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Colonist, Volume XXVI, Issue 3482, 15 June 1882, Page 3

Service of Song.—A service of sacred song is announced to be rendered at the Baptist Church this evening by the Eav T. Apson Cato, assisted by the choir, and the service will commence at half-past seven o'clock. We have received a copy of the book of words for this service of song, which. '., was compiled and arranged, with adapted connective readings and responses, by the'Eev T.'Ahson Cato whilst that gentleman was ministering at Christchurch, and we are confident that the very excellent and well connected service will be very highly appreciated. City EiFrES.ENTEBTAiKMENT.—On Friday night tho members of this corps, with the assistance of several, ladies and gentlemen, will give a miscellaneous entertainment at tbo Theatre Koyal, with the view of augmenting thoir Uniform Fund. A capital programme has been prepared, the first part of which comprises a number of good songs, duett, and a reading; and the second consists of a very amusing farce, the cast containing the names of seven performer?. We hope to bob the company well patronised. . Resident Magistrate's Coubt at Brightwater. —At the ordinary monthly, sittings of this Court, held at Brightwater yesterday, the presiding Magistrates were L. Broad, Esq., E.M., J. W. Barnicoatand G. Talbot, Esqs., J.J.P. Of the cases set down for hearing several were settled out of Court, but the following came on:—Anne Sigglekow v. James Stagg.—This was a charge of assault, the complainant, a young woman, alleging, that the defendant struck her with his, fist and there was a cross-information, Jamea Stagg v. Anne Sigglekow, in which the'young man charged the young woman with throwing stones at him. He said that owing to one of his witnesses meeting with an accident whilst out shooting, he was unable then to go on with his case, and consequently the Bench adjourned both cases for v month.— ) Wilson v. Wadsworth-—This was an action brought to recover £115s 6d for goods supplied, and the plaintiff obtained judgment with costs, 12s.- Grove v. Wadsworth.— This was a claim for £1 5s for beer supplied to the defendant, and the plaintiff obtained judgment with 7s costs. ■■•■■< Nelson Aid Society.—Tba Treasurer of the Society desires to make his annual appeal to subscribers and the public generally for funds to enable the Committee to carry on their work. At the present time there is a considerable increase in the number of cases demanding aid, some of which are very urgent; and as tbo funds of the Society are all .bur exhausted, friends are earnestly requested to send their subscriptions without delay either t® tbo Sev. J. Leighton, Hon. Secretary, or MrHolloway, Hon. Treasurer, oj to pay them' into tho Society's account at the Bank of New Zealand. . , Fam ovkb a Peeoipice.—A serious accident ia reported by the ' West Coaat Times' to bavo occurred a few days ago at Woodstock Hill, to a miner named James Carry who had ju^t sold out hia share in a claim on tbo Woodstock rush. It appears be was wanderiDg down the hill about midnight, when he fell over the precipice, a distance of sixty feet, breaking his leg and severely injuring himself otherwise, particularly about the head, and nearly losing one of his eyes by i,ts coming in contact with the atump of a tree. The poor fellow remained in hia dangerous position all night, and was discovered in tbo morning in an exhausted .condition. He was immediately conveyed to the Hokitika Hospital. A Strange Stort. —A New Plymouth telegram dated June sth states :—A correspondent writing to the ' Herald. says:: I have heard on good authority (native) that the Government sent an agent to Parihaka, and offered to return a number of guns that \vere taken when Te Whiti was arrested. The: natives declined the offer, saying the Governor took them and he must keep them. The agent then, said, the Governor wishes : the natives to come to Christchurch for the purpose.of hearing what he had- to say to, Te; Whiti. This was also,refused, .when tho agent placed his hand on the arm of the spokesman, and said: "You must come." The native, who is said to.be of a turbulent disposition, immediately rose up, gathered his blankets around him, and followed the, agent in a moat docile manner. My informant tells me he saw this man and/two others in town waiting for the steamer to take them South. This has been confirmed by another." eye-witnea's "' as he: terms?himii' self. /' ■■••.-:,.: ■.-.■..,'.■ ■:. <■..; i:a .'■;., The connection between doctor and undertaker has'been a> grim; jbkevfrom' : 'tiine immemorial;; but it would -appear from 'a letter published in a recent Home paper that there are not wanting undertakers who look upon it ; as a pure matter of business.., One, of ■ these gentlemen addresses, private and con fidential cireuMs; ;to .medical men; offering tb'em a commission on ..any, leases" ,that they re ay put into his hands. His terms vary from 5 per cent,oh".'a"'£s funeral t0,20 per cent'on a £20 funeral, and-he Is probably 1 fjijite capable of offering 50 per cent on a 1 £100 funeral. He hints as much, indeed, by adding "soon in proportion." The circular, howeverj does not go beyond the 20 per cent,' arid the figures show that he only expects to trade upon the humbler class of mourners.

6 A potato-digging match against time took 3 place recently (says theChristchurch ' Press') r on the property of Mr Wild at Papanui. The i wager was that a man named Coornbes could not dig half an acre of potatoes in eight hours, the stakes being £50 a side. He won with ■ four minutes to spare, having dug well and , cleanly 73 bags of potatoes ia 7 hours 56 , .minutes. The contest created considerable 'interest in Papanui. The weight of the , i quantity dug would be 6 tons 2 cwt. ' A species of hioioglyphic in blue pencil "appeal g on all letters just now passing through i the various Post-offices of tho Colony. The ' Grey Kiver Argus' has made inquiries as to i the reason why, and thus explains:—" On inquiry at the Post-office, we were courteously informed that instructions have been received •to record the number and weight of all Btamped artiol.es posted at the different off! ef | for a stated period, and also the vt»]u« o1 stamps affixed thereto, distinguishing the different classes of correspondence; and the blue pencil-marks referred to are to show that tho letters, &c, bave been thuß dealt with. The process must involve a deal of labor, especially in the larger offices, but an accurate return ia necessary, as since tho decision that all the proceeds from stamp sales shal be olajsed simply as ' stamp revenue,' there ia no other method of determining the amount of revenue derived from stamps used for postal purposes." A good story is told regarding an occurrence which took place reoently at a Buburbac hotel, which, if all accounts are true, affords but scanty accommodation, and must ba of a similar description to the Half-way Bush Inn. This, acoording to the police report furniahed to tho Linden Licensing Committee, consists of two rooms, containing turuiture comprised in a table, form, and chair. A well-known police official, taking his Sunday stroll with his wife, happened to drop into this model hostelry referred to, and requested to be provided with proper accommodation for a lady. '• Hoot, man ?" exclaimed the helpmate of tho innkeeper, evidently ignorant of the official appointment held by her visitor, "if the woman cannot sit down on the form there and ba served like other people, we want none of her custom." The officer of the peace withdrew afti-r this reception, and we understand that the indignant landlady afterwards learnt, to her amazement and horror, of bis identity.—' Otaeo Daily' Times.1 Some recent discoveries of manuscript have thrown a remarkable light upon the relations of husband and wife in ancient Egypt, and | the ' Times ' has devoted a large amount of space to publishing translations of the most striking among these documents. Summing up the inferences drawn, from a study of these treasures, it says :—"Whether relating to affairs concerning the living or to,' affairs concerning the dead, they present a I vivid picture of the social life of the people of Egypt under the Ptolemies; and it is certainly not too much to say that it is a picture to which no pendant can be found in the history of any other highlyciyilised race, whether ancient or modern. In it we behold a world in which the balance of domestic power is reversed. The woman owns all and rules all: the man is a helpless dependent; and;hoth are the property of the priest. A more insignificant and, „,|>itable object than the Egyptian paterfamilias can hardly be conceived. As a child he was the property of his mother ; as a married man he was tho pensioner of his wife ; as^ a corpse, he belonged to; his Ch'qacliyte, whb: could sell him, or will him away at pleasure. Bom or unborn, married or single, living or dead, he was never Ma own property or'i: hia^'own master. To speak of him, as a man and a citizen, would^be a figurative expression. He was a niarketable , investment, like a horse, or,a piece of land,.„or.,a Government annuity"" ' ,■ .