PAY FOR YOUR NEWSPAPER.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1877, 9 March 1892, Page 4

PAY FOR YOUR NEWSPAPER.

"The Flaneur" in Sydney " Freemans Journal " has an excellent arcticle entitled '* Celestial Customs " in which the following passages occurred : — One of the most peculiar Chinese customs of this season is that of paying up all debts just before the New Year begins. The Caucasian leads the world in most matters, but this is one piint in which the heathen Chinese are well ahead, as about twelve out of every dozen newspaper proprietors will admit with reverend, bowed, uncovered heads. There- seems to be a growing impression with the public that a newspaper can be run for nothing, and that those connected with it never eat, nor drink, nor require clothing. This is a great mistake. A properly conducted newspaper is a most expensive venture, and while the receipts come as pence the outlay goes steadily into pounds. And newspaper men do eat and drink occasionally. Not often, I admit, still attimeßtluydo,and they have tosturap up for the privilege just the same as common mortals also. I once heard of a most respectable man who suddenly broke into a howling rage and declared this world was chockful of deceit and devilry as an egg was full of meat, and he cared noc how soon he left the illusive show for ever. When he had cooled down he explained that he had been a constant borrower of the local paper for over seven, years, and had juat discover9d that ihe" man (if it were just to call him a man) from whom he borrowed it had not paid a single subscription during all that time. He was pained, shocked, disgusted to think that such a wretch could walk the earth and look into the face of an honest man.

Particulars have reached here (says the Cambridgeshire correspondent of the Auckland " Hearld ") of the atrocious treatment which a horse received at Mangawhara recently. It ia stated ihat someone at that place who was ploughing, tied a rope round the tongue of one of the pair of horses he was using, and it is surmised fastened it to some part of the plough harness because the animal travelled too fast for its companion, the result being that the poor brute in its struggles to free itself puJled its tongue out by the roots, and shortly after expired. The proprietor riding across the paddock at the close of the day's work saw the animal lying dead and a quantity of blood about its head, and on openinp its mouth saw what had happened, and a little distance away found the tongue. The suspected party was immediately dismissed, the only reason I have heard given why the police were not informed of the occurrence being the fact that there waß no direct evidence to prove the offence. It ia right and proper for a man to be considerate and self-denying towards youngsters, but the man who recently refused to eat whitebait becauae he would be robbing the cradle of the deep slightly overdid it. ,