MISCELLANEOUS.

Inangahua Times, Volume VII, Issue 1061, 15 March 1882, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS.

♦- The Town and Country Journal contains the following: — Liquors seised from a publican at Ipswich, Queensland, were analysed and found to be as follows : — Samples of whiskey submitted to test contained a salt of antimony and fusel oil, the bases of the spirit being silent spirts or refined rum fitered through charcoal, with creasoteasflavoring matter; one sample of whisky which had been very much interfered with had water and sugar largely added; a sample of gin was much watered and salt of antimony added ; a sample of rum had salt of tin in it to the proportion of 2grs to a 6ox bottle ; a sample of colonial beer had 112gr of common salt and 65£grof sulphuric acid to the gallon ; a sample of Scotch beer was similarly got up. The publican had previously* been a photographer. The Hpbart Mercury thus speaks of the first shipment of New Zealand coal, which arrived at that port by Mr Vautier's three masted schooner Frank Guy, on the 13th ulfc "The first shipment of Westport (New Zealand) coal arrived yesterday by the Frank Guy. The coal, which is consigned, to Messrs A. McGregor and Co., is said to be admirably adapted for steam purposes, and eclipses Newcastle ooal for . that use, but does not come up to theN.&W. article for domestic purpose*. Tho consignment of coal is a trial one, ajyl re understaud that the Railway Com-

pany, the Gas Company, the Gas Com pany, and the steam companies intend testing it" The heat at Coonamble lately (the local journal informs us) has been ter rible ; the thermometer ranging at one place in the shade as high as 121 a1 noon, with scorching hot winds. A man named Killen, employed as groom , at the Hibernian Hotel, Coonamble, was affected, by sunstroke, which terminated fatally in a few hours. We have been informed that birds fell dead from the trees, and in town several pigs succumbed to the dreadful heat. At midnight the glass registered 102, though towards morning a light wind from the south made things pleasanter. This lias been the hottest weather ever fell in Coonamble even by the oldest inhabitant, and we trust suffering humanity may be spared such another dreadful experience.