MISCELLANEOUS EXTRACTS

Bruce Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 1759, 18 June 1886, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS EXTRACTS

Austria i 3 taking steps to swell her army to 2,200,000 men, counting all reserves, and Russia is preparing to meet the Hapsburg Empire at all points. The latest advices from Berlin state that on the occasion of the departure of the Russian Court; for the Crimea the utmost precautions were taken for the safe journey of the Imperial family ; the railway lines were guarded by 100,000 men. At the Temperance Hall, Auckland, last Sunday night Mr H. W. Farnall f delivered an address on the subject of the "Divine right of kings as being applicable only to Queen Victoria, but to na other potentate." There was

only a limited attendance. He endeavoured to show by a chain of history, connecting the Old Testament with that of the New Testament, and the latter with the present time, that the promise of God to David that his seed should continuously reign over Israel had been fulfilled, and that Queen Victoria was now seated on the throne of David, and was his direct lineal descendant, and that the coronation stone now in Westminster was no other than David's stone, and carried with it David's sceptre. Hence Queen Victoria reigned by Divine right. A writer in a French astronomical paper proposes a re-arrangement of the calendar, which would save all the trouble and expense caused by the necessity at present of producing a fresh calendar for every year. He proposes to start January with 30 days, February with 31, and so on, the months alternately containing 30 and 31 days, December, however, containing 31 only in leap year, 30 every other year. The last day of an ordinary year is not to be counted as belonging to any week, it is to be a nameless holiday. In leap year the last two days are to be nameless holidays, the year is to start on a Sunday. Thus every year will start on a Sunday, and the same day of a month will always be the same day of the week. If September 3, for example, is a Tuesday one year it will always be a Tuesday. Notwithstanding the cry of depression the stream of nominated immigrants is well kept up. The parties here have to pay £10 down for each adult, the classes nominated requiring to be farming people, married or single, and single women who are domestic servants. Tradesmen and mechanics can only be nominated subject to the nominators giving substantial guarann tees for constant employment on arrival, and then only in special cases, with the sanction of the Minister for Immigration. The £10 pays all depot charges in England, outfit, bedding, &c, on shipboard, and entitles the parties nominated to passage by direct steamer. This class of immigration is found to be the very best possible, and is leading to the introduction of a superior class of immigrants. Colonists do not pay £10 a head to bring out the drones and " bad eggs " among their relatives in the mother country, but rather friends who will be a source of strength, and a credit to tham. Considerable strictness is exercised at the A gent- General's office, both as respects the health and character of the applicants. In the case of the single women, they have to give references and a satisfactory account of themselves, as to whether at home or afc service for two years previously. — 'Auckland News.' It appears that one of the conveyances of St. Leon's Circu3 broke down at the foot of Marsden hill, and a cage with a couple of wild animals had to be left behind. In consequence, every horse that came by while the caged felines remained there, immediately scented their ancient enemy, and shuddered with fear, just as if they had practical experience of the danger of a leopard at some previous period, instead of it being an inherited aversion. — ' Grey River Argus.' A despatch from lowa of April 11, says : — The Clark Liquor Law has struck consternation to the hearts of the saloon keepers in many of the principal cities of the State where liquor selling has been going on slyly. The saloons were all closed here to-day. At Cedar Rapids thirty saloon keepers said they would close. At "Waterloo the saloons were closed. At Davenport, Muscatine, Keokuk, and Burlington liquor sellers have heretofore defied the law, but it is believed they will now give up and stop. The breweries have been making a drink called *' prohibition,' a light beer ; and a fight will be made to test the law on that. In the course of an interview with a reporter from the Auckland ' Star ' a dignitary of the church, whose name is not given, bufc who was present at the recent Plenary Council in Sydney, said : — " The New Zealand Bishops are immediately subject to the Holy See, and the Australian Bishops have no control over them. They will have a hierarchy of their own soon. A fourth diocese is to be created in New Zealand, Christchurch most likely being its centre, aDd the constitution of this diocese will entitle New Zealand to have a metropolitan." This (says the ' Post ') confirms the rumor current during the recent visiG of Cardinal Moran that Bishop Redwood is likely soon to be advanced to the dignity of Archbishop of New Zealand. " A morphinomaniac " is held to be an irresponsible being. A young girl named Annette Gaudiu, accused of petty larceny, in France, was convicted and imprisoned. Counsel carried her case to the Court of Appeal, and argued that his client acted " under the influence of hypnotic suggestions." The tribunal instructed three medical experts to investigate the case ; and while their report discards the hypnotic plea, ifc states that the girl has become a morphinomaniac, owing to her abuse of that drug, that the theft she had committed was perpetrated in a condition of intellectual and moral disorder, and must be considered as " one of those intestine solicitations, which, in a mind debilitated by the malady, find no sufficient counterpoise of reflection and resistance." The girl was acquitted. Why do American Hop Bitters cure so much? Because they give good digestion, rich blood, and healthy action of all the organs.