Untitled

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6162, 6 February 1882, Page 2

On Friday evening a large haystack in one of Messrs Nelson Bros.' paddocks at Clive was totally destroyed by fire, the loss being about £100. Spontaneous combustion was the cause of the fire.

A man named Jolin Stokes -was charged at the E.M. Courfc ou Saturday morning with, passing two valueless cheques at Mr Snelling's Victoria Hotel. The prisoner was remanded till this morning.

On Saturday afternoon as a number of cricketers were being brought to town in one of Mr Viller's large coaches, just after leaving the bridge one of the hor»eje

fell down. Its legs got in between the spokes of one of the wheels, but after considerable difficulty it was extricated with little or no injury. The coach was then brought up to town with three horses.

Mr Hobson, whose fame has reached us from the South, commences to-night in the Protestant Hall a short season ot his dramatic and musical recitals, which have been classed with the best entertainments of the kind ever given in New Zealand. His powers appear to be something quite surprising, as he is equally at home in tragedy or comedy. His musical abili* ties are also of the highest order, while his rendering of soprano solos of the most difficult kind are spoken of in a way that must excite the curiosity of all. We anticipate & treat of hd ordinary kind, ahd hope Mr Hobson will have no reason to complain of his reception in Napier. M. Lorenz, Mr Robson's pianist, has also received very high praise for his piano solos.

The list of Napiei? yachts is 'being Increased somewhat rapidly. On Satarday a trim built three-ton boat, named the Eesolute, was launched. She is owned by Mr li. Holt, jun., who was also her builder. Sho is built of pine and kauri, measures 20ffc. overall, with beam of Gft. 2in., and. has a lOin. keel. .Iter lii is French bigg, nnd ske is cdpp<i._- fastened throughout. The lines are well defined and clean, though at first sight the bow is not very pleasing to the eye. Mr R. Macgregor attended to the rigging, which in every respect shows care and good workmanship. She was taken outside on Saturday afternoon for a trial trip, and showed good sailing qualities, quite coming up to her owner's anticipations. Ifc is Mr Holt's intention to enter her for the approaching regatta, when it is expected she will give a good account of herself.

Mr Piimsoll, the sailors' friend, is now en roirte to the Australian Colonies, staying some weeks in Egypt.

A committee of Melbourne magistrates appointed at a public meeting to consider the question of larrikinism, have recommended the use of tim birch for youthful offenders, to be administered at the rising of the Court, and the application of the cat to hardened larrikins.

Now that there is so much talk anent small-pox, it may interest our readers to learn how vaccination is accomplished in the Elowery Land. Every Chinese who wishes to be made proof against infection submits his nose to the lancet of the vaccinator, and the Government give him by way of reward a donation of fivepence.

Dr G-osse, of the Vaccination Office of South Australia, has issued a circular to medical mon to the effect that great caution is necessary in performing vaccination during the hot months, and the result a doubtful security. He advises the postponement till cooler weather, unless an outbreak of small -pox occurs in the city, when the choice of evils must be made.

The Oamaru Mail of a recent date says : — Kilts are light and airy, but they are not an unmixed blessing. One of Scotia's sons — a splendid specimen, by the way — must have thought so yesterday. It is his custom to light his pipe or cigar by means of a match ignited on his pants. Yesterday he had no pants on, and he essayed to carry out this customThe effect was somewhat startling.

The contingent of gentlemen and professional players, expected to visit the colonies before the end of 1882 will comprise the following gentlemen : — Ivo Bligh, Alfred Lyttelton, A. G-. Steel, C. J. Studd, C. H. F. Leslie, A. P. Lucas, and G-. E. Vernon. The professionals will be selected from Barnes, Bates, Barlow, Flowers, Morley, Peate, and Ulyett. The above names include the flower of English cricket j and the eleven, to represent the Old Country on the occasion of the next trial of strength with the next Australian Eleven, will probably be selected from them. — Times.

It ia very probable that now the twine binders have proved such a success, a fresh impetus will be given to the flax industry in New Zealand. Mr Larkworthy, of the Carnarvon estate, now residing in London, but who has taken and is still taking a great interest in New Zealand affairs, has been in communication with Mr J. W. Gower, on the subject. Mr Larkworthy and Mr Gower are very sanguine about the flax industry, and both believe that it will yet be a great success in New Zealand.

The Hawera Star of a recent date has the following mysterious paragraph: — To-day, a respectably-dressed girl was charged afc the Eesident Magistrate's Court with an infamous offence. The police have apparently taken action on the statements of Mrs Hughes, a midwife, and M>s Gibbs, wife of a carpenter. The medical evidence showed that the charge was absolutely false. A case more disgraceful to those concerned in the prosecution has never previously come before the Hawera Court.

A team of cricketers representing the Napier Club left by the Ilingarooma on Saturday for Gisborne, where they do battle against an eleven of that district. A good game is expected. The Napier men went away short-handed, two upcountry players who had pledged themselves to go having at the eleventh hour telegraphed, down that they could not leave. This naturally made the other members of the team very indignant, and probably it will be a long time before those up-country players are again asked by the Napier Club to play in one of their representative teams.

A good story is told in connection with the earthquake last week, which, if true, deserves relating. A certain gallant seacaptain of rather obese proportions was ascending the steps of the Christchurch Cathedral tower in company with some friends when the oscillation commenced. One of the party, a wag, at once divining "what was up, " remarked to the unsuspecting sailor, " I didn't know you wero so heavy. You are shaking the tower as you go. " Quoth the captain innocently, " It's the very shakiest old set of steps I ever went up ; worse than going up a mast!"

S peaking of the test of paraffin mineral from the Southern Cross Company's claim, the Poverty Bay Standard says :— " The sample sent over to Melbourne is said to have been very inferior to average, but we would infer that more value may be attached to the experiment for that very reason. It is said that beyond the curious, pasty-looking substance of all colors, very few nodules of the native paraffin could be seen. The kerosene, wliich would not flash at Is7deg. Pahr., is of considerably more value than those usually sold in tho market. Many samples are warranted to llOdeg., and a few up to 120deg. In Canada the warranty required by the railways is a fire test of 150deg. , and a freezing test of 40deg. below zero."

The Herald, referring to the silkworm industry for Auckland, i says : — "Mr Griffin, the American Consul, has set himself to the task of seeing if it is not possible to put the produce of boys aud girls of Auckland upon the same tooting in the United States as that of Japan. It is to be hoped Mr Griffin will succeed in iaducing the silk manufacturers of the United ' States to open- a market m Auckland for the purchase of all dried cocoons, perforated cocoons, or floss silk that our young folks can produce. If such a market were opened here, by which small as well as large quantities could be disposed of, Mr Griffin is quite satisfied from what he has already seen that the trade would be a yearly expanding one.' It is to be hoped that he will succeed in his laudable endeavors to create a per-

manent local market at a fair price for the produce of the silkworm reared in New Zealand.'' The Paris correspondent of Ihc Times calls attention to an act of the French Senate which contains a useful hint as to the method of facilitating legislation. Though the Chambers had only been sitting about 10 days, an important measure—the bill dealing *tt-*ith the regiilafcidn 2—of cemetei'les— liad already become law. The reason is that the Senate, which is never dissolved, lakes up measures in one session where it left them at the end of the preceding one. In this caae the bill in question had passed the late Chamber of Deputies just before the dissolution. In the Chamber of Deputies also— and this is the most important point— bills are carried over li'om session to session, so that practically " the four years* 1 existence of the Chamber is one session with mere adjournments."

Thus saith. the Wairarapa Sk)<:~ " The mysterious jind terrible amount of yerbiage that occasionally finds its way intd the editorial columns of modern colonial journals nidy be accepted as undeniable and irrefutable evidence of the singular tendeDcy of the overtaxed philo* sophica.l mind to abandon the fundamental principles of English composition, in oifdei. that it may launch into a labyrinth of wordy sentiments too profound to be intelligible. The following specimen extract from the leading columns of the New Zealand Times will explain what we mean: — 'Speculations, whose sole foundation consists in the beguiling expectation of some lucky turn in the wheel of fortune, cannot, even when that lucky turn does come, be placed either morally or intellectually to the credit of the actors ; and the provoking rareness with which the dreamt- of result occurs shows that those who embark on such, speculations have forgotten the divine. law. of induction, which, whether in business or in statesmanship, is the only /sure basis of success.' It is evident thafc the vote for the Wellington Asylum will not be in vain."

The lives of some 200 persons, assembled for special service in Christ Church; Carmarthen, were imperilled recently (says the Home Neivs) by the flues of the heating apparatus being fouled by damp, which, coming in contact with the fire,. lit for the first time since last winter, gave . out almost imperceptibly noxious fumes. Severel persons feeling iD, without knowing the cause, left the church and the»\ fainted.^ Some boys became stupefied and their removal causing commotion, _ vicar requested all unwell tb leave during the hymn before the sermon, but was himself immediately seized with partial stupefaction, and, hastily pronouncing, the Benediction, be, together with the intending preacher, the Eev Mr Adamson, commenced hurrying their lady relatives away. When seated those present simply felt oppression and an irresistable mclii nation to sleep, but when moving lost ali control over themselves. Strong men tottered out leaning against the walls and pillars, while ladies staggered out in twos and threes, some of them going into hysterics. After busying himself with, the congregation, the vicar was so overcome as to be compelled to accept the not very dignified position of being helped, home by a stalwart policeman, who was' fortunately at hand. No serious afterconsequences have been reported.

On the 15th July, 1881 (says a correspondent of Notes and Queries), I observed a broad silver ring on the middle finger of the left hand of a man formerly -of Chudleigh, now of Torquay, a painter by trade, who was working at my house at the time. In reply to my question, he stated that he was 27 years of age, and had worn the ring about seven years for the purpose of protecting himself from fits, to which he had been long subject. The ring, he said, was made of nine sixpences, given to him for the purpose by nine unmarried females, all, as was necessary, of the parish of Chudleigh, where he resided at the time. The sixpences were given in response to hia question, " Will you give me a sixpence ? " he being careful not to say, " Will you please give me a sixpence V' and careful also to avoid saying "Thank you" on the receipt of the coin- either of which, would have vitiated the charm. He took the nine coins to an ordinary jeweller, who made them into a ring, but it was necessary for the success of the charm that he should receive nothing for his labor. The givers and the receiver of the sixpences must be of different sexes, and the ring must be worn on the middle finger of the left hand. It had not quite kept away the fits, but they have been much. les3 frequent than they were before he wore it.

Australia is not to escape the doubtful honor conferred upon ifc by the fact that it was once the abode of the murderer Lefroy. The convict did not make a long stay, ifc is true, nor were his operations there successful nor upon a large scale, but it was upon that visit that he raised a fiction which some of his friends have taken as a basis to account for the crime. According to this line of explanation for the murder, Lefroy was paying his addresses to an heiress, whose natural guardians were strangely indisposed to allow her to accept him. They resolutely declined to have anything to say to him until he gave some substantial proof that he was not a needy fortune-hunter, without means or possession. Lefroy's powers of romance have been testified to by those who knew him best, and just as he could at a moment's notice manufacture relationship wifch distinguished people or sur-? round himself with a halo of. fictitious, glory by taking credit for some mythical feat, so he promptly invented a fortune ia Australia. The distance which lends en-** chantment would give an air of reality to the sham, and make a castle in the Antipodes far more tangible than one in Spain. But the funds did not flow in very rapidly from these far-off possessions, and in the absence of a substantial instalment Lefroy went forth, revolver in hand, to make the first prosperous person he met stand and deliver.

Under the heading of "Will the Government resign?" the Patea Mail sa y S . — « The Ministry are safe against ordinary risks. But being _ dependent on the tolerance of a majority somewhat adverse, and certainly not friendly, it becomes a necessity of existence that the Ministry shall be wary and conciliatory. They must avoid party issues, and they can do ifc by tlie familiar process of " picking the brains " of Opposition thinkers. The Ministry will hay? to adopt an Opposition policy, and call it by some other name. These are the common tricks of politics in all democratic countries. The present Ministry know how to practise them. They are already stealing the main plank of the Opposition platform j they are leaving the old ground aud taking up new by declaring for another loan to complete mam railways.-*, That is " picking the brains " of your opponent and by presenting him with his own scheme— a little modified for appearance sake— you compel him to give you a vote, to pay you a sulky compliment. The Major and Mr Hall don't stick at trifles bike that. They have no fast aud hard principle to contend^ for, but they can talk high principle to tickle ' the ears of a few, while practising expedi. ency to suit the interests of many. This is a cynical view of politics. It is possible to treat politics sentimentally, but only groping simpletons do that. "

" Still waters run deep," and the unpretending virtue of an article is more apt to be genuine than that which flaunts itself in noisy and ostentatious show. The compounds and specifics advertised in flaming placards and garish posters, need such adventitious agencies to foist them into public notice ; but such a preparation a sUdolpho Wolfe's Schiedam Aromatic