General News.

Western Star, Issue 284, 15 February 1879, Page 7

General News.

From a late issue of the Hobart Town Mercury we learn as follows with respect to some late residents in Riven on : Not a little curiosity, mingled with suspicion, was i-reated yesterday when it became known that three children, of tender years, brought by the s.s. Ringaroomu, from (Jhristchureh, with the understau ling that their future guardian woul 1 be awaiting arrival, but that person was found to he conspicuous by his absence. Every effort to discover the designated guardian proved futiL*, a suspicion quickly spread to the effect that a step-father who was tired of the little ones hai endeavored to shirk his future responsibilities, so far as the children -ftere concerned by shipping them to Hobart Town, where they were to meet a friend who had consented to take care of them, but who' in reality was quite an imaginary being. The children’s names were given as Agnes, John and Horace Wardrope, and their ages were 14,8, 6. years respectively. They were quite unsuspecting of any dishonesty being attempted with them, and told their story in a straightforward and faithful manner. It was very brief, and to the effect that their step-father Mr Cassels, who - was in poor circumstances, had received the cost of their passage from a friend in Tasmania named Schmidt, to whom fie had sent them, and had promised that he would telegraph to Mr Sehmidt, whom tiny would find awaiting their arrival. No Mr Schmidt, however, put in an appearance, and shortly before the steamer’s departure for Melbourne, Mr Webster the chief officer invoked the aid of Mr Rellamie, a constable, who resides near the wh'a-f- That officer with great generosity, but scant prudence, at once volunteered to lake charge of tiie little strangers, aud affirmed Ids belief that everything would turn out all right. As the resultof enquiries, Bellamie learned that it was probable that the Mr Schmidt in question vas a resident of Kentishbury, and communicated the facts and circumstances to Mr Chief District Constable Quailing. That gentleman gave instructions for a telegram to be despatched to Torquay and thence by the Police to Kentislibui3 r , with a view to ascertaining whether what had been alleged concerning Mr Schmidt was correct or otherwise. At the seme time enquiry was made at the .Telegraph Office as to wliether any telegram had.been transmitted from New Zealand as stated above, but it was either 100 much trouble fort.be alicers of the department to ascertain the fact or there is something wrong in I he system pursued in the office iu consequence of which a reply of a negative character was tendered to complicate mat levs; aud to confirm the uncharitable suspicions of the public. Matters rentable I in this condition until sh-irtly before eight o’clock, when Mr J. F. Schmidt of Kentishbury, called at the Mercury Office and explained the circumstances connected with the ari’itul of the children in a most satisfactory manner, and staled that he had received the lelegravn too late on Saturday night to enable him to reach lloburtown any earlier. He was directed to the course ho should adopt and the result was that his little charges were speedily committed to his friendly care. In justice to Mr Webster, the chief officer of the s.s., ttmgarpoma, it is necessary to state that he acted a very humane part iu endeavoring to Lave the little ones properly housed. Iu glancing over a late number of the Hastings and St Leonards “ News," we noticed the following paragraph : —“ New Zealand. —We take the following paragraph' from the ‘Otago Daily Times ’ of August 20. —‘A sad accident happened

at Queenstown on Tuesday, week to a lad named Irvine Daniels, son of Mr F. B: iJaniels. While' riding across a bridge his pony fell ami rolled over him. The boy’s injuries were not at first considered serious, but on the following Thursday he espired, the cause of death being concussion of the brain.’ The deceased was a great-grandson 1 of the late Mr Thomas Daniel, of the Anchor Inn, Hastings, and grandson of the late Mr „. Gabriel Yirgo Daniel. If any of our readers care to see New Zealand papers, wo could show them plenty ! as we are kept well supplied by the kindness of Mr Theopilus Daniel, J.P., of Riverton, South Otago (one, of the sons of Thomas Daniel, landlord of the Anchor in olden times).” Of the many stories that have come under notice in connection with the Glasgow Bank, the following told by the “ Argus’s ” correspondent is the saddest. A few months ago a very hard-worked literary man was released, not, as usual, by death, from bis bondage to the pen, but- by an unexpected legacy. A friend of his who knew how hard he had to toil for many months, left him £SOOO, all in shares in the G-lasgow Bank. The gift which was intended to assist him in bis poverty, has thus absolutely proved’his ruin. Poor B. (the victim) has the pluck of a hero, and never fails to have an eye to (literary) business. “I am thinking,” says he, ‘‘it would be a capital notion, and quite original, to make one’s commercial man in a novel forgive his enemy on his death-bed, and leave him £5 >OO as a proof of it —in an unlimited bank which he knew was about to break. What d’ye think of it ?” In the month of July last, Mr. E. D. Holroyd, of Hobart Town sent to London, via Melbourne, a shipment of preserved rabbit, which met with ready sale. at sa’isfactory prices. Upon the result of this venture depended whet her a company should be formed or not, Mr. Holroyd was enabled to obtain the co-operation of a nuinbor of gentlemen, princip illy in the midhiud districts, where rabbits abound’ in thediofttrng of a company to continue the preserving of these very destructive animals. An extensive plant has been erected at the establi-hment, Upper Arevle-street, and there is every probability that the project will prove re- , munerative. It was mentioned in our columns last week thatthe Western Meat Preserving Company, at Colac, in Victoria, purpose resuming operations in March, provided rabbits could be delive ed at the factory at a remunera'ive price. This is the great difficulty in that i colony; but here rabbits can be obtained cheaper, and t.be skins are more valuable, so that the company has much in its favor. Tne shipment referred to domprised plain boiled rabbit, rabbit and bacon, and rabbit and onions ; these three ; sorts the company will continue to turn out. There is, as we know, a plentiful supply of rabbirs in the midland and other districts, and it will be a good tning if they could be put .to some bet er use than killing them for the sake of the skins, and to reduce their numbers. Wo have had an opportunity of tasting some of the plain boiled rabbit as preserved, and can bear testimony to its excellent flavor. —Hobart Town Mercury.

I commend fclie following figures (w’-ites “Atlas” in the world) to those wlio think that the Divorce Act is responsible for all the mischief iu England. It is known that divorce does nob exi thi France. The nearest thing to it is the separation de eorps equivalent to the English judical, separation. It- is therefore interesting to know hew our neighbors fare under tin t regime. From 1846 to 1850 the average of sep'rations was 1030. This gradually increased until 1876, when the number was 3251 —or exactly three times the number in 30 veers. Strange to say, only Id in every 100 areasked'ior by the husband, the wife thus having 86 per cent: to her ere tit. Is this to be attributed to jealousy of- the fair sex, or the indifference of the sterner ? Soi enteeu out of the total number do not waft fotribe twelve months to expire before frying, tp , rid themselves of their bond*. One ; tliii'd“‘of the 3000 live together from five to ten, and another third from lOto 20 years, befoie they asked to be separated, ami upwards of 500 only do so when the silver marriage approaches. The attendant .if the elder Matthews in his last illness, intended to give his patient soma medicine ; but a few moments afterwards it was discovered that the medicine was nothing but ink, which bad been taken from the vial by mistake, and his friend exclaimed, “ Good heavens, Matthews, I have given you ink !” “ATever mind, my boy,” said Matthews, faintly ; “ I‘ll swallow 1 a bit of blotting paper.” . How to Manage a H<*n.—Differences of opinion sometimes arise between hens and fcbeir owners oil the all-important question of sitting, the bira desiring to brood while the mutter prefers 1- that she should continue to lay eggs. Many'ore the won lerful plans adopted to reconcile such differences in favor of the master's view, but probably none is more curious than that described by Herr Volsohaw in the Atgemeine llopfen Z-duug, as h.ving r-cently cotttti under his noti'o iii t!io neighb irhbod of Cuxliavim. This consists in tying a wisp of straw, , about half the size of a wine bottle, upon the would-be brooders back. Directly the lien feels ■ this encumberance she gets off the nest and runs wildly about the fields, striving in every way to get. from it. After two or tinoo dajsh--useless struggles she re-igos her.-elf to her fate, and apparently m ikes up her mind to submit to the inevitable. The wisp of straw mav then be removed, and it will be found that recent exertions have so chanced the current of her thoughts that she theucefor h gives up all idea of sitting, and seeks consolation for her wounded feeling#; .. ■>. in diligently laying eggs, , TLe girl who suocoo Is in winning the trueiovA of a true man makes a lucky hit, uni is herself alucky miss.