Sir THINGS IN GENERAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13095, 7 February 1906, Page 1 (Supplement)

Sir THINGS IN GENERAL.

THE PREMIER OF VICTORIA. . 'I'm: Premier of Victoria (Mr. Bent) the man who does not, tare a button for ~jfew Zealand, is very fond of a joke. His humour is constantly cropping up; in fact, • o r.e can never be quite sure when lie is in earnest. When this Ministerial joker arrived at a place called Shepparton. in Victoria, the oilier day, he stepped from die railway cariago with his band held to his j;i.w. He was suffering from a painful toothache. At supper in the evening Mr. Rent's tooth was still aching badly. The. chairman expressed sympathy, but said that « r Bent would not be excused from a speech. Mr. Bent began to speak, with his hand t" his ''°.- but soon became warmed into ova-tory on the question of water conservation. "We will make this a. land flowing with milk ami honey." lie exclaimed, it the end of the applause Mr. Bent uttered i whooping civ. The chairman leaned forward anxiously. "Ah!" said Mr. Rent,. •■iv toothache! Ah! The d—- thing; hits*' pulled out' or stopped! 1 called on the ir ods to save. me. ami they did. I feel •no more pain." (Cheers and laughter.) : Mr. Bent's tooth did not trouble him again dining the evening. AN AMUSING CASE. Reference was made in this column recently to some amusing situations which have resulted from the enforcement of the New Smith Wales Licensing Act. The Svdnev Telegraph mentions a case in a suburban court, which involved an ingenious defence by a lady, who has managed a hotel for years with credit and profit. On a recent Sunday a police-ser- j geanfc discovered on the premises one who was not a. lodger, or connected, in a busi- ! ness way with the establishment, and questioned his right to be. where lie was With mingled smiles and blushes the lady explained that, the gentleman was a. suitor for her hand, and had paid a call ir pursuance of his wooing. There, was not chivalry or gallantry enough iu the sergeant's disposition to cause him to accept the excuse, aud both were summoned—the visitor for being on licensed premises during prohibited hours without, lawful excuse and the licensee for permitting him to remain. It was shown to the Bench in moving terms by the learned advocate that Sunday, when the cares of business were over, was just, the day on which the widow had time to listen to the protestations of her lover and that so intimate a. friend of the family as a prospective member thereof hud surely some claim to consideration. The magistrate took the same view, and dismissed both cases-, holding that it could not be considered a breach of the law to receive a visit, from so dear a friend. The police, however, think the door thus opened is a very wide one. A lady might not be devoid of personal attractions. She might have scores of admirers who only needed encouragement, to become suitors. They might wish to press their suits on Sundays. Is such a lady to lie sternly compelled to decide in favour of the privileged one, and forbidden to consider the rival claims of those who seek Iter hand, or may she receive and be wooed by an indefinite number during (otherwise) prohibited hours".' A REMARKABLE LETTER. In response to frequent requests for pavment of an outstanding account, and a final threat to sue for the amount duo (says the Timarti Post), a business firm received the following remarkable , epistle from the brother of the debtor: "Sir,-—I now write to tell you that Charlie has been dead for three years. So lie cannot pay you your mil. . I have wrote to you before, and I suppose you don't take notice, but you can send your blue paper and white paper too, hut you can't get it. He is dead, so his debts is paid. So please don't send any more bills-. P.S.—I am sending this piece of paper back to you again." 'The tone of patient explanation is quite artistic, and the theory that a man's death constitutes in itself full payment of all his debts is something quite frcisb. THE OLD FOLK. No one can grudge an oxl age pension to any deserving old man or woman who. is in : need of it. and the gratitude of the; recipients is in some cases quite pathetic. "The English language does not contain words enough to express my heartfelt thanks to you." fervently declared a. gray-headed old man. bent up with rheumatism, as tin; Gisborne magistrate granted a renewal of his pension recently. Another pensioner, an old Maori veteran with tattooed face, frankly admitted he owned no land, cattle, sheep. horses, or pigs. All that I own is myself," lie solemnly announced. In some places the old people are treated very differently. They get no pensions in some parts oi '• Darkest Africa." lor instance. Major Powell Cotton, who set out bust year on an expedition from the Nil.- to the Zam- . besi, has gathered interesting iniormation concerning the methods adopted by the natives of the innermost regions of the Congo Free State for the disposal of their 'eged members, when they become a burden. The infirm and aged people are rendered nn:onscious by means of a narcotic, and in this comatose condition are wrapped in a fresh antelope skin. In this garb they ate hurried by the members of the family to a point remote from the village, and abandoned in the grabs near a native track. The first native who passes the spot discovers what lie imagines to bean antelope, and promptly despatches it with a spear. The members of the deceased aged one's family then emerge from hiding near by, and express open horror and surprise at the unfortunate incident, thorn:!) inwardly congratulating tlif)YH?lv(s upon Ihe successful manner in which they lev. been relieved of their burden. THK FRIVOLOUS .NOVEL. At a recent meeting of the Board of Governors of Canterbury College a discussion took place on the/deplorable taste of the subscribers to the Public Library. The elicit (Mr. O. Lewis M.H.R.) said that he believed the time had come when the purchase of fiction for the library should be curtailed. Most of the work." of fiction were love stories, telling of " the way of a man with a maid." and they ere not worth Hie money expended on them. The Rev. Dr. Erwin said that, the library must cater for the public, and ninetenths of the book-, taken out were woiks . •'• fiction. The chairman stated that there. 'was enough fiction in the library now. No subscriber could have read it all. They should gel biographies and books of the letter class. Mr. <:. W. Russell remarked lf the people cou'l not get the bocks they wanted from the Public Library they would BJ> elsewhere, IT- asked the librarian in Christchurch what, books, the clergy took out, and lie said they invariably took out novels. The people saw novels reviewed n the papers and magazines, and asked them, at tin library. He would like to f" e a return made, showing the number of woks of (he different classes taken out in '"* week. Thev would find that 95 per Cf, "t. of the book? taken out wen. novels, Whereas expensive books were lying on the pelves. Mr. L. B. Wood declared that 'bey all knew the position, but surelv thev .would do something to raise the taste of waders. The discussion produced no de- - *"»te action. The Geykiut..

J' 1 "*, position occupied by woman in Eng- ;; "w in these a .vs is startling when examined. Seven shops out of every leu in ne West End now are for the benefit of B J i nan " the (treat newspapers devote more J* ■»«« of their space even' war to matiM r %vi " interest her;' and on over J*!* fortunes arc being made by ministering hn wf Want *s. The groat increase in the ■'!£**« Of theatres and restaurants might .■p~ Probably bo connected with this de-ff®a*&r-T:hs> Graphic.