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Star (Christchurch), Issue 3435, 15 April 1879, Page 2

A Field of MugnnoOMs. — A most extraordinary sight was witnessed in Read's paddocks at Q-isborno a few mornings ago, at daylight. Very many acres of land were perfectly snow-whito- with mushrooms, whicli night have been easily gathered by tho cartoad. Tho Herald's informant states there

jvas not a square foot of ground in which mushrooms were not to be seen.

A Costly Work. — In accordance with a notice requesting tendors for the raising of the B.a. Taupo from her present position and placing her in the Auckland dock, several, says the Auckland Herald, were sent in to the South British Insurance Company, and that of Messrs T. Niccol and Ware was accepted. The following were the tonders received :— T. Niccol and W. Ware, £5500 ; Sira 3 and Brown, £10,000; Jas. M'Ewin, £9900; 0. Hawkeswood, £9500. For the repairs to the vessel to the approval of Lloyd's surveyor, there were two tenders, but neither of these were entertained. Mr 0. Hawkeawood, £14,000 j Messrs Fraaer and Tinne, £13,000. A Puzzled School Oosimittee. — A paeket was received (says the Wairoa Free Press) the other day by the Chairman of a School Committee not a hundred miles from Wairoa, containing a quantity of cards for outline drawing. The packet was unaccompanied by any instructions, and of course thero was much speculation as to whom the cards were intended for. The Committee were somewhat puzzled for a time, and their dismay and astonishment was considerably increased when a bucolic Committeeman discovered that the cards had been senfc by the educational authorities for the purpose of ascertaining, by means of the outline drawing test, the capabilities of the Committee for managing the achcol. Blank dismay sat on the foreheads of the Committeemen, who were not, of course, "up to that sort of thing," and it was eventually deoided to let the ualy things alone.

/Anotheh BusnRANGEii let Loose. — The (celebrated " Captain Moonlight," who was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment at Pentridge for sticking up the Egerton Bank in Victoria, was released on March 22, having served his time. He is both educated and ingenious, and promises reformation. His real name is Scott, and he served in tho New Zealand war.

.Kaiser Wilhelm akd the Wellington

/School Childekn.— Ois Majesty tho German Emperor, says the Post, has graciously conveyed his thanks to a number of pupils of the Te Aro Grammar School, whose names are associated with a poem recently dedicated and transmitted to his Majesty. The communication, which arrived by the last mail, concludes with the remark that the poem has been assigned to the Hohenzollern Museum. / Grouse fob Otaqo. —It appears that what has been called " black game " in our telegrams from Dunedin, is really black fgrouse, the importation of which has hitherto been supposed to be a matter of impossibility. The Daily Times says that of tho twelve black grouse brought out by Mr C. Bills, in the Lyttelton, only ten have been safely landed at Clydevale, on the Pomohaka River, a cock and a hen having been accidentally "killed on the way up country. The surviving ten consist of four cocks and six hens. / Otago Sheep Statistics.— The Dunedin UZvening Star says:— "The Otago sheep refcorts show about 3,500,000 sheep in the who)o jof the Provincial district, being a decrease of Inearly 450,000 on last year, accounted for by /losses mainly attributable to the snow storms fof last winter. Tug imports for the year were 39,000, including 170 stud sheep from Victoria and five from Tasmania. The remainder came from Canterbury. The exports amounted to 24,500. Tho meat preserving I establishments consumed 24,500 during the \ year.

A Plucey Eescue.— The New Zealand Herald of March 24 Bays : — " A very plucky act was performed on Saturday morning, by a son of Mr William Buchanan, of the North Shore, in rescuing a young lad who had fallen into the harbour. About half-past 10 o'clock several boys were skylarking on the Victoria Wharf, when one about 12 years of age, the son of Mr Smith, engineer on board one of the ferry steamers, fell into the water, and was in danger of being carried away by the current, as he was unable to swim. Archie Buchanan, a youth 16 or 17 years old, saw the accident, and without a moment's hesitation jumped into the sea, and seizing young 1 Smith very speedily assisted him to tho steps of tho wharf. The act was most meritorious, [ and is another instance of colonial pluck, aud well deserves to bo noticed by the Harbour Board Committee, who are enquiring into a similar act of courage in saving the life of a fellow-creature." Attempted Suicide by a Lunatic. — A bushman named Edward P. Kelly was brought into town yesterday from the Huia saw-niill, on suspicion of being a lunatic, by two of his mates. One of them, Timothy Collins, states that ho met Kelly a short time ago in Auckland. Kelly told' him lie had been gum-digging, and that ho had arrived from England about four years ago. They went to the Huia together. On the way up Kelly made eorne very silly remarks and observations, -which led Collins to doubt his sanity. Yesterday morning, about nine o'clock, Kelly went deliberately into Cockatoo creek to drown himself. Collins tried to induce him to come out of the water, but ho refused, and as he would not como out, Collins Avent into tho water after him. Kelly seized a stick, with which ho threatened to brain Collins if ho wont near him ; but tho latter pejajstcd, and finally got him out. KelljgUßfcred then to be quite deranged, am ]/SB^Bp- Gilloßpio, the manager of the ml ß^Sß^^ nl ser >t to town in charge of Go\Yu)sßKg£Bmother man. He will be charged to-jjKy^n suspicion of being of unsound minxL' While being taken to tho lock-up he siiidJß was tired ot his life, and wanted to get Tld of it. — Auckland Herald, March 24.

Destructive Fire in London. — An oxtensive fire occurred on Feb. 4, at Horniman's tea warehouse, Wormwood-street, Londonwall. The warehouse is very large, five floors in height, and with a frontage of about 90ft., near to the Broad-street Station of tho North London and Great Eastern Railways, and backing on the Broad-street Station of the Metropolitan Eailway. Shortly after tho discovory of tho firo, tho Whitcehapel division of tho Fire Brigade, under Mr Superintendent Ilolmden, were on the spot, and wore quickly joined by tho steam-engines of London generally. For about five hours — from half-past six till half-past eleven — tho men worked with skill and assiduity. An immense volume of water was poured on tho flames, and, had the building been one of ordinary modern construction, it would, in the opinion of experienced firemen, have been brought down by the great weight of water thrown upon it ; for the water was absorbed by tho stock and added greatly to Mio burden borne by the floors. In tho result about four floors at the back were burnt out, and the lower part of the building was greatly damaged. The next door premises, in the occupation of Messrs Samuel Smith, boot, shoo, and leather manufacturers, wero also damaged. It is estimated that the loss will amount to between £100,000 and £150,000. The cause of tho fire is at present unknown. — Times.

A Fickle Faih.— From a littlo story in the N"ew Zealand Herald it appears that among the Maoris, aa among the pakehas, the course of true lovo does not always run smooth. A short time ago, a young Maori belonging to the Wairoa South was at the native settlement of Waiwharariki, on the North Shore, and there met a girl who, he thought, would form a useful helpmate. Unknown to the people she was living with he took hor off to the Wairoa, and there they have lived together for some months, his tribo having given full consent. But the otlior 2)arty, who recogniso Paul as their head, were very angry, and at la9t it was agreed that the Wairoa people should bring the girl up, thattho whole question should bo debated, and that the girl, in the faco of tho whole peoplo, should make a choice. This was done, Hori Te Whetuki (Long George) conducting proceedings on behalf of fcho Wairoa people. The girl said she wished to remain with the man to whom she had been married, according to Maori iikanga (regulation), and so tho matter apparently ended. Next morning, however, when tho girl was going down to the boat to

return with her husband to the Wairoa, she was commanded hy the other party to stop. She took no notice of these commands, and they then seized her, and took possession by force. The other party wore too few in numbers to resist, and sho was carriod off to Waiwharariki. Shall wo venture to say (adds our contemporary) that it offers an illustration of the whimsicality of the sex, that she now declares that it was her desire to conio back to her people, that sho was not speaking her true sentiments afc fcho mooting, and that sue has no compunctions at all in leaving her lover ?