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Inangahua Times, Volume VII, Issue 1063, 20 March 1882, Page 2

To-day one of our old and most respected mining residents, Mr Thomas Bruce, leaves Reefton on a visit to the old country. Mr Bruce hashada 22 years sojourn in the colonies, and during the time he has been in Beefton, has been connected with all the most successful companies in the district. He has been attached to the Welcome, the Keep-it-Dark, the Alpine, and many other ventures, and has throughout won golden opinions. There is no one but will wish him God-speed and a happy return, for such men as Tom Bruce we. can ill spare. The independent manner in which owners treated handicappers on the two half-days was really surprising, for, with the exception of Fishhook in the Goldfields Handicap, nearly every horse carried lumps of overweight. Rustic travelled with no less than three stone extra, Bide-a-wee took* nine pounds, and nearly all jj^increj^d tytidens than those imposed unless the stewards nad put a welter steeple-chase weight on him could not have been much more loaded, aud how gamely he carried it is a matter of .record. The well-known racehorse, Fishhook, was put up for sale on Saturday morning, prior to the big race, Mr Stevenson being the auctioneer. He failed, however, to bring the reserve, and was withilrawn, his owner subsrquently winning the race with him. Dan O'Connell was also offered on the course, but failed to find a purchaser, though he did not have the luck that fell to the lot of Fishhook's owner in the race in question. The balance of the racing events will, weather permitting, be run off to-day. The rain has been specially heavy, and the course is soaked,* but the going is not nearly so bad as might be expected. We understand that the start for the Hurdle race will be at sharp 12 o'clock noon. Though the races will probably be wound up to-day, there are any number of matches on and arising out of them. It is said that Fishhook is going to try •conclusions again with Dan O'Connell, Orient with Lillipie, and in the trotters, Rosina with Dolly Varden. The more the merrier, say we, and sport will be incireased -ihould owners speculate as alleged. St Patrick's day, Friday last, had unfortunately the "dew upon the shamrock" to a far greater extent than was desirable, and, owing to the rain the enjoyment of a large number of holiday-tnakers wan marred. The races had to be* brought tb on abrupt conclnsion, the rain falling so heavily as to render racing altogether impossible. Notwithstanding this serious drawback, amusements were by no means put a«top to, though indoor, rather than outdoor, irieaiis of recreation had to be restitted'to. However profitable this ai^ htve been to the hotel-keepeffs; it tetf&inly did not promote the good-health of the recreationists, but, notwithstanding, the greatest good order prevailed. The functions of the police were not exercised at all, only one inebriate finding his way into the cells. Indeed we do not think that an equally orderly set of men could be found in New Zealand as those that came from all quarters for the present holidays. This fact speaks volumes in favor of the population, and it is most satisfactory to record.* . The amateur concert in aid of, the Beefton Athennum came off last Thursday evening according to advertisement, and was so complete a success as to surpass all reasonable expectations, the house being perfectly crowded. St. Patrick's Eve being chosen for the performance, a great many were in town from the outlying districts for the purpose of attending the morrow's races, and contributed by their presence to the financial success of the entertainment. The programme was a long one, necessitating, but a bowing response to a number of encores, and only where the public would take no denial could the fair contributors be induced to compromise with a verse. From motives of delicacy, which we feel will be appreciated, we unwittingly refrain from particularising their several triumphs to be renewed, let us hope, under the weeping willow with hearts beating in unison to the music of the voice. The success of this reunion is further indebted to Mr Allan Broad, who undertook solely to make the arrangements. The gross proceeds taken at the doors amounted to £17 Is., which after deducting all expenses will leave a surplus of about £10 for the benefit of the Beefton Athenaeum. We understand that two more concerts are projected for the same laudable purpose. By telegram in another column, it will be seen that the Chinese Immigration Act has been approved of by her Majesty and is now the law of the land. It was supposed that the Act passed last session, and that its provisions were so stringent that the Imperial Government would not sanction them. This was confirmed by the fact that some months have elapsed since the Act has been submitted to the Home Government, and it is only now that we get telegraphic news of its acceptance. It inflicts head money on every Chinaman arriving of £10, ih addition to other annual payments, and will prove a very wholesome corrective in Chinese immigration. Captains of vessels bringing Celestials to New Zealand shores, are now liable for their importation money, and altogether they are likely to be careful in their live cargo in the future. j The double chloride of gold is announced as the latest remedy for dipsomania. Curing drunkenness by this process appears to be rather costly, a* '

two bottles of the gold solution are said to be necessary to effect a permanent cure, and their price, <"is £10 10.$* However,, even at this figure, it may be argued, the remedy would be less expensive than the disease. ' A net profit of £130 over what he was offered as the market price at Ashburton is what Mr Megson cleared by sending his wheat home last year. ' The other day, Mr Tomoana compared Mr John Sheehan to " a well-bred dog." No wonder the audience laughed at such a peculiar illustration. A grain trophy is proposed to be erected, at the Exhibition at Ohristchureh. One farmer has offered to Bupply a truckload of selected sheaves towards the object. . The Bright Smile battery at the Thames has been sold for two thousand pounds. . Just one seventh its original valjie. . _ . Each ream of paper on which the London morning papers are printed, is on an average, forty-six inches wide and three and a half miles in length. The combined issues of the Times, Standard, Daily News and Daily Telegraph, if placed end to end, would form a continuous line of nearly 600 miles /or aboirtohe distance from London to Berlin. A bachelor too poor to get married, yet too susceptible to let the girls alone, was riding with a lady the other day, and accidently dropped an arm round her waist. No objection was made for a while, and the arm gradually relieved the 1 side of the carriage of the pressure upon it. But of a sudden, the lady started with volcanic energy, and, with a flashing eye, exclaimed; "Mr 8., lean support myself!" "Capital!" was the instant reply, "You are just the girl I have been looking for these five years. Will you marry me ? " In ascending Mount Cook two unsuccessful attempts were made hf]-&r Green and in the third attempt a stop was rd&de at an altitude of 7000 feet, nearly under the peak. Starting at 6 a.m. on the 2nd March, and travelling by ice the whole distance, the journey being lengthened through the party having to make numerous detours to avoid (the tracks pf almost incessant avalanches, they reached the summit at 2 p.m. It was impossible to return to their bivouac that night, and they stood on a narrow ledge, 200 feet below the summit, all night, wet through and without food. They descended in safety next morning, and reached their camp at 7 p.m., having been on their feet 37 hours, and the last 22 hours without food. They then set out for Timaru, and arrived safely on .the 10th. - The ascen^is hot Very difficult as far as climbing is 'concerned, but it is extremely dangerous on account, of the almost incessant avalanches which roll down the mountain sides. The weather was unfortunately cloudy, so that so ; that -no view was . obtained from the summit. tMr Green's time was limited, or he woulcl have asc.nded some "of thfe other peaks, which he considers could be easily done. . The Americans have long enjoyed the distinction of rendering the nuptial bond lighter than any other people. It is so light in some ofthe Spates that public morality has beoose| ashamed of it, and v demand is. raised to transfer this branch of ' the legislation from thte States of Congress. Easy divorces are no longer peculiar to America, however.- One learns with astonishment that those most moral and exemplary people, the Swiss, have greatly relaxed the law on which family relations are based. - C^iginwly 4 the Separate Cantons had the same privileges as the States of the American Union of marrying or unmarrying at pleasure. It was thought desirable a substitute a uniform law of the Federal Congress, and, m order to secure the adhesion of aE the Cantons to the hew arrangement it was drawn on rationalistic' lines. Philosophical atheism has commanding voice in the intellectual life of the Swiss. This was such a measure as a committee of Swiss Bradlaughs, Yoyseys, and Wilberforce Stephens might have drafted. It granted divorces on a variety of grounds new to the Levitical code. In practice a marriage can "be dissolved on the joint application of the parties, and it is alleged that in making the original agreement there is frequently provision made for terminating it by mutual consent. A case came recently before the courts, in which a person of good social position sued for divorce on the ground that his wife had agreed to dissolve the marriage, after a certain time and on certain conditions. Apparently she repudiated the bargain, and would not join in the Buit for divorce consequently it was refused, and the husband finds himself bound longer than he intended. The Swiss clergy, finding that the law is not at all conductive to social morality, are agitating for a more stringent one.