MISCELLANEOUS.

Inangahua Times, Volume VII, Issue 1211, 22 December 1882, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS.

The following account of an observation of the transit of Venus was sent to the N.Z. Times by "An Occasional Astronomer :" — " The evening had been spent in careful preparations for taking advantage for the transit on Thursday morning. Our observatory, a well constructed, but temporary ar- , rangement on the varandah, and fitted with all the appliances that could possibly help us in the morning. We each had a glass (I may mention that we were a party of three, all devoted to the glass), and the usual arrangement of chronometers. By an oversight, however, we had been left out of the telegraphic circuit that has been of such service to others, who, like ourselves, were anxious to forward scientific research. The morning was somewhat cloudy, not sufficiently so, however, to obscure the hosts of comets and shooting stars that decked the southern sky. The moon had set, and the sun rose amidst rounds of applause from the various stations. The moment had come — there was the sun — now for the glass. After various experiments we found that the green glass of the famous Glenlivet firm made the best achromatic lens ; and, to our surprise — we have not heard if other assronomers noticed the same strange appearance — two Venuses combined to obscure the solar disc. After moistening both eyes, we found that our observations were still more successful. To bring matters to a close, we ascertained that the ' egress ' was not rigidly straight, and we retired to our beds, well satisfied with the morning's operations. There is now no doubt possible to tlie scientific mind

I that Venus is much nearer than has ever been suspected by the representatives of astronomical science." Upon some of the coral islands of the Pacific Ocean there exists a race of men who use sea water as their daily beverage. These islands are situated at an immense distance from the mainland, surrounded by the ocean; they are of small size, and being elevated only very slightly above the level of the waves, and without vegetation except a few cocoanut trees, contain no streams or springs of fresh water. If well, are sunk they yield a brackish liquid, little differing front that of the ocean. The inhabitants are, therefore obliged to drink from the sea, and they do so constantly without ill effect. TheLondoncorrespondentofthe'New Zealand Times ' writes : — " An outer/ is being raised for higher wages all round amongst the laboring and artisan classes. It it urged, no doubt with truth, that the majority of the poor livo in a state of grinding poverty through* outtheir lives. Mr Potter, a well-known advocate of working men's rights, and himself risen from the ranks, is the spokesman on the occasion ; but Mr Hoyle, the temperance advocate, very justly points out in a long letter to the 'Times,' that the great, if not the chief, cause of the proverty and wretchedness of our poor is due to want of thrift, and the infernal attraction of the public house. He shows, for example, that a man earning 30s a week, and living, as he might easily do, on 20s would save, by proper care, and investment, a sum equal to £675 in twenty years giving himself, if his original income of 30a a-week 00-tmned, a sum equal to 53s a-week. Moreover, as he points out a man investing continually in this manner adds to the wealth of the country; he increases trade, and by so doing finds employment for other hands. On the contrary, a men earning 30s, and spending it in toto, is an actual loss and injury to the country; 12s a week goes in drink, and Is to Is 6d in tobacco, and ultimately he and his wife in their old age come on the parish. It is Highly desirable that this view of the question be impressed on the nation. Mr Hoyle calculates that during ten years £1, 364,000,000 have gone in drink, an amount equal to twice the national debt In fact, he only adds force to the old maxim, that men make or mar themselves in the great majority of cases." Archdeacon Hales preached to a large congregation at St David's Cathedral, Hobart, lately, m aid of the diocesan church fund, on the text "Thy Kingdom Come" At the close of the sermon the Archdeacon detailed the efforts that had been made to supply outlying districts with clergymen, and referred to what had been done towards the object in the southern portion of the archdeaconry in no flattering terms. " In Hobart, the capital of this beautiful island," he remarked, "you have the seat of Government, a large number of Government officers, the wealth of the country flows into the city ; yoti have 1 the Governor and Government House ' yonder, with all its beautiful sor> roundings; you have the bishop and \ the dean, and palaces to worship in like this cathedral ; and what have yon given towards the fund 1 A paltry £2001 not more than is subscribed by one of our northern parishes ! When I look at that red curtain (pointing to the tapestry over the reredos), and remember what you have done, I think it blushes for you. There are many in this congregation who could well afford to write a cheque for this amount and place it on the altar there as their single offering !" When the venerable gentleman had uttered these words there was an uneasy movement in many of the seats, aud a tugging at wristbands, which spoke of the workings of conscience. A correspondent of the Dunedin Star writes: — I observe that the letters addressed "Ada Mantua" from Auckland are being detained. Can the postal authorities do as they like with our letters? If so, they may go further, and read the whole lot of them for anything the public knows, and the law possible may justify them in publishing the said contents from the housetops. So long as the Post receives a fair profit from the carriage of letters, and protects itself from carrying dangerous goods or articles which might be sent in evasion of Customs duties, I consider its officials either exceed their duty, or the law is clearly overstained, in dealing with letters in any other way. Some day I have now doubt some enterprising person who uses the Post Offi.-e will drop upon the department for heavy damages were it is to be shown the officials have wrongly interpreted their duties. At Chicargo, a Methodist Church was in debt, and an orchestra of converted Chinamen, volunteered to give a concert in aid thereof. The concert realised two hundred and sixty dollars.

Says the European Mail : — " What have the Australian cricketers made by their tour?' is a question frequently asked, but one which will be satisfactorily answered. Striking a probable sum, however, it is believed by one who is likely to know, that the net gain at the close of the American matches, must have reached _16,500. This would leave a nice little sum for each member of the team, the amount being estimated after deducting all expenses. Boyle, as the best bowler, in addition to his share, takes back with him a splendid diamond ring, the present of a colonial gentleman resident in England ; while Murdoch, at the hands of the same gentleman, is the recipient of a gold albert guard as the best bat."