Scintillations.

Auckland Star, Volume XI, Issue 3163, 8 September 1880, Page 2

Scintillations.

"Bo br'of; for, it is with words as with sunbeams ; tho more they aro condensed, the deeper they burn,"—SOuthky.

THE mostprominout feature at the Mayor's conversazione last night was tho number of parsons present. The Anglican and Roman Catholic Bishops sat side by side oh the platform, and priest and presbyter fraternised harmoniously in the hall. A soiree is one of the few mild dissipations which the clergy arc allowed.

Garrard is au old hand at tho agitation business. He distinguished himself in the same Hue in Waikato several years ago, and was immortalised in doggerel verse of by no means complimentary deecriptiOD, stuck on the puut.

A young and rising disciple of Esculapius of Queensland has disappointed all the marriagable ladies of Brisbane by marrying his housekeeper at the Rcgistrar-Geueral s oilicc.

Several State schools in Victoria have beeu closed in consequence of the prevalence of measles.

Tho Artizans Union in New South Wales is organising for tho elections in New South Wale?, now near at hand.

Next to tho parsons, the Scotchmen were distinguished amoug the Mayor's guests. Three of tho speakers (including the Mayor) hailed from the Land of the Thistle, whilo the Hose and the Shamrock had only one representative each. Tho drill bought in Sydney by Dr. Hector to test tho strata of the Thames goldGcld, and which, like all other Government property, was immediately seized by tho South, is tcstiug for coal at the Kaueiri river, near llokitika.

A Vcrmontcr has had three dollars damages awarded him for being butted over tho fence by his neighbour's bull. Tho smallness of tho sum is duo to the plaintiffs avowal that he was tryint: to got over the fonco aa quickly as possiblo, so that tho bull only helped him in currying out an intention conceived of his own free will. The lata fire which destroyed the native town of Ban, Fiji, makes the third timo it has been burnt to the ground in 11 ycar3. Somo of tho houses, from (ho labour bestowed on them, were worth fully £1,000, and tho ouly buildings saved were King Cabobau's residence and tho churcli* Oiio of tho prospecting narty in tho Wairarupa ranges (near Pulmerston) has brought in specimens to WelliiiKton, and tho Mayor and other influential citizons are taking steps to have the liud tested. Mr Charles Bright has beon lecturing in Sydney on tho contradictions, misstatcmonts, und exaggerations of tho Now Testa-

ment. • Ho m UHicnl programme at the I üblic Library celebration was remarkably well arruugod by Mr Gordon Goocb. That gontlcman's voice, however, was rather too powerful tor tho smull ball. Mr Wilson has a lino tenor voice, well cultivated. Mis personal rcscmblauce to his musical instructor was remarked. Tho freight fares for ChincHO from Sydney to Mulbourue, by steamor, arc down to £50 per 100. A Detroit young woman tried to bo aristocratic, and did nut look lit tho money that she gave to tho horse car conductor, but ho meekly gave her back tho lozengo on which was written, "I'll never cease to love theo I" and said ho was an orphau with live little brothers to support, uud must bo excused.

The export of coal from Newcastle, New South Wales, Uiu week beforo lust, amounted to 20,406 tons. The tomb of Eve, at Jeddau, i 3 CO feet long. If our mother's size was anything like that of her tomb, her children now aro miserably degenerated creatures. Two warders and a nurse, who brought chargea of druukeiineH« against the matron and the dispenser in Wellington hospital, failed to prove their charges, and hayo been dismissed. Nevertheless, the institution was greatly disorganised, and is to undergo sweeping reforms. Tho weather in Syducy and the surrounding districts U of a most summer-like appearance The grass is drying up last, and feed and water is yery scarce. A drought is feared. The Licensing Bench at Wellington yesterday granted two new license*, on the ground that recognised houses under the control of tho police w..c less pernicious than unlicensed clubs.

Mr J. Campbell, 8.A., gave a most eulogistic accouut of the Hot Lako District of Ni!w Zealand in a lecture at Syducy recently. Iv the cose of tho New Zealand Insurance Company ngainst tho ' South British, at Brisbane, it was decided that each party pay their own costs of the hearing of the case.

A rush has set in to Fagur's Creek, 17 miles along tho beach from Greymouth. A half-pennyweight to the dish is reported. Mr Maneon, the indcfutigable ageut of the Waltham Watch Company, has left Sydney tor the Melbourne Exhibition. Tho Duncdiu Licensiug Bench refused eight applications for new licenses yesterday, on the ground that they would entail increased police surveillance. The Bishop of Brcchin, of the Scottish Episcopal Church, says that when disestablishment in Scotland, to which the. present Government was at least inclined, comes, it will make an enormous difference to the Episcopal Church in that country. 'lho Christchurch cabmen are glorying in their victory over tho tramway company, and asserted their right yesterday by blocking the cud of tho tramway at the railway station, forcing passengers to alight away from the station.

Warning to young people matrimony—Brimstone is the end of all matches.—"Boston Transcript." Very true. But only at one end of a match is there brimstone. There is a soft pine end, remember.—" Newllavenßegister." Yea : but the soft pine comes before marriage. The Irish Presbyterian General Assembly has again remanded the question of instrumental music in public worship to tho Presbyteries, and refused to proceed to bring under discipline ministers who had introduced musical instruments in church.

Mr Androw Maxwell, manager of tho South British Company in J)unedin conies iip to tho head oilice here. Mr A. Murray il\U the vacaucy at Dunedin.

A gentleman who has been surveying roads through tho Opuawhanga Block, near Whangarei, was heard to oxpross his astonishment yesterday, at such good land not being 'rushed'when it could be obtained for nothing under tho ' lloniostcad system.' The answer is, that tho district is unknown where thero is a demand for such land.

No lady who has been before a divorce court, however innocent she may he, or on whichsoever side sho may havo been, is permitted by etiquetto to havo her name pass for a drawing-room at the English court.

A pretty girl "out West" told her beau that she wns a mind-reader. " You don't say so !" ho exclaimed. "Can you read what's in my mind!" "Yes," said she ; " you have it in mind to ask mo to be your wife, but you're just a little scared at the idea." The wedding-cards are our.

First-class stock actors in London receive as much as £20 to £40 a week. .

When the American colonies declared their Independence in 1776, the entire populatiou was only two and a half millions. The census .inst taken will, it is expected, show fifty million inhabitants, ami a statician has calculated that if the same ratio of increase continues during the next hundred years, the population in 1980 will be a, thousand millions !

Mr Khrenfricd, the well-known brewer of tho Thames, has won golden opinions by paying up 20s in the pound on all the debts wiped off in an insolvency at Dunedin some years ago. Considering that Mr Ehrenf ried has thus voluntarily disbursed several thousands of pounds which could never have been claimed, his honourable conduct merits all the praise bestowed upon it.

The Christchurch people havo unabated confidence in the earth-closet system, and the Licensing Commissioners congratulated the hotel-keepers upon complying with their wishes by carrying it out. Tho site of tho city is so level tnat Christchurch has already an unenviable pro-eminenco as the worst drained and most unhealthy city in the colony. This fact, to say nothing of the porous character of the limestone formation from which, the water supply is drawn by atte*ian wells, renders earth closets highly desirable.