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Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 14, Issue 1146, 22 April 1870, Page 3

A Native Telegeaph. — This is a progressive age : even the Maoris are " moving on." At Pafcea, according to a correspondent of the Wanganui Chronicle, they have invented a kind of telegraph, of which he writes : — "I had occasion _early this week to go to Waihi, the post" "garrisoned by the natives of the Kgatiporou. tribe, and was surprised at night by one of them asking if I would like to see their " waea " (wire), or system of communicating from one whare to the other. Their post is divided into two distinct pas or redoubts. They asked me what I would like to say to a native in the other pa ; I gave them a message, and to my astonishment one of them proceeded to strike a bit of string suspended from the roof of the whare, and in a short time my message was sent. I did not wait very long when the string before mentioned began to vibrate ; one of them look a bit of paper and pencil and proceeded to take down the answer to my message, which when translated to me, I found to be a correct one. On looking, I found that tho string is stretched from one whare to the other all over the pah, and that a continual communication is going on. I conversed with a native, at a distance of about 40 yards, for some time." To Clean Knives. — A correspondent of the Count)'// Gentleman says — "A small clean potato, with the end cutoff, is a very convenient medium of applying brick-dust to knives, keeping it at the right moisture, while the juice of the potato assists in removing stains from the surface. We can get a better polish by this method than by any other we have tried, and with less trouble." How a Fiee mat occub. — A very singular accident occurred a short time ago, in the shop of Messrs. Ekensteen and Hall, Invercargill, which others would do well to note. Fortunately on this occasion a discovery took place in time to prevent damage. On one of the days on which the sun had corao out pretty strong for a few days, Mr Hall observed the papers overlaying one of the window-shelves to bo on fire. Of course it was at once put out, but the wonder was how it had become ignited. By experimenting a little it was found that a decanter-shaped bottle of salad oil, which stood in front, acted as a powerful lens, and set fire to several pieces of paper as they were placed be- ! neath the focus. The fire had scorched the shelf itself, and but for its being quickly noticed would have caught the lining of the wall, and might even during the day have been the cause of a serious loss. One can fancy how a fire so kindled might smoulder until night, and then burst out and destroy thousands of pounds worth of property, aud life itself, leaving the origin a mystery. A Cube fob the Gkasshopper Nuisance. — A correspondent informs the Argus that about 25 years ago grasshoppers overran Adelaide aud its neighborhood. It was noticed that in the vicinity of the scarlet geranium, blue larkspur, and the common, castor-oil plant the insects lay dead in heaps. Some property in. these plants must be very destructive to this pest, for immediately the grasshoppers began to feed on them they fell in a dying state. The fact has led manj. of the inhabitants to grow the plants mentioned, since which Adelaide and its surroundings have been very little troubled with grasshoppers. Map Mounting. — Stretch tho cloth on a broad flat board by mcaus of nails round the edges, then place tho plan back up, and give it a coat of good smooth fiourpasfce; now lay it carefully down upon the cloth, place a sheet of clean paper over it, and rub down with a soft rag or handkerchief; put it away until thoroughly dry. If it is to be varnished it should be coated with size made of a solution of isinglass, about so strong that it will just golatiniso when cold. It is all tho better for two coats of size giving it time to dry between the coats. It is now ready for varnishing, which must be done with what is sold as colourless plan varnish, by means of a broad flat brush, avoiding much rubbing ; when thoroughly dry, which will be in a a day or two, cut it off tho board with a sharp knife, and mouutit on rollers. A Judge threatened to fine a lawyer for contempt of court. " I have expressed no contempt for the court," said the lawyer; "on the contrary, I have carefully concealed my feelings." A Giddy Student, having got his skull fractured, was told by the'doctor that the brain was visible; on which ho remarked, "Do write to tell father, for he always said I had none." " Mother," said a little child, " why are orphans the happiest children in the world ?". " They are not ; but why do you think they -are, my child?" ".Because they have no parents to lick 'em."