MISCELLANEOUS.

Inangahua Times, Volume IX, Issue 1486, 22 December 1884, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS.

— - — ♦r^" A Leipsie jourtfal has compiled a a list of morganatic marriages which have taken place within a comparatively short period, 'with the object of showing that when the Grand Duke of Hesse espoused Madame de Kalo mine he did nothing at all exceptional ', and it points out that the wrath of his relatives in England and at Berlin' is really vary unreasonable, which has all along been thn general opinion in Germany. There have been seventeen unions of this sort, and it is added that ''they all turned out most happily." The list includes one Emperor, four Kings, one Elector, two Archdukes of Austria, and nine Boyal Princes. The indignation of the English relatives is all the tnoro absurd as, according to German law, the marriage of Princess Louise with Lord Lome is a morganatic union. A correspondent of the Motueka Herald h^B written a letter suggesting that' the editor of that journal should become a candidate at the next general election, the gentleman whom it was thus proposed to honor apjpeudea the following foot note': ~ rt The" Editor of the Herald desiiea tp thayk Philgaili ; for his suggestion re Candidature ct j#e,ne?tt ekci-jon, but I^egs ,to d«cjm« . He has noficed that candidateS*oii J tl] s -West poag) 6Std)Fi»dasnvere all mqrß br^ss anxious to be returned, so that they' cotild' get away from their wiv«« and have . a fly round amongst the Wellington barmaids, and, on their return could always tell the latest bit of scandal, and very little about the •'HoGbS." Nt>w>- judgmfr from tiio

number of handsome, graceful women one meets at every- turn, (and sees occasionally up, a cherry tree), the Editor thinks that, a member who would leave Ins home in such a delightful spot, and the genial society around him, sacrifiees-sthose kindlier feelings dear to us all, for the purpose of, serving a most ungrateful public." The Auckland) correspondent of the Otago Daily Times says the Salvation At my, without any prel iiniuary - fuss or demonstration, have started an organisation there for • dealing with casual cases of distress ajaong lh«* masses, giving tnoso ;t "3own~ in their ■-» luck" a night't lod«iugs, a wholesome' meal, aud a shilling in their pockets to pass them on. The people they are now benefittiiig are those who have given them tiie moJ trouble and annoyance in. connection witU tlieir .. services, and the result is a kindlier feeling towards them among the humbler classes,' QJUejf .ara^ilso looking after the discharged prisoners, though their Prison Gate Brigade, for the purpose of helping* them back again, into the ranks of honest labor, and thus giving valuable help, to the Prisoners' Aid Society in their own pratical and effective way. Mr Howard Vincent, during his stay horsy expressed his belief that ihis class o£ work was far more effective in the repression aud diimnishiueut of crime than anything wuicii could be accomplished by the police authorities iv the | way of " running in." The Sind Times says : — " An amusing spectacle was witnessed at Shikapore round the hideous imago of an eartliern god representing fear. The image, huge and out ut <Ui proporiious, wore an extremely dreadful appearance. About 7000 people assembled lo celebrate the death ot this god of dread. An old wonm was sitting Dy the linage, representing th» a uiwtuer of the dreadful deity. . A eirclea l 'd*pt 50 feetin diameter was formed rouijd the image, iv the midat of which moved hundreds of spectators, men aud woman, cryiug at the top of their voices, • Fear is dead !' • Fear is dead !' Tiie old woman near the image, on hearing of the death of her sou, broke out. into lamentable screams, mourning the loss of her beloved sou, the god of fear. Some woman, again, afraid we should think, lest the deity of fear might not be actually dead aud might turn his wrath, against those who were scouting his death, reverently approached the idol, kissed his feet, and scattered fuhaha upon it to propitate its anger. Tile ceremony, tuough very gross aud ridiculous, is not without deep significance. Fear is one of the strongestfeelings of the human heart, aud very i often it exercises a most baneful effect upon the luiiid. Aud to burn the effigy of this imaginary deity iuapublio manner with rogular ceremony is, though not a refilled, yet a puiloaipnic way of it from the heart of ignorant masses." • ' • ■ An unknown donor iii Victoria hast offered to give £25,000 to the Baptist denomination of that Colony for certain specific purposes and under stated conditions, one of the latter being that an equivalent sum should within the next live years be raised by the members of tiie denomination. Already steps are being taken to secure this munificent offer. The members of the Collins street Baptist Church on one evening last week promised to furnish themselves within the next live years the sum of £13,206, and (says the ' Argus ') it is anticipated that further donations will be received from those members of thecongregatiou who were unavoidably absent, so there will only remain a balauce of £11,000 to be gathered in the other Baptist churches of Victoria. The 8.8 Hero, which left Melbourne on the 15th November for her usual round trip to Fiji, via Newcastle, had au adventurous voyage. After leaving Newcastle, arid after she had got about 80 miles from the port, her aiain shaft bioke, and she lay like a helpless log upon the waters. A boat with four men, in charge of the first mate, Mr M'Donald, was despatched to Sugarloaf Head, distant 47 miles, With instructions to telegraph to Newcastle for a tug- boat to be sent to the assistance of the disabled vessel. After the boat left, the Herb drifted m^M hours 83 miles iv aB. W. direction, the sea beiug smooth. Next day Jk^ ywwel had drifted 99 miles, and to within 60 miles of Sydney Heads. The -sea now rose considerably, and she laboured very heavily. Repeated unsuccessful attempts were made to get her JtUiftd round by hoisting sail, Ou the third morning the wind chauged aud freshened. Then sail was gol up aud a course steered for Jervise Jbay. Towards evening the wind failed, and $»• Hero was in an unmanageable cognition on a lee shorn, ilocktfts were sent up, blue lights were bufued, tad at last, to the great joy of thtt-Jtuip's. company, the ftodeudo observ^L-Xue signals and bore down upon hlr. Ujue Bodondo "lay by the Herb uuitl daylight, aud "then towed her into Sydttey HarbouciifiQ .wales distant , Tb.e'^pasaengerg by the Hero were grejajly pleased with the behaviour of Gajtitin M'lutosli of tliat'steauifer 10 whow<oti«y have .presented' !j£ cdmpliui'eutarj 1 address. . a ... " ..*' \ ; ~/'*-r : < t \ bornlTweeks ago the Melbourne-Daily Teitgra^.goopiedi.jf^m *■■$&!&£ newspaper a cQmjnumcation uotirT. accusations odjii ureter autTm treatment*)? Jthe natives were made against ■ttflW P. VValker*'^d' % J. bJfeWAft; two oliiei' ;njftji)^iß oi, : »bat expedition. Messrs, Walker and S'te'vfr'a t have now comtftftuced actions tor libel agaiust the i^aily^Tetegraph. A •coniA>i»*ioif ;h»8 been issued to examiue Kerry "in Sydney. Another case pending* is fta «otion brought

by Mr G. B. Johnson, the architect, against Mr Jatnes Allison, theatrical manager, to recever £2260 for commission for the preparation of plans for a theatre and other buildings in Sydney, and for other expenses in connection with the preparation of the plans. The defende was that Mr Allison was not to be personally responsible for the payment for the plans, bat that Mr Johnson was to he paid by a company to be floated to take over the project, if they adopted his plans. The jary gave a verdict for the plaintiff for £2000. The Post says : " The question of local government, undoubtedly the most important winch has had to be dealt with since the abolition of the provinces, out of which it has virtually arisen, will have to be dealt with. The Government is pledged to bring down definite proposals on this mo3t important matter, and we do not doubt that it will fulfil its pledge tothe letter. How, then, are parties likely to divide themselves on this question ? It is difficult to say, and the late general election affords very little guide to speculation on the subject. It is true that Major Atkinson and his party were Bpoken of as the champions and supporters of centralism, and that as a majority was returned antagonistic .0 them, it might be assumed that a policy of decentralisation would command its support. But these terms are very deceptive and con>ey very different significations to different people. Tliey will not really do for the rallying cry of parties. They are far too indefinite. From somewhat •careful study of the members of the new House, we very much doubt whether any scheme of iocal government which the. Ministry may bring down will command the support of a working majority in the House. It will b« extremely difficult even to define distinct party lines in the preient House, and unless the Government is supported in its policy by a well-knit party of sufficient strength to give effect to its principles, it will have no option but appeal unto Cesar. This is the result that we fully anticipate. The Ministry will bring down its local government proposal:*, and will be unable to carry them. Then, as it will be fully entitled to do, it will ask for a dissolution, and leave it to the country to pronouce a decisive verdict on its policy. A general election about the middle of the coming year, is, we think, not only possible, but extremely probable.