LATE ENGLISH AND FOREIGN.

Colonist, Volume XVII, Issue 1870, 2 February 1875, Page 3

LATE ENGLISH AND FOREIGN.

(From tlie Melbourne Argus.) A noetheen correspondent telegraphs to a Plymouth paper a description of the Halloween festivities at Balmoral. The observance of the festival is dying out in many parts of Scotland, but on the royal estate it; was last year maintained in pristine glory. Her Majesty and Princess Beatrice both carried torches in the after-dark procession, which took place in the Castle grounds, and while the effiay of a witch was being consumed in an immense bonfire, the tenantry and servants danced blithely around, to the strains of the royal piper piping upon bia pipes. In Yeddo, Japan, there are no less than eighteen newspapers, of which some are daily, and others appearing every fifth day. The three which have the largest circulation are the NinscMnshinjisM, a daily sheet, of which an average of i.500 copies are issued; the ToMonichinicM SeMmbum, a daily paper with 800 circulation, and the CUnbansashi, a daily, with the same. Of the other fifteen some appear daily, and each furnish about 200 copies. A Japanese Punch has also been commenced.

The following information respecting the vintage in* California is supplied by the SanFrancisco Chronicle: — " The estimate of those best acquainted with the wine business of the State is that the vintage this year (1874) will not fall short of 9,000,000"gallons. Last year it was somewhere between 3,500,000 and 4,000,000. The'unseasDnablo rains this year, which are not generally looked for earlier than the middle of November, will tend to decrease the strength, but improve the quality of the white wines and champagnes.

An amusiug anecdote has juafc become known. A few days since a man who had formerly belonged to the volunteer corps of which the Duke;of Norfolk ia captain (9fch yussex), wrote-aft:imploring.letter to him, asking assistance/from difficulties which had recently befallen^ him, and stating the petitioner's intention to enlist for a soldier. His grace very naturally supposed that some of the ordinary misfortunes in life had be-fallen-the applicant, and kindly remitted him a cheque for £5 to help him over hia difficulty. A day or two after,,the duke's agent, in talking with his grace on the business matters of the estate, remarked that he had beeprreluctantly compelled to prosecute a notorious poacher who had been ■foundw the Arundel-park reserves firing afc the pheasants. " Who is he ? " inquired the duke/ -The agent replied that his name was Sharp. " Indeed," replied his grace, " that is the same man I had a letter from the other day saying he was in trouble.," $od I sent him £5." It was soon seen that the man's " trouble " was brought about through poaching in the duke's preserves, and that. whilst the agent was prosecuting the man the duke was finding him the money to pay the fine. The man has since bolted from Arundel. Thk Chinese Government is certainly liberal to its civil servants. A Governor, of whom there are eighteen in the Empire, in a province like Canton, one of the least in the Flowery Kingdom, receives a salary of £35,000 a year, in addition to which his wife has, £15,000. All officials have salaried wives. Besides this liberal salary, when a new Governor is appointed, the rich feast him, and give him great presents. It is a money-making business, , sweating millions of toilers—noc long ago a Governor retired, having amassed a million sterling in three years. According to the reports furnished to the Local Government Board, the Union Permanent Out-door Belief Lists are but very imperfectly investigated. Among other cases, one" is reported in whicha Believing Officer, shortly after his appointment to Guildford Union, in going his rounds came upon a pauper of long standing, at work ia Ms well-stocked, cottage garden. The following dialogue ensued: —" You have a nice bit of garden here? " " Yes," pretty good." "And are those your pigs in the stye, there? " "Yes, they are mine." "And there is a horse and cart, too; are they yours ? " " Oh, yes; that ia what I goes to market with. And who be you, sir?";* " "Well, I'm the new Believing Officer; and you had better come and see the Guardians aext Board day." It is needless, adds the report, to say'that the invitation to meet the Guardians was not accepted, and that the pauper, who had been for ten years in receipt of parish relief, has since contrived to maintain himself without assistance from thoratti. 0