MISCELLANEOUS.

Inangahua Times, Volume VII, Issue 1200, 27 November 1882, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS.

A curious scene was witnessed in Rue Descartes, Paris, tbe othpr day, where an itinerant vendor of pamphlets was hawking a brochure, " How to Correct Woman," and loudly crying his wares. A young woman, incensed at the title of the book, inflicted a sound slap on the hawker's face ; other members of the so-called tender spx joined their champion, and gay« the unfortunate wretch a severe drubbing, scattering the offending pamphlets in the mud of thf {'-.vomer .t Rome men tookthe parte! 'tho. vendor, and a general scuffle ensued. A regular scrimmage went on for half an hour, hats, caps, bonnets, and false hair flying in all directions. Finally, the female contingent retreated in disorder, and the hawker left the neighborhood, vnwir-g that he would never again attempt to sell inflammatory brochures iv that quarter of Paris.

Fifeen years ago, George T ? oil enbeck, and William Stellen quarrelled in Palmyra, New York. On October 25 they met near Carrigo Pass, and determined to settle the old feud. They went into a darkened room, and fought in the dark. Stellen fired four times and llollenbeck fired subsequently, killing Stellen by his first shot Holleubeck was very quiet, and deluded his antagonist, who believed

him to be in a corner other than the one be really occupied.

There are 870 canals in Egypt, measuring in the aggregate 8400 miles. Of these, 1 13 are used for navigation purposes as well as for irrigation, and the other 657 for irrigation alone. Of th-3 fifty navigable canals below Cairo the most important is the one extending from the Nile, near Cairo, to Zag-a-Zig. This is 55 miles in lenjrth, and is navigable for vessels of 400 tons burden. Th* fr^sh water canal from Zag-a-Zig tol?m.iilia is fed mainly by this canal.

A singular criminal has just been dealt with at Bremen and Steasburg. This was a man by name Theophile Mary, a hairdresser, born at Barr, whose vicious tendency took the form of inflicting slight stabs with a dagger on young women. At Starslmrg he attacked no fewor than 1 8. nearly all of whom he struck on the breast. c

made his first appearance two years ago, when for a month he spread terror among the inhabitants, all *»flfbrte to capture him failing, "c thp * vanished from Alsaco. aod somo timo afterwards turned up \i Br«mpn, wh°r» {he again distinguished himself by his , distradly attacks. Here, however, he was Boon arrested, and sentenced to seven yea^-s' imprisonnrrit, and handed over to the Strasburg authorities, to be dealt with iher*>. The 18 young women whom the prisoner had i wounded (none of them, fortunately, severely), appeared as witnesses np" -.-•*--* i*-*m. *• rv-.' • f .-I ".plj-jT-r-r! li>~< \ :r, :c>~ r ■:-'■■ < f ' . :-rv.-.s; . aeeii.-i .;; j ! his acts to a morbid vanity, and tho l<k>urt sentenced him to one year's ira I

prisotneut, to be added to the seven years given him at Bremen, the ma-

is 31 years of age.

The new Bishop of * ucklaud will hold an ordination p.ior to his depar ture, which takes place about the beginning of September. His Lordship, it may bo remarked, has twe brother priests, one in the army,. Colonel Luck of the 15th Hussars, and three sisters nuns. His father was the founder of the monastry et riamsgatc, and on the decease of hie wife entered religion and became » member of the Benedictine Order, The Bishop was educated at St Edmund's College, Old Hall.

The Baptist Church at Hampton: Cross road, New York, was the scent of a terrible affray on Sunday, October 24. Jerry Cot and Levi Bryson b *carae involved in a quarrel, and both drew postols and fired wildly. Tb* audience rose and made a rush for Um> doors, amid a sconce of indescribable confusion. The air was filled with th* shrieks of frightened men, women, and children. The minister, during the melee, was the only person who retained his self-possession. He remained in the pulpit, calmly but energetically moving his lips in addressing the audience, to whom his words were inaudible, Th« tiring continued for some time, and several bullets passed over the minister's head who paid no heed to them. Meanwhile several men were tugging away at both Cox and Bryson, appealing wildly to them to desist from their terrible work ; but they were all shoved aside, and the firing continued. Bryson was finally shot in the breast, and fell mortally wounded over one of the lynches, but was sufficiently conscious to raise himself and fire a parting volley at his opponent, who fell deed without speaking a word.

Parasols have liecome articles of luxury indeed at Home. At the last Goodwood races some were edged with neatls, and one had a great cluster of diamonds round the ferrule. The Princess of Wales wore at the racea ivory white with gold trimmings, and strawberries in her bonnet

The • Lyttellon Times ' remarks : — "The Fast Coast line will only increase the value of the property of four large landed proprietors, and be of no benefit to Canterbury whatever. Tho expenditure of a million of money on the l*ast Coast would prevent any pxpendituro on its western rival for the next ten years. The interest of population therefore, to tiie extent of nearly 140,000 souls, would be indefi titnly postponed. Should these facts (md many others to numerous to me tion here) be given there full val'ie. the report will be in favor of the W«*st Coast line. But the Commission is not of the people's seeking.

he public sought the West Ooast railway, and Obtained a Commission, Whatever report the Commission may s—'.d in, the public is bound to insist on its nil way. The surest method of obtaining its wish is to mai itain the decided public opinion now prevailing That opinion must be infused into the Canterbury members. The final decision of this matter is in the hands of Parliament If the Canterbury members ar*» united the decision will be in favor of the West Coast line — the line contemplated from the beginning by theframers of the Public Workspolicy, The Commission is the Commission of tho Government The Government may abide by an adverse decision of the Commission if it will. That ought to mean that the Government may go out if it will.