BRIEF MENTION

Observer, Volume 1, Issue 14, 18 December 1880, Page 123

BRIEF MENTION

— Can it be true that Mr. Mitforcl is going to the old country to learn forestry ? — There is a nephew of the Duke of Manchester in the Union Bank, Melbourne. He is not much of a " Dook to look at." — A . lady has been kind enough to collect 10s. for the unfortunate man Ho well, avlio can have it by calling here. — A waiter in one of the local cafes has, through the death of his brother, become heir to a snug little fortune of £5000. j — Charlie Brown, who won the quarter-mile race at the last sports of the A. A. A. Club, intends to visit Mercury Bay during the holidays, and astonish the" natives there by an exhibition of his running powers. — One of the questions proposed at a school examination lately was the following: — "A man six feet high on the earth would be thirtysix feet high on the moon. "Why ?" There were no answers. — Mr. Peacock lias made his valedictory address to the City Council, but strangely enough there is not a single allusion in it to the officers. Whence this thusness ? It has never happened before. — Mr. W. H. Fen ton has been a good deal chatted about a painter's, not a printer's, error. On a show-board, at the back of his shop, appears the legend, "Hat and Cap Manufacturer to his Excellency Mr. H. Fenton." — The North Shore has now a resident doctor. As he is young and handsome, and possessed of private means, his advent has caused quite a flutter of agitation among the fair residents of our marine suburb. — The principal publishers of London and Edinburgh are beginning to work oft' their unsaleable literary stock upon the colonies. Not a bad idea to ship consignments of profitless books hither in time for the holidaj's ! — Lady readers are advised to wear, for their holiday and picnic costumes, light washing dresses and large leaf muslin trimmed hats. These can be had at T. McMasters', Queenstreet, in choice styles and low prices. — [Advt.] — The Government have made arrangements with all the banks in New Zealand to withdraw from circulation the worn and defaced silver coinage. A large supply of new coins have been received in Auckland ; so we shall soon have decent small change in circulation. — The Freethinkers of Dunedin intend to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ by a social gathering on Christmas Day, and on the 29th of the following month, Tom Paine's birthday, they purpose paying the father of modern freethought a similar honour. — A boardiug-school Miss has written to her French preceptor in order to congratulate him about his birthday, but her well-meant felicitations, through an orthographical blunder have thrown the troubled Gaul into a state of excitement. — Mr. Gordon Furlong, who is "starred" as having been "once an Atheist, is" says our Dunedin correspondent, "to leave this city for the North. He is an ingenious and showy, though by no means logical, preacher of the gospel of " Eternal Perdition." — If you, or any other man, have a soul for falsehood framed, very good, but as my sole abhors falsehood, I always get it encased in the best material at Garrett Bros., whose goods are allowed by all to be the best at the prices in j Auckland. —[Ad vt. ] — A correspondent, signing himself "Justice," thanks me for my remarks re milliners overworking their employees, and says the note did not appear one moment too soon. The writer thinks young girls should have at least as many holidays as working men, and in this 1 agree with him. — A correspondent is curious to learn the name of the architect who designed, and the contractor who built up, the capacious unmentionables worn by W. E. in his portraiture \of a Fijian. They were of enormous dimensions, and hung in graceful folds about the wearer's legs. His appearance Avas striking — very. — The statement that the widow of the Rev. Mr. Schnackenbury has been deprived of his salary, is wholly incorrect. Mr. Prime has paid it to her, and Avill pay it to her up to the end of the year, after which she will be provided for out of a special fund for Ministers' Widows and Orphans. — Christmas cards have become quite an institution in England, we are glad to see they are rapidly talcing the same place here. Any of our readers in want of some choice varieties, will be able to obtain them at W. E. Mears', He certainly has the best selection in Auckland. [Advt]

— Mrs. Simon, wife of the trance lecturer now in Auckland, is an adept in the art of wax flower making and fancy embroidery work. Mr. Simon is an artist of considerable ability, and during his stay at the Thames he executed a large number of oil paintings, which he intends to dispose of by auction or art union. — The oldest specimen of glass is in the British Museum, in the shape of a lion's head, bearing on it the name of an Egyptian King, showing it was made about 2000 years B.C. The latest specimen is to be seen at the Nevada Hotel, and is much used by good spirits. — [Advt.] — What's a hat without a head ? but what's a head without a hat ? Any one doubting that question, cannot do better than inspect the large and choice assortment of hats just opened by Messrs. Munro and Milligan, which would make anyone wish they had two heads each. — • [Advt.] — Properly speaking, the final caricature competition lapsed, there being barely half-a-dozen efforts sent in, and the rules stipulating for twenty. It has, however, been determined to award half the prize to "Sherwood," who forwarded two very creditable sketches. His name and address are required for publication. — The Key. Mr. Byng, at the Dunedin Diocesan Synod, characterised tea meetings as "greasy demonstrations of Christianity," and another rev. gentleman in advocating "open churches," i.e. churches open during the week for private devotions, asked if their churches were to be merely "preaching shops." Advance Dunedin. — The singing of the Newton Congregational School children, last Sunday, was incomparably the best that has been heard in Auckland. This school has always held the palm for good singing, but last Sunday it eclipsed all previous efforts, the rendering of the hymns being characterised by vivacity, correct expression, and excellent time. — The leader of a deputation, the other day, asked, with an air of importance, if the Hon. Mr. Oliver had seen the petition ? "Yes," replied the Hon. Kobert, " I have seen plenty of petitions, but they don't help one much." The Minister of Pxiblic Works has had too much to do with getting up petitions not to know their worthlessness. — The advent of the Australian cricketers will naturally create a stir among the knights of the willow in Auckland, and it is to be hoped for the honour of our fair city that a good team will be formed. Good material can be obtained at Partridge and Woollams', so no excuse can be taken for the Aucldanders not making a good show.— [Advt.] — Some church folks, who have subscribed largely to the mission funds, &c, wish to know whether the company of pleasure-seekers and others, who from time to time get free or cheap passages to the islands, in the "Southern Cross," are kept at their (the subscribers) expense. It is, they opine, coming it rather strong to spend money donated for converting the heathen in clerical "high jinks." — A shareholder in the Mosgiel Woollen Factory, in passing a vote of thanks to the directors, officers, and men of the company, on Saturday last, remarked that they deserved a vote of thanks, for they were a very sober and well-behaved lot of people. The Hon. W. H. Reynolds and Mr. E. B. Cargill, two of the directors, seemed charmed with the unexpected compliment. — Religious discussion is the rage in Dunedin. just now. _ The ex-Attorney-General (Mr. R. Stout) delivered a lecture on the Resurrection, and replies to it have been delivered and published by Messrs. Brunton and Farlong. Of course there will be an answer and another rejoinder. I think there is some force in the remark that religious discussions are conducted on the principle of donkey races — the last donkey wins. — The Mayor elect of Dunedin, Mr. A. H. Ross, is, to use a nautical phrase, the "dead spit" of Sir J. P. His portly figure and dignified mean, are unmistakable, but there is another, if possible, stranger point of resemblance. During the contest he informed the electors that his opponent had used a very naughty expression, generally signified by a regarding the unemployed, and intimated that he himself never used a big, big " D." What, never ? — "It is," says that irreverent publication, the San Francisco News- Letter, " currently reported in Celestial circles that the advent of the holy Evangelists, SS. ' Moody and Sankey,' has stayed the smallpox in our city. Walking clown Consolation Avenue, the other day, St. Luke was heard to remark confidently to Dr. J., a late physician, who had managed to get into Paradise by a forged certificate, that two plagues at a time were too much even for San Francisco, and therefore he, as Chairman of the Board of Health of the New Jerusalem, had determined to abate one nuisance at least. This news is reliable, having been "brought by oiir special courier, who soaped his pants and slid down a rainbow."