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Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume XII, Issue 646, 18 February 1882, Page 2

The whole of Otago has been divided into different districts, and has been proclaimed under the Rabbit Nuisance, Act, 18S1 Maniototo County has been declared one district, and Vincent another. A notice appears in our advertising columns to the effect that the annual meeting of the Flour Mill Company will be held on March Ist. We understand, however, that the meeting will be adjourned, to allow the accounts to be finally made up. A spfctal meeting of the County Council is called for Tuesday next, for the purpose of taking into consideration the action of the Government in offering for lease the whole of the lands in the vicinity of the different centres. The question is an intensely important one. Tiie players in the Cricket Match, Country v. Town, to be played on Saturday, will be as follows Country : Turnbul], C. and R Sweet, Sams, Clark, Merewether, M'Donald Crossan, Rees, C., Sharpe, Mathias A G-' ; Garvey, Davis, Rev., Browne, Mathiap, R. 8., Blair.,lnder S., Macintosh, M'Hutclieson,' a LmergfnciM— Row'att, Woodhiu.

From an advertisement in another column it will ho seen that Mr C. Nicholas, 'photographer, has opened a studio in Naicby, and purposes to rcrnaiu for throe week*. Samples of pictures are on view. Mr Nicholas has, v/e believe, a jiood reputation in the art in the locality of Tokoiri 111 iro, where lie has resided for about thirteen years.

We are informed that in a terpentine correspondent's letter, published last W'-ek, the statement that the '■ Golden Link " re-f Was Sft Cin thick should have read the " Golden Belt," which is held by Darlington and Company. Very little work has been done on this reef yet, but we know th.it already two shares have changed hands at J.'/jO e.tcli. There is no doubt about the genuineness of iihe sale, as both vendors and buyers arc kuown to us.

A " Cricketers' Concert" is to be given in the Town Hall on Saturday evening. The different items are to be rendered by visitors. A considerable number of visitors are expected ; and, as among tbe number there are several who have considerable musical talent, no doubt the performance will be n good one. Assistance could have been had l'rorn the local cricketers, if required ; but, as they are frequently called upon to perform in aid of public charities, there would be nothing novel about their efforts. It is, however, a novel thing to have a concert in Naseby, which is given solely by visitois. We are satisfied tbe entertainment on Saturday night will be as enjoyable as it is unique.

This season's intercolonial cricket match between Victoria and New South Wales is one of the most extraordinary matches ever played. The Sydney men went in first, and scored 775, Murdoch making 321, Garrett 163, and Jones over 100. The total score is the largest ever nude anywhere ; and Mur doch's score is the largest ever made in a first-class match. The sum of a hundred guineas was subscribed on the ground, and presented to him. This heavy score was against the bowling of such men as Boyle. Cooper, M.'Shane, and Palmer. The Victorians then went in, and (their innings closed for the fine score of 315. They followed on, and, on Tuesday, had lost two wickets for 191 runs. The match was commenced on the 11th, and apparently occupied four days. Victoria's second innings closed for 322—-another capital performance —of which Horan made 102, and Blackham 96. Sydney thus won by one innings and 135 runs, In the three innings 1412 runs were scored, being an average of 43 runs per man. The Victorians, though defeated, will go home with honor.

Messenger, the Australian Sculler, has been rowing and winning races in Auckland' under the name of Carter. It is during the last few days that the thing has come to light.

The girl that Sir Charles Gavan Duffy—formerly Chief Secretary of Victoria—married recently, in Paris, was his niece, formerly Mies Ball, of Rocke Ferry, Ireland Sir Charles is 65 years of age, and his wife barely

A bachelor too poor to get married, yet too susceptible to let the girls alone, was riding with a lady the other day, and accidently dropped an arm round her waist. No objection was made for a while, and the arm gradually relieved the side of the carriage of the pressure upon it. But of a sudden, the lady started with volcanic energy, and, with a flashing eye, exclaimed ; " Mr 8., I can support myself !" " Capital 1" was the instant reply, " Your are just the girl I have been looking fox these five years. Will you many me ?"

A "wonderful serpent, known as the glass snake, divides the honors with the toad in making the Upper Brazil and Western Texas an interesting field for the naturalist. Tt is from two to four inches long, has a striped back, and is not poisonous. When attacked by a foe, instead of fiahting back, it emulates the possum or skunk in using stratagem. To the utter astonishment of its enemy, it breaks up into a dozen pieces, each part distinct in life, lying on the ground apparently dead. Sometimes the pieces are a foot away. On the disappear ance of the foe, they gradually come together, and the snake crawls away.

Tub Austra'ian Eleven may now be regarded as an established fact, and regarding its composition the 'Argus' says :—''The constitution of th« next Australian Eleven is now pretty well-known, and there are 110 two opinions as to it being the very best team that has evsr taken the field in Australia. The cream of Australian cricket has been got together for the first time. Massie and Evans, two players who rank, as far as merit ist concerned, with their fellow colonists Murdoch and Spofforth, have never befove bsen numbered among the members of au Australian t'-am, and their inclusion in the present team makes it infinitely than any of its predecessors, and altogether a formidable combination. General regret is expressed that three matches at least between representative tesms of England and Australia were not included among the team's engagements, and i hope is entertained that such may yet be arranged. No tour of the Colonics will on this occasion be made preliminary to taking the trip Home, the team, as before stated, playing only two matches, one ill each capital, and sailing for England by the Assam on March 15. The following thirteen players compose the team : —New South Wales— A. Bannerman. E. Evans, T. Garrett, H. Massie, W. Murdoch, aud F. Spofforth Victorian—H. F. Boyle, G. Bonnor, J. Blackham, T. Horan, P. M'Donnell and G. Palmer. South Australia—G. Giffen."

A correspondent writes " The fact that Mr Parnell is originally of English, and not Irish origin seems not sufficiently known. In the 17th century the family occupied a good position at Congleton, in Cheshire, and were of the commonwealth party during the Civil wa'is At the time of the Restoration Thomas Parnell, the then head of the family, left England and settled in Ireland, where he purchased an estate. The property descended to his son Thomas, the well-known author of 'The Hermit,' and othr-r poems, whose biography fiads a place in Dr Johnson's ' Lives of the Poets.' Prom that work we learn that on the ejection of the Whigs at the end of Queen Anne's reign Parnell was persuaded to change his party, and he became the friend of Swift, through whose influence he received valuable Church promotion at the hands of Archbishop King. r>r Aikin in his notice of the poet records this fact, ' that in every year, as soon as he had collected his rents and the revenues of his benefices, he came over to England and spent some months, living in elegant style, and impairing rather than improving his fortune." His brother John, who succeeded to the estates at his death, was a Judge of the Court of Kind's Bench, and the direct lineal ancestor of the present Home Rule leader. The late S r Henry f arnell, who hold" office in England under Lord Melbourne's Government, and was by him created Baron Congleton in IS4I, was descended from the same stock. Mr Charles Stewart Parnell is the son of a younger brother, John Henry Parnell, of Avondale, County Wicklow, and was educated at Cambridge. He is now owner of the Avondale Estate. His mother, as is well known, was American. From the above it would appear that this vehement agitator for restoring ' the land' to the Irish people is no way Celtic in race, but descended from those who sided with Cromwell, towards whom the Irish have an hereditary feeling of dislike.—'Times.'