Miscellaneous.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 4983, 16 April 1889, Page 3

Miscellaneous.

A new invention, which it is said is being introduced in New York, and one which will interest many ladies, is a harness for pet dogs, with a handle on the back by which they may be lifted. That another long-felt want is met seems clear. '

It is reported that a jar of corn has been unearthed near Yuma, Arizona, that gave evidence of having been buried in the ground for centuries. In a cut 12ft in depth, on a canal in course of construction, was found an “ olio,” or earthen jar. The olio was in the shape of a largo bottle, and its narrow neck was sealed up with a thick coating of mesquite gum, while the outside of the vessel was painted with a very remarkable and fantastically drawn design or drawing. Upon breaking the sealed top it was found to be filled with corn, weighing about 301 b. The corn was snow white, and the kcrnals large, yet extremely tender. The corn was planted in a tract of nearly 10 acres, and just thirty-five days from the date of planting roasting ears were taken from the field. The corn is very sweet, and produces an immense crop. The planting did nob grow over high, and bore from three to six large-sized, well-filled ears of corn. The publio will be a good deal surprised, writes the London correspondent of the Leeds Mercury , to learn that the whole of the expenses of the witnesses before the Purnell Commission will be defrayed by tho Treasury, Witnesses examined before a Royal Commission or Parliamentary Committee receive their expenses, and on this analogy it appears that all the expenses of the witnesses brought from the wilds of Mayo and Kerry will be paid by the Treasury. This will, of course, considerably reduce the expenditure to the [ parties, and the principle will be carried out when tho witnesses for the Parnellites come to be examined. The expenses allowed are strictly confined to travelling expenses and expenses of the witnesses while resident in London. As long as both sides aro treated in the same way, the public will probably not object; but it seems to impose on the commission the duty of seeing that useless expenditure is not thrown on the country by the calling of valueless witnesses. Burglaries are greatly on the increase at , Home, and a London paper says that recent robberies<-or attempted robberies at suburban residences reveal the fact that no artifice or ruse which will make success easy or aid escape is neglected by modern burglars. Their ingenuity in plans for evading detection needs supplementing by a corresponding display of the quality on the part of the agents of authority and law. It is believed now that the many robberies of jewel eases, bandbags, and so on which has ensued upon the mysterious theft of Lady Dudley’s jewellery are due to the use of a mechanical contrivance, very cleverly adapted to its purpose. This is described as resembling an ordinary Gladstone travelling-bag, but is heavily weighted at the bottom, and has a stiff hollow centre. When this is dropped over any article, whether on the platform or on a trolly, a number of short steel springs or grippers aro brought into play. By means of these the article disappears under the Gladstone bag, while the robber marches off with an apparently harmless burden. With thieves so astute, as with some other persons, we shall have to make appeal again to ”, tho resources of civilisation ” to aid us.