EXTRACTS.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume I, Issue 38, 6 January 1844, Page 3

EXTRACTS.

The Masters and Mates Examination Bill. — We have to announce to our readers that Captain J. Gladstone, R.N., M.P., for Ipswich, has received from Captain Fitzroy, R.N., Governor of New Zealand, the papers, memoranda, &c, which the gallant officer had collected and prepared •with relation to the Bill for the examination of masters and mates of the merchant navy. By this transfer of the charge of the Bill to a naval officer, who is not unacquainted with the custom of the merchant service, and has energy enough to advance in its behalf, by the course already, laid down, Captain Jfitzroy has taken the most friendly step towards the 1 merchant navy that, under the circumstances which deprive the British mariner of Ms support in the House of Commons, it was possible for him to adopt. Our hopes of obtaining any improvement in the mercantile marine, from Captain Fitzroy 's Bill, must now rest, in a great measure, upon the,

activity and zeal'of his successor, in whom we have every confidence. — Shipping Gazette. Handsome Present. — His Excellency the Governor of New Zealand, and cabin passengers of the Bangalore, a few days since presented to C. Nelson, the commander of that ship, a handsome chased silver snuff box, and a cup of the same metal, on which were engraved inscriptions expressive of the ihigh esteem in which the commander was held by the passengers by his vessel. The gift, and reception of it by Captain Nelson, <must have been highly gratifying to all persons concerned. — Sydney Record. Mr. Buckingham, the late manager of the Melbourne theatre, arrived in Sydney on Saturday en route to New Zealand. Mr. Buckingham was an established favourite in Port Phillip, and the Melbourne journals have one and all passed very high encomiums on his managerial career while in that town. We are enabled to bear testimony also as to jhis indefatigable industry and assiduity as a manager. We do not believe there is any man in the colony more capable of getting up a spectacle successfully than Mr. B. He also possesses considerable talent as an actor. The good folks at Auckland may congratulate themselves on the prospect of abundant amusement being afforded them by Mr. Buckingham on his arrival there. — Ib. Norfolk Island had been separated from the Colony of New South Wales and is now attached to the Colony of Van Dieman's Land. — Ib. Important News from England. —By the Andromeda we have received files of English papers to the Bth August. We observe that contracts have been entered into by the Emigration Commissioners for the •conveyance .of three thousand persons to this -colony, at £16 per head ; one half of whom were to leave England in the present year, and the other half before June, 1844. Mr. Smith, of Liverpool, and Mr. Anderson, of were the contractors.

Police Court, (Wellington) — Saturday, November 4. — Before Major Richmond, Chief Police Magistrate. Burgess Sa) r er, chief constable, was fined 15s. being the amount of three days pay, for not having reported the fire which occurred on Thorndon Flat^Jlast Friday, to Major Richmond before attending there himself. It appeared that owing to the exertions of Sayer and others, all the property was saved, though there was a great fear ef the fire spreading, as the wind was blowing very violently at the time. The decision of Major Richmond is mysterious, and would lead us to infer that Sayer must not approach a fire without first communicating with him. Suppose a fire happens on Te Aro Flat, and that Sayer is, passing by .at the time, according to Major Richmond's diction Sayer must come up to Thorndon Flat forthwith to acquaint Major .Richmond with the circumstance ; and before'he would be able to return, in all probably the building would be reduced to ashes. "We are acquainted with the zeal, activity, and energy of Sayer, and cannot help feeling that his efforts and exertions must be restricted and crippled by the effect of such an unjust and uncalled for punishment. Constables ought always to be present at fires as early as possible, not only for the purpose of assisting in extinguishing it, but to prevent the depredation of property ; and Major Richmond is incurring a most serious responsibility by withdrawing the services of any constable at .the moment they are so much in requisition. Thomas Millar, a constable, was fined 12s. 6d., being the amount of three days' pay, for not being at his post on the beach when Colonel Wakefield's fence was pulled down, one evening last week ; in extenuation of punishment he stated that he was in charge of prisoners at the watch house at the time. The decision of the Chief Police Magistrate is no less extraordinary in this case than in that of Sayers. Major Richmond seems to think that the constables must be endowed with ubiquity. Millar took into custody some disorderlies on the beach — he marched them off to the old prison, now converted into the new watch house, and very properly for security remained with them. Whilst there the disturbance occurred on the beach, and because Millar was not at two places at the same time he was fined. Had Millar left the prisoners at the watch house and returned , to the beach, and had they escaped before morning, would Major Richmond have passed over unnoticed such apparent neglect of duty ? — Wellington Spectator.

Pack Cattle. — We are glad to hear that a Settler in the Hutt has been training a bull to carry himself and baggage. A day or two since he brought his beast laden with produce to Wellington, and after making his markets and placing a bag of flour on the back of the animal, he and bis son mounted, and were seen safely travelling along the Petoni road. We do not think that sufficient I

attention has been paid in New Zealand, to this kind of transport of goods. In travelling in India nearly the whole of the moveables are carried on bullocks, and if care be taken in properly adjusting the pack, the animal does not suffer from the inconvenience. If some of the unemployed carpenters would devote their ingenuity to devising a good pack saddle for bullocks, we feel persuaded that they would soon reap the benefit of their inventions, as bullock labour must be in demand so soon as more roads are opened. On such a road as the Karori the farmer would derive great benefit were he to transport his produce to market by means of pack bullocks. And until our roads are made wider and more durable, the farmer will be under the necessity of having recourse to conveying his produce in this manner.— Ib. Debating in New Orleans. — The Creoles I speak French, and the Americans English, neither understanding the language of the other. Whenever a speech is concluded, an interpreter gives as perfect a version of it as his memory can command. The time thus lost is enormous under any circumstances ; but when the debate becomes personal, it has at least the advantage of giving members time to cool. On one occasion, however, the discussion was conducted with a good deal of acrimony, and the scene became ludicrous enough. A French gentleman, when I entered the house, was delivering an energetic oration, impugning both the conduct and motivesof an American. The latter during the whole time remained apparently in happy ignorance, both of the nature and extent of the punishment of which he was the object. At length the honorable gentleman sat down, and the chief heads of his speech and arguments were detailed in English by the interpreter. The American then became, as they say in Scotland, "neither to hold nor to bind." He instantly commenced not onlv a vehement defence of himself, but an attack on his opponent, in a language of which the latter seemed to understand precisely as much as he did of Sanscrit. — Men and Manners in America. Domestic Habits of Buffon. — After he was dressed, he dictated lectures and regulated his domestic affairs ; and at six o'clock he regulated his studies at the pavilion, called the Tower of St. Louis. This pavilion was situated at the extremity of the garden, about a furlong from the house, and the only furniture which it contained was a large wooden secretary and an arm-chair. No books or pictures relieved the naked appearance of the apartment, or distracted the thoughts of the learned professor. The entrance was by green folding-doors, the walls were painted green, and the interior had the appearance of a chape], on account of the roof. Within this was another cabinet, where Buffon resided the greater part of the year, on account of the coldness of the other apartment, and where he composed the greater number of his works. It was a small square building, situated on the side of a terrace, and was ornamented with drawings of birds and beasts. Prince Henry of Prussia called it the cradle of natural history ; and Rousseau, before he entered it, used to fall on his knees and kiss the threshold. At nine o'clock Buffon took an hour's rest ; and his breakfast, which consisted of a piece of bread and two glasses of wine, was brought to the pavilion. When he had written t vo hours after breakfast, he returned to the house. At dinner he spent a considerable portion of time, and indulged in all the gaieties and trifles which -occurred at table. After dinner he slept an hour in his room, took a solitary walk, and during the rest of the evening he either conversed with his family or guests, or sat at his desk examining the papers which were submitted to his judgment. At nine o'clock he went to bed, to prepare himself for the same routine of judgment and pleasure. In this manner were spent no fewer than fifty years of his life. Gallante*-. — At an assembly, a young gentleman entered into conversation with a young nobleman who was near him. Being a stranger, he made several inquiries respecting the company, which were answered with great politeness. At length he said, " Who is that fat sow at the other end of the room?" "That, sir," replied the nobleman, "that fat sow is the Countess of D , and I have the honour to be one of her little pigs." — On the danger of Personalities in Company, from Instructions in Etiquette. The Equivocal Compliment. — A gentleman being asked at a whist party his opinion of the playing of a certain lady, who was much given to peep into her neighbour's hands, replied, " that in his opinion she played with the greatest circumspection." JDress. — There is not in the worjd a surer sign of a little soul than the striving to gain respect by such despicable means as dress and rich clothes : none will depend on these ornaments but they who have no other. — Chorron.. '