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Wanganui Herald, Volume IV, Issue 1109, 6 March 1871, Page 2

Registeb. — Much—.lias been written lately about the necessity of registering your claim to vote for the House of Representatives, but another important registering also needs attention. We noticed a police constable to-day going round the town with a bundle of summonses for the owners of canine favorites to show cause why they should comply with the Act. One cute individual, in our hearing, said to the constable, " I know the Act, and I am positive you cannot prove my dog to be over eit months old." "Indeed, but I •can/ said the constable, v the age of a dog can be told by the same rule that the age of a horse is known by, the teeth; I can tell the age of almost any dog." This astounding information staggered the individual, and he quietly subsided. We therefore advise our readers who have not registered, to take warning and rush to the Court, and save themselves from a visit from the gentleman in blue with a still more formidable piece of blue paper.

The Fairlie Railway System.—An attempt is to be made in a few days to urge upon the Victorian Government the necessity of making an experiment to test the merits of Fairlie's system. A line has been selected between Heidelberg, Ivenhoe, and Alphington, through Northcote to Melbourne, which the Government will be asked to make upon this principle.

fiWANGANui Rifle Volunteer Corps. —A council meeting of the above Corps will be held at 8 o'clock this evening, at the Phoenix Hotel.

The Bmdge.—The first trial of the brige to-day affords us an opportunity of congratulating Mr McNeill on the success with which it was attended. The' pari qt the bridge which turns round on a turntable leaving a passage on each side for vessels to pass through, was tried today and was found to turn with ease, the power of two men only being used. It moired rather stiff at first, which was not more than might be expected, but it swung back quickly, and without .any strain. Some little alteration will be required, which can be easily effected. Without: doubt, the trial was a complete success, gratifying both o the contractor and to the public.

Publisher's Entkbphise.—An enormous sale for the promised revised edition of the Bible, must be anticipated, The Home News says:—A paragraph appeared in the Times, stating that an eminent publisher had offered £10,000 for the right of printing the revised edition of the Bible, now in progress. Now it is said that the head of an old-fashioned firm had offered three times that amount for the privilege.

Capt. Anderson.—Says an exchange :: —The numerous friends of Captain Ander-i son in Australia and New Zealand will be sorry to hear of that gentleman's death which took place recently in London. He was formerly Warden of Sandhurst, and married a daughter of the Melbourne managing director of the Bank of Victoria, known under the soubriquet of "Money Miller. 1' Mrs Anderson is now residing in the country near her sister, wife of Capt. Bancroft, who was for some time aide-de-camp to Sir Henry Barkly. Sir Henry visited the deceased several times previous to his death. Captain Anderson, although he died so young (he was only 32, I believe), had gone through an infinity of adventures, and had been nearly all over the world in the course of his career. As a passenger home in the Somersetshire he was the life and soul of all on board, getting up amateur theatricals, and starting a newspaper for the sake of amusement. He died of consumption, partly brought on, it is said, by the hardships he had undergone during" his adventurous career. [The people of Wanganui will be sorry to hear of the death of a person who robbed them right and left. Why should the maxim of de mortuus be observed in such a case ?"] The "Unemployed" of Wellington. Up to a recent date the leader of the " unemployed" of Wellington was one "MiBill Taylor," as the Advertiser delights in calling him; but this worthy having failed to satisfy the aspirations of unworki«g men, he has been deposed from his office, and it is said that Mr Henry Anderson has succeeded to the coveted honor. Jock will make an excellent leader of the chronic " unemployed," as he can give his followers much valuable experience upon the causes of the complaint, its symptoms, and consequences. His diagnosis, we may be quite sure, will be exhaustive. It would probably proceed in something like the following manner.- Tightness in the abdominal region, vrith the alimentative organs sluggish, tendency of the hand to the pit of the stomach, " congestion" of the brain, popularly known as "a swimming," eyes red, with an irrepressible inclination to lie down, in a ward or cell. These would be j_th* main, items of the diagnosis, but a full j experience would suggest, no doubt, many others. The " unemployed" could not have found any person who will recommend himself by more accurate knowledge of their disease. The man has also found a suitable Post for his talent.

Nelson Cloth.—We clip the following from the Canterbury Press :—For some years past a small establishment in Nelson has been unobtrusively working, manufacturing the raw produce of the i country in the shape of wool into very e*eollentiweeds. Gradually, the proprietors, Messrs Webley and Sons, have introduced new improvements into their bus^iess, until now quite an imposing factory lias been erected, and the friends of encouragement of local industries,will be glad to learn that some really excellent cloth is now being manufactered by the firm. With a laudable desire to encourage the development of these industries, the Government' has recently given Messrs Webley and Sons an additional order for 1000 yards of their cloth for volunteer uniforms, the firm having executed some previously. Wo have been shown some samples of recent productions of this mill, and they are really excellent, being composed entirely of wool; the feel and appearance of the cloth is a decided improvement, on the harsh, half-cotton, half unknown substance, dignified by the name of cloth, which reaches us from other parts. Mr W. Nation, senior, has been appointed agent for Canterbury for Messrs Webley and Sons' tweeds, and we are glad to learn that they are goiug largely into consumption here". The price charged is very moderate, and the quality so good that the tweeds spoken of only want to become generally known to induce a very large demand for them.

Who Shall Administer Public Wobks.—The general support which was given to the Government on their celebrated Public Works measure in the last session of the Assembly: by Mr Stafford and Mr Fitzherbert, has drawn attention to both these gentlemen for the appointment of Minister of Public Works. The preference of course, fails on the former, and if he will consent" to accept the office it will be his; if not, Mr Fitzherbert, whose diffidence of office cannot be considered one of his failings, will be duly inducted.

The Tauranga Mail—The Evening News has the following :—A private letunder date of Te Paeroa, February the 28th says :—" The mailman started with an escort this morning. They expected to be turned back, but as they have not yet made their appearance, 1 imagine they have got through. I fully believe they will yet be stopped, as a runanga was held yesterday, and the aukati was pronounced good to the leaders of Maori opinion here.

Rifle Association-. —Attention is called to the prize shooting of the Rifle Association which commences to-morrow morning at G a .m. A Pkinter's Eimon.—lt need hardly be said that printers make some ludicrous mistakes at times, some of them passing the most careful reading. In our report of the Philharmonic Society's Concert in our last issue, the term " soiled coat," appeared by mistake for "tailed coat," which requires to be at once explained, or the idea might go abroad that one of the finest dressed gentlemen of the period had exhibited himself in a shabby genteel, a phenomenon, of course, quite impossible. The CKSJTAt System;— The Government of New South "Wales have made it a condition, in advertising for tenders for supplies for next year, that the cental system shall be adopted in the weighing of grain. Thk Daily News Cobbespondext,— The besieged correspondent of Hie Daily Neivs is a gentleman with £12,000 a-year, an ex-M.P., cynical to a degree, who caused himself to bo shut up in Paris simply with a view to acquire a new sensation, He has got one.

Inquest on the Fjbe.—Wo hear it is intended to hold an enquiry into the cause of the fire which destroyed the house lately erected at the Virginia Lake, as suspicious circumstances are being freely spoken of in town. •

Thistles.—A correspondent, who complains bitterly of the spread of thistles from large neglected runs to small farms, thinks the Thistle Act ought to be rigidly enforced. He says Dr Featherston's run is one of the largest "thistle preserves" in the Province, and that the reason the law is not put into force might be inferred from this fact. This logic, we think, is too incisive.

ACQUITTED WITH A OhABACTER.—A Judge in a small colony had to try a prisoner on a charge of theft. The prisoner pleaded guilty, but the Judge, with that tenderness to criminals which characterises the English law, advised him to take his trial. This was done, and the jury acquitted the prisoner, on which the Judge addressed him in his sternest tones— " Prisoner at the bar, you have confessed yourself a thief, and the jury have found you a liar. Begone from my sight.

Bellows-making ix Auckland.'—The Southern Cross has the following notice of a new industry commenced in Auckland: ■ "Upon proceeding to Mr Burkes workshop in Grey-street, we found that lie had not only sufficient work for himself, but was keeping two men fully employed making nothing hut household bellows ; and he informed us that, from the number of orders he had received since commencing a fortnight ago, he believed he would be able to employ five men. In reply to an expression of surprise that so many bellows should be required, Mr Burke stated that the town where he learned his business was no larger than Auckland, and yet it supported ten bellows-makers! So that even an industry apparently so insignificant is not to be despised, and we hope that Mr Burke will receive the encouragement lie deserves for having commenced the trade, a reward that can be secured to him by the public giving a preference to the locally-made article." If Mr Burke knows his business, and the men he has to deal with, he will apply for-Government assistance for the encouragement of the local industry of bellowsmaking.

The Golden Crown.—A dividend of £10 per share was declared the other day payable to the shareholders, of the Golden Crown claim at the Thames. No loss a sum than £140 per share was paid last year to the fortunate holders of scrip in this Company.

Bad Enouoh.—Every possible expedient was resorted to by tho politicans of Wellington during the late election to get their respective candidates in, but the greatest novelty that ever was introduced into electioneering was to be found in the course adopted by a person signing himself " A Church Member," who industriously circulated during the contest a circular, of which the following is a copy : " To Sabbatli School Teachers, and Church Members, —Your vote is most prayerfully requested against the return; of Mr J. C. Richmond to Parliament, he being in infidel.—A. Church Member." With reference to this wretched piece of cant, a contemporary Baya; —"Who is

this mau that he should arrogate to himself the functions of Deity, and pretend to look into the mind of a fellow-mortal, accusing him of entertaining opinions which he indignantly repudiates, especially when the history of his past life affords no warrant for the accusation! The '' Member" seems to have had worldly wisdom enough mixed up with his mock piety to have been ashamed to append his name to his precious circular. " Your vote and interest is most prayerfully requested ?" What a Pharisaical mockery have we here? Grammar and religion on a par. A man who could deliberately circulate a vile ~and maliciovis slander, with the object of injuring his neighbour, in direct violation of the first principles of the Christirn religion, and talk about doing it Ct prayerfully," must have been present to the imagination of Moore, when he pourtrayed a villanous character as One, who will pause and kneel unshod. In the warm blood his hand hath pour'd,' To mutter o'er some text of God Engraven on his reeking sword. Unemployed.—An Auckland paper publishes the following letter from a corres-

pondent, re the unemployed of that province : —A few months ago I had a conversation with a man breaking stones on the road. I asked fhe liked this sort of labour. He did not much object to it if he could get nothing else to do. Speaking of the wages of a labouring man in this country, compared with the remuneration to the same class at home, he said, " Sir, if a working man in thia country, (a single man) has not always a spare ten or twenty-pound note by him it is his own fault ; and he would have it too if it were not for these drinking-bars, which stare us in the face at eveiy few steps." I believe this man spoke from personal experience, and bis experience is probably that of the vast proportion of the working men in the colony. I have a great respect for an honest working man, and would willingly aid him in his difficulties. But I have neither respect nor sympathy for many working men in this colony, in difficulties or not, when I seejwhat wages they get, and how they waste their money many of them. The working man injures himself when he tries—as many do—to extort exorbitant wages from the farmer, and perform as little work as he can in return. Such, conduct is neither honest nor jiolitic. If the farmers do not prosper, there can be no general and whole so.-ne prosperity in this country. Without agriculture, what is any country ? Little else than a place for reckles3 adventurers, beggars, and swindlers, who try to prey on each other by means which had better not be particularized. It is something melancholy to see able-bodied men in a country like this, with so many public-houses around us, hanging on at the door of the Superintendent's Office, begging for work, and pleading inability to get it elsewhere. Such a sight is apt to excite one's indignation, as well as pity at thia time, when the farmers—as Mr \V. Buckland telk us—have such difficulty in getting men to work at fair wages and on reasonable terms as to hours.

Melbourne Djunks,—A Melbourne paper considerately warns visitors to Melbourne during the holidays against the poisonous drinks sold in the majority of public-houses. No less than five cases of delirium tremens, caused by drinking freely of those deleterious mixtures, came before tha City Court in one day.