FROM OTHER PAPERS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 43, 14 November 1907, Page 3

FROM OTHER PAPERS.

Mr. Gillospie, of Umutaoroa, has shown tho Dannevirke "Advocate" an interesting historical record in connection with the Wellington Province. This is a copy of the inscription takon from the plate which was placed upon the foundation stone of the Provincial Council Chambers erected at Wellington 50 years ago. The inscription was engraved by Mr. C. Marriott, a well-known identity of early Wellington, and it sets out the history of the building, and the fact that the stone was laid by Dr. Featherston, the first superintendent of the province. It is said that when the building was pulled down some years ago to permit of additions to the Parliamentary Library, the plate was found to be missing, so that Mr. Gillespie's copy is probably tho only facsimile of tho original in existence This is a paragraph for perusal by tho young lady who is too delicato to carry a IGoz. parcel along Princes Street, but can play tennis or golf all day (says the Dimedin "Star.") Wo also grant permission for it to be read by the "gent" who permits his mother to lift the washtubs. It is about an old man—over eighty, and nearly blind. Ho was walking slowly along the Dimedin Railway Station one afternoon this week, finding" his way to tho Port train, when he overtook another passenger who was even slower than himself —a wee ragged boy, struggling along with a bag of something on his back. It is many years since tho aged gentleman had to work with his hands, but he made no bones about it, and with a cheery word, " I'll give you a lift, littlo chap," he shouldered tho bag, wandered along with it, quite lost his way, and would have missed his train but for the thoughtfulness of somo of tho railway people, who, seeing the old traveller at sea and carrying a sack, guessed he was astray, and put him on the right track. , Tho incident reminds one 1 of Dillon Bell's politeness to a fishhawker years ago at the Criterion corner. A barracouta slipped out of tho man's basket, and ho would have lost it but for Mr. Bell (afterwards Sir Francis) picking up tho fish and running with it to about as far as where Braithwaito's shop now is. But men like Dillon Bell and our friend at tho railway station need not affect dignity. They possess it. They may miss a 'tram'car, but theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

The other day a representative of tho "North Auckland Times" visited a .remote littlo factory—the only ono of its kind in tlio world—lying amidst the desolate sandhills of tlio Malmta Gorge, which leads to that part of the New Zealand shore of tlio Tasman Sea generally known as the "Mangawharo coast." Here is carried on by tho Messrs. Meredith Bros, the unique industry of preparing and tinning tho "toheroa," the succulent bivalve which is found in apparently inexhaustible abundance on tho ocean beach betweon the Kaipara North Head and the North Cape/ and (so far as is known) nowhero elso on the face of tho globe. Tho industry is as yet in its infancy, but must grow as tiro merits of tho shelly dainty with which it deals become more generally known. Remote, howover, as this little factory is, and cut off from water transit on ono side by an ocean surf with which no liberties can be taken, and semi-isolated on the other by a road that cannot bo described in polite language, it lias several advantages which make for cheap production in a never-failing supply of pure, fresh water, and in the adjacent outcrops of lignite and the perennial supply of driftwood which very conveniently and economically solve the fuel problem. It is stated that the lovo of the Maori for billiards was exemplified recently in ono of the cabins at tho Dumgroc prison camp. Tho cabin was occupied by four natives, who constructed a miniature billiard-table out of an ordinary dressing-room table Every detail was complete—cloth, cushions, and pockets. Tho cloth was made out of a smooth pieco of tweed, and tho balls woro .represented by marbles. The makeshift was a poormi'substituto for tho usual billiardtable, but served to remind the Maoris of inany lazy hours spout over the green baize cloth of tlio fnr-away village hotol. Another and more profitable pastime of tho Dumgreo Natives is mat-making^ Amongst the amusing experiences of tho collectors on Ambulance Saturday in Christchurch was tlio presence of mind shown by ono young lady who rescued a cyclist's hat which was blown off his head. She retained possession of the hat, records the "Progs," until the cyclist had mado a contribution. Another collector had the good fortuno just as sho emerged from tho Association's oflices on her way to her station to encounter tho chairman of the Centre (Mr. P. Hercus), to whom she promptly presented her box. Tho alacrity with which a contribution was forthcoming seemed to indicate that Mr. Hercus knew ho was approaching a,danger zone. It fell to the lot 'of some of the collectors to encounter some of tho Canterbury wool kings, and tho glint of gold coins as they wero put in tho box encouraged them greatly. A cheerful giver was the.old man who, in placing a halfpenny in one box, remarked to the collector: "Ho that gives to the needy gives to the Lord." Tho same collector was approached by another old man who took out of his pocket several coins, mostly copper, and the collector imagined for a moment that ho was searching for a halfpenny. He selected instead the biggest and brightest silver coin he possessed—a shilling —and dropped it into the box, at the samo time addressing some kind remark to tho lady. Tho Bishop of Christchurch (Dr. Julius) scorns to have been in a pessimistic mood when preaching at the Cathedral on Sunday Ho deplored the lack of reformers.nowadays declaring that few people had strength to stand up against tlio world for what they considered right. Referring to what he described as the complacency with which most people regarded religion, ho said that a sermon on faith .was nowadays looked upon as almost intolerable •by congregations. ."Tho very word is repulsive now because it has been dropped from the height it attained in the past ages, and is now a thing to dispute about. Jf I were to say that I would preach on 'faith' half of you would fall asleep, and tho other half would murmur 'saiiio old thing again.' " A reference to Gideon as ono of the ancient saints was followed by tho comment, "somo of you know of Gideon, but most of you have - never heard of him. You never read your Bible nowadays." i In the following genial stylo Auckland ■"Star" reports a Court case:—John Chaplin and Leonard Craig, each confessing to a score years of life's experience, woro waiting to seo another friend off by boat on Saturday night, and elected to improve, the festivo occasion by a littlo diversion. Their spirits rose with the resolve, and tho novel scheme of arresting somo inoffensive lions?, holder in tho guiso of detectives struck them hugely. Tho method of making tho arrest, however, was about as much in accordance with tho way of law-officers as tho appearance of tho masqueradcrs thoinselves was to their supposed roles, but tho racket they succeeded in creating quickly brought tho genuine uniform to investigate This morning each very amateur detective expressed sorrow and asked' for another chance. They wero convicted and ordered to como up when required for sentence, with payment of costs. Another , youth, Arthur James Banket, was involved in the same business, with tlio difforenco that he was in such a state of alcoholic exhilaration that, ho was exceedingly loth to submit to police interference. He made a determined attack on tho heads and faces of tho two constables who arrested him, damaging tho. teeth of one and temporarily upsetting tho facial contour of the other. Mr. Iliickett explained that the young man had recently seen his sweetheart, after a long absence, and an unusual oxiiltation of animal spirits had apparently been tho result. Unfortunately for the gentleman with tho sweetheart, his record bad previously received a start, so ho obtained a month's retirement on each of three It is alleged that a well-known Wairarapa resident, who had been having "n jolly good lime" in his own estimation, at a country pub, left when a little mixed, and mounting 111!! horso iode away. Ho ißiricmbcrcc , nothing further until next morning, when he hwoko and found that he had spent the night reclining against a tombstone, on a grave, in u cemetery. How ho got there is a mystery; but thn burse, as an intelligent animal, probably wished to point a moral.