General Intelligence.

Cromwell Argus, Volume XXVII, Issue 1360, 14 May 1895, Page 3

General Intelligence.

Mi 1 Labouchoro, writing in Truth on the great currency question, soys —“ i r regard a Bimetallist as either a welli meaning person under the inllueuce of | a delusion, or as an astute person possessed of a sdver-miue.” ‘ The Lyttelton Timas admits that Mr > Seddon’s boasted surplus is made up out of last year’s balance and borrowed money, and it refers to last year’s i Budget to show that Mr Ward never contemplated a surplus from any other sources. This is excellent from a Ministerial organ. Tuts is how the l uapekco Timas says a surplus cm bo made: “ Borrow .£IOO from a friend. Present salary £3OO per annum. Spend £399 dining the year, and you will have a surplus ot £l. ]{ yon add the £SO you borrowed last year it will swell the surplus considerably.” The latest walking-stick advertised is a novelty indeed. This artful contrivance is warranted to accommodate ten drinks, and to have a drinkingglass in the handle, and costs five shillings. Powder-puffs and other feminine vanities in sunshade handles become simply angelic by comparison witii this masculine novelty. I TTM munnfunf.npo nf «ruv xrocfuc in

±llls manutacture ot wax vestas in Victoria is a significant instance of thi folly of protection. For the sake oi keeping three men, two boys, and girls employed (and the girls only make from 8s to 10s a week) the colony loses £6,500 in doty. And all the while wax vestas are sold by the same manufacturers (11. Bell and (Jo.) at Is to Is 3d per gross cheaper in Sydney than in Melbourne. The Hok. Mu M‘Kenzie at Hastings had given a definition of some of his land purchases white elephants, saying that such animals were clean, and white and nice. Mr Hutchison said the white was the whitewash put on by the Waste Lands Committee ; but it was cracking off in big patches, and before Mr M'Kenzie had travelled the colony with his performing elephants, they would be black enough. Some gentlemen had a curious experience recently, says the MamuotUa Standard. A lady, well-dressed and pretty, entered their smoking carriage at Masterton, gaped haughtily at them, and then quietly took a cigar case from her pocket, cut the end of her cigar with a pearl-handled knife, and then lit it with the utmost gracefulness. She then opened the paper and read and puffed, like one accustomed from childhood to the situation, all the way to Wellington. The King of Corea was much impressed by the telephone. He immediately, at great expense, set about connecting by telephone the tomb of the Queen Dowager with the Lxoyal palace—a distance of several miles. Needless to say, though many hours a day wore spent by his Majesty and his suite in listening at their end of the telephone, and a watchman kept all night in case the Queen Dowager should wake up from her eternal sleep,

not a message, or a sound, or a murmur even, was heard, which result caused the telephone bo bo condemned as a fraud by his Majesty. The Glasgow V.M.C.a. has launched a scheme for a Residential Club which will sleep some 200 voting men at a cost of from 5s to 15s a week, with restuarant, reading, and writing rooms. A special building is being erected near the present site of the Y.M.O. A., from which it will be distinct in its manage ment. A company has been formed, and one-fourth of the shares have been taken up by Lord Overtone, which, at his request, will bear no dividend. Good luck to a scheme which will provide a homo for many a homeless young man. UNJJ institution of Coolgardie is evidently here to take root and flourish, and that is the “ two up ” school, {says the Guolyardie Miner.) Daily the gamblers gather, and it is said the stakes at times would astonish a 1 Marquis of Hastings or a Prince of 1 Wales by their large amount. Basi 1 ness may fluctuate and brokers miss 1 issuing a daily price-list, but the ( devotee of “ two-up ” sticks to his game 1 like a bull pup to his breakfast, and in 1 spite of colds, constables, and coolies. holds a daily levee. The present 1 location of the entertainment is right ( on to the town, and we expect to I see—so energetic arc the police—the '<■ ring established as in early days, fair in i the centre of our business street. i - 1

Tnu details of an extraordinary marriage scheme which has just been concluded have now transpired at Montreal, and the alf’iir is attracting a good deal of attention, owing to the novelty of the proposal. The scheme has been launched in connection with a large contingent of settlers of French birth or extraction who have come from Michigan, and have been gathered together by a piicsi named Father Paradis. They are now preparing to stare for .Scmiccamingue, in the province of Quebec, where lands have been secured. Among the colonists are 200 bachelors and an equal number of maidens, who are severally engaged to be married, but their weddings have not yet taken place because of poverty. Father Paradis, to urge each couple to join the colonists, promised to give each a farm, and to have a great marriage ceremony in public in April, when the whole 400 are to be married at the same time. (Jn this condition, they joined.

An illustration of “ sturdy independence ” (says an exchange) occurred at the Christchurch railway station the other day:—English visitor (to first porter) ; “ Will you get me my luggage, please.” First porter (pointing to second porter along the platform) ; “ That gentleman along there will get it for you.” The visitor walked towards the gentleman in question, and as he went he heard “ first gentleman ” call out to “second gentleman ” : “ Hi! Bill ! 'l'hat man wants his luggage.” There are some extraordinary instances of faulty weights and measures which were discovered and exposed by the London County Council Weights’ and Measures’ inspectors. There was a scale with one arm of the beam longer than the other, and customers only got Jib for a lb. A butcher’s 2lb weight hud beon hollowed and filled with cork. A Ijoz weight had been filed down at the bottom to \oz. One man had even slipped a small “ready reckoner” under the pan of a pair of scales. This man’s wit did not save him from his £5 or fourteen days.” I-Tkru is a new plan of mending grain sacks. The articles needed are : A n old grain sack that may be cut up for pieces, a batter made of flour and cold water, a hot flat iron, and an ironing board to fit inside the sacks. Place the board in the sack, with the hole to be mended on the upper side. Trim away the ravelled edges with the shears or a sharp knife. Cut out a patch having at least an inch margin larger than the hole. On this margin apply a coat of flour paste, place the patch in position, and press it thoroughly with a hot fiat iron. The batter penetrates both patch and sack, and firmly unites them. Pieces of denim, ducking or other like material may be used where bagging is not available. The process is so rapid that a hundred sacks may soon be repaired. Carpets may be neatly mended in the same manner without removing them from the floor. — American Agriculturist. Says the Wellington correspondent A the Christchurch Press :•* When die Hon. Mr Ward’s intention to visit London was first announced, it was itated, and with more freedom denied, hat lie was really going to London ipou affairs connected with the Southand companies with which he was losely identified. To-day a report caches me that, if true, goes to show liat that gentleman may have had a irge personal concern in proceeding to /tmdou clothed with the prestige of 'olonial Treasurer of the colony. It is -atod—and I shall be very pleased to mtradict tlie report if it prove uninudcd—that Mr Ward has cabled to 10 representative of a large commercial )iu:ern carrying on operations in outhland, asking that the business lay be placed uuder offer to him (Mr in London. It is further stated lat the business lias been placed lider offer at a price that has not inspired. It goes without saying lat if this be true and the transaction nue off it will probably result in a cuevolent monopoly of much interest ) the farmers and other producers of outhland.” Local bodies throughout the country ays the Tuapeka Times) are begining to exhibit serious concern in sference to the contemplated Local overnment Bill, by which counties ill be enlarged, their functions erged in a provincial council, and e principle of manhood suffrage iplied in the election of such bodies, mie of the councils in the North Island .ve decided to ask the Government circulate the proposed Bill amongst m! bodies before introducing it. io request is in every respect a isonable one, and there cannot be y grounds for assuming that it will c be readily agreed to. The present sal bodies represent those whoso ierests the contemplated measure iposes to deal with, and they can, jrefore, speak with authority on lalf of theiv constituents, who are ; contributories of direct taxation in i country. There is very little ibt that the measure will receive the ongest opposition from the whole of i local bodies of the country, with, Laps, a few exceptions on the West ist, whose position at the present u; is such that a change of any id would he welcome 1 with joy. c opposition from such essentially reseutative institutions as the uty councils of the country is no it matter, as the Government are, of rse, aware ; and it may be yet, and certainly should be, that before shange of such importance is underon, an appeal to the country will t be made. Tlie question is one t might with singular appropriate s be referred to the arbitrament of people through the medium of the ferendum.

The inker who makes a had joke »le• serves to have it turned on him, as it very often is. A man who dined at a restaurant was asked in the ordinary way by the waiter what he would have for the next course. “ You may bring me stowed apples and cream.” u Yes, sir.” “ Only let me have them without the cream.” “ Yes, sir.” “ And without the apples, please.” The waiter disappeared, and soon returned with a plate on which lay a spoon and a little powdered sugar. The customer looked surprised. “ It’s your stewed apples and cream, sir, without the stewed apples, and without the caeam,” said the waiter. The item figured ou the oiil just the same, and the customer had to pay it. Tit Bits.