MISCELLANEOUS.

Inangahua Times, Volume VII, Issue 1075, 17 April 1882, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS.

♦ In the ability to properly carry out capital punishment, the Government of Fiji has made most marked advance since annexation. Hie Cakobau-Rex Government hang no one, though making one or two well-meant attempts at it The first case was that of a Fijian, ard a gallows was erected to suspend him from, but some ladies of Levuka presented a petition to the king, begging him oft The sable monarch tardily and somewhat angrily consented, pointing out the expense his Ministers had been to in putting up the gallows the exact cost of which he accurately stated in dollars, and then asked the pertinent questions, M Who will pay the carpenters 1 Shall all tint money go for nought V The other instance was that of a Cuban murderer, who was hung by the neck, bat not until he was dead, for they had to cot him down alive, and let hjm go, and he is now in the land oli the living some: where in this wide world. Recently, at Tumut> a lady named Mrs Matlock, who was living "under the protection " of a Chinese was fined £1 10s. for using bad language and being drunk. When she had been ' taken over' John was apprised of thefact of his love being in durance vile, and straightway prejtented himself before the lock-up keeper. 'How mucheef he inquired- producing hi& purse. 'Thirty shillings,' said the policeman. 'Me givee you ten shiilin ; yott letee got* he required. The lock-up keeper shook his head, .Me givee ten shiilin sissepen, no gonunon.' And ' when that woukmV do — 'Me givee you. I one pound, plenty fluke a cubbagee/ An hour's haggling; then out she came. Too muchee drunkee; no good, maA John; and then he dropped for an earthquake, — As Byron truly observe* — " The love of a woman is a fearful thing." Not long ago, a certain " bag-man.'* named Antony, went round Woolabra way, and made up to a sprightly dam© out there called Cleopatra The «drummer' was bound for Auckland ; all preparations were made for the pair to clear at 4 a.m., and then make overland for Melbourne. It seems, hove ver. that Cleopafra'a rightful lord was as well posted up in the whole concern as she was, and the disgust of the loving pair may be imagined when they found their 2s 6d. cab sent off, and in place thereof, Cleopatra's own carriage driven round : the husband ready to hand the dopists in and the kanaka coachman sitting on the box with a grin on his face like a baked possum. This called Cleopatra down completely, whilst the * drummer afterwards told a friend that he felt about as much out of place at the tune as a • local preacher ' would be at Cook's River cock-fight The present condition of the electric light in London, according to " Truth," is as follows : — Streets are now being lighted with it at one-fourth of the price of gas ; incandescent lamps can be introduced into every room of any house so soon as the mains are laid ; there can be a separate meter to each

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house ; the lamps can be separately and put out by turning a cock ; if one light goes out no other one is affected ; the subdivision is so complete that there is no glare, and yet a room with incandescent lamps if far more brightly lighted and with an equal amount of candle-power produced by electricity is cheaper than an equal amount produced by gas. In addition, the electric light has no odour, it does not vitiate or heat the air, nor does it like gas, tarnish paint or decoration. A new violin genuis has suddenly appeared in Italy — a little girl whose name is Tua, Her father, a very poor man, scraped a little money together to buy a violin for himself. His next «xtravagance was to buy his wife a guitar. When the little girl was there years old she taught herself, and played in such an incredible style on the violin that the father immediately undertook to produce fcer as a prodigy. When she -wasseven she arrived inParis. There she was brought to Massarfc, who was so struck with her precocious talent that he at once offered to take her into theConservatoire. To this the father objected because of his "gangepain," which he waa not wifig to jeopardise. But the sensation Vnm the child , created was such wbscriptwn was opened to secure 'iaty fiortSnt's existence during the time of her apprenticeship. She has now teft the Conservatoire, a phenomenon, and gone to Milan, -where she gave four crowded concerts. A Chinese Robin Hood has made his appearance in the Chinese seas and rivers. He levies toll 6n the rich and Assists the poor. A telegram from Hong kong published on the 7th January, says '.—"Another expedition has been fitted out against KwangKing Man, the notorious Chinese pirates. A gun boat, named the Fu Po, fully manned, and carrying ft large body of troops, was despatched on the 18th October to. search the seas for the piratical craft When in tjbe Sungmun water* the captain of the man-of-war espied a dark object oh the port bow, but at too great a distance for Mm to make certain whether it was a sailing ve^fsel or a steamer. With an evident knowledge of ft recent " ohm* celebre," he gave orders to the engineroom for half speed, while he examined it with his gksc^ Careful scanning proved the unknAta to be ft junk crammed with men. Orders were given to go full speed ahead, and the marines had instructions to load with ball cartridge. On coming to the junk, the latter soon disclosed the metal she was made of, by rounding to and: firing ft big gun at the war ship, and the shot Appears to have made "hftvflp jftymg thf* jßftrJfiLfl* on I^ie deck. Thi, gun vftgsei imta&tiaie&f replied, and one of the guns took such excellent effect tkat the ball was sent through the junk, which immediately sunk All th* pirates -who were not carried down with the ship took the swimming for the land, and nearly &U escaped by this means. Ultimately two pirates were captured, and they were beheaded. The naval division suffered considerably to the extent^ it is said, of twenty marines." '