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Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1705, 11 May 1886, Page 2

Sir J. W. Dawson, the eminent Canadian geologist, contributes a remarkable article to the January number of the Expositor, m which he maintains that the destruction of the " Cities of the Plain" was due to a bitumen or petroleum eruption, similar to those which have been so destructive m Canada and the United States. The Dead Sea being now called an "oil district," the catastrophe is just what might occur, and the Scripture record is evidently derived from the observations of intelligent eyewitnesses. A correspondent writes :— " The annual value of the agricultural produce of Great Britian is £300,000,000. This is double the produce of her looms, three times that of her forges, and four or five times a year's produce of her mines. Mother earth is England's most beneficent friend." Each pheasant that is shot m English parks and preserves costs, it is estimated, its breeder a sum of, at least, three shillings. During seme seasons, so many of these birds are placed on the markets that they have to be sold at the same price as domestic poultry to get rid of them. Lately Mr Ward, R.M., had a correspondence with the Minister of Justice, m which he pointed out that under the Destitute Persons Act there was* no power given a Magistrate to vary an order made for the support of a wife. In the course of his experience Mr Ward , had found that there were cases where it was impossible or undesirable that the original order should be maintained, but he had not power to vary or alter it. In some cases the husbands against whom orders were made have met with reverses, and have been unable to pay the amounts fixed, and m others the wives have been proved to be earning sufficient to keep themselves, and thus they were no destitute persons, but the first orders had to be adhered to. Mr Tole has informed Mr Ward that an amendment m the direction indicated will be introduced.—