NOTES AND QUERIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1898, 19 June 1890, Page 22

NOTES AND QUERIES.

Totaba.— (l) India ia inhabited by numerouo peoples belonging to several distinct groups or families, speaking numerous dialects founded on two or three distinct stocks, and muoh blended by the intercourse of thn different peoples with eacb other. Previous to the Mohammedan aecendenoy the dominant race were the Hindus, whose lan gunge is spread In various dialects over a greatpart of India, but who were not the original inhabitants nor even the first invaders. Prom the North-west of India through Cashmere, and down the valley of the Indus, and from Tibet through the passes of the Himalayas, the inhabitants of Northern Asia have from a very early period migrated southward to the milder and more fertile plains of India. Two great successions of these Invasions are recognised as haviDg taken ptace before the period of authentic history. The first immigrants belonging to the Tartar family, ii'id known In India as the Tamil races, appear to have overspread the entire peninsula. Following them the Sanskrit-speaking peoples, called the Hindus, of Aryan race, dispossessedthe Tamil races, and superseded their language inthe whole of India north of the Narbada. The Hindus subsequently descended into the peninsula and penetrated as far as Cape Oomorin ; but though their influence on the language of Southern India was considerable in the way of introducing new terms, the grammar and construction of the Tamil languages maintained their place in the districts south of the Narbada. Two great groups of languages were thus spread over India, whioh were further modified by the Mohammedan invasion. The native tribes were no^ nxterminated by these invasion!, but are still to be found under various names. a» Bheels, Catties, Coolies, Gonds, &c, inhabiting the f aßtnesseß of the mountain ranges in Bengal, the Vindhva and Satpura Mountains, the Gthats, Ao. The hill tribes and other aborigines in all India are estimated at 70,000.000, (2) The word "Sepoy" means an Indian or an Oriental soldier disciplined in thn Kuroppan manner. (3) Various races. D. P., Tuapoka.-" Barr's Poems " (Craigilee) are not obtainßblc-'at booksellers, being out of print. Your only mode of obtaining a copy would bo to purchase it from a private holder. R. D.— Kola nut» may be 'procured from K. Hudson and Co , Moray Place, Dunedin, aud you can com. munlcate with them. A. H.— Mr Beverly replies to your queries : -The ruddy star seen in the east at 6 p.m is the planet Mars. It varieß much in brightness, owing to the great variations in its distance from us. It w»s at Its brightest on the 6th inst. Of the two stars west ot north, the upper i« Kegulus. the principal Btar iv the constellation Leo; the low. r 1b the planet Saturn. Jupiter rises couth of east about 8 pm. Veniiß is visible in the north-west soon after sunset, but sets early. It will increase in altitud« and brightness till the beginning of November, when it will probably, as usual, be taken for the Star of Bethlehem. About a month heriCH the four chief, or more conspicuous, planets will be all visible at once. Many people have never pern M'-rcurv- It will be in the best position that will occur for several years during the first week of September. About half an hour after sunset it will be due west, from 12dett to 15deg altitude. When Sirius is south, as seen In Britain, it is about 20de#nbove !he hoii/.on. The change of latitude from Brifnin to New Zealand is about lOOdegsouthwrtid. The effect of that ii. to shift Sirim I'JOdeg northwcird, when viewed hero at corresponding houra of the summer months ; so that Si ius upjic.irs abnut 30deg north of t>.o zenith. It does not require much intelligence to see that. The pointers to tbe croßß are always called Alpha Gen' tauri and Beta Ceutauri, the latter beingneirei ■ the cross. They were unknown to the Arabia i astronomers. The larger of the two. Alpha Centauri, is the finest double star in the heavens. It

will bo resolved Into two by a good pooket telescope at present. The smaller of the components revolves round the larger in about 80 years. 'Britain, — We are afraid that all you can do is to sell

your own interest. We shall, however, reply more definitely next week. 8-. F. writes :— Will you in your Notes and Queries column answer the following question:— Sir R. Stout in his letter in your last issue asserts that 2000 acren, presumably at 10s per acre, have been nold in one block to a Ministerial supporter, the said i land lying between Catlins and Waikawa. Is this

assertion quite true ? I saw the same assertion in . an extract from the Oamaru Mail mentioning Mr ' T. Maslrenzie's name as, I suppose, "the Ministerial supporter." In the reported sale of the land to Mr Mackenzie, notified in the proceedings of the Land Board, his first purohase was stated at „ liWO acres and the price 15s per acre cash, and there would be survey fee to add, the land being unsurveyed. I have seen no notice of further sale to Mr Mackenzie, and it would be a satisfaotlon to know which is correct. If Sir Robert Stout, then there must be some very underhand work going on. The price paid was 16s per acre, not 10s as stated by Sir Robert Stout. There has been no further sale. A Poor Man.— (l) It would be legal, but it would entail a fine for a breach of the Stamp Duty Act. (2) Not necessarily, but otherwise difficulties Would be experienced in regiitering, Ac. Far better to have it done properly than to run any risk, even though the expense be a little more. W. F., Waitahuna. — Several correspondents have sent in reports of their experience with the eel traps supplied by the Acclimatisation Society, and these have been published in our angling colnmn. The last appeared in our issue of the sth inst., So which, we refer you for the information you desire. The traps have proved successful in every case, butthe result has scarcely proved conclusively thßt eels feed on trout, owing to the fact that the food found in them has, as a rule, been pretty well digested. Farmer, Bruce. — Your letter unfortunately arrived too late for publication in this issue. It will, how-

ever, appear next week. See notice at head of

country column. J. F. 1. --The circumstances of the case hardly justify the threat held out. Surely you must admit that you get value for money. As a matter of fact the letter was accidentally mislaid. The following are the answers to your questions :— (1) Yes. (2) Yes, but he would nev-ir bo much of a lawyer. (3) One in geueral knowledge and one in law ; held in Duuedin, Chrlßtchurch, Wellington, Auckland, &c, in March and (September. But new rules are now twining into force by which the examinations are to be onnrtucted by the university . (4) See anew or to No. fl. You should consult a solicitor, who would give you any information witbout charge. (5) Yes. (6) You can tako the barrister's examination without passing as a solicitor, and having passed that you would be both a barrister and Boliqitor. (7) At same time and place. (8) Cannot say, and the question strikes ub as a foolish one. (9) Consult the New Zealand Gazette of date June 27, 1889, and you will there obtain all information a« to the examinations under the university, which will come into force next December. As to the

books required for study you wiil require to ref>>r

to the University Calendar. Wool., St. Bat nans. — Yes; Bee sections 208 to 215

■" Land Act 1885." School Committkkman. — We should say that tlie 'six remaining members have power to appoint a

'new chairman previous to eleoting a new com-

mittseman, J-Ylystery.— Any oreditor has a right to prove within 'four monthi from date of bankruptcy. If assign* c thinkß the claim unreasonable he can disallow the proof. WIP-BllH'WU— WM— Mil— ■— — ——^l—M *^**