General Intelligence.

Cromwell Argus, Volume XXVII, Issue 1375, 3 September 1895, Page 3

General Intelligence.

A CORRESPONDENT writing to a Northern paper makes strong u sensible comment on government legislation and its effects on the country. While poverty is increasing and deepening on every hand amongst the people, and the struggle for existence is becoming more intense, the tendency of the Ministers is to pile on the Customs tariff on the necessaries ot life, and increase salaries and create new offices. The new tariff, he very pertinently remarks, will crush life out of the working man. And while this is being done, billets are being made for scores of clerks and inspectors, the friends and the cousins and the uncles of Ministers and members. Only the other ay “ land valuer” was appointed at a salary of £BOO a-year And then the correspondent just referre tinuea: —“ A friend of mine at Carterton writes to inform me that 120 men had tickets for meals at 9d per head served out to them by the constable, during one month. Who pays for all this ? In Wellington the distress is terrible, and is only being relieved by private charity, and I hear the same story from all parts ot the colony. I think, therefore, salaries should be cut down instead of raised, and economy exercised in every direction. I was fool enough last election to vote for the Government candidate, but I won’t do it next time—if I am alive—l think we have plenty of laws to last us for the next twenty years, and I would like to see the people keep away from the polls altogether next election, all the professional politicians sacked, and no meeting of Parliament for five years.” A rather novel proposal is being put into effect at Napier, with a view to raising funds for the school prizes this year. A flower and vegetable exhibition is to be held, all exhibits to be grown by the children. It is expected that, whilst being decidedly instructive to the competitors, the new departure will prove a financial success. at Kumara the other day the Hev. Father O’Halihan met with a singular accident in a peculiar manner. While passing through the door of his stable, his spaniel bolted between his legs, tripping him up, and causing him to fall heavily on the frozen ground. The result was a fracture of -the right leg just above the ankle. Three youths, summoned at Albury for filling a ballroom with cayenne pepper fumes, were each fined £2, with an alternative of three weeks’ imprisonment. The Clutha Presbytery has made exhaustive" enquires resulting in a flndipg that prohibition in the district has been successful in a very marked degree. The Surrey Cricket Club is, indeed, a colossus in the way of expenditure. One thousand and forty-two pounds seven shillings and fourpence was paid simply to men who bowl at the nets, whilst the ground wages amount to £1,408 17s 3d. The Age, in urging the necessity for legislation in connection with the Chinese Cabinet-making trade, declares that at present there are not 20 European cabinet-makers at work in Melbourne, while there are fully 500 Chinese busily engaged night and day, and in many cases on Sundays. For what little work the white man can secure, they are shamefully paid, and can hardly earn a subsistence. The upholsterers, when renovating Government House for the reception of Lord Brassey, discovered that not a few of the articles supplied by Europeans unquestionably bore the stamp of the cheap Chinese manufacturer. Whenever any European-manufactured article finds favor, the middleman sends to the Chinese, who produce a cheap imitation. Some of the Chinese work for food alone, and others labor for 15 hours per day for a few shillings per week, “ Scrutator ” in the A/ew Zealand Mail on the Somerville murder case : “ 1 would sura up the result as being a discredit to the Crown, a gross injustice to the murdered man's relatives, an absurdly easy and lucky escape for the assassin, and a distinct triumph for Mr Jellicoe, who, with all his faults, is far and away the best special pleader, in an apparently hopeless case, that Wellington possesses.” And this from the Manawatu Farmer ;—“ Mr Jellicoe may have saved some from the gallows who ought to have been hanged; if so, he really ought to make atonement by going to the gallows himself.” : Twenty five thousand pilgrims are now waiting their turn at Lourdes, a French town, having a population of 600, for water from the spring in the famous grotto which is supposed to be possessed of miraculous healing powers. Scores have died on the journey, and others of the diseased are lying helpless at the railway station, where they clamor to be carried to the sacred grotto. Father Vailly, the organiser of the pilgrimage, declares that hundreds of marvellous cures have been effected. According to the New Zealand Times the distress amongst the New Zealanders in Sydney is simply appalling. It is stated that on one occasion several New Zealanders, including an ex-W ellingtonian, were seen to be eating from a pig tub at the back of a hotel. This, it seems, was the only food they could get. Three of the great turbines, each furnishing 5000 horse power, and each four times larger than any in the world, are in position at Niagara Fall, and four more will be placed in the pit cut through.the solid rock, 120 ft long, 180fb deep, 20ft wide. The shaft from each wheel, sometimes of tubular steel, sometimes solid and llin thick, extends up into the power house, and to it is fixed a flying field of the great dynamo, 13ft in diameter and 15ft high. When this is revolving 250 times a minute it sends forth an electrical current of 60,000 horse power,

From Germany comes the first official news of a great American discovery said to cure the most dreaded of diseases, consumption and cancer. Consul-general Dekay Albertic, in a report to the States department at Washington, says the discovery, which was announced late in March in the most serious and trustworthy medical school in Germany, is likely to receive considerable attention at the coming Medical Congress in Munich. The discovery was made by Dr Louis Waldstein, of New York, a brother of the famous arheseologist, Dr Charles Waldstein. The new treatment, which has been perfected by studies abroad, consists of injecting minute doses of pilocarpine until the lymphatic system is stimulated and the white corpuscles of the blood overcome the poisonous particles which produce disease. Di Waldstein’s researches have gone to the fountain whence those healthful white corpuscles spring, and by enlivening its action the productiveness restores the condition of the blood, destroying poisonous germs. The importance of the discovery is thought to be far beyond those of Pasteur, Koch, and others. We ( Tuapeha Times) understand the Island Block Co. are at present on a pretty fair run of gold, and there" is accordingly a decided improvement in the prospects of the company. We {North Otago Times) have received a copy of the Local Government Bill, and during the next 12 months we shall do our best to consider its provisions. The House is expected to pass the bill within the next three weeks. It is one of the biggest bills ever introduced into the House. The Government are running short of tape—not red tape,'; they always keep a good supply of that in stock —buf tape for the Wheatstone automatic transmitter, which has been in constant use since Parliament opened. It is suggested (says the North Otago Times) that the Colonial Treasurer should make a trip Home to obtain a supply. • At the inquest on the man Loader, who was frozen to death on the ranges at Wairarapa, Salisbury, one of the surveyors, admitted that he did not mention the need of sending assistance when he reached Knutson’s house. The vet diet returned was that death resulted from exposure, and the jury in a rider censured Salisbury and Smith for nob giving information. The following colonies have prohibited the importation of swine from New Zealand for. the periods stated : South Australia, one year from August 1; Queensland, till revoked; Tasmania, two years from July 19 ; Western Australia, till revoked ; New South Wales, one year from July 11. Victoria admits swine under strict quarantine. It is said (says Christchurch Truth) there is a tribe in Africa where speakers in public debate are required io stand on cue leg. With all our boasted civilisation we discover every now and then points in which savages surpass us. The latest and most remarkable gold discovery (says the Auckland Star) has been made at Taiirua, where Mr Raws, hotelkeeper, obtained from a fowl’s gizzard two pieces of gold, worth apparently about ss.