of a perroament so-called aristocratic class, but it would hardly object to the bestowal of high social honors Upon the most prominent colonial men. The establishment of life peerages would probably be less seriously opposed. Something of the kind is indeed wanted. After all, the grant of an order which carries with it knighthood and the permission to wear a star and a ribbon round one's neck is not a very lofty compliment. It may be said that the title of "My Lord "is quite as empty ; but after all, the rank is much more distinguished and unmistakeable. But even if the creation of such colonial peers would be unpopular in the colonies themselves, there seems no valid objection to such rewards if bestowed upon eminent colonists who have elected to spend the rest of their days in England. The Auckland correspondent of the Otago Daily Times, under date Nov. 12, writes as follows : — Perhaps nothing could more effectually illustrate the widespread spirit of gambling which has infected the community, and the necessity for the passage of the Gaming and Lotteries Act, than the scenes which took place here over the " consultations" for the Melbourne Cup. It is computed that in Auckland alone some L 30.000 was locked up in these affairs and in sweeps. On the night preceding the Act coming into force the irate subscribers to one £10,000 sweep were roaming over the city to find its promoters, only to learn at a late hour that the consulation had been drawn at his private residence by a self-appointed committee. The most singular thing in the whole matter is that winners of the prizes have been too bashful to disclose their identity — a characteristic which marked their conduct at the preceding " consultation ' by the same gentleman. A very satisfactory reason has been given why the drawing was not made public, namely that he had been warned by the police that if he held it at his oflice in all probability the public would smash the windows in. None could look at the sporting hotels crowded to suffocation, the window-sills and recesses outside blocked by a mass of eager faces, and traffic obstructed in the thoroughfares by groups of working men loitering about in order to know if they had got " a horse," without feeling that such an unhealthy and demoralising state of things had not been brought to an end a moment too soon in this community. Already, I hear, legal inventiveness is

pnper.