NEWS ITEMS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 8419, 19 January 1899, Page 4

NEWS ITEMS.

According to 'a telegram in the Daily News, tlie Emperor William has expressed his intention to write a book on his impressions during his journey in the East. The English Rugby team which will visit New South Wales, Queensland, and New Zealand will consist chiefly of university players. At Waitara last ueek several native women became drunk and created a greatdisturbance. The local constable was interfered with by other Maoris when making arrests and he found it necessary to swear in assistance. A lady and her daughter had an unpleasant experience while bathing in the surf at Warrnatnbool (Vie), their clothes being stolen while in the water. A woman was arrested and sentenced to seven days' imprisonment for the theft. The Chinese are perhaps the most lightly taxed people in the world. In China all the land belongs to the State, and a trifling sum per acre— never altered through long centuries— is paid as rent. This* is the only tax in the country, and it amounts to about half-ii-crown per head yearly. The Queensland Government has been civen the necessary authority to repurchase two areas of land for 'agricultural purposes. One area of 0000 acres in the Mackay district, suitable for sugar cultivation, will cost .£22,0.10 ; while the other, which is situated on the Darling Downs, will cost £13,1100. "Professor" Carl Ledebur, husband of Madame Lcdebur (arrested in connection witli tho Wura tragedy), reigned for a short period in Napier some years ago, and (confesses the llawke's Bay Herald) claims ns amongst hi-< sorrowing friends. He mystcrioiif.lv •■ skipped by tlie light of the moon." His account still remains amongst our very doubtful debts A butcher cashed cio?s cheques for a customer. They were honored at the bank. It eventually transpired that the cheques had been fraululontlv endorsed. In the Lambeth County Court 'the butcher was ordered to return the amount lie had received from the bank. The jury at the same time evprcsed sympathy with him. The Judge said that the" case was of the utmost importance to liadcsmen. The extraordinary tenacity to existence possessed by cits was exemplified in Goic the other day in a striking and pathetic manner. A feline was noticed by sonic children to he caught in a rabbit trap in an obscure pait of the gimlcn of a local resident. The cat. remained in the tr.ip unnoticed by anyone else for eight days, after which it managed to escape, and to crawl home in a shockingly emaciated condition.— Mataura Knsign." Some of the facts and figures which were presented to thestudciiK of the Institution of Civil Engineers on the occasion of their visit to I'lilmer's works, Jnrrow-on-Tvnc, arc partienlaily interesting as shotting" the extent and comprchonsivenessof theJa'rrow establishment. The works, the student were told, cover nearly 100 acios, and "ive employment to fi.WO iiipn. who receive in i wages over fflOftO per week. The- u.unntitv of iron ere ti'-cd in one vcur is ovor'.'W-1.000 tons prnduring over 170,000 ton- of pi,--iron, tthiie from eight furnaces ovt-r li.i.onn tons of declare annually tinned out, which six rolling mills convert into ship' plates and angle*. The shipyard contains 15 building berths, a giaving dock, and a hydiaulic slipway, the building works , being equal to the production of 04,000 tons of shipping per annum. The marine engine works are capable of turning out .'Jfi sets of marine engines, representing a total horse-power of .i!), 000. Since its establishment in ISIil fifty war vessels have been built at the work* for the liiitith Governn cut.

Yesterday afternoon at the cycling track at the Auckland Exhibition there was a 1 pretty and unic\uoMght- a flight of homing ( I pigeons. About 1000 birds were released t fi'o.n cage;, and the distance I hoy (lew to t their respective homes, and the lime \ taken. w;is recorded, and a liophy Mill < be awarded the winner. The Auckland i Homing Club had the management of theji iillair in hand, and it was a great attraction. Naturally the Minister of Lands is highly pleased at the appointment of his halfbrother, Mr Hugh M'Kenz.c, to the professoiship of English language and literature at the Yictoiia College. Though tho Minister bus never seen his relative, as bo mus born after Mr John M'Kenzie came to New Zealand, he has corresponded with him, and has sent him at dill'crcnt periods books, pamphlets, and *l'iirliamentary papers relating to New Zealand. Professor M'Kciv/.ie possesses a very large library, and New Zealand is so well represented in it that persons have come over a hundred miles to use it. Professor M'Ken/.ic's testimonials from various University notables in Scotland speak of his qualifications in the highest terms, and the i Marquis of Bute, afler referring to Mr M'Kenzie's collegiate career, expresses 1 regret that there was a possibility of him ! leaving Scotland. [ In a busy thoroughfare of the city (writes 1 the London correspondent, of the Sydney 1 Morning Herald) there is an otlicc whose ] plate front hides the name of a lady embarked upon the business of UpewiitiiiL'. Tt is merely a business style, her real name ) lieimj one widely known throughout, the woi Id as that of a more than millionaire ' manufacturer. There is no reason in the world why the still young lady should not [ enjoy the luxuries of her father's palatial homo in the north country. There has " been no domestic tragedy, no incompati- ~, bility of temper, no necessity pour clw.rcher I'homme. The girl simply thought it was a wrong thing for her, well educated and ? strong in health, to idle at home living upon her father. She. resolved to earn her own living, and found typewriting a clean ■' and convenient business. So she came to London, formed a connection, works hard all day, goes homo to her modest lodgings at night, with the sweet assurance that! she has earned her bed and board. Mr Gladstone's opinion as to the three a greatest men is given to the Spectator by a correspondent, " Ignotus,'' who writes : ' "Some years since I had the great pleasure J of meeting Mr Gladstone at dinner. One of the other guests asked him whether it 1 was true that be had pronounced Shakespeare to be the greatest man who ever lived. Mr Gladstone at once replied, and ;' I can almost repeat the words verbatim : \ ' No, I do not think I ever made such '' a statement. Undoubtedly the three greatest men who ever lived were Homer. Dante, and Shakespeare. Homer created ' a people, a language, and a religion. ' Dante created a people and a language, but not a religion. Shakespeare did not ' create any of the three, but I am inclined ' to think that his reputation will increase, \ and that in another century he may be universally acknowledged to be the 1 greatest man who ever lived.' "' \ Lord Kitchener asks for £1(10,000 for |. Gordon College, writes a London corresj pondent. He came into the city yesterday, , anil had such a royal reception as I never , saw anybody but a Royalty get. before, j The part where he was became an agitated , and tumultuonsly tossing sea of silk hats, mixed up with frantic cheers. He got ~ £30,000 to begin with as the result of that look in at London's headquarters, the cor- , poration itself starting with .£IOOO. I hear ' the members of the StooK Exchange intend r to raise £25,000, and it is confidently expoctedly that the whole £100,000 will be to hand within a week. That's London's p Imperial wav of doing things ! And, mark , you, that Gordon College is going to he a | power in British imperialism. At. present , the French element and language are much ' too prominent in Egypt, But the Soudan ' is going to be English from the outset of its new career, and in the Gordon College at Khartoum wfi shall always have a potent stronghold of Britishism. The , scheme is a great one; a worthy in ' memorial!) of the great and good and ever \ practical Gordon. ! The British Consular Court at Bankok . has recently had its hands full on account : of a domestic tragedy which occurred in , an Irish family in the city. A beautiful i Irish girl of seventeen, named Kate s O'Donoghue, was abducted by an Indian 1 named l)e Silva, who holds an important . post in the Siamese Telegraph Department. De Silva and his accomplices were arrested i, on a charge of felony, anil the girl's father . was charged with attempting to murder , De Silva. A sea captain from Hull, engaged . to Miss O'Donoghue, has been bound over , to keep the peace, having been detected in ! the act of following De Silva with a loaded , rifle- When De Silva was out on bail he j had to be guarded by twenty Sihk con- , stables, as there was a universal disposition . to lynch him. Dc Silva's lawyer and a > number of prominent citizens are on their i trial for aiding and abetting the abductor. , Finally, a young Irishman of twenty-three , — one Frank M'Cnllagh — has been " hauled I up for contempt of Court, a pretty com- | prehensive catalogue of trouble arising from a s'ngle Irish beaiity ! i Some visitors to the interior of Otago (says the Daily Times) rccentlj' returned to Dunedin have expressed themselves as ■ perfectly delighted with a trip they made , through the Clinton Valley. The scenery there is described as grandly impressive, and is said to entirely eclipse that of the Otira Gorge. The Clinton Valley penetrates 14 miles of granite mountains threequarters of a mile high, and varies from a a quarter to half a mile in width. The visitors are most enthusiastic in praising the r.lace, and declare that when there "tbev marched to the music of the avalanche and were lulled to sleep by the melody of cascades." There is, of course, a drawback, but it is one that may bo easily removed. Travelling is dillicult, and must be done on foot. The need of a bridle track is very great, and it is said that to expend £2000 for the purpose of opening up this wonderland that lies so close at our doors would be a splendid investment, as it must, prove an immense attraction to visitors and tourists. We understand that representations are to be made to the Government respecting this matter, with the view of having a 'track constructed with as little delay as possible.