THE The Daily Southern Cross.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIX, Issue 4796, 9 January 1873, Page 2

THE The Daily Southern Cross.

J VA'i O, \l>\' IM'.O If I li.i\o l)i l)i c\tin o ui.liLiI, \tt (lure rno A Uio'isunii bt.ii (in-, itoiii tlit -.p u I 1 Ijuio

THURSDAY, JANUARY*), 1873.

The Finance Committee of the Board of Kdueation have brought up their report, tlio object of which was to determine the question raised at tho Board at a former sitting as to the proper interpretation of that portion of clause (! of tho Kdueation At-t connecting the Superintendent with the striking of the rate. The committee are of opinion that the household rate must bo levied by the Superintendent, and this deei.-uon is unanimously adopted by the Board. It is further recommended that the Superintendent lie respectively requested " mi* " mediately to appoint collectors, and to " liike rucIi other hteps as may appear to " him to be necessary for the speedy " collection of the rato." In short the Finance Committee and the Board of Education altogether determine on asking the Superintendent and the Provincial Government to take the whole business of finance oh" their hands and to manage it after their O'vn fashion. This part of their duties the Board consider the Provincial authorities can manage with " <?i' C! ifcer advantage and simplicity," and the}' pledge themselves, in prospect of any anticipated dilltculty that may arise on the score of expense — weassumo in the matter of collecting tho rate — that the samo will be paid by the Board. But this assurance, wo would have thought, was a work of supererogation. If the col lection of tho rate, and the custody of the monoy as well when collected, are to be committed to tho care of tho Provincial Government, it will be in possesBion from the first of a most effective guarantee that its claims will be both liberally and promptly discharged. The fact is that, if tho course which is now proposed is to bo carried out, the Education Board may soon be expected to have very little left to engage its attention, at least for »ome tune to come. Considerations of finance would have been ordinarily among its lirst duties Now, however, until the ralo has been collected and funds placed to tho credit of the Hoard, its more active operations will be stayed, tliough tho interim may he otherwise turned to good account. Ueforrmg again to the report of the Fin. nice Committee laid before tho Board, we regret to observe that no mention is made in respect to the manner in which it is decided tho education rate shall be levied, that is to pay, whether in ono amount or by instalments, as previously suggested. Tins may yet be found to bo a matter of some importance, and the Board, wo behevo, would have acted wisely in retaining the decision in its own . hands.

We understand that extensive prepa rations are being made to Imve tlio products of this province fiMin^ly represented at <lio "\ r ienna Exhibition This is as it should be. Already a goodly list of articles to bo fonv.mh'd to the Exhibition is prepircd. The articles a ill be despatched por 'ifero,' on or about the 20th instant. The list of articles is not yet completed, and further additions may be expected to be received before the time of the ' Hero's' departure. At a late j hour last night the Hat stood as follows : —From Mr. T. L. White, inlaid cabinetwork ; Mr. Tales, a coil of pliormium rope, and a bnlo of native-dressed phormium tenax ; Messrs. Owen and Graham, a ease of kauri gum ; Messrs. J'rown, Campbell, and Co., a case of kaan gum ; Mr. Hnlhiday, a mottled kauri table, and mottled kauri boards, polished and plain ; Mr. G-. HoldRhip, two doors, two pair of sashes, kauri boards and scantling ; Messrs. Arrhard and Brown, puriri logs ; Auckland Steam Hope and Cordage Manufactory, a coil of phormium rope ; Messrs. Cruickshank and Co., fungus for export ; Messrs. L. D. Nathan and Co., three sampleB of wool ; the Auckland Institute, 40 wood sections, with specimens of bark, foliage, and inflorescence, and drawings to show the habits of the trees ; Mr. J. Meiklejohn, shipbuilder, pohutukawa knees, both plain nnd dressed ; Mr. W. Lodder, samples of htvniatite iron ore ; Mr. A. Dornwell, preserved meats, sausages, tongues, &c ; Auckland Gas Company, silicious sand and kauri gum oil ; Mr. H. Olson, a case of tomato sauce ; and Mr. T. Fish, a case of sarsaparilla extract. Mr. Kirk, F.L.S , the Curator of the Museum, has been active of late in collecting the above selection of articles for exhibition, and we un derstand that in several cases Iho the articles had to be purchased. It is to bo hoped thiit the above will not complete Auckland^ list of exhibits, for many of our industries are not represented. Mr. Wilthow, of the Auckland Glass Works, might « ell have his manufactured articles represented, and thus show our silicious sand in its most attractive forms. Messrs. Sutton, Cahler, and Co. might al*o come forward with their proofs of victory in utilising the ironsand. If Una company should become exhibitors, as we hope they will, it would be desirable that their exhibits should be in a series, beginning with the loose ironsnnd and ending with a bar of polished steel. The gentlemen who will be the judges at the Vienna Exhibition will be well qualified to form an accurate opinion as to the superior excellence of the articles manufactured from our titaniferous iron ores. The Exhibition will afford an opportunity of proclaiming to the world that the victory has been won, and that henceforth ironsands will he as easily manipulated as any ordinary iron ores. There aro several other industries which might fittingly be represented, but we sincerely trust that our iron manufacturing industry will not be forgotten. Mr. Kirk, viebelioe, is acting hero on behalf of the General Government in collecting exhibits, and will afford every facility to those _ who desire to forward articles for exhibition. These articles may be citlier in a manufactured or a unmanufactured state, provided they are the bona fide- produce of this province.

The sufferings endured by the Martin's Bay settlers in the province of Otago have been fitfully told by an occasional line amongst tho telegraphic intelligence from the South, but the people of Auckland will have an opportunity of hearing on Monday evening ne\t n detailed statement of the hardships endured by these pioneeis of civilisation. Tho TCev. A. V. Porter, who organised the colonising scheme, will on th.it evening lelnte his most iutoicstiug story at Pitt-stieet church, and fromthc fragments we ha\ oa! ready been favoured with wo may safely promise a thoroughly reliable and interesting sketch will be given, exhibiting an amount of euduiance, under a series of misfoi tunes, seldom realised in tlicso degenerate days. The Rev. Mr. Porter ,u lived in Otago with a party of Nova Scolians in tho ' hinulous ' some four years ago, but shortly afterwards received a call to Victoria, wheie he ministered with, mutli acceptance to <a large congregation. In consequence, however, of the enervating effect of the chmato, and the receipt of letters fiom the Superintendent of Otai^o, he undo took to settle in Mat tin's Bay, then about to bo op"iied by the Provincial Government as a special settlement A number of his congregation, hearing of his deteimination, immediately nsolved to accompany their pastor, and two years ago on the 10th of List July the pioneer paity, consisting of about 2(5 families, mostly agriculturists, staited for Preservation Inlet and Martin's Bay —a distance of about 300 miles by sea from Dunedin. They took with them a complete plant for a saw mill, but had tho mistoitune to be wrecked on ontuimt; the inlet, losing 1 tho whole of the heavy portion of the machineiy, and quite one-half of their provisions. For tin ee months they lived upon the locks, eking out their scanty supply of provisions with seals, penguins, mussels, and all fish that came to the not, in such an emergency. The Hour which had been saved from the wreck, from having been so fie(juently wetted andexpostd to the weather, was hti'i.Uly ciawling away, and no salt, sugar, or other necessities of civilised life, weie piocumblo for months. A. duwiy period of live months and three days expired befoio any communication wab had with the Piovincial (iovernment at Dunedin, when at last tho 'T.moa' put in an appearance with a scanty supply of provisions. Tho settlors were induced to lcun.un on their land by hopes held out that employment would bo given in road-makint,', but owing to the Superintendent and his Executive being at loggerheads nothing was done, and they were left to starve The Her. Mi. Kobcits divided his portion of provisions amongst tho settlers , tho seed potatoes wcro scratched out of tho ground, and rccouise had again to bo mado to the sea for seals and penguins. Tho Provincial Government paid no attention to tho iirst messengers tolegram fioni (juecnutovvn that the sottlois were absolutely starving as they were informed that the leports weio exaggeiatod. It was thou dotoi mined to send five men to Queonstown to solicit the .Resident Magistrate to beseech aid from the Government. The distance — 50 miles — was travelled in five days — so weak were the poor fellows ; their only subsistence being dried pawa fish. Fourteen days then elapsed before tho steamer reached Mai tin's Bay with provisions; and far which pionussoiy notes had to bo given to ovocnto road-woik to the value obtained. The aid supplied arrived too late, however, to save the seed wheat and pota'oos from being consumed ; and tho lev. gentloinan named will solicit aid from his listeners on Monday night next to pur chase seed for the coming spnng-time. Once this is tided over all will bo well, aa tiro count! y is all that the heait of man could wish for — linoly thnhoicil, with excellent sod, and easy of access to Quooustown, when onco the tiack is formed. Wo bespeak for tho Rev. Mr. Poi tcr a crowded auditory, and for hia suffering flock a generous donation. At the Criminal Sitttuga of the Supreme Com t yesterday two cases were disposed of. Francis ConM'ay, for carnally abusing a girl seven yeaia of ago, was sentenced to live years' penal servitude , and Pam, a native, for horHe-stoaling, was found guilty, and sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment, with hard labour.

The quartoi ly meeting of the Auckland INcsbyteiy was hold ;vt Nt Andicw's Chinch yostf i (lay. Tliei c w as a considerable amount of business transacted, of winch a leport will bo found in aiiotln r column. It will bo scon t hat the lYesbj t< ry agreed to biing under tho f.uouiable notice of their congregations the I'.i/uu winch i u being not up in aid of the Homo Mission, &c If the ladies will only take up the matter it is sure to be a Mirers 1 !. 1'he cause is a deserving one, and we have no doubt it will receive a hbeial sup] 01 1 not only in town but at the goldlields and in country districts. The following is the list of cases to be heard at tho ensuing civil sittings of tho Supreme Court, to commence on the 20th instant ' — Loveday and Another v. Jones; solicitors — Mr. Roes (plaintiff-*), Mr Devore (defendant). McTavish v. McGregor; Mr. Cooper (plaintill), Mi. Jackson (defendant). Sholl v. "Warnoi ; Mr. TJogan (plaintiff), Mr. Rees (defendant). Anaus v. Hervin ; Mr. Meyer (plaintiff), Mr. Thorne (dofendant). Our Thames correspondent writes :- "The weather has undergone a very decided change. Heavy lain fell throughout ycsteidiv afternoon and last night, filling up wells and water tanks, and Hooding the creeks. It has proved an inestimable boon to the distiict generally, and will doubtless tend to augment tho gold yield. To-day (Wednesday) was ushered in by a stiff gale fiom the westward, which, as the ti le rose, sent m a heavy sea along the coast: it beat fmiously against the sea-wall of tho Taiaiu l ail way, and ovei flowed the lino in many places, without, however, doing any damage '' In a leading article on thf> Tntern.ition.il Exhibition, the Lylirlton Time*, makes the following remarks regarding the exhibits from the Mo«gicl woollen faetoiy :— " Kiom the Mosgiel factory in Ot.igo — established, as it wcie, only yesterday — we hare a list of exhibits which, for variety, quality, r.nd finish, would take high lank in a competition with kindled establishments in Croat Ihifain. Nelson, also, wheie tweeds and blankets have been maim factured for the last 18 yeais or moie, sends a valuable contribution of a similar chai.icter, but it is evident that the >ouiil;< rhns already far outbt lipped the older factory." Weekly statementotthe Piovincial Lunatic Asylum, for the week ending Janu.irj 4, 1S73: — Remained at last statement, 121 ; admitted since, 1 ; discharged since, 0; died since, 0 : remaining at piesent, \'2o (S."> males. M) females). We notice that tho authonties have 10moved the new but useless Califoinian pump from the whaif. It is their intention to eicetwhatwe suggested in oui yestu day's issue, \i/., a foice-pump, ui its place. One of the veiy many instances proving the gieat value of laihvays m a countiy is given by what lately happened in Persia Within the past two yeais about thice millions of people — a foui th of tho entire population — died of famine. Help was given by Km ope, America, and other countries, but, owing to the difficulty of ti3ns])oitation, food could not he sent into the interior of the country, nor the people brought out of it quickly enough. One railway running through the middle of Persia and terminating on the seaI hoard, would have saved a Iaige propoition of the victims. In Euiope famines were of fiequent occurrence in the olden times when mads were bad, and communication with distant places diflicult or almost impossible Now, since good loads have been made, and railwajs limit in all directions, and the tele graphic wires sti etched to the most distant pn; ts of tlie oartli, seal city is nearly impoa siblc, at least in those countries bound together by those metallic coids. A probal lc scat city of any one crop in any district is now known all over the civilised countries in the wni M, many months befoic the produce of that ciop is required, and thus an opportunity is. given for neighbouiing countries to supply the deficiency befoic want is actually felt. Twelve jurymen entered a, jury-box at Gerlong recently, and six of the numbei affixed their signs manual to a document submitted to them, in the form of the ltttei X. Imagine this infallible half-do/en empanelled to tiy a case (of fotgciy, in which the evidence tinned upon a comparison of signatures It might be \ciy awkwaid foi the accused if innocent, \ciy pleasant foi him if guilty. " Atticus" wufr'S as follows to the Melbourne [j"uhr — "Our boys smoke, fall in love, nde across country, and become fatheis of families at an incredibly caily penod of life. The result of this is that some of them appear to become ' used up' at a veiy tendei ago. The suicide of a boy of 17 from shcei wcaiimss of hfo is not veiy satisfactoiy It shows th.it ho must have commenced dunking the cup lather early in life, or he would not have exhausted its dregs long be foio his manhood. I am afraid that Australian parents forget tho old adage—' spaic the roil, spoil the child.' " Two children wcro accidentally di owned lately at Biunswick, Victoria, and the circumstances were so thoi (Highly well known that a post moiti'in uiquiiy to asceitam the cause of dcith was, in itself, a piece of wanton ciuelty. Hut the mode in which the inquiry was conducted was pel fectly barbarous The bereaved parents live in a small hut of two rooms, one of which is a kitchen, the other a bedroom. The post mortem doctor had the children laid ontm one of these apaitments, and actually called upon the unfoitiinate mother to hold the body of one of her dead children that he might the more conveniently saw the head open. The poor woman of course was shocked, and natui ally enough gave expression to her feeling', in a way not calculated to soothe the opcuitor. Thereupon tho lattec took the poor crcatine by the shouldos and thrust her fiom the mom Other sickening detuls .no published m the local papeis in connection with the scene. The ('hiifti/D Tribuw gives the following recipe foi making brandy fiom .sawdust of pine and fir timber mixed, from which .i compound is prepared composed of Opnts sawdust, .'J."{"7 parts of water, *7 of one [ui t of hydrochloric acid, making 4.'5 7 paifs altogether. This is to be boiled undei steam pressure for 11 hours, when it will bo found that 19 per cent, of tho mass will be grape stigir. The acid is to bo noutialised with lime, and the mash supplied with yeast After % hours' fermentation a distillation of the mash will produce (il quarts of biaiuly of 50 percent, stiength. JIcio is an opening for a new and almost unlimited increase in tho manufacture of spirits. Many other woods besides fir and pine will probably bo as woll adapted for tiic purpose, in the largo timber districts of the United States, Canada. Australia, Now Zealand, and many other parts of the woild, immenso quantities of sawdust, now unutilised, may bo made to become as valuable as tho timber, if not more so. Tho tcctotilleis argue that alcohol was invented by the Evil Ono for the destruction of tho human family, and ho certainly has an unlimited supply of the law matenal at his command. Almost tho cutiro laugo of vegetable pioduets has been made to yield feimented and spuituous liquors, and amongst the most highly cultivated as well as the most barbarous nations the aifc of making intoMo.iting drinks is cultivated with couiineici.il success. It is only 1 itcly wo have heaid of sawdust being added to tho long list of materials from which to distil waipirau, but it is quite possiblo that a local indusliy may aiido in this direction, which will bo a lucrative investment for those who cniluik in it. The San Francisco Bulletin says : — " It will bo seen from our Now Zealand advices that Mi. Vogcl has been recalled to tho head of air.iirs m that colony. This gentleman, who is both a shiowd politician and a progiessivo statesman, is well known in California as tho former Postmaster-General of New Zealand, in which capacity ho made the contract which led to the establishment of American steam sei vice with Australasia, visiting the United .States partly in connection with this business Ho is . i warm friend of. commercial niteicoinse with this country, and his i etui n to power is very favourable to tho mtei course already begun by moans of Webb's steamships."

"Anglo-Australian," in the Eitrnyenn Mint of the 1st November, says :—" Among the passengcis by the outgoing Ktindisi mail is a Mrs Uladen Neill, an old colonist, who h returning to hydney, after having spent some time m Italy anil Switzerland, nnesti git ing the mode of re irmg silkworms Slip takes out Home eggs produced upon the Swiss open air system, which, she hopes, will foim the nucleus of a healthy progeny, .ind add another industry to the o\ or expanding resources of our Southern empiic. All success to our fair pioneer, and may her daughters he clothed in the gay material spun from hei own cocoons Poor Aspinall is now an inmate of Bethlehem Hospital. His removal thence from : tho private asylum in which ho was iirst placed 13 attributable to tho Duke of Edinburgh, who believed that the unfortunate gentleman would be more carefully treated in a public institution. Since his removal tho patient's health lias much ira- ' proved, but lie still suffers from mental hallucination, insisting that ho was put in thcio by pei sons who want to keep him out of his piopeity, and that tho Queen keeps him there to punish bun for defending O Kirrtll. A London correspondent of an American | paper says he is stiuok by seeing wheroever he goes " Cheap Funerals" advertised. For 20 dollars, he says, you can be shtouded, coffined, and buried, and have four mourners m attendance. These " mourners" of com so don't know who you ai e, what you are, where you came from, or whcie you're going, but they will look as if you we ic tho last fneud they had, or expected to have on earth, with a yard of black ciapo dangling and waving from their hats, like so many pirate flags ; and when you aio covered up, they will adjourn to the neaiest public-house, and, over their porter and cheese, pray foi some one else to die as soon as possible, with csh enough to be mom ncd over. JS'o cash hcte, no mourueis The wut'T adds thai ho never saw anyone shed genuine teais at one of these city (uncials. To bo wept over when buried, you must,m his opinion, be interred in a countiy churchyaid amid sunshine and floweis. A very singular suicide was latety com 1 nutted at Cleveland, U.S. Tho vutim o the rash act pioeuiod a revolver and connected it with a species of clockwork, so that it should be fired ofT at a cei tain time. Me then got into bed and took a dose of ehlorofoini, after having placed the pistol behind his car. He then, under tho influence of the narcotic, went to sleep. At the given time the clockwoik piessed the trigger of the pistol, which went off and launched the wi etched man into eternity It was lccently announced that, foi the better provisioning of tho lloyal Navy, the Lords, < 'ommmionors of the Admiralty haveopened a meat preserving establishment in Australia, and large quantities of this preserved meat havo already arnvod at Deptford. The clergymen in Delaware, U.S., are " on strike," and have adopted the following resolution: — "That only tho hour for tho beginning of the funoral service bo published, and that promptness on the part of all is very dosirable ; that a carriage bo sent for, and placed at tho service of the minister ; that the position of tho minister during the f uncial service bo left to his own discretion ; that the selection of the Lord's Day for funerals bo discouraged. '' A marble-cutter at Albany, U.S , lately brought an action for wages under the following circumstances, but whether ho obtained a verdict or not is not stated : — " The woilcman was instructed to cot upon a tombstone, ' Let her soul rest m peace,' but Iring cramped for space he abbreviated the sentence thus, 'Let her soul r. i. p.' Thcporson who ordered the stone would not accept it, and it was returned." Under the heading of " A good word for local papeis," the J¥rt» Yuri Tnn<"> says : — "You might nearly as well forget your churches, yom academies an 1 school-houses, as to foi get your local paper. It speaks to ten times the audience that your local minister does. It is lead eagerly each week from beginning to end. It reaches you all, and, if it has a lower spirit and less wisdom than a sermon, it has a thousand times bcttei chance at you. Lying, as it does, on evciy tablu, in almost evciy house, you owe it to youiselves to lally to its suppoit, and exact fiom it as able, high-toned a chaiactcr as you do from any educator in your midst. It is no sense beneath notice and care — unless you youiself aie beneath notice and care — for it is your lcpre&entative. Indeed, in its chaiacter, it is the summation of the mipoitance of the intciest and welfare of you all. It is the aggregate of your own consequence, and you cannot lgnoio it without nnseiably depieciatmg yourselves." The latest novelty in tho way of stroet car motive power is now in operation on the New Orleans and Chairollton Sheet Railway. On a four-wheel truck about half tho length of an ordinal y passenger car aro a boiler, a tank, and a double-cylinder engine of seven inches stioke. The t ink is filled with about three hundred gallons of water. This water is belted at tho depot in a stationary boiler, and discnaiged into the tink at the beginning of each tup In this manner enough steam is piovided to piopel the car nine miles, and have a surplus of power left at tho end of the trip. Ono man peifoims the duty of engineer, brakesman, and conductor. There is no escape of steam nor any noise beyond that oidinaiily caused in lunning a passenger cir, and a trial of neaily three months has shown this new motor to be iut only practicable, but much cheaper than horse power. Tho actual running expenses have been Idol. 48 cents per day. — Tot onto Olvhc, A most interesting ceiemony appears to have taken place lecently at Chicago. Divorces havo of late years become so numeious and fashionable in that city, that tho need for some kind of social festivity to celebrate their occurrence has for some time been extensively felt It has been lescived for ji lady dwelling in the " west division ' to in ike the first experiment towards supplying this need, and to celebrate her lecent divorce f i oin her husband by an appiopuate enteitainment. A largo paity of fiieuds assembled by invitation at her house, and the " ncwly-inade widow loceived the congratulations of her fiiends and i datives with as much [/leasuie as a newly-wedded wife after the ceremony of mariiage." The whole afLur, which was modelled, as closely as us diflercnt conditions permitted, on the oldfaslnoned festivities of a marriage, wont ofF with the utmost t'-clat. There appears to have been a kiud of " divorco breakfast," either with or without speeches appiopuate to the occasion ; and one of the principal foitures of this banquet was, wo leain, a haiidiomo "divorco cake," mounted by an " olegaut monogiam, the letter D, foi di\orce, being entwined with the lady's name before her marriago '' Tho ceremony was concluded by the presentation t-> the lady of a number ot " highly suggestive piescnts." Tlieio .seems, indeed, to havo been but one thing wanting to the completeness of the allaii% and that is tho presence of the "ex-hus-band." It is conceivable that the "newly, made widower" might have boon prepared on his pait " to receive tho conyiatulations of fi lends, and lelatives with as much ploasuieas a newly-wedded husband;" mid tho piescncc of the happy beaming faces of the di voiced couple seated side by side at tho "festive board" would have crow nod the gaiety of the scene. — Pull Mall (•'«-<//• No one has ever doubtod, m any pait of the wot Id, that small hirds are destructive in a very gicat measure to noisome insects. Wo trust that our farmers and horticultuiists have come to tho same conclusion which every nation on the eaith has in tuin leahsod by exporimco, vi/ , thnt tho feathered tribes, although nome of them tor a shot t space eat a poition of the fnuts they piolect, are man's fellow- woikeis, and are laboureia woithy of their hue. Tho seeds they consume, the chernos and giapes they spoil, are in value as nothing when compared with the depi editions of the fly, tho caterpillar, and cankerworm. Within tho last six months thcro have J been sent to Africa 430,500 gallons of Medfoul aim fiom tho port of Boston alone,

On the evening of the 5th of September a joung woman, very veil dressed, was seen to thiow hciadf oil Waterloo Budge into tho liver. She lose moic than once, screamuijr fiantically, and seemed to be swimming, lut s.ink twiui befoic tlic Thames polico Lout could reach hei. The polico did manaye, however, when she had been carried down by the stioam to nearly opposite the Temple pier, to ieach her with the grapnel as she was f-inkiiiL', but life was extinct. The body has been identified as that of Alico Blanche Oswald, and the following letter, which has attracted a good deal of attention, was found on the body :— "The crime that I am about to commit, and for which F must sutler heieafter, is nothing compared to my present misery. Alono in London, not a penny or a fuei'd to advise or lend a helping hand, tired and weary with looking for something to do, failing in every Wciy, footsore and heartweary, I prefer death to the dawning of auothoi wretched morning. I have only been in Britain nine weeks. I camo as nursery governess with a lady from America to Wick, in Scotland, where she discharged me, icfusiug to pay my passage back, giving me my wages, £.'? 10s. After my expenses to London, I found mj'self in this gieat city with 5s. What was I to do ? I sold my watch. The paltry sum I obtained for that soon went in paying for my boaid and in looking for a situation. Now 1 am destitute : every day is a misery to me. No f i icnd, no hope, no money, what is left? Oh, God of heaven, have mercy on a poor helplens sinner ; Thou knowest how I have striven again&t tins, but fate is against me. I cannot ticad the path of sin, for my dead mother will be watching me. Fatherless, motherless, home have J none. Oh, for theraiity of Christian hearts. I am not mad ; for days I have forespen that thi3 would be the end. May all who hear of my death forgive me ; may God Almighty do so, before whose bar I must soon appear. ' Faiewell to all, to this beautiful yet wretched world. — At.K'E I?LAvnr Oswald. I am twenty years of ago the 14th of this month." A letter from lied Bird, a small town in Monioo county, 111., gives a thiilling account of the escape fiom its keepers of the rhinoceros belonging to Wauior and Co.'s menagriio and encus, on the occasion of its being brought into the ring for the first time, fho showmen had prepared the animal for exhibition by attaching to a ring m its nose two strong wire lines, and twenty-four men were deemed sufficient to control the beast. It submitted quietly to being led fiom the cage, but on entering the arena suddenly threw up its head, and, plunging madly to the light and left, broke loose from the men and dashed forward through the tents. Its In st victim was John Gillem, a canvasman, [ who was knockod down, and, the beast I trampling upon his breast, he was killed, instantly. It next ran ita nose against I Martin Ready, another canvasman, striking him in the Btoniach, ripping out his bowels, and killing him on the spot. It then made a dash in the direction of the seats, which by this time were cleared by the frightened spectators, and knocked down neaily all of the seats on one side of the tent, discolatiDg th© shoulder of one of the employes, and bieaking the arm of a spectator. Ennning next into the menagerie tent, it upset Mr. Forepaugh's den of performing animals, after i which it struck the centre-pole with its head, bringing it down with acrash upon the cages of the tiger and leopard, but not breaking them so as to allow the animals to escape. Dashing into the museum tent, it broke all the curiosities, frightened all the people in the neighbourhood, and rushed out thiough the canvas into the street, finally stopping in a vacant house, the door of which Btood open Here the men succeeded in capturing the animal and getting it into a cage. The damage to the show was about 3,000 dollars. Professor Dyer, in a recent lecture on the scientific aspect of horticultuie, points out that there is one branch of science intimately connects with horticulture in which, we are at present far from reaping the piactical benefit of knowledge. This is meteorology. The learned professor argues that, even if it is too much to hope that we shall ever possess the slightest contiol over the asperities of the weather, it is not too mnch to look forward to improved methods of foretelling what is in store for us, ! as well asimpioved methods of obviating ita effects. The study of carefully-compiled lecoids of daily observations will, no doubt, eventually reveal not only some of the causes that influence the weather itself, but will also throw light upon changes in the public health, with which it cannot be doubted the weather is closely bound up. The quiet littlo village of Clarksville haa been stirred by more than an oidinary sensation within the past few days, the facts of which, as related to us by tho injured party himself, are about as follows : Isaac Rose, a haid-working farmer, not yet forty yeais of age, together with his wife Elizabeth, aged thirty, daughter Mary 1 ouise, aged sixteen, and a little boy, constituting the Rose family, resided in the village, and until within a few days past, Mr R. was unaware of the shock his domestic happiness was soon to receive. He, in his vocation as farmer, was necessarily absent from home at his work from early morn until late at night, and Thursday was no exception to the rule. On returning home thateveninu he found the house closed up and deserted. The door had been locked, and it was evident that tho family was absent. Supposing his wife was visiting her brother in another part of the village, he turned his steps thither, but to his astonishment found only his little boy there. _ Ho pursued his inquiries, and learned to his sorrow that she had left the village with her daughter. Km ther inquiiy proved that she had deserted him for another man, and also that his daughter too had been stolen from him. Residing in the village was a man named Solomon Vincent, thnty years of age, and living with him during the summer and fall was his father, Cyrus Vincent, aged seventy. The husband for the first tnno learned that these two men were frequent visitors at hia hnuse, and from the evidence of his son, who was present when they were at the house during Thuisday, it was apparent that they weie ciiminally' iutimato with his wife and daughter, and that the four intended to elope together. Mrs. R. bought a trunk a day or t\\o before, and at tho time of the purchase made the remark thut she was "going West. 'I he father and son also disappeared from tho village, and, as the husband believes, camo to tins city, where they joined his wife and daughter, and following the benevolent injunction of H G., hare " gone West." The woman took with her a number of articles of bedding, &c, and 2dol. in money. The alleged paramour is well off in this world s goods, anil if they have fled together, she will doubtless bo well cared for. The injured husband was in this city yesterday afternoon, to gain a cluo to the fugitives, if possible. The Vincents, it is said, formerly lived m this city. The matter haa been placed in the hands of Detectivo Dwyer.— Albany (N.Y.) Evening Journal, November 12. MM. Becqverel and Edm. Becquerel havo published a memoir upon some observations made with the aid of an electric thermometer, so arranged that tho temperature of places and objects at some distance from the obsei ver may bo determined. These gentlemen havo applied it to the deteimination of the comparative teuipei attires of bare soil, and that coveted with low vegetation. In oidor to obtain the average temperaturo for the year the observations were made duiing tho last live days of August, tho months of September and October, at tho hours of G and I) in tho moi mug, and 3 ami G in the evening. Tho averages of theso results were calculated and arranged in tables. Tho fact that tho Emperor of Russia haa given permission to the heir apparent to wear a Mahomodan decoiation confeired upon him by tho Sultan of Tin key is very significant I ho C/ar evidently thinks that mote is to bo gamed at present by peace than war. If any of the Spiritualist fiiternity could hold communication with the shade of tho late Lord Palmeiston, we should like to know what the latter would say an to the bearing of this siuRidar event ou tho balance of power in Europe. The Rov. Stephen Gladstone, son of tbo Butish Preinior, is rector of Hawarden.

A. Bristol manufacturer has made a monstt r umbrella for an African chief. It is 65 feet in circumference, the lancewood ribs being 9 feet lone;, and there are 140 yards of material m it. It is covered with red, bine, and white chintz, and takes two men to expand it. A recent number of the Atalanta Mm has an article on the curative properties, in case of rheumatism, of the mineral springs in the neighbourhood of the city of Atalanta, Georgia, and asks why they are not more used, and why people should go abroad in search of healing waters when they have the very best at their own doors. The same thing might be asked in New Zealand — why the hot springs of the^Northernlslandarenot more visited by invalids. Their medicinal virtues, and the beauty of th<5 soil and climate, have been frequently dilated upon. Yet they have been by no means so largely patronised as they ought to be. More ample hotel accommodation, and additional facilities for reaching the locality, will, in all probability, be provided during? the present year, when an increase in the number of visitors may be reasonably expected. An alliterative Illinois repoiter fathers the following : Parson Palmer of Padola is the proprietor of a pen of pigs. These pigs escaped and persecuted a neighbour named Piper. Piper persecuted them on 1m premises with a dog, and punished Palmer's boy. Tho parson promptly paid his respects to Piper, prating of a prospective prosecution, and was in turn pounded to pulp by the precipitate Piper. The penitent man at present pines in prison. By a recent Act of Parliament (18 and 10 Vic, cap. 01) the Treasury and the Public Works Loan Commissioners are authorised to advance money for the purpose of constructing a lighthouse on or near the coast of any British possession, such sums to be repaid out of the dues collected within the following fifty years. Thus empowered, the Commissioners have advanced a further sum of £75,000 towards the erection of lighthouses on the Great and Little Basses Rocks, in Ceylon. Dr. Steam, Surgeon at the Asylum fo Disabled Soldiers, at Milwaukee, Wis., re ferring to tho photographic use of orangecoloured glass to exclude the actinic rays of light, expresses his surprise that no optician has had the gemua to see that orange is the proper colour for spectacles, instead of green or blue, for persons of weak eyes. Dr. Steam statea the interesting fact that a room in the hospital with which be is connected is lighted through orange coloured windows, and is used with very satisfactory results, for patients who have certain diseases of the eyes requiring the exclusion of the actinic rays of light. A similar suggestion was made some time ago by a wiitei in one of the London papers. A new and very inexpensive cooking stove is now being exhibited at the Palais de l'lndustrie, Pans. The heating power is obtained from a simple moderator oil lamp, provided with a suitable framing to carry the culinary appliances — kettle, saucepan, &c. The heat of the flame is admirably directed and conducted, and most efficiently utilised. It is reported, although we can hardly credit the report, that the Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol (England) has expressed an opinion that any m<ui who pronounces English agricultural labourers to be underpaid should be ducked in a mill-pond. The pay of the agricultural labourer in England does not average more than 10s. per week, if bo much, and we can hardly believe that any intelligent man can have made such a statement on the subject as this prelate (with (£4,500 a-year and a house rent-free) is repoited to have made. Various French provinces have now named their wines. Soine call their vintage " the Loan "Wine ," in Provence i*' is "the Wine de la Deliverance;" and m Dauphiny, " the Wine of Cyclops," in allusion to M. Gambetta's recent visit and his single eye. It is stated that the Improvement Committee of the Corporation of London arc able to show that no expense has been incurred by tho Holborn Valley improvements—that they have been paid for (with £100,000 to spare) by the improved value of the land which they have caused to be vacant. George Augustus Sala says he has proposed the toast, "The Ladies," in sixteen different languages, and in different countries. Mr. Sala has proposed toasts too often. Sasoumai Satou, son of the Japanese Mikado's chief physician, has graduated as an M.D. at Berlin. Out of £1,231,00.", tho declared value of boots and shoes sent abroad in tho last nine months, £421, .322 was exported to Australia. Mr. Seward's " Travels Bound the World" will shortly be published by subset lption from the press of the Messrs. Appleton. Sir Frank Ives Scudamore reports that the British Government telegraphic business will give this year a clear profit of £330,000. The honisation of Mr. Stanley has made an En«hsh aeronaut desirous of " going for " Dr. Livingstone in a balloou. ! Mrs. Moore, a New York widow, worth 300,000 dollars, has quit paying her coachman 8 dollars a week. She married him. A new entertaining gown is to be provided for the Lord Mayor of London, at an expense of £130.

A call of Od. per share has been made in the Central Italy G.M. Co., payable on 01 before the 12th February. A call has been made in the Lincoln Castle C-.M.Co., payable on the same day as above. An extraordinary meeting of the shareholders of the Central Italy Q M.Co. is advertised to be held on the 4th February, at Grahauiatown, to take into consideration business specified in an advertisement in another column of tbo present issue. On Satin day evening (weather permitting) the p.s. ' Golden Crown ' is to make a moonlight excursion on the Waitemata. These moonlight excursions hare become a favourite pastime amongst us, and are invariably well patronised. It will be seen that the ' Royal Alfred ' is to make her weekly tiip to the Hot springs on Saturday next. 'J his will afford an opportunity for those suffering from any of the ailments to which flesh is heir to try the virtues of a tepid bath heated by Pluto's own fires. The hotel accommodation available at the springs is excellent. The monthly meeting of the Prince |of Wales Lodgp of Freemasons will bo held at the Masoniu Hotel at half-past seven o'clock this ovening. An extraordinary general meeting of shareholders in the Von Tempsky (i M Co. , Mill be held at 3 p.m. on the 30th instant, at the Company's office, Queen-street, to decide as to the disposal of forfeited shares, and to pass new rules or alter existing onoa. Parties having claims against the intestate eatato of tho late Louis Hetet are requested to prove the same before Mr. T. Macffarlano, Curator of Intestate Estates, on or btfoie tho 22nd instant.