MISCELLANEOUS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 319, 1 May 1877, Page 4

MISCELLANEOUS.

CHINESE LABOtTO AT HOME. A London journal has the following:— " There is some talk of a leading colliery proprietor introducing Chinese cheap labour into the country. He is a noble lord, and no doubt can do essentially in his own region as he likes, but it is to be feared there will be considerable disturbance regarding the matter on the noble lord's mining grounds. Even the freest of free-traders will not support the introduction of Chinese customs, if they turn out to be nothing better than a moral nuisance, as they are declared to be by both Australian and Californian settlers. Judging from the report regarding affairs in California, we should say it is impossible to come to a decision regarding Chinese habits, except that the coolie is very industrious, very temperate, and not very happy. We shall, however, be able to say a little more about him if he is allowed to land on our shores, and accommodate himself to our industries."

HOW NICELY PUT ! This is how the Wanganui Chronicle suggests to the City Fathers of that town that they should not drink quite so straight:—" The Wanganui Municipal Council will will attain a much higher position in the opinion of the ratepayers when it is purged of a rowdy bacchanalian element, which has found its way into, and which manages to lower and degrade its proceedings at nearly every meeting." And very nicely the writer puts it too.

" SNYDER " ON COUNTY FIXINGS.

The "fixings" of the Cook County Council Chamber appear somewhat scant, if we may judge by the following from " Snyder's" description of it in the Poverty Bay Standard : —" The furniture in the County Office on Saturday evening consisted of one table, five chairs, and a spittoon, the latter article being the personal property of a former clerk, who had kindly allowed it to remain for the service of the members of the Road Board. The deficiency of chairs was made up by two or three being borrowed from an adjoining hotel. Our reporter had forgotten to take his own chair with him. He was accommodated with a form. Sitting too near the end, it tilted. One end of the form struck the ceiling; the other end did nothing in particular. The reporter went on the floor, lost his presence of mind, and got up on the wrong side, by which his leg came in violent contact with the leg of the form. The only sympathy ha received was from a councillor, who regretted to see a member of the Press so completely floored."

THAT NAFGHTY BIGAMIST. The following additional particulars, which we gather from a contemporary, in reference to the pretty little romance in Welling'on, will no doubt prove interesting : — <: We observe now, by the IVairarnpa Nevss that this alleged birramy case has assumed a new When last brought np, the lady—Agnes Robmson—was, in the absence of any evidence for the prosecution, discharged. On that occasion it appeared that Cheeseman, the first husband, had written a letter positively declining to go on with the prosecution. He is said to be willing to take the lady back. Robinson, the second husband, has now in turn been prosecuting ' Agnes.' On Friday, in the Resident Magistrate's Court, Featherston, Mr. Stedman, on his behalf, applied to Mr. Wardell for a warrant for the apprehension of Agnes. Mr. Wardell, the Resident Magistrate, rather demurred to granting the warrant, but ultimately sa ; d he would take time to consider the application. From what transpired in Court it appears that the fair but fickle ladv was originally called Agnes Williams, and that she married a person named Cheeseman in England. Then, somehow or other, after coming out here, she went to the Wairarapa, leaving Cheeseman, and in November last, according to the charge against her, married a labourer named Robinson at Tenui. The position of the case at present is : Robinson is tired of Agnes, and wishes to be quit of her ; hence he prosecutes her for bigamy. Cheeseman, on the other hand, is full of love and forgiveness. It is quite an affecting little drama."