NEWS FROM ALL SOURCES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VIII, Issue 1276, 21 March 1881, Page 2

NEWS FROM ALL SOURCES.

A good story attributed, to the learned Judgo himself, is going the rounds with respect, to Mr Justice Hawkins. His lordship is exceedingly fond of a game at skittles, and when taking a country walk the other day while on circuit he stopped at a public house to gel some refreshment. Hearing the familiar rattle of the pegs he sauntered into the bowling alley at the back of the house, and made himself welcome by treating the players to some btitr. At the conclusion of the game he challenged the winner to play a game with him, but the man politely c'eclined, as also did another of the company. The judge's curiosity was excited, and on pressing for an explanation he found that his personal appearance had created a somewhat unfavourable impression upon the rustics. " Look hero, mate," said one >f them, " we are all honest straightforward men who've never been 'lagged,' (i.e., taken in custody), and if youMon't want to work out that ticket of leave I'd advisa you to get out of these parts as quick as you can." It is said (remarks a homo paper) extravagance in feminine dress has risen to such a pitch that the Princess of Wales has determined to set the fashion of simplicity in order to put a stop to the outlay and bad taste, and amongst the first things to be abolished are long uncurled forehead fringes, Tain O'Shanter caps and jerseys. The Princess, it will be remembered, was the introducer of the Jersey bodice, but then she wore it in its proper place, on board the royal yacht, where its colour (navy blue) and pliability of texture rendered the garment particularly suitable, where as now our fashionables introduce the smile into every toilet, whether for promenading, dancing, or home wear, and in every colour, white, black blue or red, without regard to appropriateness. No one will regret the tabooing of the Tarn O'Shanter cans, which are certainly the most perfect arrangements worn for some considerable time for rendering i pretty faces plain and plain ones more so, but few of the monstrosities have been seen in our street, and the effect upon the wearer was not so far from pleasing that it is not to be wondered at the numbers coutiuue to remain small. A Home paper states that an unseemly exhibition was witnessed at the Brightside church yard, Sheffield, mi the 31st ult. The child of a C-ngregationalist named Fenn was about to be buried, but the procession was met at the gate by the sexton, who demanded fees to the amount of 7s. Payment was refused on the ground that they were excessive, whereupon the gate was closed upon the party. The father of the child and two friends, however, obtained admission, and one of them procured a spade and began to re-open the grave, which the sexton had filled up ; but as fast as the earth was thrown out it was returned. Eventually the coffin was taken home again. On Saturday morning the father returned to the churchyard with some men, who, in the presence of hundreds of persons, re-opened a grave in which a child had been buried.- The sexton and his son tried to. prevent the men carrying out their work, but the crowd put the sexton and his son into the grave. They were rescued, but were held back by the crowd while the ceremony was proceeded with, a Congregationalist minister conducting the service. Afterwards a collection was made to provide for Fenn's expenses. The following extract from a letter in late number of the Inglewood Advertiser will give some idea of the ravages the rabbit pest are capable of doing :— "ln Quambatook district a Mr. Rattray stripped from IGO acres two bags of wheat. The whole extent of' this ground was ploughed and sowed, and gave every indication in the early part of the season of a fair crop, when the rabbits attacked it in myriads, devouring every blade in their progress of destruction save a small patch standing in the centre of the field, from which the return above quoted was received."

The late census shows the population of the Unitedj States to be over 51,030,000. Three hundred and twenty thousand immigrants are estimated to have arrived at New York during 1880. It is said that the proposed New York International Exhibition in 1883 will cost ten millions of dollars, which it is proposed to raise by the issue of stock of two kinds. First, the principal intending exhibitors will be asked to purchase preferential shares, and when these arc taken up the general public will be invited to subscribe. A Washington paper tells of the wonderful leap of a cat in that city. It says: "An adventurous and patriotic cat ascended the Washington Moument, the other night, by the stairs which are within. In the morning when the men went up to work, she took fright, and springing to the edge, took a leap of 100 foet. After looking around a little, she proceeded to leave the place, and had almost gotten beyond the shadow of the monument, when a dog that stays around the base started for her, and not being in her beat running trim she was easily made a victim and killed." The statute of Spinoza, lately unveiled at Hague, is the first sculptured effigy of a Jew ever erected. While the Jews were a nation their abhorrence of idolatry prevented a practice so common amongst the Assyrians and Egyptians ; since then they have been hardly iiopular enough for others to do for ihem what they omitted to do themlolves ; and now, after numberless mominental representations of Christ and the \postles, the first statue of a Jew is .hat of a Pantheist. The First Baptist Church at Jackson, Mihigan, was the victim of a curioU3 ai'ceny lately, some one making off with heir organ cabinet so deftly that they lo not know where it has gone. A man, named Robert M'Gibbon, diile working on the steeple of the new iYee Church, Greenock, lost his footing nd fell to the ground a distance of 150 net, and was killed instantaneously. lis brother was killed some three weeks efore by a fall from the same steeple. The result of the first trial made in urning the gigantic turret of H.M.S. nflexible has, it appears, at last been lade, and the success has exceeded all nticipatioiiß. By all accounts, the lie tuirot, containing the 90 ton guns, lado the complete revolution in 60 iconda.