CURRENT TOPICS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXIX, Issue 9987, 16 March 1893, Page 5

CURRENT TOPICS.

In some “ Remhmcenses of Edinburgh Society Nearly Fifty Tears Ago” in "Longman’s ” for January, there ia a story which is, perhaps, new to most readers, ft relates to the late Bishop Terrot, who was an acute reasoner and a ready talker, and the enemy of all cant and sophistry, « Some o’er-guid people were shocked at the idea of. a ball being given for the purposes of chanty, and the question wee referred to the Bishop. He answered it by a burst of common sense., “I’m aura, if it could do anybody good,*? he said, “ J would dance down the length of Georgy street in full canonicals.”

As an article of food, the days of trips are likely to be over. It; has'been dw» covered that when tanned . and .dyed, it, makes a leather exceeding in aoftneasand beauty the well known morocco. Thl* r tripe leather can bo split like ordinaryv skins, and the spongy part then makes * durable, soft and lustrous article, admirably suited for bags, purses and ethos ■ ‘ articles. There are from 15 feet to 29fe«t of tripe forming the stomachs of the larger ruminant animals, so that, especially ft the great cattle-slaughtering countries,', such as Australia, New Zealand and thS Argentine Republic, a now industry oagho to spring np.

A correspondent sends the Daily Ninos the following as the budget of an agricultural labourer and his wife, living in ft village in mid-EssexThe man, aged, about fifty, has been in constant employment on a farm, and is hale and strong. His wife is also in good health, and two or three years his junior. Income at thS present time, 12b a week. To this mustbe added occasional small sums earned by 1 the wife by odd jobs of washing tod charing. Expenses (approximate)—-Sent, 2s fid, coals 2s, bread 2s fid, cheese od, bacon la Bd, herrings 4d, batter (macgsrine) fid, sundries fid. This gives a total of 10s Id for expenses of food and shelter, leaving a credit balance of Is lid. this mast be added occasional dolaroi clothes, food and coals.

Just as we have lost our etruotor of pre-hietoric animals (rematlnft Writer in the St James? ffaeeifa) e6iW4 A ■ curious story from Alaska. The Stiokeeft Indians declare that within the last fear years they have frequently seen anittudi answering to the description of tht mastodon. The creature is described it of tremendous bulk, with great shining yellow . tusks and a mouth large enough to sWillo# a man. Other hunters are said to have seen these monsters browsing up the Alaskan rivers, while on Forty-mile Creek it is said that bones of the mastodott ere quite plentiful. Single teeth of prodigious size have been brought from the some locality. Now that the sea serpent is getting played out, it is refreshing to think there is a mastodon waiting for ue every August in the twentieth century.

Mr Labouohere, in Truth, persists lb advocating the entire exclusion of Irish members from the British Parliament by the Home Rule Bill. It would be only temporary, ho says, because he fully hopes before long to have English, Scotch add Welsh Local Assemblies, and then the Irish members would come back to a strictly Imperial Parliament. The real practical reason for the exclusion of Irish members, says Mr Labouohere, is also one of three requirements " without which no Home Rule Bill will be acceptable.” The two first are the usual "final” and "acceptable to Ireland.” The third U that "it must relieve Parliament of th© incubus of Irish debates.” To get rid of the Irish M.P.’a, he points out, used to bs one of the most popular arguments for Homo Rule; Mr Parnell approved of itg and the Liberal Unionists who split with Mr Gladstone on that point in 1886 axe not likely to come back at this time of day.

The Nizam of Hyderabad is having • State barge of elegant and original corn* struction built for him by Messum, of Eichmoad. The idea, which has beCtt artistically elaborated from a rough sketch by a native artist, consists of twin .boat*' twenty-seven feet in length, with sufficient space between to admit of two paddlewheels placed lengthways, by which the barge is to be propelled by coolies. Over the twin boats is a flat deck thirteen feet square, and rising above this are fourteen carved teak pillars supporting an umbrellalike roof surmounted by a carved pinnacle.' The sides will be hung with embroidered silk curtains, which will serve to exclude the “ sun’s directed ray,” while morocco cushions spread about the deck will take the place of the camp-stools and deckchairs of our Western civilisation. Altogether the craft (which is made of teak throughout) is of decidedly quaint build, and scarcely fitted for anything like rough weather; but to enable the ruler of the largest native State in India to take an evening airing on one of those huge tank* ■ or lakes so common in the Nizam’s dominions it is perhaps convenient enough, while the execution and finish reflect much credit on the British architect And builders.

Mr Saafcley, who baa already Written an “ Ave Maria” and other works, is the composer of a new Mass, which was performed for the first time as part of the Christmas service at the Pro-Cathedral, Kensington. The eminent violinist Mr Carrodns led a small orchestra, and Mr Santley himself conducted from the organ loft. The Mass, which is somewhat lengthy, was divided by a sermon, in which Father Clarke referred' to the recent musical revival in churches, and, it was also interrupted before the "Sanctus” by the harmonised Version by Dr Monk of " Adeste Fideles,” which wat long assigned to John Beading, but ia how generally considered to have been of Portuguese origin. Mr Santley’s Maes, which was sung by the men and boys of the choir, is, we learn, for the most part id the Church atyle, with an infusion of the Italian element, and it is always melodious and musical. In the opening " Eyrie ** there is some clever part writing j but the “ Gloria,” which opens with a bold and vigorous chorus, and contains at the “la Terra Pax ” a duet for treble and tenor, followed by an alto solo, a soprano solo {at the " Qui Tollin''), and a final chorus, is more elaborate. The ‘'Credo” is for soil and chorus, and the boys' voices are employed with happy effect at the words “Eb Besurrexit,” while the "Saaotus” is a highly impressive number. Thd “ Beuedietus ” ia a duet for soprano and tenor leading to a chorus, and after the choral "Agnus Dei” the Mass ends placidly. The whole work is obviously intended for service rather than for concert use, and it is certainly by fat the most important composition which the eminent baritone has yet attempted.