CLIPPINGS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3357, 11 January 1879, Page 3

CLIPPINGS.

Sir Bavtle Frere, Governor of the Cape of Good Hope, has deposed Umquikela, Chief of Pongoland, and annexed to the British Crown the territory around the St. John's River formerly ruled by the Chief of Pondoa.

The Sfc Petersburg Ruski Mir says that General Stoletoff, on his return to Taakendon Sept. 15, was accompanied by an Afghan Embassy, headed by Munshi Mahommed Hassan Khan, Shere Aii's Minister of the Interior. The Afghan. Minister remained at Tashkent,

awaiting General Stoletoff's return from Livadia, the Crimean Palace of the Czar, A stranger glancing over a list of the members of the German Reichstag, and noting the numerous records of social rank which figure in it, would scarcely be led to suppose that this assembly is the offspring of universal suffrage. The total number of members is 397, of whom 163, or 41 per .pent., are included in the class of nobles ; and 234, or 59 per cent., belong to the bourgeoisie. Prussia sends a total of 235 deputies to the Reichstag, of whom 122, or more than onehalf, are nobles. Of the 59 Conservatives, 49 are nobles, and 29 of the 56 Imperialists. The 93 Ultramontanes contribute 43 nobles, the 15 Poles 13, and the 10 Hanoverian Particularists 8. Thus, nearly all the Poles and Guelphists belong to the noble category ; so do five-sixths of the Conservatives, half the Imperialists, and nine-twentieths of the Ultramontanes. The 96 National Liberals reckon 14 nobles in their ranks, or about one-seventh j and of these five belong to their "right wing," or Conservative section. One Progressist is a noble. Neither Social Democrats nor Alsatian Autonomists or Protesters send any nobles to Parliament. According to the Era, the Mechanical Chess-player is the latest novelty at the Westminster Aquarium. " Mephisto," as the figure is called, is the invention of au amateur chess-player well known in London, is a machine pure and simple, but the inventor has from the outset avoided any approach to the absurdity of the automatic theory. The figure is not connected with any \ surrounding object, and from its construction it is easy to perceive that no person, however diminutive, could be concealed in it. The figure is " got up " in the Mephistophclian style, and places and removes the chessmen with the greatest decision. Judging by his performances already it is evident that " Mephisto " is a chess-player of more than ordinary talent. Some of the cleverest amateurs of chess have been compelled to acknowledge " Mephisto's " superior skill. A remarkable instance of the fulfilment of a^ dream has been reported to us (says the South-Eastern Star). It appears that some time ago a gentleman named Da vie, a resident of Kooringa, was suffering from ophthalmia, which had caused total blindness. While in this state one night lie dreamed that his mother and sister (who resided at some considerable distance) appeared to him and told him to go to Mount Gambier, where lie would be cured of his blindness. So deep an impression did the dream make upon his mind that lie at once made arrangements. Arriving in clue course he lost no time in placing him° self under the care of Dr Jackson, who, however expressed doubts as to being able to do anything for his patient, but so firmly did Mr Davic believe in the fulfilment of his dream that he submitted to a, dangerous operation, and the result is that the mtient is gradually but surely recovering his" sight, and hopes soon to retrace his steps homeward and be able to resume his usual occupation.