Local and General News.

Marlborough Express, Volume VI, Issue 290, 29 April 1871, Page 6

Local and General News.

Piiogkess of Fiji.—The exports for 1870 from the Island amounted to .£92,000 sterling, and the increase of population was 716.

The difference between a bride and bridegroom is this—one is given away and the other sold.

The Daily Telegraph announces that during the past year it has circulated daily an average of 190,855 copies. A Fifth Avenue husband said of his departed wife, the other day : “I shall missher; she was a very expensive woman.”

The population of Oamaru is, apparently as per returns just made up, 1800, being an increase since last census of about 400.

WE understand that several members of the Wairau Club intend giving a performance in Picton on Saturday next the sth proximo.

The meeting of the congregation of the Church of the Nativity, intended to be held on Monday evening next, is postponed.

Mr Fitzherbert is elected Superintendent of Wellington. The numbers polled were Fitzherbert 824, Fiunimore 417, Anderson 20. There was very little excitement.

A gild in Hunterdon county, IN.J., was choked dead the other day by her lover’s arm—the lusty young man thinking she was “ only in fun” when she struggled.

The Canterbury Press mentions the death of a boy four years old at Mont Grey Downs, from profuse inflammation, arising from a scratch on the heel, caused by wearing a new boot.

An eccentric citizen of St. Louis died recently and left in his will 1000 dols. to a man, who, ten years before, had run away with his wife. One of the last things he said was that he never forgot a favor. “ A Wife” writes to advise the womanwomen in Washington to get, each of them, a baby to take care of, and that by the most expeditious means. She believes their “ insane folly” can only be cured in this way.

The ship Mistress of the Seas has been burned in the Indian Ocean, and seventeen persons drowned.

On the marriage of a Miss Wheat, it was hoped that her path would be flowery, and that she might never be threshed. /M Sinclair’s letter on the Scotch Church Title is partly in type, but obliged to stand over till next week on account of a press of matter.

'''“TheEnglish Mails. —The next outgoing mails via San Francisco, will be despatched per s.s. Nevada, leaving Wellington on May loth, or early on the morning of the 16th, and Auckland on the I9th,

We understand that Captain Kennedy has been telegraphed for to take command of the Wellington, and wo hope the report is true, as no more able or popular commander could be found. — Post.

We have to acknowledge the receipt from the Post-master General of a copy of the Mail contract, but as it is very lengthy, and we have already given a telegraphic summary of it, it is needless to publish it.

In reply to a question in the English Parliament, Viscount End eld, Under Foreign Secretary, admitted that England’s offer of mediation between Germany and France was sent to Count Bismarck, through the Prussian ambassador at London, and that it still remains unanswered.

lloßßEuy.—A robbery was effected at Corrigan’s Hotel, on 14t.b, by some person who went upstairs while everyone was asleep, took the clothes of some of the lodgers down below, and them emptied the pockets of the contents. One man, we learn, lostin this way two £1 notes, some few shillings, and S dwts. of gold.— Mail.

A recent English visitor to the United States, who had strong Northern sympathies during the civil war, declares that there is such bitter hostility between the North and South that if a conflict was to occur between the United States and England there would be a fresh rebellion in the States.

Irox ix South Australia.—The Adelaide Observer says : —“ About six miles from Port Victor, in the direction of Mount -Tagged, on Crown lands, there are thousands of tons of ironstone, immense blocks cropping out of the ground. A sample, estimated at 65 to 70 per cent., has been left at the Observer office by Air Born, jun. Ax old man and two women are digging for hidden treasure in a Pennsylvanian village, at a spot pointed out by one of the women as the very place where a subterranean cavern is located, in which is hidden an immense amount of silver coin, amounting to about $4,000,000. The woman says that over five hundred spirits guard the treasure, and that consequently she does not want to be present when the money is reached. —Nexus of the Wox'ld. The Exglish Mails.—The Phoebe has been engaged to distribute and collect the mails per the Nevada. She will be at Manukau on May 3, (next Wednesday) bringing on mails for Taranaki, Nelson, Picton, and South. She will return again from South, calling at Picton on May 16th, on her way to Manukau, via Nelson and Taranaki, arriving on the 18th. Local Industry. —We regret that a scarifier prepared expressly for the late exhibition by Mr 11. Maxted, was not ready in time. It has since been sold, we believe, but it will remain on view at Maxted Bros, workshop for a day or two. It will repay inspection, and the workmanship appears to be equal to anything of the kind imported. Wellington Flax.—-We have on view a sample of flax dressed by Riky’s new patent process, which may bo inspected by the curious. 0”r own opinion is that it is vastly inferior to any of the flax prepared in this locality, and vve shall be obliged if our local manufacturers will send ns samples to place beside it, which we will afterwards forward to parties in the other Provinces for comparison.

/We are glad to notice that tenders are being called for the erection of new buildings and wool stores, 1 o replace those destroyed by the late lire, We learn that Mr Dodson has been joined in partnership by Messrs H. and G. Fell, under the title of Dodson, Pell and Co, and that they purpose considerably extending the business, in which direct imports from Home and the Australian Colonies will be a prominent feature. It is intended to raise the iron store on Leeds Quay, and use it solely build another of iron 30ft distant for wool only. A general sales store of improved construction, will be erected on the old site in Alfred-street.

Very often a single debauch will use up the entire available power of the whole system for a whole week or month. There is no end to the multitudinous ways in which we injure the original stock, that ought never to bo touched ; and theresuit is imperfect lives, rickety bodies, no ability to transmit to our children good health and long life, much physical suffering and premature decay with the ends of life unaccomplished. How sad is all this ! How terrible to be born into this world and leave it without adding something to its wealth, its virtue, and its progress. —Herald of Health.

The following telegram from the Thames appears in the Southern Gross of the I4th : *• Great excitement prevails in Shortland to-night. Two Maories broke into Mr Creagh’s office and abstracted two ledgers. Mr Creagh got a search warrant, and found the books in Taipari’s office. The Maoris were arrested and imprisoned, to the astonishment of their confreres. A great hubbub took place at the station.” Sale of Steamers.— The steamers Wellington and Ahuriri were sold by auction at Wellington on the 18th instant, the former being purchased by Mr Ford for £7,OD(), and the latter by Mr Martin for £3,650 It is understood that the purchaser of the Wellington was acting on behalf of the Wreck Recovery Company, and that she will belong to the same owners as her sister ship, the Taranaki. The steamers Phoebe and Lord Ashley were afterwards offered for sale, but there were no bids in advance of the reserves of £IO,OOO and .£'3,500 respectively. Mr Martin offered £13,000 for the Lord Ashley, but it was not accepted.— Press.

The verb “ is” being singular and “are” its plural, does it follow that Arabella is the plural of Isabella, and must the latter necessarily be as singular in disposition as in number, and if so, must Arabella always be a married woman, Isabella being singular ?

A San Francisco paper says :—The marriage of Princess Louise of England and the Marquis of Lome of Scotland, having been fixed to take place on Tuesday, 21st March, the Committee of arrangements to celebrate the affair in this city have engaged the Pacific Hall for a grand ball and supper for that evening. The tickets for admitting a gentleman and ladies will be 10 dols.

The Wanganui Herald says Strange rumours aneut one of the “ Unco Quid,’ have been rife about Wanganui for the last few days. It seems the gay Lothario had made all necessary arrangement to confer his name and saintly belongings upon one of the fair daughters of the flourishing district of Rangitikei, who had prepared herself for the hymenial sacrifice. The trousseau was ordered, and everything seemed to be “ going merrily as a marriage bellbut alas ! Poor Ophelia has been left sorrowing : her fickle and frail intended suddenly married a domestic who had been in his service some time. This sudden step was no doubt taken for very good and cogent reasons, of which our readers will probably hearfull particulars when the facts come before a Court of Law, as we hear it is likely they will.

Some time ago (says the Hobart Town Me cury we had occasion to complain of the nonarrival here of newspapers that there was reason to believe had been posted in England. Wc were sufferers, and having had many complaints from others, communicated with the secretary of the Post-office, officials hero, who wrote to the Post-office, London. By this mail he has received an answer, conveying the astounding information that every mail from 4000 to 5000 newspapers, addressed to Australia alone, arc detained at the Post-office, London, from insufficient postage, or failure to comply with the Postoffice regulations. In this way, of the newspapers posted at home for friends in Australia, some 60,000 annually fail to reach theirdestination. Are the Post-office regulations made sufficiently known ?

A trial, says the Grey Argus, was made on Saturday, at the shop of Mr Simmons, of an instrument constructed for the purpose of weighing the cargo of a vessel by means of an indicator, which the inventor (Mr S. Boss) affirms can ho placed in the cabin of the master of a ship, and tell him at a glace whether the vessel has gained or lost a ton of weight. The model was tested by weights placed in it up to 401 b, and every s!b was accurately indicated. It did not matter whether the weights were placed in the bows, stern or amidships, the indication was correct. What the precise principle of the invention is we are unable to say, but, from what we have seen, we believe that the invention is one of great importance, and will, ere long, be generally adopted. It is, we believe, the intention of the iuve tor to take out a patent at an early day. When a test is made on a large scale, we may give a fuller description. Fr. 1.0 De Sea—The Coroner, IT. J. Perham, Esq., explained on Monday to the jury on the inquest held on the suicide Bayles, very full}' and elaborately the law relating to “felodese” and “ temporary insanity,” inclining to the more charitable interpretation of a man’s state when he takes away bis own life. The jury very properly endorsed the Coroner’s views, and obviated the cruel and heartless spectacle of a midnight burial, which in a former case shocked the feelings of every person in the settlement. We trust we shall have no more psychological juries, with the presumption to declare that a man was sane when he committed the act of selfdestruction. Tom, Bill and Harry, pressed off the pavement by a policeman, pronounced a suicide afelon, and sending his soul to its account, “ unhousehelled and unanelled,” is a phenomenon that should not occur more than once in a century.— Wanganui Herald. What is to become of “ the illustrious captive at Wilhelmsbohe,” now that peace is to return to France ? He has been boarded at the expense of Germany quite as long, probably, as the country is willing. Germany has no further use for him. There is no possible way in which France can utilize him, unless he should be exhibited about the countsy as a curiosity, for a while. The United States has, before now, been twitted with keeping a free soup house for all nations, and perhaps even L. N. B. can obtain a good living hero . Baruum would certainly offer with the Bearded Lady, the beautiful Circassian him a fair salary as a travelling show, in company and Commodore Nutt. The lecture business is somewhat overdone, butif the ex-Emperor would only,prepare a lecture on “The Empire as it was,” or any such exciting tobic, there is no reason why he should not “ draw” just as well as John H. Surratt, Raphael Semmef, or any other eminent scamp. —News of the World.

Empress Eugenie. —The following are reported to be extracts from the secret registry of the Parisian Police : —E/ue St Antoine, No. 10, third story. Since April Ist, 1848, inhabited by Madame de Montijo, called Countess of Teba, with her daughter Eugenie. Madame de Montijo, widow of a Spanish refugee, M. de Montijo, Count Teba. The title of Count is not acknowledged. Madame de Montijo, separated from her husband, came with her daughter to Prance, thence to England; again returned to France ; went to Spain ; then back to Paris.— 1825. Chaussee d’Austin, No. 8. She held an assembly of “gallant” women and old roues. The police are notified.—lß2B. Went again to England on account of debts. Her daughter was left in a boarding school. To 1836, no notice. November, 1838, returned to Paris ; they were six weeks observed. Further three years, no notice. In May, 1842, attempt at suicide in their house, of Henry. Suspicion of foul play. The daughter Eugenie was the occasion of a difficulty between Colonel Sourvilliers and Captain Hausout. The Commisary of Police—Ptoce —reports: “Madame de Montijo has no apparent income—is much visited by retired officers of property attractive manners.” Residence comfortably arranged—l,Boo francs paid for house rent. The daughter Eugenie, a blonde beauty, with no “ tournure,” and has many admirers.”

A Gazette issued recently publishes a list of all classified officers in the Customs department, in accordance with Section 7 .of the Civil Service Act, 1866. The officers, uh. Marlborough are as follows ; —J. Allen, collector, Picton, 4th class; J. Earleyman, officer in charge, Wairau, 4th class; W. Whitehome, officer hi charge, Havelock, 4th class ; J. Goodall, officer in charge, Kaikoura, sth class. The Governor notifies the acceptance of the resignation of Captain A. Wix, in the Waimea Eifle Volunteers.

Gambling in America.— No wonder Paymaster Cook, when he proceeded to gamble, lost the money destined for of the Federal soldiers. He played in the room of which the walls and ceiling were papered with paper of astar pattern ; a small hole had been bored through the ceiling in the centre of a star and there, in the room above, a person streched on a mattress was able to look into Cook’s hand, and by a telegraphic signal machine, communicating through the wall and floor, to indicate, In gentle raps on the professional gambler’s boot or slippers a description of the cards held by the man who was to be “ fleeced.” The tenants of the rooms being in debt, the sheriff has had to transact business upon the premises, and in the course of his researches made this discovery.— Tines. Dog Trains.—A correspondent of the Neiv York Herald gives an account of the “ dog trains” in general use from the Northern territories of the United States to the Arctic Sea. Those are somewhat different from the Esquimaux trains, the dogs being harnessed in single file, while of the latter are driven abreast. Four dogs constitute a good team. They are of no particular breed, all species of good sized dogs being used. The dog sledge consists of a thick plank, about one foot wide and ten feet long, with the forward end turned up like a skate. A dressed skin resembling parchmentin appearance, is attached to this, very like a laced shoe, and the traveller placing his robes inside, gets in, and is wrapped up as tightly and in about the same manner as his foot would be in an English shoe. The baggage of the traveller is placed at his back, and the driver runs on snow-shoes behind. The freight sledge consists of only a plank, curved at the end, without any covering.

Scarlatina. —We have to-day learned from a Canterbury paper that this disease has already found its way to a place considerably nearer us than Waikouaiti—the Ferry Road, in the immediate vicinity of Christchurch. Having, within such a comparatively brief space of time from its first introduction, spread from Port Chalmers to the heart of the Lake country in Otago, and also to Christchurch, it is now idle to hope that it will not traverse a wide area of tiie Middle Island, and, except precautions are immediately adopted, we shall certainly have it brought to the North Island. It is incumbent upon the Government to see that the Board of Health, or Health Officer, or whoever may be charged with such duty, is in readiness to adopt precautionary measures in reference to vessels arriving from the South as soon as it may he deemed advisable— Post.

Yalue of a Yote.—The necessity of j.m serving, the public property from the danger of destruction has been brought under ttie notice of the Provincial Government in a most unpleasant manner. For some time the Government Buildings, &c., have been insured in the New Zealand, Liverpool and London, and Northern Cos., for £2,ooo—a nominal sum when it is considered how valuable to the public their contents are. Some few months ago the agent for the Northern Company gave notice that they would reduce their risk from £I,OOO to .£SOO, if the hall was let for any purpose other than for meetings of the Council, and others of a similar public nature , and thereupon the Government declined, by a notice in our columns, to let the hall for any other uses accordingly. The Philharmonic Society, however, were dissatisfied with this determination, and Messrs Hodson and Sinclair, at their instance, brought the matter before the Provincial Council, when a majority comprising Messrs Ward, Dodson, Conolly, Ingles, Western, Paul, Rutland, and Blick, passed a vote that the Society in question should alone have the use of the hall. Upon this decision being made public, the agent of the Northern Company at once reduced their risk to £SOO, and it follows that the total insurance is now only £1,500. We are assured that the plans in the Survey Office alone could not be replaced under say £30,000 !

Important Decision.—The advertising columns of the daily journals contain pages of invitations, says the Law Journal, for tenders issued by Government departments, unions, institutions, and companies. The persons upon whom devolves the duty of drawing those notices are accustomed to add a note that the advertisers do not “bind themselves to accept the lowest or any tender.” It is so rarely that these cautious words are omitted, that it is difficult to believe that they are the merest surplusage. They look so exactly like the offspring of some decided case. Yet a judgment lately delivered by the Court of Common Pleas, and printed in the November number of the Law Journal Reports, shows _ plainly enough that they have their origin in nothing but the wariness of advertisers, and that the effect of the proposition would be precisely the same if they were omitted. In Spencer v. Harding, 39 Law J. Rep. (N.S.) C.P., 332, the defendants issued a circular in which they stated that they had been instructed to offer to the wholesale trade for sale by tender the stock-in-trade of F. and Co., amounting as per stock-book to a definite sum of money, and which would be sold at a discount in one lot. They also stated in the circular the day and the hour when the tenders would be received and opened at their offices. The plaintiffs made a tender, which they alleged to be the highest, and brought an action against the defendants for not accepting. The plaintiffs contended that the case was analagous to those in which a person had been held liable to pay a reward offered by advertisement. But Mr Justice Willes said that the analogy supposed would exist if the defendants had, in their circular, undertaken to accept the highest bidder ; as it was, there was nothing more than a proclamation that the defendants desired to have oSers made them for the stock. We shall be curious to see whether this decision will embolden advertisers to shorten their, notices bv one line.

We learn from the Timaru Herald that Captain Baillie, of the Wild Duck, and four of his w, had a narrow escapo from drowning recently. As they were coming ashore from the ship, when just inside the inner buoy of the Government Landing Service, a heavy sea capsized the boat, precipitating its occupants in the water. One of the sailors contrived to get ashore, supporting himself on two oars ; the other three and the captain with difficulty hung on to the boat. Several persons on shore witnessed the accident, launched a whale-boat, and with some difficulty succeeded in rescuing the drowning men. We (Hawke’s Bay Herald) mentioned on Tuesday that a fire had occurred at Mr Hullet’s homestead at Puketitiri, in which the house was burned down, and a man named Daniel Welch, who was in it at the time, lost his life. A good deal of surprise has been expressed that, in a small building as most of the houses in that part of the country are, any one should have found it impossible to escape on the house catching tire, but wehave this explained in the circumstance that the fire was far advanced before anyone awoke, all the inmates having been sound asleep when it commenced. It appears that had it not been for an accidental circumstance—the noise made by a cat scrambling out of the burning house—not only Daniel Welch Mr Israel Krask, his wife and child, would likewise have been burned. The noise made by the cat woke them, and they rushed out of the house just in time to see it nex t mom ent in a mass of flaming ruins. It is believed that Welch in going to sleep had neglected to put out the light which he had beside him in bed to read with, and that this was the cause of the fire. Carrier Pigeons and Photography. The Spectator waxes facetious over balloons and carrier-pigeons. It says ; “ Science has done a great deal for the besieged French, not only in the way of balloons, but in the way of photography. We understand that the messages by carrier-pigeon are usually written on piece of thin paper, not nearly four squareinchesin extent, which is put into a quill and fastened to one of the tail-feathers of the pigeon. Upon this little scrap of paper is photographed, in characters far too small to be either written or read without the most powerful an immense number of messages. What a blessing it would be to have all despatches so sent, even in the time of peace ? Imagine the Colonial Office limited to threequarters of four square inches, and compelled to reads its despatches by the aid of a powerful microscope. The colonies would soon get quite friendly with such a regime as that. The Yass Courier relates:—“ On one day last week four young men, named respectively H, Butt, H. Davis, George Davis, and William Butt, met with a narrow escape from death, and were the witnesses of a singular occurrence, which they describe as follows :—The parties named had been employed in the bush falling timber, not far from the neighbourhood of Gounyan. While on their return home, a tree, within about 60 yards of them was struck by lightning, and the young men fell down as if they had been shot. After the lightning had struck the tree, it appeared as if all in flames, and then made au awful crash, and scattered in every direction. The lightning then approached the party like a ball of fire, and on reaching to within three or four yards of them it exploded with a loud report, separated into a thousand pieces or sparks, and ascended straight into the air. The ball of fire, as it aoproached them, seemed to travel no faster than a man could run. It is needless to add that the party received a terrible fright.” A mathematical tutor has been committed for trial on a charge of inciting a printer in the employ of Messrs Gilbert and Eivington to steal a copy of one of the examination papers of the Apothecaries’ Company, that he might the better “ coach” his pupils for the approaching examination. Thefts of examination papers are very rare, the offence being in bad repute, the risk great, and the profit not very sure. Perhaps, however, if a man will perpetrate this highly objectionable crime, he cannot do better than follow the example of that undergraduate who, tradition says, made his way into the compositors’ room in a pair of spotless white trousers, marked where the block of type lay well inked and ready, and, gently lifting up his coat tails, sat down with an innocent air, taking thus a neat impression of all he wanted to know. He committed no felony, though he did much harm to his clothes.

What is a Professional ? —We see by a Tasmanian paper that the question, “ What is a Professional ?” was discussed at the Court of Requests held at Hoharton, on Thursday, before Mr Commissioner A. B. Jones, in Church v. Foster, when an appeal from the Registrar was heard. The Registrar had allowed a sum of 18s to Mr Yates, a town witness for the plaintiff on the trial, the objection taken by the defendant’s attorney being, that as “Parliamentary agent and newspaper editor” the witness did not come under the description of a member of a profession. Mr Church argued on the authority of “ Walker’s Dictionary ” that a newspaper editor was a profersional man within the terms of the schedule. Charles Dickens did not belong to either of what were called the learned professions, for he was only three months in a lawyer’s office, from which he bolted, but who would say he was not a professional man ? William Makepeace Thackeray, was he not a professional man ? Actors are considered to belong to a profession. The learned gentleman submitted that the witness came within the designation of professional men, and that Mr Reynolds was right in allowing his expenses. Mr Mitchell said the whole object of the Legislature was to cut down expenses in that Court, and contended that Mr Yates was not a professional man ; he did not belong to either of the learned professions, law, divinity, or medicine ; he was only a parliamentary agent, or a newspaper editor. Mr Church admitted that there were some editors who were not learned. (A laugh). The Commissioner : O yes, just as there are some lawyers who are not learned. (Loud laughter). I think a newspaper editor must be a professional man. In these days especially, an editor cannot carry on a newspaper without education. I don’t know of any vocation which requires so much. Certainly, as far as England goes, editors of the leading newspapers, as well as those in the colonies, require more learning and education than any other profession. His Honor upheld the allowance accordingly.

A Mr Mark Gardner lias the credit, in Victoria, of inventing a safety gun cotton, or rather a method of using gun cotton, which will, it is said, do away with the accidents resulting from tamping. The fuse and mining primer are attached to the charge in the usual way. A cone of hard wood, one and a half inch in length, and of the same diameter at its largest end as the gun cotton charge, and having a hole through the centre for the passage of fuse, is put on the top of the charge, and the cone being placed in the bottom of the hole, a handful of sand is poured on, which completes the loading. The charge is then fired in the common manner.

The year of grace 1871 is apparently fated to be noted in Wellington as one of floods. Scarcely have the roads and bridges of pur unfortunate Province been, by dint of immense screwing and scraping, and mysterious ‘‘ working of the oracle,” been put in into something like passable order after the ravages of one inundation than we are forced to submit to the infliction of another. As we have already mentioned, a punt was launched on the Hutt river some ten days ago, intended as a aubstitute for the ruined bridge until the Government could raise the wind to build a new one. This punt was placed in order yesterday morning, and made its first start, crossing over with a few horses and a light spring cart; but, alas ! its career of usefulness was short, for another flood came down during the day, and the current became too strongfor Provincial-box navigation. In attempting to cross with a Wairarapa cart, one of the posts to which the wire rope stretched across theriver wasmadefast, gave way, and traffic was again suspended.— Post.

The Canterbury Press states that “On the occasion of the trial of Simon Cecleno, for murder, intense sensation was caused in Court by the production of the clothes worn by the unfortunate Margaret Burke at the time of her murder ; they were completely saturated with blood. In connection with the case, it is much to be regretted that the general public so far forgot the respect due to a Court of Justice as to keep up a subdued hissing during the time the learned counsel for the defence was addressing the jury on behalf of the unfortunate man. It is a boast of Englishmen that in all cases they have an intense love of fair play, and although their natural feelings might revolt at the deed committed by the miserable prisoner, he has had to answer to the offended laws of the country in which he is, aud will have to pay the forfeit of his life ; and therefore it is that such an exhibition was quite uncalled for and out of place. Another thing is that it was casting an undeserved and unmerited slight on the learned counsel for the defence, Avho was, as his Honor justly observed in his charge to the jury, only fulfilling a duty, and one which, under the circumstances of the case, was a painful and difficult duty to discharge.” A Recent Newspaper Development. —The Times is one of the most conservative of all the morning papers in regard to the arrangement of its pages ; but it has just introduced a new feature, which deserves to be alluded to. On Friday, the 20th ultimo, there were nearly three hundred advertisements, occupying about five columns, from persons having friends “interned ” in Paris, in tho hope of them reaching their eyes by some agency which may convey the Times within the walls of the beleagured city. Some of these are very curious, aud many are very pathetic. Thus, in one, Mr \Vashbourne, United States Ambassador in Paris, is entreated to inform some happy father —it is to be hoped—that his wife was happily confined of a son ; many disconsolate wives assure their husbands that they are “en bonne santu ” ; one assures him that her child is “magnificent ” and “ charming” (which every mother is bound to believe of her own) ; while one conveys a piece of no doubt very important intelligence “Children thriving; family event early." One suspicious or jealous dame “conjures” her husband to be “prudent;” another says that Beby is a “real devil.” One is told to “ write twice a week ; have courage and hope for the best. ” Nearly all send their “embraces.” The advertisements are highly characteristic of the people from whom they emanate, aud will well repay the perusal of the student of human nature, Mr Dodson, druggist, is in possession of some of these singular papers. Yalue of Railways. The following is an extract from Judge Chapman’s lecture on railways:—There is an economical result which has disclosed itself very conspicuously to those who have marked the effects of the railway system in other countries. It is prised in the phrase “equalisation of prices.” It is not in itself an independent gain. It is simply the mode in which the sum total of gains from cheap transport distributes itself between producers and consumers. Now if this equalisasation of prices has made itself manifest in countries (England for instance) where the transition has been only from excellent common roads to railways, how much more conspicuous will it not be where the transition is from bad roads, or no roads, to railways ? Let me explain this phrase, “ equalisation of prices.” It is not so much in the larger productions of agriculture, such as wheat, oats, potatoes, and so forth, that the equalisation will appear. These, wherever practicable, are conveyed by water, by the coasting steamers ; but to some extent it will operate upon such productions. It will, however, be most conspicuous in the productions of the small farmers and dairymen, who raise poultry, butter, bacon, &c., for the town markets.” .......

I may here mention, very briefly, that under the railway system, proposed to be established in New Zealand, the advantages of both saving and equalisation of prices are likely to be greater in proportion to the capital employed, and the proportion of population directly reached, than in Victoria. When Victoria opened her 250 miles of railway, the population was but little over half a million. By the system of inexpensive lines, we should have at least four, and perhaps five times the extent of railway for the same money with about half the population at first, and perhaps about the same number when the lines are completed. Thus our railways will penetrate to a greater distance, and embrace and influence a much larger extent of country ; in other words, the advantage will be brought within the reach of a large proportion of the people. It is quite impossible to calculate this ; but it must be very obvious.

The Revenge of a Poltroon. —Under the above heading the San Francisco Chronicle has the following :—“Not many months since, there arrived in San Francisco, from the Australian colonies, William Neilson, a gentleman of pleasing address and fair abilities, who became connected with the local department of one of our contemporaries. In addition to the duties of his position he acted as the telegraphic correspondent of several interior papers, and a keen rivalry sprang up between bun and Albert S. Evans, the telegraphic correspondent of the Associated Press, which finally resulted in an open rupture, Neilson accusing Evans of purloining items from the former’s desk. Neilson Subsequently became connected with the proposed Australian Steamship Line, and visited the Australian Colonies for the pui’pose of urging the scheme. When Neilson returned to this city on his way to Washington, Evans forwarded the following telegraphic despatch to the Associated Press journals, which was published far and wide—“ San Francisco, February 7. —The Moses Taylor arrived from Honolulu to-day bringing later news from Australia. The Australian papers have discovered that the man giving his name as Neilson, who recently visited New Zealand and effected an agreement for the subsidising of the Australian line of steamers, is one Wm N. McCann, an Australian convict, and they re-publish a record of his trial, conviction, and sentence for forgery. McCann recently visited Chicago in the interests of the line and is now in Washington.” We question if there ever was so mean-spirited and unmanly a revenge taken to gratify a personal spite. A man debases the privileges of his position as telegraphic correspondent of distant journals to gratify a petty antipathy against one who, whatever may have been his early mistake, here proved himself a good citizen, and laboured hard to gain a honest livelihood. Every principle of honor and instinct of humanity is outraged by such an uncalled for effort to deprive an industrious man of his chance to retrieve an error, and if possible blacken his reputation past cleansing. The act is monstrous, and its perpetrator lacks but ability and opportunity to become a second Jonas Chuzzlewit.”