NEWS ITEMS.

Colonist, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8365, 28 September 1895, Page 4

NEWS ITEMS.

(From oob Latest Exchanges.) The ' Pahiatua Herald ' says : — 11 During the hearing of a Maori case on Wednesday morning in the local Court, Nireaha, the popular chief of Hawera, wag called as a witness. When he tried Jo enter the witness box he found that he could not possibly get into it, and was therefore allowed to give his evidence while standing in the body of the Court. If the chief were much bigger his evidence would have to be taken in the Court yard. His weight is 20st 91b. Cboss-Country riding cannot be too good at present in Australia, as a writer in the ' Sportsman ' says : — 11 Although the fixed fee for a losing mount over jumps is now, I believe, but LB, a prominent crosscountry horsemen tells me that many of them consider themselves lucky if they get anything at all. I certainly know of one timber topping rider who recently contracted to ride a long distance steeplechase for a sovereign — say, a aliiiiiiig a jump — or twenty chances of breaking his neck for a pound !" It is said that many able-bodied men in Wellington are willing to perform any kind of labor for 8s a day. In sawing through a white oak log, ' 3ft in diameter recently, a sawyer at Blanchester, Ohio, came across the date 1780 carved in the wood near the middle of the log. The figures were very distinct. The carving was doubtless done when the tree was young, and in some way the wood grew around and over it without filling up the carved furrows. English papers are full of election stories. According to ' Modern Society * Mr Leonard Courtney, who represents a Cornish constituency, is credited with having performed the most striking feat of the elections. He arranged to address the fisherman at ParJ Winkle, but on arriving]

at the village with Mrs Courtney, he found that the men had put out to sea* He and hh (l missus " immediately jumped into a boat and were rowed to the fishing smacks. There he delivered a speech to the fishermen I The following is an analysis of the occupations of the members of the new House of Commons, except of a few members whose eleotioms were belated from varioua causes':— Bankers and financiers * ... 22 Barristers in or ont of praotioe» ifed Q.O'a 131 Brewers and distillers and wine merchants 19 Builders and arohittcts 1 O'vil acd mining engineers ... 12 Colliery proprietors «nd ooal merchants ... 15 Diplomatists and Government offioialg ... 9 Estate agents and accountants 4 Farmers and agriculturists ... 15 Gentry and landowners ... 105 Hotel proprietors 2 Iron masters and metal merohants 15 Labor representatives 12 Manufacturers and spinners ... 51 Medical profusion 11 Merchants ... 85 Newspaper proprietors and journalists : 81 Pears' sods and brothers ... 41 Printers and booksellers ... 7 Professors of Universities and lecturers 10 Railway contractors 2 Steamship and shipowners, and builders 18 Solicitors, ia or out of praotioa 19 Stock and shareholders. . . . * 4 Shopkeepers a^d traders ... 16 Schoolmasters 4 Professions not stated 6 The Danedin ' Star ' says (—Many OtagD residents have met and more bave heard of Edward M'Eenna, who fairly and squarely won the Victoria Cross in the Waikato War. After leaving the army he entered the railway service, and was for a time stationed at Inveroargill, being subsequently transferred to Palmvrston North, where he is still living, so far as we know. M'Eenna was in bis younger days a c loar-sergfant in the 65th Regiment. Beading the other day in a very interesting bookjoßt published, entitled " For Valour," the story in brief of his deed of bravery, it occurred to us that our subscribers would also like to see the tale ia print. Here it is, in the official and nnexagerated phrat eulogy of the isrvice ; "Edward MKena, colour-sargeant (now eneign) 65 Regiment. For gallant oondnot at the engagement near Oamerontown (New Zealand), on Kept. 7th, 1868, after both officers (Captain Swift and Lieutenant Butler) had been shot in charging through the position of an enemy heavily outnumbering him, and drawing off his email force, consisting of two sergeants, one bugler, and thirty-five men through a broken and rugged country, with the loss of but one man killed and another missiDg. Lientenan'-Gemral OameroD, C.8., commanding her Majesty's forces in the Colony, r< ports that in Colour-Sergeant M'Eeima toe detachment f.und a commander whoee coo lness, intrepidiiy and judgment jtetified the confidence placed in him by the soldiers brought so suddenly under his command." What may happen under •' Joßtic#a' justice " was well illustrated in Melbourne the other cay when two h nor** arj. ornaments of foe Bench were aaked to resign their commissions. The reason fjr this bold request of the Minister of Justice was that a man had been charged before them with laroeny and Lad pleaded goi«ty, and they had straightway dismisstd him. The sale of the first proportion of the library. of Mr George Augasina Hala was brought to a close by Messrf Lotheby at London, the other day* There w»rd 1885 lots, and the amount realised waa £851 17s 6d. The second portion will be sold in November. New office boy . " A man called here to thrash you a few minute* ago." Editor : " What did you say to him ?" " I told him I was sorry yon weren't in."