AN ACCOMMODATING DEFENDANT.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 10589, 24 February 1900, Page 7

AN ACCOMMODATING DEFENDANT.

"This is the sort of thing I object to," said the Wellington Magistrate {the "Post" reports) when the following peremptory telegram (signed) was handed to him:—"Can't attend to-day - can pay 10s a month; kindly' make order."

A BRILLIANT CHARGE OF LANCERS.

The 16th (Queen*) Lancers, who are about to quit India for service in Soul- Africa, are 'holders of at least one record whereof any regiment might be pseud, To them belongs ihe distinction of being the only regiment of British cavalry that has vanquished a square of infantry in fair fight. It happened at the battle of Aliwal, in the Punjaub, and the issue of the charge was determined in an extraordinary manner. Without receiving any orders to do so, tie Lancers suddenly changed their weapons to the bridle hand, so that the Sikhs received the thrusts of the lances in their bodies instead of on their shields.

BOOMS IN BOOKS.

In his review of book sales during the past year, Mr J. : H. Slater records some curious if not profoundly interesting facts. Of course, the boom in early Kaplings and Stevensons lasts; but there -has been a drop in both, just because the discovery of additional copies has damped the pride of exclusive ownen_ip. " For this reason Mr Kipling's "Schoolboy _yrics" lately fell in price from £135 to £46; In-is "Athengeum" article, Mr Slater refers to the suspicion that forgers may have been trying their luck with some of Stevenson's early trifles (carelessly knocked off in an idle hour). Anyhow, these trifles, "with no pretensions to literature," fetch ihigh prices. The chronicler complains that $uc_ prices are "hard of defence" when contrasted with those paid) for first editions of the greatest English classics.; Why attack or defend? You may argiie with the weather 55 with a 'book crank.

THE BOERS AND THE DEVIL.

The story of the Transvaal Boer 1 who believed that the Bible was originally written in Dutab, reminds a correspondent of the "Daily News" of another one* winch, he understands, is gernerally credited in South Africa. A Dutch minister, lately arrived fron) Holland, was rebuked by an old farmer for having expressed doubts of the reality of a personal devil. 'T can show you his protrait," said the Boar; amd, ta—lng down his family Bible, which was adorned with woodcuts of an antique type, he turned to a presentment of tie conventional evil one, with horns ahd bail. "There!" exclaimed the Boer, triumphantly; "you have doubts about the existence of the devil There ia a picture of him, and that is the word of God' T_e Boer had -ft-ly believed the artist, as well as the writers, to have been inspired.

INSURANCE OF MUNICIPAL OFFICERS.

An Auckland telegram reports that at a -meeting of tbe City Council a communication was road, signed by the managers of the New Zealand Accide—t Insurance Company and St_ndard Insuragice Company, protestine «ap__*fc the fid*—cty guarantee business of the Council being given to a foreign office. It was pointed out that the New Zealand Accident and Standard offices were both purely colonial institutions, with their head offices in Auckland and Dunedin. Mr Sticbbu-ry pointed' out that tha matter had been before tlie Finance Committee, and, the offer of the Ocean Company was so much less than that of t3ie New Zealand Accident Comp-ny that th© Committee decided to accept the tender of t_e Ocean Company, 12s 6d per £100. The tender of the New Zealand Accident office was 18s, so they had charged the oßd rates. After the majority of tihe councillors had spoken for and against, it was agreed to adopt the report of the Finance Committee, and accept the tender of the Ocean Company.

MUNICIPAL LOANS,,

Aii Au_a___''telegram states that the Ma—"- at the meeto—g of the City Council, me—tioned that though tenders for the city loam were open unit— March 31st, certain persons were desirous of, placing their money out at interest at once. It would be for the Counc_ to say if they would at once accept those sums at 4 per cent-, and so save the extra 1 per cent, now being paid to tha Bank. The Council might do that if they were satisfied they would not get money at less than 4 per cent.; but it would be itnwise to accept if there was a probability of money being borrowed at 3$ -per cent. It was moved that the money be accepted at once if tenders are prepared to accept the average rate paid for the.whole sum borrowed by the Council at March 31st. On, being put the motion was losk

MR DOOLEY ON THE WAR.

Mr Dooky has, of course, his own views on the war. He has been reading his friend Hinnissy a lecture on under-estinaating your enemy. He explains 'how- the Christmas "cotillyon" at Pretoria did not come off. The absent-minded -beggar goes out in "thransports iv pathreet—_a an' pothry." But somebody leaves the IntelLect deposited in the banks at home: "What's th' raysult, Hinnissy? Th' British marches up with their bands playin' ah' their flags flyin', f r 'tis a thradition iv th' British ar-rmy that w_r is bein'shot at. T—at's wrong. War is shoot-in* at th' other fellow. An' th' Boers squat behind a. bouldher or a three or set'comfortable in th' bed iv a river an' bang away. Their on'y thradition is that it's betther ,to be a live Boer thin a.dead hero, which comes, perhaps, "to', th' same thing." Mr Hinnissy points out that after all the same'thing has been done on their side of the Atlantic. To which Mr Dooley replies: "We were in a d'kream, too. Th' on'y thing is'that th* otjher fellow was in a trance. We woke up first." Unfortunately, it can't be said the Boers havebeen _aywhere near a trance, while as to our dreams—there is no denying them.