MISCELLANEOUS.

Inangahua Times, Volume VII, Issue 1060, 13 March 1882, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS.

There appears to be an absence of uniformity in vindicating the law as laid down by the Gaming and Lotteries Act On the Dnnedin course, at the late meeting sweepstakes, which were wont to be so. common, weresuppressed withthegreatest impartiality, even law-makers not being respected, as two of Dunedin's M.H.R's had their names taken down by the police. Their names were not telegraphed, bat probably the Association's reporter left his readers to arrive at the fact by the safe and logical process of elimination, feeling sure that no. one would suppose that the Hon. Mr Dick, who introduced tfce Bill, or the Rev. Mr Green, would be guilty of such a rash act as to gamble. The other two gentlemen are Messrs H.B. Fish and Bracken, and it is these who, in legal parlance, will probably be called upon to " show cause * why the law had no terrors for them. It will been seen that at Wairarapa the old I regime prevailed, and the .sweepstakes. | were not interfered with. A female resident in the Waipawa bush, Hawke's Bay, lately sold her child for £4, the transaction being carried out with due formality — a stamped and witnessed receipt being given to the purchaser. The man whobought the child did so with £4 out of £5 he received on the same day from a man to whom he sold a dog for the latter sum. A few days since the Premier, on behalf of the Government, offered Sir William Fox a seat, in the Legislative* Council. Sir William, declined to accept the proffered honor. Among the applicants for Charitable aid from the Benevolent Society at Wellington, lately, was a man who. was formerly well-to-do in that city, and who so little faith in Colonial securities that he sent all his money Home for investment His want of faith in the Colony has apparently brought its reward, as the applicant is now in a destitude condition. Relief was granted. The Melbourne correspondent of the Wakatip Mail says— The sentence imposed upon tworuffiians at Elydale, who assaulted the police almost passeth understanding. The police escaped by a miracle. One of them suffers from a broken rib and a fractured leg, and in addition was kicked to a mummy by

iti«m,l*4i*eotfar constable was so b*t«tt*tal*- is probably he will not «etUfr4raafc»b*iforamonth. The Bettdk fetd tofrt&efpl6s .'*»i6|l i* and Ml danjage*, and l«t tfee other* oil If tiie regulation* «c to be on a scale, accordance to the amount of damage dome, it would be as well if the system Advised by the Evening World were authorised— to have a regular sliding scale of charges, say, £10 for a nose bitten off, 2s 6d for a finger, £1 for &/163, and so on. It would be almost <M-3reU if people, desiring to assault the guardians of the peace, were allowed to pay in advance at the Rate Collection Office, and |hen go and enjoy themselves The vioJ^t. is worth conaidering, as it wouH'savla Considerable amount of trouble. The Nelson Mail's Wellington correspondent writes :— lt is rumored here in well informed circles that the Budget wjUjfcpw an indisputable surplus of fully 3190,000, as all the branches of the revenue are working up surprisingly. There has been a remarkable spurt in the railway receipts. It was thought that the splendid return) £77, 000) for the four weeks ended 7th ult, waV mainly 1 due to the exceptional traffic during the holidays, but I hear that tiie subsequent returns are even more favourable proportionately, end it is now believed by those best qualified to form an opinion that the gross receipto for the year will exceed £890, OPO if indeed they do not very nearly waet L 900,000. As three months ago nobody anticipated more than L 875, 000 would be totalled, this is a great improvement. The working expenses steadily decrease in rate, and so far as can be calculated a present, the year's net profit will be quite L40,000.— -It is fumored (but I have unable to verify the *gport) that the new loan to be introduced next session will be for five millions. I merely give this rumor for what it may be worth. The following unique passage, which is put down to the credit of an Otago immigration agent, ought to take high rank a* a literary cariosity. Writing of the demand for female servants, he Ifcfcf >-«OSi0" good-looking less who im Krfgratedj on arriv&afc the harbor of 3ng0 t bid six offers made fromtheshore before she got landed through a speaking'trumpet" By the time the girl mmiM the shore tluro«gh a speakingtruimpet thepMhiibaity is she would be