LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Western Star, Issue 2024, 13 July 1895, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

WKr.conk —-Tlie Colonial Treasurer was warmly and enthusiastically received at Wellington on his arrival from Home, On Wednesday night a banquet was given in his honor, fully 300 guests Icing present, Sir Walt.-r Bailer occupying the chair.

Tub Chimina.ii Copb. —Some important amendments are being made in the Criminal Code Act by the Statutes Revision Committee. The inadequacy oE a two years’ sentence for placing an obstruction on a railway line, whereby the lives of passengers tna/ be endangered, is apparently realised, for the maximum penalty is to be laised to fourteen years’ imprisonment, As the age

of consent is likely to be raised, the plea ot “ consent” will be admitted as a defence in cases whore the girl is ol ler than the boy. This is iu accordance with the Victorian law. Peculiar Customs— The Indian papers announce the death of an oxtrao-dinary being, who bad for a long time been regarded by the natives as a god among men. No one knew to what race or sect he belonged, bat he was supposed to be a Hindu. Ho was discovered one day under a banyan tree, near the Padmatheertham tank, and.at first took food that was offered him ; but for three rears he rej-cto 1 all offers, and lav huddled up before a fire night and day, looking at no one, b*eding no sound and never speaking. One day ihe Maharajah of Travanoore spoke to him, but he did not reply. Recently he died. The csremonies connected with his interment were pe uliar. The body, on a bier, was eonv*yed to the burial ground near Manakad, wheto a pit was excavated and spread with a number of paras of salt. The corpse was th*n placed in a sitting posture and covered with salt, camphor, and other substances till nothing but the occiput was visible. One hundred and one cocoanuts were broken on the head, with the object of making a crack in the skull to allow the essence of life to escape. The bits oE cocoa* □ utwere eagerly secured as relics. Rough on Rats Again.— At the Dunedin Hospital on Tuesday night, reports the Times, a young man named Elwarl Reeve, about 25 or 26 ye »rs of age, presentol himself in an almost dying condition, and stated that he ha 1 tak n rough on rats. Ha sai I that he ha 1 had a few drinks, and whon_ in bis house in Leith street, neartheUniversitv, he fell asle’p, and on waking foun 1 that he had been eating the poison. The youni man’s brother states that he called at th e bouse about 7 o’clock in the evening, and seeing the rough on rats on the table, b( threw it in the fire, mon which Edward be. cams very much annoyel. Seeing tbs dangerous state in which Reeve was, the hospital authorities sent for bis father, whe resides in King street north, and with whoa the young man had fallen out about a month (ago. All possible means were taken at th< hospital to get rid of the poison that hac been swallowed, but the young man lies it a critical state, and tea s are rntertainet ■ that he will not recover.—He has since died 1 Going Down —\Ye must indeed be living

in bad times when tha company that works the Monte Carlo gaming table? can only declare a divideni of 8 per cent per annum to represent the last year’s profit. The figures laid before the shareholders at the annual meeting,- which has just bean held sh'-w the total receipt of nineteen millions of francs for the yea-, which is three m llions of francs less than the sum acquired the previous yeir, and nearly five millions less than the t iking? of the year 1893-3. Are we to assume from this that the of gambling are slowly but surely, making themselves apparent to the world at large ? tam afraid that an analysis of the facts hardly boars out this hopeful view—London Truth. A Raha Avis— The Hot Lakes Chronicle says : A specimen of a very rare bird, the kakakura, was brought to town the other day by a native. It is of a brilliant red plumage on the back, totally distinct from the sombre coloring of the comm .a kika. -The natives allege that it is the first s >eci* men of this species that has appeared here within the past 50 years. Kaka-kuras were at no time plentiful, and their p'um'-s were eagerly sought after for the purpose of decorating the taiahbs of the Ciiofs. The bird was purchased by Mr Wake, who will have it preserved. The Midland Railway.— ln summing up the position in regard to this railway, the Grev River Argns says;—“ Government intend t.o complete the Midland Railway line, and to enable them to carry out their intention they have to depend upon the votes from other parts of the colony. The iine cannot be gone on with without capital that the colony does not possess. The raising of the necessary moans will rot be agreed to bv Otago and Auckland unless their claim? are first satisfied. Each of those parts of the colony will be willing to agree to anything—provided that the wonts of each are provide I for. As those desires cannot be com lied with unless by borrowed money—and our self-reliant Government does not want to borrow on any account —they will bo forced to bow to the dictates of the representatives of the people who form a majority snch as the Parliament of New Zealand has not seen before. We still expect a loan policy.

Capital— Henry G?orge, in a debate at Saratoga said capital, in the true meaning of the term, consists of wealth, that is, of the products of exertion used in production. We would levy no tax on capital, because it is clearly unjust to take from anyone the produce of his exertion. Whatever a man brings forth, whatever be adds to the common stock of wealth, belongs to him alone, and it is a wrong to take from him any part of it. If a man builds u house, he ought to have the whole house, not ninetenths of it. If ha cultivates a field, the whole produce should be his. If he puts up machinery or builds a factory, it is a violalation of the right of property to demand, on the part of the State, that he should share with others what his own exertion has pro-

duced. And these rights of the producer pass witn his title. Therefore, it is unjust to tax capital.

West Coast Weathru— The Hokitika Guardian says th re is six or seven feet of snow on the road between the Otira and Potter’d Pass. At the top of Porter’s Pass men can put their arms around the telegraph wire? while standing on the frozen surface of the snow drifts, which here must be eight or nine feet deep. Men are engaged cutting a pack track. Unless there is a thaw, it will be quite a fortnight before a coach will be able to got across to the other side. Meteorological— Prom all part? of the colony reports have been received of the unusually severe winter, and unless the weather abates farmers will suffer to a considerable extent through loss of stock. So far a? Riverton itself is concerned, we were happily free from snow while the country districts were covered inches and were led to conclude that our contiguity to the sea was going to give us on immunity from the unpleasantness and discomforts which attend the spreading of “ Nature’s winding sheet.” In that supposition wo were, however, sadly disappointed, for on Tuesday night snow began to fall and continued until Wednesday afternoon, by which time the earth was covered with fully 31 inches on the fiats to about a foot on the hills. The hoys enjoyed it immensely and had groat fun snow-balling.' On WeJneslay afternoon a thaw sob in, while it was cold enough to induce one to strotch his imagination into chinking wo were located somewhere near Mount Brobu?. It will bo remembered that at Hiyno the winter was an unprecedentedly severe one, and it seems as though the Antipodes is to be subjected to the same climatic conditions.

Valuable Find—An Auckland telegram says that a school of whales—37 in number —have been found on the beach near Kaipata Jleads, evidently blown on shore by ibo westerly palp. All wore alive when discovered. They measure from 30ft to 50ft in length, and extend aloflg the beach for two miles. A visitor who went to see them picked up 800 oz of ambergris. Too hnd is valued at £2OOO. A CoM-MEiictAL Scandal —Politics being quiot other matters are receiving attention, and c|amo rumonr (says the Wellington correspondent of tho Taicri Acjvocate) }s busy concern! ag a grays commercial scandal wtiich is supposed to have come to light rerrardir g one of ihe largest mercantile houses in New Zealand. wonder what tho revolatkn will he'!

Rustic Tiieogogv.— la evidence of the common sense of rustic tbeologv, the Daily Telegraph tells a good story of the farm labourer, who informed a clergyman that he was a ,’pisoopal. Pressed for information, the rustic admitted that he had not been confirmed, and that ho did not know what parish he belonged to. We g've the sequel as narrated by onr contemporary: —“ Then how are you an E isoopa ian ?” asked th° clergyman. “ Wei 1 ,” was the r“plv, “y »u see it’s this way. Last winter [ was a visitin’ a friead, and while [ was there I went to churoh, and it was called ’piscopal, and I he’rd-' i th n tn say ‘ that they’d left undone the things what they oughter done, and they had done some things what they oughteu done,’ and I says to myself, savs I, ‘ that's my fix, exso’ly,’ ant p ver since I considered myself Episcopalian.”

Doctor’s Fees Sometime ago it was stated in the House that doctors had been charging one guinea for sixpence worth of anti.toxin, the new d'phtheria cure, and the Premier said if doctors did not regulate their charges so tha‘ they were reasonable, legislation would hare to be introduced fixing their fees. On this point a West Coast contemporary, the Knmara Times, says that to hedge the pr fession round with statutory provisions regulating fees would inevitably result in shutting off the m <in source of that kindly, charitable practice of assisting all those who need ms Heal he'p. Compulsion too oftoi warps the natural warmth of the human heart and dries up the wells of charity. Let us hooe we shall hear no more of tois matter which is a libel upon a profession that, on the whole, is the noolest in the world.

Corn t Exchange.— Prices of products have gone down to an extraordinarily lo v figure. The cost of production has been brought to the very finest oslculati >n, so that if the fall is to ha o interacted at all, the only way is to effect -“oonomies in the methods dealing with goods as between producer and consumer. Discussing the question the Southland News says that doing so is praotic»ble is to be infer-ad from the fact that the net return lo the farmer for wheat sold in London at 3s per bushel is probably not more than Is 61. Where is a beginning t>bo ui ido ? That to a large extent rests with the farmers themselves. Hithert', with fairly remunerative prices ruling, they have been satisfied to let their business run in well-worn grooves—it was seemingly of little use to do otherwise, for the quotation of one merchant was that of all. Tne time has now arrived, however, when a fresh departure is in Heated as their on'y hone. The shaue it should, in the first instmee take, it has been suggests! by one of their number, is the establishment of a Corn Exchange—a place where farmers could meet for the transition of business and the discussion of all matters affecting their interests.

Lotteries—A. great uproar has been made over the fact that the Government intended to give their support to a bill authorising the realisation of the Bmk of New Zealand Estates Go’s bv means of a gigantic lottery. In the light of this the following returns presented to Parliament ere interesting: —During the year ending 3Lsc March hst,4 f J licenses were issued to persons connected with religious holies under the Gtming and Lotteries Act, and during the last financial yeir 207 totalisator permits were issued for 268 days, and the amount of revenue to the Treasury was & 10,440.

. “ Undeschaii&e Biol”—We mean no offence, but ever since the intro luction of the Undesirable Immigrants Bill, Mr Reeves hes be n dubbed “Undesirable Bill” by those who do nit like his measure, just as William Ewart Gladstone has, by bis opponents, earned the soubriquet of “ Home Rule Bill.” A correspondent to a contemporary delivers himsMf thus on the Minister for Education—“ Mr Reeves has well nigh converted the statute boots of this colony into a second book of Deuteronomy. He is well adv meed iu prescribing the whole duty of man and not a little in that of women. The mandate has gone forth from him thai wherever two or three are gathered together in the n ime of labour that place shall be called a factory, and the name thereof written in the chronicles of New Zealand, and the owner made to pay fees and answer questions enoh as he has not been calle I on t> answer since the day he was confirmed.”

To Applicants for Land. —lt often occurs that considerable trouble and vexatious delay occurs in the Lind Office through applio mts for sections being ignorant of the terms of the agreement they sign. To make the point perfectly clear the exact words of the agreement signed by each applicant tn »y be here reproduced :—“ In consideration of the receipt by the within named Commissioner of Crown Lands on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen of the within application made by me, I hereby agree with Her Majesty that immediately on being notified by the said Commissioner that my application is successful I will pay to (he Receiver of Land Revenue the deposit r qnired to be paid uncLr smiion 63 of the Land Act, 1893, in respect of said application.”—Times.

Bribery and Corruption. —A cablegram says : —“ Rowdy scenes occurred at an antiParnellite convention in Ireland. Mr Hedy read correspondence showing th it the Liberal whips had offered £2OO annually to the occupants of four Irish seats if thev would consent to bo considered Liberals if not Home Rulers. Mr Dillon denounced Mr Hoaly as a traitor for making this on die.” It is scarcely a liberal act to temot men to sell themselves and their country, and the adoption of such tactics is an outrage on the Irish Party, as it is calculated to produce discord

The best medicine known is Sandhc and Son Ecoalypt-Bytbact. Test its eminently powerful effects in coughs, colds, influenza 1 The relief is nstan'.aneous. In serious cases, and accidents of all kinus, be they wounds, barns, scalding-), bruises sprains, it is the safest remedy—no swelling—no inflammation. Like surprising effects produced in croup, diphtheria, Bronchitis, inflammation of the lungs, swellings, &e. ; darrhoea, dysentry, disease of the kidneys and urinary organs. In use a hospitals and medical clinics all over the globe patronised by His Majesty the King of It is orowned with medal and diploma at the in'-er national Exhibition, Amsterdam. Trust in ihe ved articles and reieit all others.

The Imperial Parliament will reassemble on August 13, Stnddart completed 1000 runs in first-class cricket on Saturday. The Soanish troops deferfcel insurgents in Cuba with a loss of 330. The Spanish casualties numbered 50. A twelve furrow plough is pronounced t be a success in Victoria. It is worked by eight horses, and it is alleged that 17A acres are being turned over in a day. Mr Earushaw considers that never within tho last 14 years has depression been so severely felt in Otago as now, an 1 yet the Governors’s Speech says to the contrary. Mr Walker, of the New Zealand Alliance’ thinks that colonial prohibition will be in force throughout tho calony within five years.

Of 4178 couples married in New Zealand during 1894,1105 were between the ages of 31 and 35,1535 between 35 and 30, and sis of 70 years and upwards.

At Auckland Frank Messenger and Frederick James Hales have been committed for trial for allege attempted suicide—one by taking match heads, and the other chlorodyne. A conspiracy has been discovered at Moscow, and eight arrests effected, including six recentjy-pardonec} Nihilists. The Czar rewarded the police by a distribution of £2OOO among thsm, J Harrington, fireman on board ibo Mawhera, obtained a verdict for £350 at Wellington against the Harbour Biard for injuries received by tripping over a switch on the railway wharf. James Reid, zJlas Burns, who w»s arrested in Dunedin charged with being concerned in the recent robbery of gold from tho Christ’ churoh Museum, has been committed for trjal,

A cyclone has devastate I 200 miles of country in Missouii. Forty-thive poraous were killed and several million dollirs’ woith of damage done. Ann nbor of building* ha 1 the roofs torn off. In Chicago many deaths are reported.

A oro ninent bimetallist draws the Evening Star’s attention to the fact that since a rise in silver was ann nncej there has been an uoward tendency in the va’ua of all products. He maintains that the one circumstance is the inevitable consequence o£ the oi her.

Oscar Wilde is now being educated in the importance of being punctual. He is doing his six hours a day on the treadmill, and has to lift his feet to the time or ho will know the reason why. Such circu matanoes oughr, to be favourable for the maouf totaling of paradoxes.

At Christchurch the signalman at the Heals notices! a small vess 1 dr fting about in an aimless way and the tug was B°nt out an l returned with the vessel, which is the ketch Ann e, trading between the Peninsula and Heathcote. It wis waterlogged and there is no sign of the crew of two rasn. Persms travelling on thi railway shou’d bo very car -ful in looking after their parcels. On riamrday forenoon a resident of Port Chaim ms placed a largo p aval on the rack i n ono of the carriages, and while conversing with another pisnenger at the en I of the carriage betw ten R ivoasbourno an I Dunedin tho parcel ha 1 lisiopetra 1. —dtar. The Salisbury Governraint an disc Hinting the resu't of the forthcoming general election. They have shown so muon cire in filling up all the portfolio! and other offices pertaining to a fu'ly organised Government that they evidently count upon the elections going in their favor. Joseph on the Roof. fo»then : List Suudav, dear child, wo rea l about Joseph anl Pharaoh. What was done to Joseph ? Toram^: He was milt to si on the roof. W by. Tommy, what do you mean by such nonsense? Well, you read thit Ph traoh set Joseph over his house.

IN ORDER THAT ANY MEDICINE Shoul 1 achieve the results whioh it is given tt. produce, it must he easily iisdmilabla to tho slomaeh, Wolfe’s Schnaopi is such.