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Fair Play, Volume I, Issue 22, 1 June 1894, Page 11

Who first brought the sparrow to Now Zealand? The story goes that years ago the Canterbury Acclimatization Society was in the habit of paying bonuses to the captains of ships for bringing live birds to the colony. One captain brought out some sparrows and offered them to the Society, but they were rejected. Thereupon the skipper, somewhat annoyed and disappointed, tossed the birds, five in number, into the air, and from these five sparrows have descended the millions of this pest now hopping and flying about in New Zealand ! v The manhood of Onehunga (says the Auckland Observer), does not appear to be very much to boast about. Fancy a crowd of men being driven out of the Council chamber like a flock of sheep by one woman, and then standing in the street and boo-hooing and groaning at that one woman like a lot of scalawags. And insulting her and turning out the gas to annoy her, too Are there no men in Onehunga ? There is much that her Worship does that we do not approve of, but we fail to see why she should be persecuted by an ill-conditioned crowd of hoodlums in a town which should be under police control. Onehunga has resolved upon a female Mayor. It ought to be content with its choice. * * * A gorgeously got-up portrait of a certain official, who holds several lucrative offices under the Napier Town Council, was recently exhibited in a shop window in Hastings street. One night there was a crowd looking at it, when a young lady, who was

evidently greatly struck with the manly and noble, appearance of the effigy, enquired of a crusty old baohelor “ whose portrait that was,” pointing to the one referred to. " That ?” said the crusty one. “ Oh, that’s our Inspector of Nuisances.” The sentimental young lady vanished, terribly disillusionised. The portrait depiots the offioial in, his uniform as superintendent of the Fire Brigade, and is really a master-piece.

“ Fetoh me Roscoe on Evidence said a oolonial magistrate to the policeman on duty at the Court. “ Roscoe, ye’r warship, is it, ye wants ?” queriod tho official preparing to depart. “Yes; and see how quick you’ll be,” snapped the beak. The bobby hurried off. Five minutes after a scuffle was heard at the door, and the policeman entered dragging a strange looking and reluptant individual after him, one of whose chews was clean shaved, while the other bristled with a stumpy black beard, fleoked with lather and white foam. “ What is this ? Who is this man ? cried the magistrate. “ Mishter Roscoe, yer honour, said the bobby. “ 1 found him in the barber’s Bhop where he was getting a shave, but I towld him ye' wanted him at wanst, ana I dragged him here, half shaved as he was, to give evidence, as ye towla mo." The Court was crowded, and tho Bhout of laughter which followed these words nearly blew the roof off. Everybody present, except the policeman and his queer-looking witnoss, understood the ludicrous mistake that bad been made. Tho magistrate wanted the book Roscoe on Evidence from tho Court library, and the policeman misunderstood the order and brought a local resident, whose name was Roscoo, to the boak instead. After explanations and apologios, Roscoo was permitted to depart-to finish his shaving.

Harry Power, the comedian (that incorrigible joker) who is well-known in Maoriland, is at present appearing in Glasgow. Some years ngo Harry was running a lantern sYiow at Bulls, Rangitikei. He said he’d put on a view of Bulls as a wind-up to the entertainment. Of course this was the signal for loud applause, but when tho view appeared it was received with chilling silence. Appearing to bo groatly surprised, Harry stepped to tho front, glanced at tho screen, and said: ‘A thousand apologies, ladies and gentlemen 1 I intended showing you a view of Bulls. By a mistake the operator has given you a view of Cowes, Isle of Wight. But the error is a very natural one.’ The audienco roared. —Auckland Observer.

Sophia, tho renowned half-ca-ito who saved quite a number of-people at the Tarawera eruption, lives with the natives at Whakarewarewa. She recently rocoi ved a letter from her Majesty the Queen, but does not appear to be at all elated at the honor conferred on her- Upon being questioned on tho subject, shft replied, “o.h, but it i 3 only written by tho Lady of Honor with the Queen’s signature attached.” —Opotiki IJerald.

Dui ing 1898 applications for tho grant of British patents for inventions were more numerous than in any previous year, the number being 25,102.