FACTS AND SCRAPS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VII, Issue 1064, 6 April 1880, Page 2

FACTS AND SCRAPS.

A tremendous whirlwind occurred in tlie neighbourhood of Magi!), South Australia, a few days ago. The roof of a house a couple of miles from Magill was carried away bodily fully a mile. Crystallised masses of ice, as large as pigeons' eggs, fell, causing the creeks to run into the gardeus, which narrowly escaped inundation. No clouds were visible at the time, and the sun was shining brightly. The storm lasted 20 minutes. During one of the dismounting contesta at the military sports on Saturday (says the Lyttelton Times), one of the Christchurch men, named Recce, got his hand jammed, and on the gun being moved about an inch of one of his fingers was torn off. Despite tHe aiekening pain that must have been experienced, R^ece went on with the various dutisa required from him, and made no sign as to the injury he had sustained until the victory of his party had been declared. It need scarcely be a,aid that medical aid was then secured as spaedly as possible. Mr. James Gordon Bennett, of the New York Herald, is to shoot a pigeon match, 50 birds, 28 yarda rise,, against Mr. Skelbreck, a well-known, Blurtingham and Gun Gluh ahot, for £1000 a-sid,e, early in April. There is no idea of any international rivalry in this, merely a, friendly tt*atob, and it is to be decided in Faria, where we doubt not there will be considerable speculation, aa the American colony wax.es strong there, and its inhabitants will rally round their countrymen. It is proposed to give a champion belt, open to the world, for a bicyle rtyja in New York the last week of the present month. The belt, i* Y-atoed at lOOOdols, and prise n^qpey to, the amount of 2500 c^qls, will be added. The object is to bring together the champiom riders of England, France, and America. Thiebaud Bauer and William. Miller will wrestle shortly, Grseoo-Boman style for a medal valued at lOOdols. It may not generally be known that the champion. \yvestW of the world, William Miller, 19 an Australian. Hia father a tutor in Melbourne, is an, accomplished swordsman, and like hjs, son, is a man of great personal strength. Y«.uns» JVftlleiJi who ia now either in America or- Unhand, formerly kept a gymnasium in Melbourne. Hia muscular development was *so wonderful as to be almost miraculous

A cricket match on skates took place recently between n team from Swansea and one from Cadoxton, which the latter won easily, scoring 341 to their opponents J26. The winners were much assisted by the admirable fielding of a retriever. There is nothing like presence of mind, after all. One dark, rainy night last week old Dr. Boots, who lives out on Van Ness Avenue, was trudging homeward when he dicovered that <he ,■ was being dogged by a burly ruffian, evidently intent on robbery. Jfhey ' were on a lonely part of the town, and the man was just at his heels when the Doctor, buttoning his coat up to his chin, suddenly turned back and said to his pursuer : " Please, air, give m© ■. a ■; . dime to buy something to eat. I don't ' want to get whiskey, indeed I don't; haven't had anything to eat for two days." " Great Scott ?" exclaimed the footpad, repocketing his slug-shot •with profound disgust, "to think here I've been piping off a d — n pauper for over a mile." And he walked offoiltting the infernal luck to blazes. • * The enormous fortunes which are being made by the British coal owners, put Australian and New Zealand gold mines into the shade. One owner, wh?? .i sank a large sum in an unproductive coalpit one year, made £60,000 ptbfltm from another pit. Another very larg9 * owner, a year or so ago made £50,000 „. beyond his ordinary income of £100,000.^ An enterprising man with a small capital lately invested it, and what money he could borrow, £9000 in all, in a polliery, ,«* and lie sold it again almost immediately," *"* and without spending a penny on ifc, for ; £40,000. . Bishop Redwood has proceeded to Europe * to pay a visit to the Holy See, in accordance .. with the rule of the Roman Catholic Church, which makes it incumbent, Jfl^pdtev* all its Bishops whose dioceses are at a distance to appear either in person or by deputy at Rome once every five years, wa&■■*'render an account of their stewardship., The Bishop left by the last 'Frisco mail steamer. Because a girl refused him, an ,i@|tiq»,s. man attempted suicide. The d&si&'* ? _ fool never stopped to consider thai' nb .' .. woman wants to marry a dead man. "Fax, there's no gentlemen in 'Hub'"'' car. Lit me out, kornductor. All the' empty seats are full. The next time I ride iv a car, I'll walk, so I wilL"-*--"Harper's Weekly."