PRESENTATION TO SERGEANTMAJOR BRACKEN".

Otago Witness, Issue 559, 16 August 1862, Page 8

PRESENTATION TO SERGEANTMAJOR BRACKEN".

A very interesting ceremonial took place on Friday,in front of-the Police Barracks, Dunedin. At 3 o'clock, about 40 members of the Police Force were mustered on parade, to witness the presentation of a i-ilver good conduct badge, to Sergsanl-Mjijor Bracken, as a recognition of his very efficient services generally, and particularly hia gallant conduct in capturing a gang of desperate bushranger.s in March last. The Chief Commissioner of Police, Si-. John Branigan, Esq., in a short speech, stated the nature of the services rendered by Sergeant-Major Bracken, and warmly eulogised the conduct of that oliicer, for the prompt and courageous manner in which he had performed his duty. His Honor the Deputy Superintendent then addressed the men, and expressed liv givafc gratification at the general enioiency of the Police force. He stated th;\t this was the first time they had been assem'.l d to wifinss such a gratiiying ceremony, -Mid he felt satisfied this'ofScial acknowledgment of the iksorts of an officer woald have a most beneficial eft'ect upon the force individually. He could not speak in too high term* of that member of the for.-j. to do honor to whom they had been a-semhl '1 The services rendered by Sergumt- ■■>:ijor r <rauken were such as to deserve the highest praise. I lis Honor then referred to the gallant capiuro of the bushranger^ ; and concluded by expressing the great piea^urs he folt in presenting Sergoant-Mnjor Bracken with a silver badge of merit. The bad.-;e was then clasped on the gallant Serjeant's arm, who, without making any remark, bowed ia acknowledgment. This terminated the ceromony, and the men were then dismissed.

BniTtsii Taxation. -We can inform Jonathan what are tin 1 inevitable eoispiuiences of bcin^ too fond of glory :— Taxes upon evory article which enters into the mouth, or covers tho back, oi* i>» placed undorthe foot taxes upon everything which b pleasant to hear, see, feel, tast.>, or smdl— taxes upon warmth, li;;ht, and locomotion— taxes upon everything on carth — :>a everything that comts from abroad or is \riown_at ho'ne— tiixe.son tho raw material— taxes on every fresh v.ilui fc'int is a-klcfli > to it by the industry of man — taxes on the sauce that pampers man's appetite, drug tj n t vistores him to hailtu— on the ernime which _ decorates thcjuil":?, and the rope which hangs the criminal— on the poor man's sat, and the rich man's spice— 011 tlie brass nails of the coffin, and the riband.-) of the bride— at bed or bo.jrJ, couohant or levant, we must pay. The schoolboy whips his taxed top— the beardless youth maungeshis taxed horse, with a taxed bridle, on a taxed road— nwl the dyinir Englishman, pouring- his medicine, which has pui 1 7 per ccii*-,, incjaspoon that ha? [-aid 15 per cent., nin:s himself oaek upsn his chintz bed, which his p.iid 22 por cent., and expires in the arms of an apothecary who luis pi'd one hun.uv.jpnindj for the privilege of P'ltt'ni"; him to dpnlh. His whole property is then tuxed from 2to 10 per cent. Resides the probate, large fees ,n-e demanded fur burying 1 him in thechan-* eel; his urtuos are handed down to posterity oq taxed murble ; he is then patlipred to his fathers, to bo taxed no more. — Sydney Smith. Sthangb Habit of Parrots When doraeafacted, the parrots, macaws, parakeets, and cockatoos show the same partiality for vegetable seeds, and ar c g norally fed very wl\ on hempseod, the skius op imsks of which they detach with astonishing skill. home that receive bones to gnaw acquire a very determined taste for animal substances, aud especially tor the tendons, lteatnents, mid other -loss succulent parts. lTom this kind of feoding some parrots contract the habit of plucking out their own feathers, that they may suck tho stems j and this becomes so urgent a want that instances have been known of thPir stripping their bodies absolutely naked, not leaving a vestige of down wherever the bill could reach. They spared, however, the quills of the wings aud tail, the plucking out which would have caused them too much .pain. M. Dumarest states that the body of one of these birds, belonging to M. Latreille., thusupcaniQ as naked as a pullet plucked for roasting. Yet this bird supported the rigor of two very severe winters without the slight- st alteration of health op appetite. M. Veillot olwervos that this habit of deplumntion is p.-oilucrd In many parrots by nn itching of the skin, and not in cons'-quenoo ot their being accustomed to eat animal substances. — Casseli's Natural History.