MISCELLANEOUS.

Timaru Herald, Volume LII, Issue 5166, 12 June 1891, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS.

Increased wages and leisure are not ends m themselves worth starving for, and their utility has limits. The wise man Btrivo9 after them merely because lie knows that poverty and overwork, which imply social degradation, make labour iinefficient and unproductive. Facts, says the Age, are apt, occasionally, to ily m the face of forecasts. In byegoDe years, when the early advocates of protection were pushing their cause to the front, they were wsrnod that if successful they would be : held responsible for the ruin of our import trade. Victoria has rejoiced m a protective tariff for many a year now, and tho problem which presents itoelf for solution is how to account for the enormous excess of imports over exports m our trade statistics. j Tho city of Louisville (U,8.) waß recently thrown into a state of excitement over the successful attempt to poison a wedding party by tho jilted lover of tho bride. The bride- | groom mas Ur A. Snooka, and his bride Miss Herr, the daughter of a wealthy citizen. 1 A young man, for whom tho police are now f searchiDg, whose suit had been refused by c Miss Horr'a father, managed to place a quantity of arsenic m the coffee served at the wedding reception. Three of tho guests have died and many ore* ill from tho effects of the poison. The bride and bridegroom got as far ( as Cincinnati on their bridal trip, when they j were both taken very ill and had to return. ] They are m a critical condition. The clergyman who ofliciatcd at the wedding is dying. Right of tho victims are lying ill at the house of the bride's father, Mr Herr, who has died, s There is an athletic pauper attached to the 3 Holborn Union Workhouse at Mitcham whose ambition apparently is to rival nnd even eclipse tho performances of the various 1 "strong men" who exhibit m public, only, uuliko them, holms the unsatisfactory habit of making tho ratepayer pay the expenses connected with the duo development of his muscles. BeiDg placed m the " mill-room," m order to grind some corn, tho athletic i pauper promptly wrenched off a bar of iron from the wheel, and began to put i his Blrength to somo simple tests. In the course of his exercises he contrived to i smash twenty-nine panes of »lnss, ten gas burners, twelve window Bashes, the panels of a door, and a water-tap ; and when remonstratod with, ho expressed a desire to add to his achievements by knocking somebody's brains out. "I was surprised," remarked the Vandal, " how soon I did it ; it took me only half an hour." Considering that the damage effected was equal to the value of : £50. tho time was undoubtedly good, and ulmost establishes a " record." The pauper has reserved his defenco for the Surrey Sessions ; his plea will then probably be that of Olive, that he is " surprised at his own moderation," as practically ha had the whole placo at hia mercy. After tho bittov and costly oxperienoa of Lady Sandhurst nnd Hi3B Jane Cobden, it is not likely (says tho London Daily Telegraph) thtifc women will again Beok tho transitory ominence moraborahip of the London County Council confers until Parliament passes a distinct and definito law entitling them to wear its honours nnmolested. Lady Sandhurst, oxcounty councillor for Brixton, was unsoated on tho petition cf Mr Beresford-Hope. Nobody has attempted to deprive Miss Oobden of her place as representative of Bow, but although nominally unnssailed, her position is an unenviable one, since every time she attempts to act or voto as a councillor she renders herself liable to £50. Sir Walter de Souza brought an action to recover five such ponalticß, and Mr Justice Day - decided against her, but -seduced the amount to one-half. Tho Court of Appeal has now confirmed this judgment, but still further lessened tho sums recoverable to 10a per vote. Tho Lord Chief Justice consoled Miss Cobden with bis assurance that her position bb a county councillor was indisputable, since 12 ] months had pnssed since the election without a petition, whilst on tho othor hand the Master of tho Holla nnd Lord Justico Fry dushod awny this comfortless solace by declaring that tho eloction from beginning to end was null and void. The only hope now loft is that tho House of Lords may take a moro leniont view of tho case, and wipe away even tho 10d. Wo understand tho South British Tea Company's pure teas have been introduced into this district. Thoy ore free from any excess . of ustringency — [Advt.l Countess, Duchess, Princess, Empreo?, aro tho registered names of the new teas. Free