MISCELLANEOUS.

Inangahua Times, Volume X, Issue 1523, 18 March 1885, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS.

The writer of the money article in World remarks : — lX Colonial secnnties have not fallen much sinew the Official rat« of discount stood at 2 p«*r cent. Some of them, such as the Canadian and New Sonth Wales loans, are understood to be l h*-W np ' l>y strong syndicates, in whose hands they have been left l>y an nnappreciating public ; but, with money dear and likely to continue sn, anrl with threatening protests from Melbourne, etc., it is scarcely prolrible that the effects of these la rye holders to maintain prices Will )>e lonsr successful. Buyers will doubtless decline to be tcnipted, and |wh look for lower prices. In the meantime the colonies have by no means ceased to borrow, for we have now another New Zealand- loan, and before many months a new Canadian loan of £5,000,000 will be n> o -ssary." j Lord Wolseley's offer of a LIOO prizt. i as an incentive of valor has soon fonnd j its level. I hear (says a writer in I Truth) that the proprietors of a welli known patent pill hare sent the General several thousand handbills to He distributed among the soldiers, together with a cheqne far LI SO as a guerdon for the man first in placing i one of the said band-bills npon the j. front door of Gordon's place at Khari ton in.

A new expedition to New Guinea, for tbe purpose of exploring the por tion recently annexed by England, is to start next week. It is nuder the conduct of Mr H. 0. Forbes, F.R.6.5., who has wou such distinction in the exploration of tbe Malay Archipelago. It will be under the auspices of the Royal Geographical Society, and will have not only the countenance, but the active support of < -eneral Scratchley, 'the Special Commissioner of New Guinea, as well as the approval of her Majesty's Government. In this respect it will differ materially from the many other projects of exploration in that island which have been recently advanced. Mr Forbes will sail in one of the steamers of tbe British India Steam Navigation Company for Batavia, from which he will proci ed to the Moluccas for the purpose of obtaining a party of natives, and thence by Thursday Island- will make, his way to. New Guinea. It is expected that the expedition will \te away from 18 months to two years, and as it is intended that the exploration of the British territory will be thoroughly exhansjjjyje, important results are an-, ticipatcd. •-:. t :-■■■■ '.. : . i

-Much as the rival Hues of steamers ! have done for the Colony, it falls Car short of what is being done for America by the fierce competition of the rjyaj. 1 Jiueg on the Atlantic. I observe from recent quotations that the cutting is so keen that steerage passengers are taken from Liverpool to New York for £1 12s. and from Antwerp to New York for £2 ; while, owing to the competition Vtetween the railroad lines, an emigrant can ge from Liverpool U Chicago for £1 IBs, ami as far as San Ftanciseo for £9 4s. Competition is raid to be the soul of business, though probably the companies would in this case prefer business without soal. But if a small modicum of this competition could take the placo of the friendly understandings into which rival com panics trading to the Antipodes are prone to fall, it would l>e better for the Colony. At all events, one can see. how heavily handicapped New Zealand is in the race for settlers, when the cost of transit to America is such a bagatelle

At the Launceston Cup meeting (writes the Tasmania!) correspondent of the Ag«) an arrest was made which is likely to lead to an unravelling 01

ftfp-nnrstpry"sorronn«Hng tin? D«>neonstield bank roM>eiy. The poli c had reason to believe that an a'tempt would be made to pass some of the stolen notes, and a detective was therefore sent up from Hobart to watch the movements of one of the Barretts, who, it will be reineinheivd, were originally arrested for the robbery, t*at, as there was no evidence agaiust them, were discharged, and afterwards brought actions for damages aguinst the Bank, and were paid £175 each as compensation. During the races the younger Barrett whs oloerved to change at a pnblican's liooth a£s note, from which the word " Beaconsfield," in red letters, had lieen partly effaced. He was forthwith arrested, and on lieing searched, six notes of a similar description were found on him. He was then conveyed to Georgetown, and on the next day was brought np and committed for trial. The At-torney-general has decided that both he and Ward, who stands committed ©n the charge of perjnry in connection with the bank robbery shall be tried at Hobart, in order that they may to removed from the influence of local feeling, whici is very strong at Launceston. The trials are looked forward to with more than ordinary interest, as they will probably lead to the detection of all who were in any way concerned in the robbery.

News from Hongkong to Ffl'oary 7 says : — The French attack on K«lnn£ and Tamsui has been postponed for the present, and the Chinese there are making every preparation for rerist ance. Admiral Conrljet has now nearly 4000 men at his orders. Three thousand Chinese braves are l»eing despatched from Canton to assist in repelling a Fr »noh i attack on Fo mow. Tim French fleet still maintains a strong blockade at Tamsui. and no mails are allowed to be landed with the exception of consular letters. The Flench vesse s are sinking jnnks and small hoaU along the Formosau coast, and tht* Chinese fonnd in them are removed to Kelunjj and made to work on the for- | tifications. They are chained np at ; night to prevent escape, and are very badly fed.

According to tli*» Wellington P.*st the f>olice in that city have had their. minds exercised ov«r the freaks of one of the crew of an ocean steamer. It says :— A fireman befouling a police prosectftjou yesterday afternoon. H«* jumped into the water off the Queen"* Wharf with the whole of his clothes on, and in less than fir* minndw h« divested himself of every particle of clothing. He the.it swam to one. of the piles, ami climbed np it like a rat, and coinm«nc«d to disport him-wlf on the wharf while in a state of nndity, A constable who was on duty iv tilt* vicinity, endeavoured to arrest him on a charge of intlei-HnS exposure, but w»* proven ted fmru carrying out his purpose in cojwequencv of a tfaug of lirenieu catching tin the fellow au«l bear* ing him off in triumph tq tiK> vftwrl, where Uiey stowed htm away ont of the reach of the. police officer.

A ] ;il tore. r stood the other morning(says the Masterton Daily) with a l>unch of plaited voru in bis coat to notify that he was in want of harvesting work. This old English method of advertising bad the desired effect in this instance, as an employer of lalior engaged the bearer of the badge..

For inoculating tbe Empress Catherine in St. Petrrsl>urg, l>r Dinnsdale received £12,000 in cash, a life pensiou of £500 yearly, and the rank of Baron. Sir W. Gull received for going to Paris, the other diy. th« sum of Jt' l,ooo and £1500 for going to Perthshire and staying a week with a patient.

Tbe Archhishoh of Canterbury, the Primate of all England, has an amount income of £15,000 in addition to Lambeth Palace, bis London or city residence. Archbishop of \ork, th«t Primate of England, receives £10,000 a year, besides two residences and a large household of officials. The tithes of some of the other bishops are : London, £10.000 ; Durham, £7000 ; Winchester, *7l00; Ely, £5500 ; an. l Bath, Lincoln, Oxford, Salisbury, and Worcester, LSOOO each. Tbe Bishop of Sodor and Man, who has neither cathedral nor deanery, gets £2000 a y>ar for doiag nothing.

Th« "following 11 a good example of the difference punctuation makes in the meaning of tome things. Hera in au account of the appearance of Lord Palmerston iv the House of Common*, taken from an English country paper : — " Lord. Palmeratou then entered On his bead, a white hat upon his feet* rJfrrge bot,weil-poli*h«*d boots, upon bia~ hrovr. & dark cloud in bis band, bis faithful walking-stick in his wye,* »- menacing gleam saying nothing. uHe sat down."

The price of a Frenchman's heed is minutely stated in the Chinese proclamation reomitly. issued by tll<i Canton officials to encouragK thfeir countrymen against the foe. The value of » prize varies, of course, with the grade of the slain. Thus £35 will b**pai<t> for the head of <>aeh common soldier or sailor, and the tariff rises from £175 a tnandership with the peacock's feather for an inferior officer, to LSSOO and a inanderinship with the kingfisher feather for the trophy of a commander-in-chief. Capture, of ships and cannon are to be rewarded in similar proportion, and the ingenimw Chinameu who can originate a plain leading to th« defeat of the Frtmb, shall be paid L10.50Q.

In olden times it was customary to ratify an agreement with a bent coin.

Dick : •• How oW are tm ?" Joe* I'mgoin'on five." Dick' "Oh that ain't much ; I'm eight." Joe : *' Well, yon needn't be so stuck wn about it. Mjr viii sijß I c-jim ••• f»i-»' », ■••' • \«"» slit- g»'ts» uiairiuu - o - .

An aboriginal in Victoria kicked liU to death. She had money and wouldn't divide. his comes of educating blacks. He had probably ><" n reading a newspaper. An Italian firm in Chicago handles about 10,000 old hata a mouth. They buy shorn of the j'itik ; ;lealr».-s a-»d wi m'-'i, ill p.ty one a. id' two cents a ni". 1 f:) • ths^-u. Vi *v slap tlieni to $ v Y> :, wii^f--. . Mt'-y 'uv soil to hat *v:l>i< j 3, whic'i ;.» ty ci^ht a!M? ten ••e:its e:\e!i for so:vid Wals. The avers -a ' o •■•*«!. -im.-I Mojk fliem, aud they ■> • '> » k v >,- 4d A each. \-i ■:, ■■;■■■; >l -"^ll tit ..•ail.Jfllt a . ,__;., :.; -■ -.;s;i fl-:iwer. " U ■••■.-'":•• i ■■;■■ M ;-X O it, "vh • oNyjii vaut i tlia ilwwfi'?" "Oh, n.tiii^," aaifi the man sheepishly, bicki'i^ .off .-kxid trying to «^t away. 41 Well, lon't let me. disturb yon. Go ahead ; you'H find exactly what you say you want I've found th» same thing therefor the past six weeks."

firmly. He. is not to ' c turned aside by the danger of quarrelling with England over disputed claims to territory ; nor by the vexations of distant wars to secure the knd seized, such as the recent affray iv the Oaineroons, least ef all by the determined obstruction of political opponents at home. The latter, however, will do more in the long rtri to limit his ambition than anything e'se; and the recent debate is on* of many symptoms which show that his scheme for colonial aggrandise meht is not popular with the Germau nation at large.

or hun a

Skiwvt Mem.— "Wells' HeaHh Renewer," restores health and vigor cures Dysppesia, Impotence, Debility, At dru^ists. K^mpthorn a , Prosser, & Co., Agents, Christchu r ch.

ONE BOX OF CLARKE'S B 41 PtLLSfja warranted to cure all discharges frnm the L T rin;\ry Organs, in either sex (acquired «»r coiistitutionnl), Gravel, and Pains in the Bick. Guaranteed free fr»»m Mercury. Sold in Boxes, '4s. 6d each, by all Chemist* and Patent Medicine Vendors : Sole Proprietors, The lavcolx ai»» M-rntAND CnpjfTiES Druo C«»., Liny coin, England. Wholesale of all the Wholesale .Houses.

.J' LandloH !" cried an irritated traveller who had been eating apple pie at A restaurant, as he h*ld on** hand trth'm sliattoi-f-d jaw and produced a cimb!<4 with the other. " Look at this onfoutid^d <»iinbl«t I've foond in yont pin and brokw half the teeth in my head out on!' Well, I declare !" said the landlord. " I wanted to use that yesterday and hunted all over for it. Much o'diged."

A certain fashionable suburb at Eastbourne has Rt!irt<Hl itu three nights a- wei-k l.aljs, the consequence Wing that three nights a reek. little Mr Jinks has b«com^ rather lat« ia returning to his sleeping premises. *' I know all about it, Mr Jinks," said the fair larlv who prqsidos . o»ar th*» board ills' arrange' nents at his r«»idence, " l\\» lust night I Heard you pass my door 'later thin ever Do you really suppose M ins Montgomery car«s alioat your staying so long ?" '•I'll. t>A\ yo-1 !):»w that was," replied the va-\u in r^iiaoii^lv. '* You see she was >siLti ;i i ')! my i-i'ih!) li'it, and I felt a Jitt!" ■d^lii^ff* rtU'-mt uientioning the l.iat V> h*>t." "Ah, men in love ar« not practical peopK I know, so you won't mind my giving you Ji piece of Advice. Next time don't hang y«ur hat on your knee."

Thf. world in some of its sections must he growing very rich, says the " Anglo, Australian," in $he European Mail. 'At all event?, I am told that the demand for saf«*s, strong rooms, and unpickablft locks is : constantly increasing, and tliis demand is <'sp»cially strong from Australia, where tlw bank's ai-« taking, apparently, to st««l 'saffS. One of the latest things oat in this form of. public and private security is a keyl«ss lock, which v provided with a dial, and can b<e opened. only by means of a secret formula pf. numbers. ..--,..

•• Ob I me, 1 am so happy since I said yes to d«ar George." "I am glad to hear it my dear." " I shall never forget his fiiit kiss, He put his left arm ftrottiHi m*», dr«# m*' quickly Op to him, place! his right haiirt lovingly on my hair and pressed- my lips so gently." "Spc ln*re, child, you bVtter break with that young man." "Why what format" '* Ha has had too niach experience*" •.

Whose is the Mahjli? — His rvuhft is Mahomet Adiuwnt. H» is a native of the Province, of Dbngola. His father was a carpenter. Aa a boy the Mahdi' was appeenti<«ed to a boat-builder near Bhendy. This- man was his uncle. Having been beaten l»y him he rah away to Khartotjio. Here he received a general edeca-tion at a freH school, and especially stndied religious teachings, He .was more proficient in these than io the mnte commonplace retirements of writing figuring. By-an by he went to Berl>er, and. joined another free school there, thus completing his relrginus, education. Retiring to the island of Abba, ue«r Jtana, op the WljitH Nile, lie liv«*d &hn life of -a religions reclußp, gradually attracted a great many followers, liecame very wealthy, man-ierl several wiws, and grew famons. . He was instenions- in his raniTiage matters. The Koran allowed him only four wives *fc a time. He vvas adevoiit laan, and hence , must keep within the l«^ali»«nl-. w umber; so when he grew tir«d of one. wife, and was attracted l>y the ch»inr.s of some unrijarrird lady, he divorced the former ftud madn up the qu irt^tte »>T marrying U»e Tatter. As to his personal nppeararice, he is taM' and slim, vvitJi a black he»vd indalightbiowncomplexion. He is said to have great natural ability. He is about forty years old. Offt reason t«esidea his successe* why he has been no enthusiftsticaHy receivexl by the Mohammedans is that th«y had Ween for some years looking forward to the coming of a new Prophet whose advent was foretold by Mohammed. The Mahdi gave himself oat as that true Prophet, charged with the minion of working nnmerons reforms. — "■ Adelaide Observer." .

The ganu; of " grab" proceeds merrily and #t Wiw T»te the whol« surface of the eafth will soon' \te. parcelled out amongst- the leading ctvjlig«d PewerK, Franc*, says tli» " Homp Nhws," may begin to }ie«Htit«» a little whether her colonial entwpmp* are whVth the price she hat to pay for them, *»nC* ghe Still casts longing eyes on Baranrlwoald sw^low npfche Sultan of Morocco and Jiis kinitdotn ; at on6e if she dan-rt. , Tfhe l>nit«d Btatos has been stirred to protest, probably' to opposition, against tlie annexation of the Sanna»i Islaii'ls by Nhw Zf-ilaud. Italy Bees h«r advantage in ft clow alliance with England, and a better change, when ntider onr 'wing, of obtaining a foothold in Africa. \ lint Germany, in the person of iU Chan*e\U>r, eontina^s most «ftg«»r for colonia! extension. Prince Bismarck has marked out his new colonial policy, it if said, and on ans to adbt-rc t# it