OMNIUM-GATHERUM.

THE Melbourne Age says:—The New Zealanders should spare a little time ■from their experimental legislation ie order to bring their libel law moro nearly in touch with modern civilisation. Work is undoubtedly scarce, but fhe hardest of times will not teach some people wisdom. We hear of two young men drawing a ctaquefor .£3O, " knocking it down" within a week, and then workless, penniless, and miserable, they pronounced the •country to be " no dashed good."— Hawara Star.

It is stated that Colonel Fox has •declined to draw his salary, on the .ground that he iocs not think people should be paid for doing nothing, which is what be is compelled to do. It is further stated that he lias practieally given up the nominal duties he was " permitted " to perform, pending the decision of Parliav ■snenti.

A clergyman, interrogating a Sun« (Hay-school class of boys, said: "What is a miracle?" "Dunno." "Well, if the sun were to shine in the middle of the night what would you say it -was?" "I should say it »vas the moon." "But if you'were told it was the sua what should you say it iras?" "A lie." "I don't tell lies, My boys. Now, suppose I assured you it was the sun, what would you gay?" "That yer wasn't quite sober."

Although the market for flax is almost at a standstill, it confidently •expected (says the Manawatu Times) 'that a smart rise in value may soon he looked for. The stocks at Home must now be falling very low as the output for thar last twelve months has ken almost nil, and it is thought by good judges that Home buyers will soon commence operating for next season's harvest. Some time ago feinp was absolutely unsaleable in the •colony. Now we are informed there is a demand for an unlimited quantity at about £lO per ton, and this is regarded as a very hopeful sign by those interested in the trade. If ■about £l4 or £ls per ton were offered, nearly all the mills would start 'work agaiti. and it is greatly to be 'hoped that this valuable industry may soon commence to flourish once more.

Under the new rules for the •Magistrate's Court the allowances to "witnesses have been fixed as follows: —Gentlemen, merchants, bankers, and •d'tkr professional men per diem, 15s to 20s; auctioneers, accountants, •clerks, farmers, and tradesmen, 8s to L?s; artisaus and journeymen, 7s to Ss; labourers, ?s to 8s; female witnesses one - half the above sums. Scientific or expert witnesses :-For •qualifying to give evidence, from 10s to £s'; attending Court on trial per •diem, 10s to £2. Solicitors' fees : For entering plaint, under £2, no fee; £2 and under £5 os; £5 and under £2O, ss; £2O and under £45,, 10s; •over that sum, £l. Appearance in Gourt to conduct action in defended •cases:—Under £2 no fee, £2 and mider £5. £1 Is; £5 and under £2O, £tls; £2O and under £45, £2 2s; over that sum 5 percent. Inunde«. fended cases, £2 and under £5, no fee; £5 and under £2O, 10s 6d: £2O and under £45, £l. Is; over, 2^per •cent.; in tenement cases £l Is to £2 •2s. ' ■:■•.'■■' -v., * . . .: ■•

The Bombay Gazette affirms that the existence of cannibalism in India ■ among the revolting sect 'of the Aghori is placed beyond a doubt, by the testimony '"'of travellers in 'the past and the records of the Irdian 'Courts,'of Law in more recent times. ."References in ancient Sanskrit literature show that human flesh.was sold' ■publicly in the markets. The Aghoris, it is proved, still exist, and practise their' foul rites. The < astonishing tiling, in the opinion of this writer, is that these ghouls are permitted, or were until quite recently permitted, t» : frequent the burying haunts of Benares, and in Nassia to levy black''nail, which was given to them lest they should devour the remains of the •defunct, To them, it is said, there is sio distinction between castes or between the righteous ov the unrighteous. .Their " doctrine" is to rever* <ence no one except God and the '"gutu," op the religious teacher, to ilbaveno care in life, to sleep any "■where, to have no scruples about anytiling to subdue the natural tastes by •eating human flesh and all else that 'inhuman, as well as the carrion of .reptiles. The law which forbids one person io insure the life of another for his own benefit, unless he has an interest in such life, is founded on the simple ; principle that to permit " wagering " •on human lives would, apart from Other obvious objections, be to furnish an incentive to murder, Simple . as the principle is, however, it does ■ not, says the Daily News, seem to be •Ruderstood in quarters' where one would expect to find it scrupulously respected. From a case tried in the :St. Helen's County. Court it appears that an innkeeper and his wife in that town hid been induced by an Insur* -ance office agent to insure the life of

an old man named Martlow, a cousin of theirs then in the workhouse, for £SO. It was clearly a purely speculative transaction; and it was stated by the agent that he had been given by his principals to understand that "'any relation could insure auothev relation." That this was no isolated instance must be inferred from the fact that another witness stated that he too ,had insured the deceased though in another Company. The innkeeper had paid the premiums regularly for several years until Martlow died, but the Company refused to pay the LSO, on which action was brought. The Judge decided that although the policy was by law void, the plaintiff was entitled to recover the premiums amounting to L 22, which were obtained through their agent's misrepresentation.

' Addressing an audience in Melbourne recently on the liquor traffic, the Eev. L. M. Isitt said that Victoria was the most drunken of the Australian colonies, and, this statement elicited the only opposition of the evening. "Western Australia is worse," said a venerable old gentleman who rose in the body of the hall, The lecturer admitted he was not pre* pared to contradict the statement, but he knew that the drink bill of Victoria tier head of population was L 4 17s 6d per annum. "It's more in Western Australia," persisted the old gentleman, who would not have the young, est colony'deprived of its bad eminence. " Then go to Western Australia and reduce it," said the lecturer. " I have been fighting against it there for forty-four years," was the reply. It was then seen that the interruption did not come from one of the " red noses," whose absence from the meeting the speaker deplored, but from a friend. I'.l am told," he, repeated, " that the average in Victoria is at least L4l7s 6d,' r "It's over L 6 in Western Australia," persisted the old gentleman, amidst roars of laughter, and he was allowed to carry hi 3 point. The lecturer proceeded to state that in New Zealand the drink bill was I2 os6d per head, and yet for the year 1893 the secular papers chronicled a death or a tragedy every second day as the result of drink, and in 1894 that average was more than maintained. What, thenj must the record be in Victoria ?

An illustration of the effect of the Victorian prohibitive duties is now being afforded (says the Argus) in the exodus of the Melbourne representa. lives of several of the large English publishing/- firms, several; of whom have already gone to Sydney, while others contemplate takiug the same step. While the duties on'their commodities were not higher than 20 per cent, most of these large London firms had agencies in Melbourne. The practical part of the business of publishing and bookbinding permits of the carrying on' of such other pursuits as fancy leather work, stationery, &c, and in these lmes there was formerly a good trade, Most of these firms had their head* quarters in Melbourne,.and where these are not being transferred wholly to Sydney, an agency is being established there. Those acquainted • with the business consider that in a little while Melbourne will thus have lost the great bulk of that particular business. One firm, Marcus Ward and Co., Has already, gone. Collins Brothers and Co,Limitedpvho have for many years had, a Melbourne house, are now closing upland in a fe»v days will have gone to Sydney, which will be their Australian head* quarters in, the future. Other firms who have made ; Melbourne their centre of operations hitherto, while still keeping a' Melbourne agency open, have started in Sydney, and expect to do the bulk of their business there. The well-kuown firm .of Eyre & SpofctiSwoode has agencies in both cities, but the Melbourne house will probably be closed at an early date. The reasons given by the i-epre-sentatives of these firms for the transfer of their agencies is exclusively the disastrous effect of the increased duties.