Minor Matters.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIII, Issue XVI, 14 October 1899, Page 671

Minor Matters.

The Christchurch Stipendiary Magistrate acknowledged himself in a quandary the other day concerning the treatment of a lad charged with vagrancy. According to the ‘’Press,” the youth, turned eighteen, of fair hair, and light physique, and with a bad arm. having cultivated the ready assurance and listless manners of his associates, admitted being destitute of means and without prospects. Mr Beetham said he was very reluctant to semi him to gaol, which would possibly do him no good, and thought for an alternative. In this he was assisted by the representative of the Salvation Army, who offered to take the lad, but the accused declined the opportunity, aud with more energy than he had answered any previous question, replied that he did not want to go to -the Army. “Which would you rather do?” queried the Magistrate, in some surprise, “Go to the Army, or go to gaol?” and received the prompt, unhesitating rejoinder, “I’d sooner go to gaol.” Even then His Worship hesitated, and finally decided to give him a chance of trying to provide himself with sufficient lawful visible means of support.

Several local trout fishers have requested the Wellington "Post” to draw attention to a matter, the importance of which will be recognised by those who have the best interests of the sport at heart. There are very few rivers in this island stocked with rainbow trout, the principal being the Okoroire, Makuri, and Mangatainoka. The difference of opinions as to when rainbow trout, spawned has given rise to a great deal of controversy in America and other countries, as to whether the opening of the season for brown trout should be on the same date as that for rainbow. Last Sunday Messrs Hankins and Wilford fished in . the Mangatainoka stream, and caught some fine fish, but they were found to be full of eggs; therefore it seems certain that the fish are at the present time spawning. It would be well if fishermen took notice of this fact, and left the Mangatai.npka severely alone for a month or so, for it is. pretty certain that so far as that river is concerned spawning takes place later in the season. It is also suggested that the authorities might consider the advisableness of opening the season for rainbow trout at a later date in the future. 4> 4> 4-

Large shoals of houki-houki (says the Kaikoura “Star”), a fish closely resembling frostfish, have lately visited the shores about Kaikoura. Food in the shape of herring' has been the attraction. North and south of the Peninsula residents have obtained a considerable quantity of the fish during daylight, but the other night a number of townspeople had some rare fun in catching them. So thick were the houki that it was not a difficult matter to land them by hand alone.

A young lad wrote a letter to the editor of a paper asking him for an easy berth. He replied as follows: — “You cannot be an editor; do not try the law; let alone, all ships, shops and merchandise; abhor politics; do not practise medicine; be not a farmer or a mechanic; neither be a soldier nor a sailor. Don’t work, don’t study; don't think; none of these are easy. Oh, son, you have come into a hard world. I know of only one easy place, and that is an inspectorship under our alleged Liberal Government.” 4t 4» 4> “I need not assure you,” said a wellknown aeronaut to a writer in the last issue of “Chums,” “that it requires downright nerve to drop one’s physical organism earthward front a balloon, at a height of a mile or two above the ground. I have done this 31 times. I performed the feat at first with abundance of courage—much more than I now possess; for I confess that the more descents I make the less heart 1 have for them. No, I have never met with a serious accident, for which I am indebted to good fortune, f jr with the best parachute ever made a fatal accident is likely to happen at any time. The danger is not so much that the parachute might give way as it is that the manner of descent is so peculiar. Few people understand that a descent is not uniform', but that it

consists of a series of downward piunges and arrests of speed quite sufficient to try the nerve of the most fearless aeronaut. I once had a ’• histle fixed in the orifice at the apex of my parachute. This whistle, ly emitting piercing shrieks high in the air, heralded my approach to terra firma far and wide. Most parachutists, when they first descend, give themselves up for lost. They release themselves from the balloon and—drop like a stone! Just as they are thinking of the debts they haven’t paid, and the promises they haven’t, kept—heigh, presto! trie parachute opens and the fall is checked. Then begins a sensation, too, as if the top of one’s head were about to fly off; and this, with the loud rushing of the air from under the wings, aud the yell of the whistle, if you have one. creates for the nerves a confusing state of things for the first four osfive seconds. I have co ne down hard, come down soft, on to the roofs of houses, into the middle of rivers. This is the worst of parachuting—you cannot choose your place for alighting. t)nce I fell on a hive of bees. Luckily, there was a cottage in front of me. I entered hurriedly— need I say, without permission?”

Two remarkably brief idylls of married life came under the consideration of his Honor Mr Justice Denniston in divorce in Christchurch last week. In one the parties only lived together three weeks, and in the other six. In that of Warren v. Warren, the parties started on their married life with somewhat of a handicap. The lady, who was a widow, had six children, and the swain seven. The lady complained to his Honor that when her husband was courting her he told her he had only three children, whereas, after they were married, he, to use her own words, “ produced seven children from amongst his relations.” His Honor made an order nisi for the dissolution of the marriage in this case. ♦ 4> 4"

Devotees of Lady Nicotine who would feel lost without their accustomed pipe, will perhaps pity the plight of the inmates of the Wanganui Old Men’s Home. It appears from the report of the matron that the supply of tobacco for the inmates had run out. She stated that the members of the Board had subscribed 16/ to buy pigs with, which, after being fattened at the Home, were sold at a profit of £6 6s. This sum had been expended in providing tobacco for the 26 inmates of the Heine who indulged in the luxury of the weed. Mrs Stewart added that she had no prospect of receiving further funds from outside sources, and asked the Board to vote a sum of money for the purchase of tobacco. She estimated that £26 would be required to supply the inmates for twelve months. Should the sympathy of any reader of the “Graphic” rise to the point of sending- a few sticks or coins for the purchase of the same, the Editor will see that it is forwarded and acknowledged. 4> 4> 4t

A mining journalist from a London paper during the time of the Auckland boom, caused considerable commotion by stating in his report of a then famous property that he had never seen valuable agricultural land so spoiled. It would now seem that agricultural land is going to produce gold in real interest. According to the “ Clutha Leader” the gold dredging mania continues to rage with unabated fury. Instead of mitigating it seems still to be on the increase and new avenues for enterprise are dailyopening up. For example a number of farmers along the river bank between Balclutha and the ocean have become firmly impressed with the conviction that certain portions of their farms, flats and old river beds, would give better returns by dredging than by cropping. There is an area of about 100 acres of such flats aud old channels on Messrs Melville and Stevens’ farms. Fair prospects of gold were obtained in this area years ago, but with the appliances then in use, it was doubted whether the working of the ground would prove payable. Since the advent of the new and powerful dredges, it is lielieved that the whole of the old water courses and flats referred to could be wrought with profit. We (the “Leader") understand steps have been taken with a view to a thorough

examination by experts and should their reports prove favourable the ground will at once be taken up on dredging claims.

A Home paper gives details of a romantic marriage of a patient in St. Thomas's Hospital. The bridegroom came up from the country to seek work in London, and fell in love with his landlady's daughter. Then came an interval when he was away* as a stoker. He returned to Ixtiidon—the girl always faithful —and got work in an iron foundry, where he mot with a terrible accident, necessitating his removal to St. Thomas’s Hospital. The broken limbs were bandaged, and many ways he did well, but there was a something which baffled the doctors and nurses. This turned out to be his strong wish to be married — the girl was equally willing. "Au ambulance approached the bedside, and, all encased in plaster, and as rigid as an effigy in marble, the man was borne to a neighbouring church, where the ceremony was performed. And when the hand, softened to transparency by uon-usage and the gentle nursing' of months. was raised from thy recumbent form to place the ring on the finger of the ktieeling girl it. ■looked as if ’this Man.*-fob. -belonged to the past and was slowly awakening into life again. The ceremony ended, the little congregation was back Unto the world and reality. On the doorstep the patient's pi|x» was lighted, and he hail a good smoke for the first time for weeks and weeks. This was strictly according- to the |>eriniss>on of the hospital authorities. Then, on the way back there were two drinks in quiet places, well out of observation. This was also according to authority. And when the patient found himself once more in hospital he was congratulated right ami left. There was a magic in the ceremony that instantly ministered to Nature's needs, sometimes so baffling to the most skilful surgeon and the acutest physician. Nearly every day afterwards lie was able to see his wife, and every day marked an advance towards recovery, and the home in which this happy pair now find themselves."

Can a man maim poultry trespassing upon his land? was a problem discussed at a Wellington meeting of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animats. The question had, says the local evening paper, been raised by a resident at the Jftrtt, who had written to the Society ’ pointing out that his ducks had been in the habit of going up stream, and they went on the land of a neighbour, who fired shot at them, maiming some so severely that it took them four days to reach home. The complainant stated that he was prepared to give evidence in Court against his neighbour if the Society would take the matter up. The Committee of the Society deprecated needless cruelty, living of opinion that, if a man desired to shoot trespassing poultry he should shoot to kill, and not to maim. It was decided to consult the hon. solicitor as to whether there was a case for a prosecution.

“Cash up; no tick," might, thinks a Christchurch scribe, he inscribed above the main entrance of the Magistrate's Court, as the motto of that chamber of business in the City of the Plains. “The defendant hasn't the adjournment fee." communicated the Bailiff to the Magistrate, relating to a. case postponed on the defendant's application. “We can't do anything here without fees," replied His Worship, adding, “This is a ready-money shop.” The defendant produced the cash before the Court rose. 4* 4- 4'

Thus the “Western Star”:—Several Riverton ladies had their feelings outraged in a most disgusting and vile manner by the receipt of letters written on brown paper, the language employed by the allegedly human writer being such ns a brute would not use towards one of its kind, if it could speak. These letters were posted, and, from inquiries instituted, it appears that it is not the first time such a dastardly thing has been done. Upon conviction, the human skunk, who thus spreads his'or her offensive offal through the post-office, would receive ten years’ penal servitude, and detectives are going to try and find out the filthy person, that he or she might be taken somew here and be cleaned.