FROM OTHER PAPERS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 54, 27 November 1907, Page 5

FROM OTHER PAPERS.

Several photographs in connection with a young man's wedding wero the cause of litigation at tlio Magistrate's Court this morning (says Christchurch "Truth"'). Defondant declined to' pay for them, hecauso tho price, according to his statement, was excessive. Tho plaintiff produced tho photographs for the magistrate's.benefit. "Oh!" exclaimed Mr. Bishop, "they are a remarkably fine group. You should not object to pay for tho photographs ; they aro very good —from my point of view, of course." The photographer interjected that an enlargement was always thrown in. "I did not know that, your Worship," said defendant. . "Judgment for plaintiff/' exclaimed tho magistrate, adding.: "You can now go and get a great big photograph of yourself."

The lot of the organiser of a Farm Labourers' Union is not always "a happy one," if one experience, related by Mr. E. Kennedy at the Conciliation Board's sitting (says the Christchurch "Press") is any criterion. Ho arrived at a farm one evening about tea-time, but the prospective members of the Union told him that they wcro sorry they could not ask him to join them unless he first got permission from "the boss.'j. As the organiser had been going all day, and had had no dinner, he went olr to get tho necessary permission. "The boss" was not in, however, but his wife gave the permission desired. Tho organiser joined tho others at their evening meal, and all was going woll when someone, appeared and demanded: "Who's this wo have here?" Mr. Kennedy did not take tho question as being: addressed to him, but on its being repeated ho gave his name. Asked what his business was, he replied that ho was trying to persuado the men to become members of the Union. His questioner, who was of courso "tho boss;" then commanded: "Up you get and out you get!" Tho organiser informed "the boss" that he had got his wife's permission to have tea, to which statement, according to Mr. Kennedy's evidence, tho rejoinder was: "I'm 'the boss;'" whereupon Mr. Kennedy "got up and got out." At another farm ho received somewhat different treatment. "Tho boss" in this instance declined to allow him to speak to his men, but he invited tho organiser to tea. New Zealand Herald's correspondent at Alangaia (Cook Islands) writes, under date .November 12: —"A short time ; back a fur seal, which had no doubt, found its way from tho frozen regions of tho Antarctic, over a vast expanse of landless ocean, landed on Mangnia, near the settlement of Tamarua, and was promptly despatched, in accordance, perhaps, with the ancient custom of the Mangaians to treat all foreign visitors, putting foot on their territory as enemies. The last pelagian of this kind seen on this island was about 30 years ago, I understand, during tho time the Rev. W. Wyatt Oill was resident missionary here. He mentions in his work on the. coral islands that tho native who first saw the animal was so alarmed and astonished at its appearance, that ho came running to the missionary, saying that the devil had landed on Mangaia. However, the natives soon made meat of this visitor from the nether regions. These people hav,e no name for tho seal. The Maoris call it kokeno, but the Mangaians simply alludo to it as a sea dog. "Ekuri no te moana." ■

It is incntionod as a somewhat remarkable coincidence that the Ballarat winners of tho two big prizes of £6000 each in Tattersail's consultations in connection with the recent V.K.U. Spring meeting aro prominently associated with church work, while one of' the lucky ticket holders is also connected oflicially with a Sunday school. The auth-' orities of tlio school, it is stated, are greatly incensed at the action of the official in speculating in the lottery referred to, and arc desirous that he should explain matters. The friends of the official contend that in purchasing' a ticket in the consultation he did not commit an act of impropriety unbecoming a person engaged in Christian work. It is also pointed out that his so-called laps.V cannot fairly ho viewed in the light of a gambling transaction, and that if it is looked at in this way thousands"(if'other reputable ehurch-goingi 1 persons must likewise be brought under the han of the various churcii authorities. The alleged offending member has, however, won the hig prize, as stated and it remains to be seen how he will fare at the hands of those whose feelings he has a]vparently shocked by his successful dive into Tattersall's consultation arena.

Tho following characteristic Maori stories aro told by Taranaki "Herald"':—On one occasion a middle-aged, robust stamp of Native, went to a pakeha settler for the loan of some money. He had a small farm, and told tho settler he could tise the land for a certain number of years, provided he loaned him £50. , "What-tW you : want the cash for?" asked the settler'."" "Me makutued; mo soon lco mate; nio want ti money for ti tangi;" exclaimed the , Maori. "That's all nonsense; you arc all right/ don't trouble your head about tho said tho pakeha. The Maori shook his head; he had no doubt about his coming death; and he would not leave the settler till he had got tho money. '■ The Maori, who, remember, was perfectly well at this time, returned'to his wh'aroi In a few days there was a taiißi—tho' Maori had died! The above incident, which is quite authentic, suggests another that occurred in Taranaki s|)mo years ago.. _ A pakeha told his Maori wife of his intention to utilise some wood that was -in a Maori reservo near by their house. The woman, who was educated and intelligent, told him that tho place was "tapu,'" and that if they used the wood she would surely die. The pakeha scouted the idea of anything being "tapu," and, later pu, without tho ■\vife!s knowledge,' got tlio wood, which was used for the home. Some months afterwards, the matter of tho tapu place was referred to by the Maori lady. Her husband then told her what hud become of the tapu wood. "Oh, how cruel you are!" she exclaimed; "I told yon 1 would die if you took tho wood." She then went into the back part of the house, told, her husband .she was "ngakau pquri" (sic!; at heart), and crouched in a corner in a way characteristic, of the Natives. She took no notice of all entreaty; she ate or. drank nothing',, and in the courso cf a few days she was a corpse!

An alarming incident occurred yesterday afternoon (says Stratford "Post" of Saturday) on the Stratford bowling green, fortunately before the bowlers had assembled, otherwise it is almost certain that a fatality would have had to bo recorded. It appears that blasting operations are beiiig carried on at a spot- in .tho I'atea River, possibly , a quarter of a mile, from the Stratford Club's bowling green. Just after two o'clock yesterday afternoon, Mr. C. Lloyd, who was standing on tho green, heard a whizzing sound near him which resembled the noise made by a largo bird, and looking round saw the grass and earth flying , where a jagged flint, eight pounds in weight, which had come hurtling through the air, had ploughed up the ground in tho centre of the green. When this dangerous missile .struck the bowling green, other persons had just arrived, and in a few more moments would: have been outside and possibly in the lino of tho projectile. Constable Ryan, on learning of the occurrence, impounded tho stone and ascertained the facts.' It is understood a prosecution will follow.

Tho Agricultural and Pastoral Association's institution of a half-crown charge ror admission to the grandstand at tho metropolitan show may have been a successful experiment, but it was hardly a popular one according to tho "Lyttelton Times." Many young people who went to tlio gates suffered a rude shock through the unexpected demand. There wcro some obviously straincl relations as the result of Corydon's refusal to purchase comfort for his Phyllis, who did not always regard his economy in tho proper light, or accept unchallenged his sentiment Unit he "never did liko mixin' with tnem toffs."

Europeans aro apt to look upon many Maori customs as peculiar, but they aro frequently very' poetic in their significance As an instance Tnranaki "Herald" quotes the mourning wreath of grcon. This was originally composed of ■ tho foliago of two shrubs, one of which is very bitter and tho otlior a specios retaining "its greenness for a considerable time after being cut from tho tree. The former is supposed to signify tho bitterness of parting and the other that tho' memory of tho departed ia ever- crcen, J i ■~:. - • ■ \*. ■ r