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Timaru Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 919, 18 July 1873, Page 3

Black Swans. — An exchange says : — The -number of black swans m the swamps below Blenheim is almost beyond belief, considering tli© few. birds from which they have been bred, and the short time since their parents were imported from Australia. I'hey literally swarm m thous-rmls. Colonial Tobacco and Cigahs. — Recently we (Thames Star) were waited upon by Mr Cole, formerly of the Manukau, with some samples of a new local industry — tobacco and cigars. The tobaero was machine cut, and smoked excellent ly, giving out a cool, delicate aroma. The cigars were nob very shapely, but with this exception and their newness, wo believe they were capital. Wo are informed by Mr Cole that he has received promises of support from a number of merchants m Auckland, and that m all probability n new industry — that of tobacco. planting nnd manufacturing, will shortly be floated. With such excellent samples produced under great disadvantages, we have no doubt Mr Cole will be able, with prop?r npplinnces, to produce mi article which will compete with any ■ imported tobacco. A Bold Tiger. — The following extraordinary circumstance occurred on board onv of the Eastern Bengal Railway Company's steamers .plying between-Groalundo and Dacca: — On the evening of the 6th April the steamer Prince Alfred came to, and anchored m eight, fathoms of wntor, nboufc two miles S.E. of the mouth of the Urial Khan Eiver, and about one mile from cither bank. Sorai* time during the night a young tiger swam olf to the steamer, and got on the rudder. At three a.m., on the morning ol the 7th, No. 3 Flat's boat coming alongside with a line passed close to the steamer's rudder, the tiger ; sprung into the boat, knocked a lascar down, clawed him badly, and then sprang on board the steamer, charged across the afterdeck, knocked down aud wounded two other lascars. The beast then came along the starboard side and seized another man, who was badly bitten through the right hand and shoulder, and severely clawed down the back. He then got behind some hencoops, where it was thought prudent to let him remain till daylight. At 5.10 a.m. lie came charging out along the starboard side, then across the fore- ! deck, knocked down another laseor, and tried to spring from the steamer to No. 3 Flat. ; Just as he sprang from the steamer, Captain iluey fired at him nnd -wounded him badly. Ho then fell into the river and made for the paddle-wheel, where he was shoe. He measured between seven and eight feet. The 1 wounded men wer« promptly attended to, 1 and '.heir cuts sewn up and dressed by a na- > t-ivo surgeon that happened to be a passenger ! on bonril the steamer. i , Isipkovesiexts m Weixixgtok. — The Wellington correspondent of the Otar,o Daily 5 Times gives the following description of recent iocal improvements : — The* new Houses

■ of Parliament are nearly finished, but cannot k be regarded as altogether a success. Their - proportions are sqimt. and the title ornamonts n;i:)ii is tnwdry, reminding oni' rather of a - Music -"Hall than anything else. Of their ! nonstic properties it is impossible to judge ' f;iirly until the rooms sire finished and furi nisiied, but the general impression is that it ■ will be exceedingly difficult for any speaker to '■ make himself heard distinctly, The accommodation for im-mbers and for the public is. ' of course, much belter limn m the old Houses; but still it is a greit pity that when ■ building new houses, tiny should have been \ patched on as it wvre to the old buildings, ' which now, from the number of passages nnd 1 alleys, resemble a rabbit warren. In the city, bnilding operations are being carried on , lo an immense extent, and carpenters, bricklayers, plasterers, and indeed every sort of workmen, have far more to do than they can manage to get through. Double the number of those who are here could find einplovment, for many' people who are anxious to build refrain from doing so simply on account of the scarcity of labor. The reclaimed laud is now fairly clotted over -with buildings of various descriptions, from the new theatre to coal . sheds, and several very fine stores are m course of erection. The construction of the reservoir for the Waterworks is bein" pushed on very rapidly, and the pipes arc being lnid down. It is expected that the works will be completed m November. A plentiful supply of good water will be an incalculable benefit to ibis city. During the last few months the inhabitants have suffered greatly from its want, and the deaths have beeu unprecedented m number. The Vastness of London. — In his last annual report the Registrar-General states that London, within its widest boundary, has now upwards of 4,000,000 soul?. Sagacious Dogs.— The Otago Dailn Times says the travellers on the Main South road by the morning's coach from Dunedin have long been amused with the two examples of canine sagacity manifested, at Caversham, and at Dnnrobiu Farm, East Taieri, w-here svith the utmost regularity two spaniels daily make their appearance, waiting to convey the morning's papers to their masters. The Bruce Herald states that a third canine messenger now performs a similar service at Mr James Allan's Hoehill Farm, East Taieri, where the distance of the residence from the road is much greater thau m the other cases. Mr Fox's New Towsrsnip. — A Northern paper states : — The Hon. Win. Fox hits 'often been called a "visionary" and an "enthusiast" m his attempts to effect social reforms of various kinds, but helms always bsen so consistent nnd persevering m his' efforts m the above direction, tlmfc oven his bitterest opponents cimnot withhold their admiration at times. In his efforts to foster habits of sobriety and industry among the people residing m his immediate 'neighborhood, ho has had ft township, which is to be known as Crol'ton, lnid out on his property about two miles from Marlon. Any steady nnd respectable man c:in obtain a half-aero lot m this township, on condition that wilhin twelve months from the date of taking possession he will enclose it and erect a dwelling house thereon, on the completion "of which conditions he ia entitled to a freehold title to the land allotted to him. In order to provide for the recreation nnd instruction of Iho.^c of the inhabitants who care to avail themselves of convenience, Mr Fox h:is ordered the erection of a RiM;hubite Hall, which will, when finished, cost^ibout £300 and be nicely Cited up. Auckland Water Supply. — Tho subject of water supply to the town of Auckland, hns been under consideration for some time past, and several schemes have been proposed by which to obtain it, the two most iv favor being by steam pumping and by pipes from the Nihotopu river, sixteen miles distiiu!-. Referring to the matter, the Neto Ztaland Herald says: — "The problem of a water supply to the city has not yet been solved. A bill was passed m the last session of the Assembly to enable the City Council to horrow £100.000, but it contained a proviso that I lie consent of the Provincial Council should be obtained before it. became law. The Council, as is known, withheld its assent, and the bill instead became a dead letter. Now, under the Municipal Corporation Waterworks, Act. the Mayor desires to borrow £150,000 for the prosecution of a water supply scheme. But I his application cannot be sanctioned without tho consent of two-fifths of the ratepayers, and as such consent is not likely to be obtained, the inhabitants must remain content, with foul well water, or a supply from tanks, gathered from tho sooty roofs of housrs. A private company could solve the difficulty m a few days, but then the question has to bo answered : From whence is the water to be drawn ? In one locality the supply is not sufficient, m another' tho distunes is too great, and m a third the water is not sufficiently pure. Whenever the subject i 3 introduced the City Council is divided. Motives are imputed, strong language is indulged m, and so the matter stands adjourned. When the city functionaries are agreed, Provincial Councillors aro not. Should both happeu,by a miracle, to come to a common understanding, the ratepayers slep forward and protest. An appeal to the General Assembly does not remedy the want, and the twenty thousand inhabitants of this city have not the wherewith even so much as to purify themselves or quench their thirst; with unimpregtlated water. ■ . Coloniat. Tndepf.ndencf. — Mr Anthony TroMope writes thus of his personal experiences m New Zealand : — " Twelve miles of as miserable a road as ever I travelled brought us to the Waitaki Stiver, which is ihe boundary of the Province of o'tngo. It was a piercingly cold inovnins, and w« felt aggrieved greatly when we found that we had to leave the coach and get into a boat. But the dimensions of our own hardships lessened themselves to our imagination when we found that two of. the boatmen descended into the river, and pushed the boat for half a mile up the stream. During a part of the way three men were m the water, and yet the . bv>at. hardly seemed to move. For this service we were charged 2s a piece, which sum was not incVuded m the coach fare. Pitying the men because of their sufferings, I gave lltcm something over 'to drink.' It was taken, but taken without thanks, and with evident displeasure, and handed over with the ferry ni'^ney to theemployer. In NewZeilimd,'vnd m some much lesser degree m Australia also, you may iisk any man, or any number of men to drink, without running the slightest risk of displeasing them ; but the offer of money is considered to be offensive. The drinking must be done at the bar of a public-house, and the money must be paid to the publican, and not to your friend who drinks. I think I have elsewhere described the practice of shouting, or 'standing drinks al! round,' which I found to be iv full force m New Zealand. Even servants will refuse money. A poor girl whom I had injured, knocking down into the mud the line on which all her clothes were drying, though she was m tears at the nuisance of having to wash them again, refused the money that I offered her, saying that though she wns only a poor Irish girl, without a friend m the world, she was not so mean as that. Another girl to!d ray wife, iv perfectly friendly confidence, (bet she did not think that she .ought to take money. It is odd that so excellent a lesson should be learned so quickly. The pity is that m the course of years j^it will ■ doubtless be £unlearued." "- ' ■■.....

{ Bathing Neak Vienna. — Mr Moncure D. ■ Con way, a well known American litterateur, . contributes to Fruser's Magazine for May an article on " Vienna," from which we take the following, regarding the mineral-spring baths at Baden, about fifteen English miles from Vienna : — The baths of Baden present some features quite novel to Western eyes. Each bath is a large round tub m shape, sume twenty or thirty feet m diameter, and mtde of stone. The water is warm, almost hot, as it rushes m, and ut times the atmosphere is thick with a not disagreeable steam. Around the wall runs a circular gallery, where sit or stand parties gazing upon or criticising the curious scene below. All around, below the water, attached to the side of the bath, runs a seat, upon which the elderly or the ill sit, while the younger or more sportive swim or paddle about. The bathers are of both sexes, and as the only garment they, wear is of white cotton or linen, the effect is startling enough, and is apt to shock those who have been brought up with English or American notions of propriety. Nothing, however, could exceed the decorm. of the bathers so far as behaviour is concerned; although there appeared to be a kiud of freemasonry " among them, permitting each to chat with the other and offer civilities. It is indeed considered the proper thing, if a a gentleman sees a lady entering the bath or leaving it, or attempting to go from one side to the other, for him to start forward and offer his support, whether he is acquainted with her or not. No incident, I was told, had ever occurred to suggest any separation of the sexes into different baths or hours; and when I expressed some surprise that the ladies did not demand some less diaphanous costume, it was said that the physicians consider this the best. The keeper of one of the baths assured me that the baths were conducted now just as they were when the Komans used them ; though whether the classical invalids of the Thermae Cetiae, as they were anciently called, had cotton gowns, seemed to me doubtful. There is, indeed, a Frauenbtul set apart for ladies who wish to bathe alone, but few go to it, as the merry society of the others is less lonely to the victims who are ordered to sit for hours m the caldron. Saorifioe of Children m India. — A correspondent m Calcutta writes: — "The most painful feature of British rule m India is the sacrifice of English children which it yearly involves. Some startling statistics have lately been published, which show that, m 1871, out of 11,000 soldiers' children m India, 40 per 1000 were ill every clay throughout the year, and that upwards of 70 per 1000 died. It is stilted that one-third of the whole number of European children m India die under six months old ; that eightyfive per cent, perish before they reach two years; and that out of 100 infants born only 11 attain maturity. The popular idea of Anglo-Indian life is that of an armed adult community which garrisons and rules over a conquered empire, and trades m its principal cities. As a matter of fact, the first thing that strikes the visitor is the absence of English child-life; On the other hand, the most prominent feature m an Indian graveyard is the number of children's graves. The little mounds cluster thickest, and out of nil proportion to the ratio of children to adults m the barracks or m civil life. The burden of Indian existence {alia with its most cruel weight on the young. The human suffering and loss of English life which the Indian Empire yearly costs Great Britain takes place, not m the trenches nor on any battle field, but upon the white cots of English children,' where every day hundreds of poor little souls lie tossing with fever. An adult soldier represents too much money to allow of his he■ng subjected to any avoidable risk, and his life is conserved on strictly financial grounds. But it is impossible to enter an Indian graveyard, which forms so essentially one of our insignia of empire, without thinking of the curse on the rebuilder of Jericho : 'He shall lay the foundation thereof m his first-born, and m his youngest soii shall he set up the gates of it.' " An Extraordinary Chaka.cteu|— The London Daily Telegraph says : — " Tnnon of Norton Fulgate," would be an appropriate title for the curious case which is being heard m the Court of Probate. A wholesale rag merchant, named Thomas Holme, lately died, leaving nearly a hundred thousand pounds, m very large sums, to a long list of charities to the exclusion of all his kith and kin. The representatives of these are disputing the validity of his will on the ground of mental incapacity; and when we say that the Society for' Preventing Cruelty to Animals is interested to the extent of £10,000, and thirteen other, public charitable institutions have a stake of £5,00 J m the suit, it will be seen that uo opinion ought to be pronounced. Apart, however, from the legal aspect of the dispute, the social, or rn:hor unsocial, portrait of the rich rag dealer is the very realisation of of Timon. Mr Holme,, for some cause or other, appears to have hated his species with n passionate detestation. Mrs Alary Aim Williams, his landlady at Rimsgate., saya that he always called children "Devil's cubs." If he saw a stout old lady passing the house, he would call witness to the window and say that she was " a fat old hag, and that she had come there to thieve. imd rob people." Jf he saw a packet coming inio the Iwrbor, he would point it out and say he wished it would sink with all on board. If he saw sailors fitting on the rails of the harbor, he would wish that the fellows would fall m and be drowned; and he afterwards said tint he would like the whole of . ■' amsgate 'to be swallowed up m tho sea. He also expressed a desire that all the trains which came to ftamsgate might be smashed, since they brought nobody to the place but thieves and vagabonds. As to cooking, he would never take anything from her hands or those of her servants He had a terrible antipathy to women. He called them " scum," and worse. His landlady had heard him speak of his sister, Mrs Davis, as " a woman he did not know." He used to throw meat out of the window to the dog Bluff, and said that he would rather give it to Bluff than to aiiy Christian. Sometimes he conversed with her about religion, and iv the course of his conversation he would say to her " that poor people should never go to heaven." Mrs Helena Mackey, his London landlady, bore similar witness. She had gone into the room and found him staring jut of the window that looked into the city; au.d when he saw the omnibuses coming along ho used to wish that they would be all smashed to pieces, as all" those m them were robbers and thieves. She also heard him say that the people of Islington were all robbers and swiudlers, and that they were as bad m that respect as the people m Ramsgate. He had a great dislike to children j . he . used to call them devils. He ha 1 a great dislike to women, lie colled them faggots, and she heard him express it desire thatT they might be whipped ; and this good woman was indeed so iiiiich scandalised at his misanthropy that she " doubled his rent," but he "took no notice of it," and went on hating, all mankind, and "paying like a gentleman." It seems curious that, with sentiments so bitter and malevolent, he should leave such munificent bequests to so many excellent charities, unless it be explained that his delight at disappointing his relatives consoled him for doing so much testamentary good. A t any rate, here is a proof that the Timon of Shakes peare and the "Misanthrope" of the French dramatist'- weie no -impossible characters -^ this ray merchant hated his race .with.a fervour of the same sort, at once inexplicable and implacable. ' ' •'■

Adulterated Liquors. — A Napier exchange thus write 3 upon the sale of adulterated intoxicating drinks, which undoubtedly is the cause of innumerable cases of delirium Iremem, suicides, and sudden deaths: — " It is now some tnont 113 ago since we drew attention to tbe poisouous nature of the liquor retailed at very many of the licensed public houses throughout the colony, and m this day's issue it is our melancholy duty to publish an account of the unsuccessful efforts of aseaiuh party to capture a luuutic, who had fled to the bush ia delirium, brought about through ths excessive drinking of alcohol. Although we have no intention of throwing more aspersion on the public-house keepers along the Taupo road than on those m any other part of the province, or of the colony, it is a circumstance, we are bound to note, that worse effects follow the indulgence of drinking m ■ Hawke's Bay than iv England, aud we cannot but think that this is more or less due to the vile compounds sold under the names of brandy, whisky, etc. We maintain that the Government is as much bound to protect the public m the matter of alcoholic drinks as it ia m the weights and measures of groceries and bread ; and this beiug granted, so long as the Government nrgleets taking measures to ensure the retailing of harmlessly adulterated alcohol, so long is it responsible for the disastrous consequences resulting from the sale of poisonous drinks." Sharks and Submarine Volcanic Action.— A correspondent of Land and Water says : — " Another interesting incident I will relate, concerning sharks. In 1559 I visited the spot, near Kawaihae, on Hawaii, ono of the Sandwich Islands, where the lava poured into the sea. after running 60 miles down the mountain from the mouth of the volcanic omter. We went down m a whaleboat, and us we approached Ihe spot m the night the effect of the great masses of red-hot lava flowing into the sea, hissing, seething, and bubbling like a million of steam-engines blowiug off steam, was startling and most fearful. But something more fearful still met our gaze. It was a sight of — well, I do not exaggerate m saying tens of thousands— of immense sharks, as thick as they could swim, close m alongside the rocks, and seemingly comfortable and happy, and intent only upon their own situation. Some of the wretches were 20 feet, long, and there they went continually rolling over and mixing m with each other ; indeed, a horrible and disgusting mass. Suddenly oue of the ladies put out her hand, and found the water was very warm, and co we paddled off without stopping* to investigate the shark question any fnrth'er. It may have been the warmth of the water that- attracted them— perhaps its sulphurous fumes. They were not there m search of food ; at all events, did not seem to be eating, only playing about and enjoying themselves. I hope never to see such a dreadful sight again. It seemed a fearful dream. To an old Tailor the sight of a single shark is unpleasant, so just think of this horrid mass of sharks ! On our passage down we noticed the sea full of small dead fish floating upon the surface, which wo attributed to some submarine effect of the volcaui3 action, which had broken out only a few days previously." Legal Longevity.— The longevity of lawsuits m this country, says an English paper, is only equalled by that of lawsuits m the United States, as, instanced m a case recently tried by tin; Supreme Court of that country. The case, it is stated, involved immense landed estates m Maryland, and it had been on the dockets so long that not only the parties who originally brought the suit are dead, but also the defendants, the counsel on both tides, aud nearly all the witnesses. The property was admitted to have been once owned by- two brothers named Crawford, one of whom was alleged to have been secivtly married to a certain Betsy Taylor. Both brothers died after a time, and Betsy claimed the property. The claim was disputed by the only relative of the deceased brothers— a family by the name of Blackburn. Before the case came to be decided, however, Betsy Taylor died, and her children brought the suit. The Blackburus maintained that Betsy was not the lawful wife of Thomas Crawford ; therefore, the children were illegitimate, and not. entitled to a slwre of the property. The records, testimony, and rulings 611 many volumes. The case was before several Courts, and the judges'were always divided. At last, it.reached the Supreme Court, and tho Lower Court having decided that there was a marriage, the Supreme Court affirmed the decision about, sis weeks ago, and the Blackburns were defeated. Since the case was first opisned Betsy Taylor and her f ur children have died, also the priest who married her to Crawford, her sister, mother, and brother, and all tho original attorneys. Tin: last claimants' of tho property were Betsy's grandchildren, who by marriage have become distant relatives of the Blackburus. On Dancing.— Dancing, says the Victoria Magazine, is, pe.rhaps, .the oldest amusement iv the world, and too natural not to outlive all opposition, yet, while we often hear it disparaged we scarcely ever hear it defended for its extreme reasonableness. A smll book entitled "Dancing m a Right spirit," is the only attempt of the kind I have ever met with, but the author has greatly limited himself by considering the question iv one direction only. Whilst very rightly and sensibly reminding us how dancing was a religious pastime among the Jews, and how it is nowhere forbidden, but rather commended, m the Bible, he leaves untouched any consideration apart from the Bible, a:u\ much may be said m favor of dancing from nu artistic point of view. As beauty of color to the eye, as .sweet sounds to the ears, an is the luxury of quick easy motion to the healthy frame. All young things delight to skip and dance. When it hears quick, 'lively music the child must dance; it is an irresistible, spontaneous instinct, as much as to use its young voice and shout and lau^h aud sing out its merriment. It is the first praise of the child to its Creator. By enjoying the life he gives it the child unwittingly^ unconsciously, praises Him m its bright, swift motion, as hereafter it will, do consciously, and iv a maturer form by the life it will lead to His glory. So m the childhood of. mankind, men danced before God m the full joy of their hearts. It was a kind of praise to God from these children of the earth's early days, and as much the right and natural mude for them to express praise, as it is now the right and natural mode for children to enjoy themselves Whatever gives us highest enjoyment is most appropriately connected with religion ; and as physical enjoyment comes before mental, dancing formed a part of religious ceremonies before more recondite rituals or more abstract ideas superseded. When that time came dancing; slipped out of the religious, sphere. And not only that, l>ut m process of time a grim theology, which would bauish all cheerfulness from life, did its best to condemn dancing, together with many other innocent and natural amusements, as siu3. But such gloomy views of things are too unuatural to. retain the world m their bondage, so dancing is still an enjoyment .to thousands; and when, nature's pre-eminent right of guidance is more and more recognis -d, dancing will assume its place amongst the arts which add iieauty and joy to our lives, and though no longer amongst the rights of religion "will, far from being considered hurtful to the religion* sentiment, be seen to lie a furtherance th: renf, m the same manner as are p-tintin^. ii.nsic, ami all other branches of the joyous aud beautiful." . .'■ ._ : . .' . .

Pope Wimjam.— Pope William of Germauj, remarks the Catholic Times, ia doing his work clean. There is no negligence, no litter, no delay about his style of business,- ha has made up his mind that no one m his Empire shall have a choice of religion but himself, and accordingly he is " abolishing" everything ard everyone- that ventures to differ from his unhoiiness. Even his loldiers are to manh heavenwards to the nasal strains of Lutheranism, and the better to compass that end William lias tak.-n it into his august head to " abolish" the Catholic Bishop of his army. In fuut, if the hoary-headed old slaughterer has time he will " nbolish" everyone m turn, until his " Church" is fully established, with Bismarck for its prophet, and the Emperor himself as its Infallible Pope. In reality ho now claims infallibility pure and simple, and we do not see the slightest difference between the position the Emperor seeks to attain to* and that- which the Sovereign Pontifl really occupies. How do the old heretics at Cologne like it ? ; ', The Listi is the Dusedih Gaoe.' At. ten o'clock yesterday forenoou, saya the Gtago Duihj Times, of the 15th inst, the punishment of flogging was inflicted on a prisoner named William Duffy, who was sentenced at the recent sessions of the Supreme Court, by his Honor Mr Justice Chapman, to two years' imprisonment with hard labor, and m addition, to receive 25 lashes with the cato'-nine-tails, for attempting to commit a rape upon the person of a female child at the Dnnstan. The flowing was administered m the Stockade Yard, m th'-i rresence of the Provincial Surnoon, M> CiO dwell, the Governor of the Gaol, and otner officials. ' The prisoner, who is a somewhat slightly built man, was formerly a soldier m the 65th Regiment of foot. He was brought from his cell by Sergeant Watson, and appeared very pale from nervous excitement. The expression of his face .was somewhat nnxious, but he wilked up to the triangle collectedly and steadily, as if he had made up his mind to the punishment, and after baring himself to the waist by taking off his shirt, itood with his feet together, and a hand grasping each front leg of the triangle. The iLigellutor — a tall powerful man, formerly a boatswain. ia m the Roynl Navy— tied him with the straps, under the direction of Mr Caldwell, and then took his position with the cat, testing the correctness of the reach by laying it gently on the culprit's back. At the side stood the Provincial Surgeon and Medical Officer of the Gaol, etc. The signal having been given, the flagellator swung the cat twice round his head to give the blow impetus, and with the third sweep brought it down ou the right shoulder, drawing from the prisoner an exclamation of pain. The stroke was given with a will, and the track of the cords and the dents of the knots could be traced on the skin— the pain evidently increasing as the strokes descended. We will not go into further detail regarding the effect of the lashes, and it will suffice to say that Duffy was well and truly whipped, as he deBerved to be.