Untitled

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1024, 16 October 1891, Page 37

A litigant who appeared in the Woodville Resident Magistrate’s Court recently is said to receive upwards of 160 summonses annually. The smallest church in the world is said to bo at St Lawrence, near Ventnor, Isle of Wight. It has a seating capacity for twelve people. At the earnest solicitation of the Emparor, Queen Victoria will visit Germany next year. During the visit she will stay at least ten days in Yaanus, with th : Empress, whose magnificent chateau will be finished very shortly. N A tree near Manistee, Mich., 36ft in circumference, 12ft in diameter and 175 ft high, will be blasted with dynamite, as there is no saw that will cut it and no mill that can cut it in boards. The Shipping Woild, in its August issue, publishes an illustrated description of tho boat-lowering apparatus recently patented by Mr J. W. Kinniburgh, of this city. As it is the custom of the journal referred to to select only tho most prominent inventions relating to shipping for publication, the notice will no doubt be accepted as an endorsement of the opinions expressed so favourably at the time- the trial of the apparatus was made in the boat harbour. Mr Kinniburgh has, we learn, patented his invention at Home, in the States, and throughout the colonies. The Union Company have had several of their steamers fitted up with the apparatus, and the Government steamer Hinemoa has her lifeboat supplied with the same. Captain Fairchild speaks in highest terms of its excellence. The usual' weekly meeting of the Benevolent Trustees was held on Tuesday. Present —The Rev H. Van Staveren (chairman), and Messrs Willeston, J. E. Smith, Kirk, Collins, aud Powles. A woman, who had kept a-couple of young children for 19 months, applied for some assistance. She said the mother of the children was'dead, and that their father had lately left for England. The woman said she had only received 153, and that £23 was due to her. Tho Trustees decided to grant her 14s a week. A fireman, who had juat ccme onfe of tho Hospital, having been there for ten months, applied for relief, as he was stdi suffering from a sore foot and unable to work. Eight shillings a week was given him to provide board and lodging. Thera were a number of other cases <■£ the usual type, which were duly considered and dealt with.

The following singular paragraph appears In a Wairarapa exchange of Monday A man named Collins has made a declaration, duly si«ced and attested, that he was hired by the police, while at Gladstone, to convey to the premises of Mr W. Iliddle, at the Tanern a big containing the portion of a still for whioh Riddle was subsequently prosecuted, convicted, and heavily fined. Ho alleges in his statement that ho received in payment a 6heque signed by one Cotter on the Hank of Australasia, which he cashed at the Taueru Hotel. The cheque, which was for £4 14s 4d, does not appear to have been presented at the Rank. In connection with St Andrews'Presbyterian Church is a Mutual Improvement Society which oo.asionally departs from the practice of masculine oratory to the softer sensibilities of a “Ladies’ Night.” One of these attractive evenings was held onTueaday night, when the roboolroom was filled to overflowing by a highly appreciative audience, who listened with pleasure to an entertainment, in whioh the fair sex were the only performers. Music, singing, and a clever representation of several of the best scenes from “As you like it” formed the programme of the evening. Thn dramatis persons* were the members of the choir, and everything given and represented was very creditably produced. The singing was excellent, both iu solos and part songs. One of the most effective was “ The three maids of Lea.” This song was sang by a young lady, while on the platform threa charming maidens in dumb show represented the three dames with song. When the measure came to the verses reciting to the old maiden}’ fate, the trio suddenly turned half round and offered the presentment of their old maid faces and fronts, to the intense amusement of the audience. The scenes from Shakespeare ware well peiformed, marked by good elocution and correct study, Rosalind especially displaying excellent histroiiic capacity, and tbe melancholy Jaques a very good second, the others uot far behind.