MISCELLANEOUS.

Inangahua Times, Volume X, Issue 1522, 16 March 1885, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS.

Tlie following brief particulars of the two principal officers in command of the New y outh Wales conntingent are taken from the Sydney Morning Herald : — Colonel Richardson, the commandant, who will command tbe expedition, has bad the satisfaction of seeing important changes towards tbe though efficiency of our troops since he took command in 1865. He joined the Imperial array in 1854, having entered it by passing a direct examination at Sandhurst. He served with the 72nd Highlanders at the seige of Sebastopol. In |New Zealand, witb the 12th Regiment, he went through the Maori wars of 1863-64, during which period he was adjutant of tbo regiment . He has « riraean, New Zealand, and Turkish medals. In February, 1865, he was appointed to the command of the New South Wales forces. In August, 1871, a regular force was formed, consisting of a bat- ; tery of artillery and two companies of infantry, and since that time tbe infantry has-been disbanded and two more batteries substituted. A most important change took place in 1878 by assimilating the Volunteers o what may be called a Volunteer Militia. By moans of this change of system increased discipline has eett obtained, and the adoption of continuous training has brought the men to the state of efficiency which their commandant believes justifies bim in recommending them aa reliable troops, and in setting himself confidently at their head. Col. Roberts, who will command the artillery, has also a service record, including the war in tbe Crimea.

It has been found that at the thirty four clubs recently closed in Paris the profits of the gambling table amounted daily in all to 53,000fr- In the remaining twenty-fire Parisian clubs the "swell clubs— the profits wero propably quite as much. I hus the gaming table* of Paris alone make a profit of at least 60,Q00,000fr a-year. "The State is always seeking new budgetary resMrcos," say the partisans of Government surveillance. M Why should not tho Government take advantage ofJJiif^s^rcs_<g income instead W Irrvtng -ff fa the hands of mo^ r^#w^»As__colatt)ra r M WeH, my dear," said a nwn to tho } "«&al MkkmmzSakmlkJ: x& for you, say at three o'clock, this afternoon T ' "Call for me! Why, wbat for T inquired nis wife in an evident tone of surprise. "To go to tire milinor's after a hat." "After a-hatt Why, hubby, didn't we get a new bat for rm? only yesterday? What on errh are you talking about t " »O, I forgot, surely. Why, yes, so we did. I see it ali nowvery plainly. It is only every other day you want a new hat." By stepping out hastily and bxJMng tin door shut, he managed to escape eserited punishment.

The Taranaki Herald says:— To Whiti has curtly declined an invitation from Tawhiao to attend a meeting in the King Country. From all accounts the Parihaka Natives are making unusual preparations for the gathering there on the 17th March. The Waikato Natives are to attend, and on their retnrn northwards with Te Whiti's follower's will bold meetings at Waiwakaiho and Waitara. These gatherings are expected to be the largest that have taken plaoe for many years.

The handsomest diamond ring said to b^ worn by anyone on the stage spark l*s on the little white band of a rather magnificent and very pretty performer known as •» Stella," of tho Soldene troupe. When that highlyrefined and asthetic company played in Denver, someone introduce 1 tbia particular star to Governor Tabor, who is a generous patron of music. During a brief conversation with her the magnate was summoned on business by a messenger. As he withdrew he, it is presumed nnoonsciously, remarked that he would finish. his call some other time. " Oh, no yoa wonJt," said tbe jaunty performer, ". yoa will get an absorded in those great big political things that you'll forget all about poor little me." The direct slur on gutternatorial gallantry was equal to a challenge. At any rate the Governor pledged himself to return, "Ah ! I don't believe any of you wicked Western men without some other guarantee than your word," said the clever Miss Sulla, adding; " Leave me something valuable enough to iasuie your return.' ' Now the Governor of Colorada ha • many bags of gold, but he does not carry them in his pocket, and the only ornament of cost he wore was a magnificent diamond ring, the onn hu^e solitaire, valued* at 15.000 dollars, shinning out like an electric light. The impulsive millionaire threw his jewel into her lap, and made his exit. Then the smart Stella, without loss of time, packed her little portmanteau and skipped on a train bound tor Chicago. When the Gorernor calfed to redeem his pledge, the news of her departure was broken tohim by a colored waiter.

Perhaps the most ingenious method of getting a stock of bens is tbat practiced tbo other day by a bachelor who lives in a secluded corner among tbe hills, away, from hia neighbors in Gippsland. Discovering tbe nest of a wild dock not far from bis house, bo removed the eggs and placed an equal number of hen's egga in tho nasi la due time the wild duck found that aba was the bewildered mother of a flock of chickens. Not that the knew that they were chickens ; she did not know what tbey were. Their bills were not right, tbeir feet were all wrong, aad they were of every color ; tbey coold uot understand. A more aatonianed wild dock was not to be found in the colonies. The bachelor placed hia misbegotten chickens in a baaket and took care of tbeaa»i white the old dock returned to a ne%_l)oring pond, feeling that she bad in* some way been shamefully imposed upon.

The effect of music on tho senses was oddly and wonderfully verified during the mourning for the Duke of Cumberland, uncle of George 111. A tailor had a great number of black suits which were to be finished in a very short space of time. Among his workman was a fellow "trim was always singing "Rule Britannia," and the rest of the jonrnoymen joined in the chorus. Tbe tailor made his observetions, and found tbat tho slow time of the tune retarded the work. In consequence be engaged a blind fiddler, and placing bim near the workshop, made him play constantly the lively tune of "Nancy Pawao*_ M Tim design had the desired 1 ' effect; the tailors' elbows moved obedient to the melody, and tbo clothes were sent home within tbe prescribed period.

An ex-captain of -the Navy, wlir> resides in the Rue Vavin In Paris, waa taking a walk the other day in the Loxembonrgh Garden, when he saw a well-dressed gentleman suddenly raise his hands to his face and manifest aigns of vilent pain. The old officer went up to him and kindly inquired what wasthe matter. *• Oh, dear j how I suffer ! a-graia of dnst-bas got into my eye some way or other ; would yoa p'o\se blow into the ..eye te try and i amove it Tha captaia gantry turned up tho suflerers's eyelid, and earoftlly holding bit bead in both haMt^ba began to breathe with ovary dajraa of force, from artepbyr to at-rr^-t *»»-*r the part affected, nr?"!

ten. an app**ar«-«i

thanked hisbet'esa tor. auuwu.wx.

wards the former became aware, while sitting in a cafe on the Boulefard SaintMitchel, that he too had been relieved of his watch and purse.

Professor Samuel Kent Kane, an uncle of Dr Kane, of Arctic fame, is dead. He was a native of Ohio, and was in his sixty seventh year. He" was a Professor of Natural Science in Oberlin College when the oil excitemet broke Out. He made ventures and < | prospered, becoming a millionaire. Then he was caught in large speculations ; the orignators of the Standard Oil Company secured his refiners, and Kane was penniless. Next the mining fe.-er broke out. Kane was in Colorado and a pauper. He wer>t iuto mining enterprises, aiid came out a millionaire. There came a turn iv the tide, however, hut this time he saved £180.000 ont of the wreck of his fortune. He went East, and his wealth increased to £200,000 but a confidence speculator again made him poor. In 1871, while in Arizona examining certain copper mining lands for Boston capitalists, luck again came to him. In three months be returned East with £40, 000.

Mr J. W Downer, ex-Attorny-generalof onth Australia, writing to the Adelaide Advertiser on the question of supplying troops for the Soudan, inquires why was not Parliament called together aud their assmit obtained before committing the Colony to an expense that it is quite impossible to accurately appreciate. The case was one of great urgency. There was no reason to suggest that the Imperial Government was not equal to the emergency, and there was no occasion for an outburst of patriotism. If the question were in reference to New Guinea, he could have understood that tbe breach of faith with themselves and the undignified position in which Ens land was placed misrht have warranted the Colonies in taking a very decided stand, and in offering to assist the Mother Country in maintaining her own dignity and the interests of the Colonies even at a touch grea er cost than was n*w-TM#po«ed but that did not apply to war in the Soudan. The character of the Gladstone Government might be involed, but certainly not the honor of England ; and so far as that Government was concerned, the Colonies could have but little inclination, after the ex hibition, of disingenuonsnessor incom petency with which it had favoured tbem, to sacrifice their interests for tho purpose of maintaining its dignity. '

As a part of a marriage ceremony ih B*rvia, the bride has to held a piece of sugar between her lips as a sign tbat she will speak little and sweetly daring her marriage life.- The sugar soon melts away.

' Referring to the proposal to evacuate tbe Soudan Sir Samuel Baker writes : — " To fling away the Soudan, is to fling away the granary of the world ; to abandon Khartoum is to surrender what will be the richest entrepot in the world. If the Soudan were in English hands, in a very few years you would be entirely independent of the United. Sates both for cotton and corn. Yoa have no idea what a country it is; soil fertile beyond belief, an inexhaustible water supply and the whole traversed from end to end by two gteat highways. Many a time have I ridden through deserted districts in which the corn or ad hurra was growing high enough to cover an elephant, and that without almost the slightest cultivation. ... To tap this immense reservoir of undeveloped wealth all that is necessary is a short railway from Suakim to the Nile and a decent Government. But to abandon it wonid be to open the vast regin to be scrambled for by the filibusters and pirates of the world.

A movement is being set on foot, in connection with the Quiver, to raise a fund for the permanent provision of a n amber of Medals of Honor, to be awarded for special heroism in the rescue of human life. Particulars of such cases, properly authenticated, are invited by the editor.

The •« Gazette degle Ospitale " gives the number of homoeopathic physicians practising in 1884 as follows : — France, 403; England, 244; Spain, 94; Belgium, 7 ; Switzerland, 84 ; Italy, 141 ; Scandinavia, 12 ; Holland, 7 ; Russia. 67 ; Portugal, 47 ; Germany, 4 ; Asia, _; Africa, 6 ; America, 1612.

A new fashion has come into vogue among the versatile (says a Home ! paper) Parisians. M. Molier, one of tha wealthy leaders of society, has organised a private circus in which he and his friends, including among them the heir of the famous name of La Rochefoucauld, divert themselves in tights and spangles by standing on alternate feet on their horses' backs, and by leaping through paper rings. As a rulr, only a select gathering, drawn from a not very reputable half of the world, is admitted to these entertain men ta Sometimes, however, M. Molier's invitations are more general. On these occasion there is | hdt scramble for seats, as was evidenced last week by a very pretty duel between two gentlemen, one of whom had accidently shut out the other's view. It is satisfactory to state that the encounter, as usual among our neighbors, terminated to the entire credit and safety of the two combatants. Paris is thus again illustrating the familiar truth that nowhere are such contrasts of wanton frivolry and desperate misery gathered together as in her midst. But the amusement has hardly the merit of being orginal. Tn the days of her decadence the Roman aristocracy was given up to the same pursuit, and drew down on itself all the fierceness of Juvenal, with the usual result. Perhaps Parisian writers will spare their bieath.

An energetic protest is made in the Western Morning News against the nxcessive punishment of boys on board Her Majesty's ship Northumberland. Her crew includes 140 boys. " During the late cruise and also since her arrival Home, the amount of corporal punishment inflicted is te-iys tho above named journal truly bonifying. Almost every morning batches ef the ftoys, from half-a-dozen to eighteen in number havu b'*en caned or birched, chiefly the former, with great severity, the sufferers often being removed in -various stages of insensibility. The ship's corporal has been repeatedly. enjoined to greater vigor by the officer •Uperintending these Hoggin sres, and tlie bruised and bleeding bricks of the boys aad « the writbings and howls have ttfttified te the vigor of his arm. Tlie froguency _and_ _ severity of these H/iilbments have become a matter of food protest anions the aide bodied blue-jackets, who are thomselvc-s pro toe-ted "by lnw from tortttte. The' offences for which these almost daily whippings have been inflicted are said to be of ft trivial ehara'eter/' " - »