MISCELLANEOUS NEWS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VII, Issue 1114, 6 September 1880, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS NEWS.

An Argus special, dated London, August 11, states the Baroness BurdettGoutts has notified to the Queen her intention of marrying Mr Ellis A. BartleM, the Conservative member for Rye, who is aged 32. Her Majesty and also a brother of Mr. Bartlett, without objecting to the Baroness . Burde^t-Coutts intention, have disapproved "of the proposed marriage, and immense pressure is being brought in the highest circles to dissuade her ladyship from the

marriage. f The subject of this year's examination of the Royal Geographical Society is to Jje Polynesia, including New Zealand. -

Telephonic reporting between the House of Commons and the Times is now in regular use for after midnight speeches. , „.,s y . Land on a northern Queensland river, the Burdekin, is being extensively selected for sugar growing. Some 25,000 acres have been already surveyed, and there are about 7000 acres additional selected.

Four hundred and thirty six acres are under crops of pea-nuts in California; the yield average 10001 b. per acre. Deer will shortly be no acaroifcy in Wai: kato- It is reported that from time to time, that does, with young at foot, have been oqserved on the property of the Messrs. Martyn and on other estates in the Waikato. Two bucks and a doe have just arrived by the train from Auckland, en route to the property of the Messrs. Morriu, at Morrinsville. The animals which are in charge of Mr. Payne, are of the Indian breed, and are very fine animals.

Strange stories reach us from India of the feats performed by a native mesmeriser named Buni, whose magnetic power would appear to be found quite irresistible by the lower animals upon which he exclusively exert 3 it. He gives seances, to which the public are invited to bring all manner of ferocious and untamable wild beasts, and, like, the Ancieut Mariner, holds them with his glittering eyes. In a few seconds they subside in a condition of cataleptic stiffness, from which they can only be revived by certain *' passes " which he solemnly executes with, his right hand. An account of one of tHese seances states that a snake in a state of violent irritation was brought to Buni by a menagerie proprietor, euclosed in a wooden ,cage v : When deposited on the platform it was writhing and hissing fiercely. Buni bent over the cage, and fixed his eye. upon his occupant, gently waving ' his hand over the serpent's restless head. In less than a minute th^snake stretched itself out, stiffened, aiid lay apparently dead. Buni took it up and thrust several needles into its body, but it gave, no sign of life. A few "passes" then restored it to its former angry activity. Subsequently a savage dog, held in a leash by its owner, was brought in, and, at Buni's command, let loose upon him. As it was rushing towards him, bristling with fury, he raised his hand,- and in a; second the fierce brute dropped on its belly as though stricken by lightning. It seemed absolutely paralysed by some unknown agency, aud was unable to move a muscle until released from thY magnetiser's spell by a majestip wave of the hand.

Having accomplished the unparalleled feat of winning the French and English Derbies in the same week by a head, E. Archer, the jockey, will retire from the saddle for some time. : ' '