MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume V, Issue 1434, 22 June 1868, Page 4

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Value of British Goods Expokted fbom the Mersey.—The total value of British goods exported from Liverpool in the month of January 18GS, was £5,1.00,183, against ' £6,147,642, £7,803,384, and £4,972,178 for the corresponding month of tho years 1807, 1566, and 1865. The declared value of exports to the United States for the month of .January, 1868, was £1,501,938, against £.1,832,218, £2,878,301, and £G4B,GG2 for the corresponding month of the years ISG7, 1860. ISGS; to the Australian colonies, for tho month of January, 1868, £101,669, against £78,337, £104,494, and £125,505 for the corresponding month of years 1807, 1866, and 1565. The Town Council of Edinburgh has decided, by a large majority, and after a long discussion, not to take the initiative in prosecuting for what is called in Scotland desecration of the Sabbath. The fashions change suddenly. The chignon, which was rampant and growing bigger and bigger every day. a week or two ago, has suddenly disappeared, and a flat roll of twisted hair, not unlike a certain kind of cake which we sec in bakers' shop windows, lias taken its place. The cake is worn on (he top of the head, much as a charity boy wears his muffin cap. The new fashion for the evening is a cataract of hair flowing down the back, the colour having changed from red to pale yellow. With yellow hair tho eyebrows are worn black, and they are considerably broader than they were. They used to be delicately pencilled, they are now laid on boldly with a brush. Fearvul Encounter wrm Bukglabs.—At the Northumberland assizes on Tuesday, beforo Mr. Justice Lush, Robert Adamson (25), labourer, and Thomas Fine}- (27), labourer, were charged with having, on the 19th of March last, feloniously broken into and entered the dwel-ling-house of James iialliday and Robert Halliday, and stolen therefrom various articles. The prisoners are the same who were convicted on the preceding day of having, on the 24th of Oct., 1867, burglariously entered the dwelling-house of Sarah Maughan, an elderly lady, who occupies tho small farm of Park-side, near Haltwhistle. They were prevented from stealing anything from Mrs. Maughan's house by the courage shown by a servant women, named Storey, who thrashed tho prisoners with a handle of a brush, fired a gun at them, and eventually made them run for it. She was loudly applauded while giving her evidence ; the judge awarded her £3, and sho has also received other sums in token of her bravery. The prisoner Fincy was also charged with having broken out of the House of Correction at Hexham, on the 27th of December, and pleaded guilty. lie was further charged with having, on the Bth of December, committed a violent assault on Sergeant Mark Young. Tho jury found the prisoner guilty. Both prisoners had been formerly convicted, and his lordship sentenced them to eight years' penal servitude each for breaking into Airs, "vtaughnn's house ; Adamson to a further term of seven years for committing the burglary to which he had pleaded guilty ; and Finey to seven years for the assault on the police sergeant —making the total term of peual servitude for each fifteen years.

Fasiiion Gossip.—The Paris correspondent of the Ju/iii Bull writes: —"Let mo entreat of my fair countrywomen to give up their long waists and long corsets, which give them such a remarkably stiff, old-fashioned look when they come to Paris. I have seen the fashionable appearance of really beautiful Knglish girls, quite up to the mark in other respects, entirely spoilt by their wasplike waists. Jlorrcur ! It is positively better, as times go, to have a thick large waist, provided it be short, than the longest, smallest, hourglass waist iu the world. As a rule, Parisian women do not lace tight. And how can my countrywomen, laced in as they are too commonly, look otherwise than stiff and wooden ? The corset should not be longer than eleven inches in front, or twelve at tho outside for stout people. Long stays have long been exploded in Paris. Tight lacing should be carefully eschewed, and stiff backs and stiff movements will disappear as a matter of course. This is really most important to note. It is the cut and length of the waist, with general ease of movement, which gives tho air of fashion. The waist is worn here just where nature indicates. I havo written plainly, as I know that the stiff bearing of my sisters makes them look ridiculous in the eyes of Continentals, and this may be traced directly to tho length and lowness of a certain instrument of torture worthy of the clays of Queen Elizabeth. Crinolines are not worn in the evenings by persons who have pretentions to fashion. Two white petticoats are simply sufficient. The first should not be gored, but drawn in with strings, otherwise the figure will look too lanky behind, which appearance is no longer considered of the first style. The upper one should be gored, and have a flounce at the bottom not too broad. These precautions, with a dress gored in front and at the sides, and gathered at the back, a long train, a short waist, a body buttoned in ironfc, not laced at the back, will ensure a fashionable appearance even with cheap materials. Fashion depends infinitely less on the material than on the cut of your clothes. Crinolines are of course still worn with walking dresses, as they keep the skirts out of the mud ; but they must be made of the smallest dimensions, with only three or four rows at the |; bottom. ' :

GOLD-FIELD EEP RESENTATION ACT, 1 1868. The following i 9 the Bill now before the Council:— Whereas it is expedient that the Thames Goldfield district should be represented in the Pro-uncial Council of Auckland, Be it therefore enacted by the Superintendent of the Province of Auckland by and with the advice and consent of the Provincial Council thereof as follows: — Thames Gold-field Di.'trict. 1. The Thames Gold-field district for the purpose of this .Act shall include all such lands and districts ns hare been up to the date of passing this Act lawfully proclaimed as forming a portion of the Thames Gold-field, and which are more particularly set forth in the Schedule hereto. Two Members to bo elected. 2. Tho said District shall return two members to serve in tho Provincial Council of the Province of Auckland, such membors to bo elected by persons duly qualified under " Tho Miners' Representation Act, 1862," and " The Miners' Eepresontation Act Amendment Act, 1883." Qold-Field District to be excluded from Franklin District. 3. A ftcr the election of members of tho Provincial Council under this Act so much of the District of Franklin as may be included in the Thames Goldfield District hereby created shall for the purpose of electing members of the Provincial Council cease to be a portion of the Franklin Electjral District as dofined by " The Auckland Representation Act, 18GS." 'lime for issuing Writs. 4. Writs for tho return of members for the District | constituted under this Act shall be issued by the Superintendent throe months after the Act has been assented to by the Governor. Short Title. 5. The Short Title of this Act shall be " Tho I Thames Gold-field Representation Act, 1865." I BCHBDT/Ipß. All hoso portions of Queen's County in tho Province of Auckland, New Zealand, hereinafter described, viz- .* — The northern portion, being all that block of land commencing on the north at Cape Colville, thence by the East Coast to Te Harakeke, thenco by the watershed rajge between Kennedy Bay and Wan?apoua to To Tapuae range, thenco by the watershed rani;e between the East Coast and Hauraki Gulf, to the source of tho river Waiau, thonce by the watershed range between tho Waiau and Manaia rivers ta Maungakawa, thence by a public road to Ta Poka, on. the shore of Coromandel Harbour, thence by the Boa coast to the point of commencement. The southern portion, being all that block of land commencing oa the north at Taupo, on the eastern Bhoreof the ffauraki Gulf, thence bya surrey line to the summit of tho Kuahine hill, thence by a survey line along the ranga of hills dividing the rivers Manaia aod Wailcawau to Pongawhukairo, thence to the Bource of the rivec Waikawau ; thence on the east by the range of mountains forming the watershed between the Gulf of Haurai-i and the east coast, and between the valley of the Thames, or Waihon, and the East Coast to the source of the Omahu stream; thence on the south by that stream to the south-eastern extremity of the native reserve ; thonce on the west by the eastern bouudary of the said nath e reserve te Kakarimata, thence by a public road and ditch to the river Waiwhakanranga, thenco by that river to the sea, thence by the Bea coast to the point of commencement.