From our Exchanges.

Colonist, Volume XLI, Issue 9267, 3 September 1898, Page 4

From our Exchanges.

The Department of Justice has appointed Mrs Margaret H. Sievwright to the vacancy on the Waiapu Licensing Committee, caused by the . death of Mr E. F. Harris. A Wellington Press Association telegram states : — At a sale of books, including a number of works particularly relating to New Zealand, and other rare volumes, Angas' " New Zealanders" brought *£IG, and Cook's Voyages " £3 6s, £2, and £3. Eight .other work 3 realised £4 and £5. It is calculated that 1,000,000 acres of forest land are used up every year in Europe to supply the railways -with sleepers; Op priest-rule in the Philippines, Mr J. Foreman writes in the CoiV) temporary — The four Religious Orders rule— or have ruled — the islands. Their members hold all but a trifling number of 620 parishes, and act as agents of the civil authority, which, however, has no control over them. The Spanish friar is amenable only to his superiors, and 1 they deal gently with him. In spite : of his independence of State author- .: ity, he is always on the Government side. "He meddles in every public affair of the township by recognised right," and if he does not get everything his own way he makes it very unpleasant for those opposed to him. '• In one way or another the native who possesses anything worth having, has either to yield to the avarice lust, or insolence of the Spanish ', priest, or to risk losing his liberty and position in life." Ihe spiritual j and temporal ruler of the parish has merely to advise the Governor of the province that certain persons are of doubtful morality or are conspirators or disloyal, and to recommend that they be removed. Before long two civil guards suddenly appear at the door of aach individual so named, and without explanation he is marched off to the capital and cast into prison. The mere presence of a " Castilian " is said to frighten the natives, and the Spanish themselves admit that the rebels, although nominally Roman Catholics, mark out the friars for vengeance. A remarkable plant has recently been discovered in New Guinea. It is green leaved with spikes of gorgeous crimson flowers, 20in to 30in long, and as thick as an ordinary walking-stick. A specimen was lately exhibited in London. Jonoski Takuma, a Japanese, at Sydney pleaded guilty to a charge of uttering certain New South Wales stamps which were a forgery of other issues of considerable rarity and great value. The forgery was effected by fixing tbe water mark of one issue of stamps to stamps of twopenny and threepenny denominations and was so cleverly executed that some of the best English experts were deceived concerning the genuineness of the stamps, and consequently up to £80 had been paid for a single specimen. The accused was remanded for sentence. Mrs Takumu, who had been connected with her husband on the charge, was found not guilty, the defence set up in her case being that she acted under his coercion.