Notes.

Colonist, Volume XXXI, Issue 5169, 23 March 1888, Page 3

Notes.

Major Daxe, the American orator and lecturer, will visit Nelson tc-dny. Could not the Nelson Institute Cononuttea induce \he eminent lecturer (o remain for a few days and give one or more of his noted-lectures. At the present juncture of European affairs it would be iuteresting to hear the gallant Major on •' Ccnstanticoplej the Queen of tha Levant." The Waimca County Council has done ft wise thing in appointing a deputation to meet the various Rjads Boards and to confer with" the members on County affairs. It is to be hoped ea-.h interview will be well attended. It is to the interest of a'l the ratepayers tint these bodies shall pull together, ai:d that efficiency and. economy thall be combined in the administration of public -works and the upkeep of roads and bridges. Crs. Bird and Harkness should be coidially received by each Eoad Board, and a fair understanding as to the future operations of these bodies arrived af. Here is an item which wi'l interest those of H.M.S. Calliope. In a roll of 5, Edward 11., in the British Museum, there is a list of the officers and crew of a royal barge «ruibing oS Berwick-upon Tweed. Among them a;e the Admiral, tbe constable, William the ' botesweic,' and 26 eearcen. The Admiral's pay was twelve shillings a day, tbe master and constable six shillings, atd the ircatewaiu end test of the crew threepence. The wheat growers in India receive Stale aid, for the Indian Govc-rnmsnt subsidises the railways in order to get the wheat to the seaboard at a price which will enable India to compete with other wheat proiu-'ing countries. Other Governments screw all they cen out of the farmers, forgetting that prosperous ■ tillers of the soil are the most valuable of al setters in assisting to push ahead the industries of the country in which they lire. The Heathcote (Canterbury) Wire Nail Co. manufacture 30 cwfs of nails per week. As they cannot complete their orders fast enough they have instructed Scott Eros, of Christchurch, to make them th»ee additional nailmaking rnachini v. One Cfai?l church fum of ironmonger has ordered two tons of the nails per month for twelve months. That is the way to help the Colony, top a nuob mopey

ma possible in the Colojy an I'give employment (o thd people.. At Gome™ Ishnd, one of the Canary Group, the inhabitants me a whistling laugubpc, and can converse wi'.h each other at a distance of a mi'e apart, perf icily unlorstamling one finolvr. They uso their lyis and fingers in whistling, and each sy'Jable'has its own wppropii.ite tone. This means of taking is not more w.m'lerful than the drum t*lk of the natives of the Oaineroons, West Africa, or the tigu and finger speech of Oriental trader? on the East Coast of Africa, or the modes cf communication used by convicts in Europe and America. At To Auto, Hawke's Bay, an interesting discovery has.just been made in the shape ot the skeletons'of sixty Moa birds. Some of them are reported to be of gigantio size, and to surpass any previously found in Now flta auJ. l Bis Holine-8 the Popu baa no room to oomp'ain of a want of liberal.ty and loyalty on the pirt of these over whom he is the spirit lal head. It is stated that the Pope's Jubilee gifts were woith quite three million und a half pounds. Add to this sum the araounta given for church extension work and charitie* hjk! nn amazing liberality will be revealed. Thero is no mistake the Kimau Catholics sippoit liberally their religious convictions. It 13 not the Amoricang this time. An ingenious Frenoh schoolmaster has invented an electric birch. While giving severe punishment it is claimed for the new biroh that! it leaves no marks. Another good feature is th..t tho foroe of the blows are perfectly regalatti], ao as not to depend on the master's tamper, Who will boast of li a ■) <31gree nfter this ? D.irwin wrote a 9 follows to Lyell: " Our uncestor wag an animal whioh breathed water, bad a swim bladder, a great swimming tail, an imperfect skull, and undoubtedly was an hermaphrodite." During the month of February, tot less than five hundred able-bodied men left this Colony for Australia. Why did they go? Simp y because they could not find profitable tmpioyment in this country. Mu?t our pipnia'iou go? What can bo done? We mu3t protect our Colonial manufactures, f neonruge the mining industry, and adopt an en itfhled lan i policy. Tiik heavy loud squeaking boots arc being discarded by tho poiiea authorises in England ami thoy are having the men shod with what h know ns the ' silent" boot. The burglar, midnight prowler, and purloiner of triile3 will inivo a smaller chance than ever.