We call attention to an advertisement of a sain of land at the Crown Landa Office, Dunedin, on Friday, January 19. The native flora is now in full bloom in the bush along the coast between Wiltshire Bay and the Nuggets. It is to be hoped some one will send a few bouquets for the Show next week. It is reported that a rabbiter at Parawa, near Athol, shot his wife on Monday evening. The Doctor at Winton, and a Constable from Gore had gone to the spot, but further parti* eulars are wanting. Mr John Crawford secured a basket of two dozen trout in the Omaru the other day. The fish weighed from lib to 41bs each. This Mr Crawford says was the most successful day's fishing he ever had. The dog tax is now due for the year 1883, and parties who may not register within fourteen days will be liable to prosecution. The fee fixed by the Council for dogs kept for stock and for destroying rabbits will be learned from an announcement elsewhere. The public will understand that no dogs are exempt from registration. Mr H. S. Reunert, local agent, has handed us the Norwich Union Fire Insurance Society's card and almanac for 1883. We have also to acknowledge receipt of a card and almanac issued this year by Messrs Mackenzie and Co., storekeepers, here. Both cards have been very artistically embellished, the latter containing * fine rural scene and a profusion of native ferns, flora, &c. We draw attention to an advertisement in our columns intimating that Mr Adam will lecture in the Church, Lovells Flat, on Friday evening. The subject of lecture will he 4 * A Week in Paris J' Mr Adam lately visited Paris and viewed those historical scenes which have rendered the seige of that city under the Communist's sa' bloody, and destructive to life and property. •••■■■■

The proprietor of one of the totalisators on the Melbourne Champion Race has absconded. L2OOO are owing to the winners. The police decline to interfere.

A lad named Thomson was drowned at Beaumont oh Tuesday last. The lad missed hia footing when attempting to jump on to the punt. His body has not yet been recovered.

There was not a single arrest in Dunedin on New Year's night, and the police only saw one man greatly the worse for liquor, but even he was quite able to take care of himself.

The various Victorian gold-mining companies during tbe past year paid dividends to the amount of L 863.000, being a large increase on the previous year. The quartz-mines paid L 665,000, and the alluvial L 298.000.

Letters received at Auckland state that amongst tbe passengers saved by swimming at the wreck of the steamer New England at Clarence Heads were the Rev. W. Watkiri, Principal of the Three Kings Institution, Auckland, and his father, the Rev. W. J. Watkin.

The Customs returns for the colony for the last month were LU3,395 ; the beer duty, L 7073. For the corresponding month of 1881 they were— Customs, L 128.88 1; beer, L 6598. For the niue months (from April to December inclusive) the Customs duties amounted to L 1.149,282, and the beer duty to L 55,495

The Treasury returns show that during the December quarter the revenue of New South Wales amounted to L 2.080,000,. 080,000, being an increase of L1 64, 0M) compared with the corresponding quarter of 1881. For the year just ended the total revenue was L 7,420,000, or an increase of L 704.000 on the year 1881.

i We have received a copy of " The North New Zealand Settler and Land Buyer's Guide," a monthly agricultural journal published at Auckland by Messrs T W. Hickson and Co. The work is very well printed and contains a large amount of matter both instructive, and interesting to settlers. It is well worthy the support of the agricultural community. Tue charge, postage paid, is only 6s 6d per annum.

The new Parliament of N. S. Wales opened on Wednesday. Mr E. Barton, one of the members for East Sydney, was elected Speaker, the re-election of Sir G. W. Allen boing negatived by the Opposition by 51 votes to 47. Sir Henry Parkes announced that the Ministry had tendered thei* resignation to His Excellency the Governor. It is expected that Mr Alexander Stuart will be summoned by Lord Loftus and charged with the formation of a usir Miuistry.

There must be some fine trout in the Puerua stream. We were shown a splendid fish by Dr Smith, last Saturday evening, which had been taken a short distance above the Puerua bridge by Mr MKiunon of the Puerua Hotel. This trout which was a male turned the scale at lOiJlbs, and is the largest we hare seen taken from any of the streams in the Clutba. Mr M'Kinnon had made a prespnt of him to tbe Doctor and a very nice Christmas present it was While Mr A. Nicol was engaged rabbiting at Finegsind last week, he acoilent.illy disturbed a hawk behind a hedge near to the lagoon. On flying off the hawk dropped a fish which proved to be a perch, newly killed. Before the flood of 1878 Mr Shaw had placed a number of perch in the lagoon, but had not seen any of them since, and had come to the couc'usion they lud been carried away by the flood Mr Shaw also turned out a nuinbar of blackbirds a fpiw years ago, but had not seen auy since until last wick, when Mr Nicol discovered O'ie caught in one of his rabbit traps —pity.

We seldom hear complaints of the work j of larrikins in Balclutba, but it would seem wo are not altogether free of some specimens of the race. On Mouday morning it was discovered that the tap of one of the large water tanks at the railway station had been opened during the night, and that the whole of the watar had escaped. This might have proved very iuconvenient at a season when the engines were kept so busy, bub, fortunately, the full tank near by hnd not been interfered with. There was nothing smart in the trick which could only have been perpetrated by a very foolish fellow, too Billy to have any attention at the hand 3 of the police. Rev. Peter Milne, senior missionary to the New Hebrides from the Presbyterian Church of Otago and Southland, ia now on a visit to the Clutha district, and will conduct divine worship oc Sabbath first at Puerua md Port Molyneux at the usual hours. We understand that arrangements, have boen made for Mr Milne addressing Warepa congregation on Monday evening, that of Balclutha on Tuesday eve-; ning, and that of Inch Clutha on Wednesday evening. Collections in aid of mission buildings on Nguna will be made at all meetingß addressed by Mr Milne. This gentleman has now been twelve years missionary in the Npw Hebrides and must therefore have much iuteresting informatiou to communicate. We hope there will be large attendances.

Capt. Hay ward, Harbormaster, Catlins River, reports under date January 2 :— The number of vessels arrived during the past month was 17 equal to 744 tons register, and 13 sailed equal to 554 tons register. Nine Bailed fo Dunedin, two for Timaru, oue for Lyttelton, and one— the steam trawler " Jane " put in on a fishing cruise. Five loaded at the Catlins mill, five at the Owaki mill, and two with produce. The "Isabella" is loading at Catlins mill. The "Falcon," "Janet Ramsay," and " Prince Rupert " are waiting a chance out. The weather during the past month wag very fine until the holidays commenced, when we had our share of dirty wet weather, but as it is now fine, pleasure seekers have ample time to make up for previous disappointments. We trust it is almost unnecessary to remind our readers of the Clutha Horticultural Society's Show to be held on Friday next week, j We believe it will this year be more successful than upon any previous occasion. Hitherto some delay and confusion have been occasioned by so many exhibitors failing to make their entries till during the forenoon of the show day. To obviate this for the future the Committee have decided that no entries will be received from those resident in the township and immediate neighbourhood later than 10 o'clock on the day of the show. Those from the country districts can enter on the arrival of the forenoon trains by which they may travel. It would facilitate matters much if those in Balclufha would make their eutries on Thursday evening. T»> afford them an opportunity of doing so Mr Reunert, the Secretary, will be. in attendance at bia offioe during that.evenjng. : .

A Calif ornian salmon weighing over 1 41 b has been caught in the Makirikiri Stream, Wanganui.

Delegates from the various Educational Aapociations throughout the colouy mot in the Normal School, Chrißtchurch, on Wednesday, for the purpose of taking steps towards the formation of a New Zealand Educational Institute. There were present from Wellington — Messrs Young and Cole ; Auckland— Messrs Worthington and Adams ; Dunedin — Dr MacdonaH and Messrs Park, Fitzgerald and White; Tiraaru — Mr Ligertwooil ; lavercargill— Mr Gurr. Delegates from the Branch Associations throughout the colony were also expected. The only business done on. Wednesday was the passing of a resolution appointing a small committee to draft a scheme for discussion by the delegates. The European Mail has the following : —"A ghastly picture of th« results of Land League terrorism is supplied hy a summary of the recent proceedings before the Investigator of Claims for Compensation, under the Crime Prevention Acb. at Tralee. The scene, it is said, was enough to wring the hardest heart. There was the man with. his ears cut off, because he was f aithful in the discharge of his duty. . There was the man }in the prime of life with his hair permaturely branched and his arm lopped off. There was the aged man without.his leg, brought into court upon tha hack of his son, and placed wfth difficulty upon' the table to tell his 1 tile of woe. There were others . pierced with bullets, whose lives were saved by the interposition of Providence. Sad, almost incredible, spectacle in a civilised land !' H. J. Smith, for many years commercial traveller for Archibald Clark and Son?, warehousemen, Auckland, poisoned himself at his residence at the North Shore on Wednesday. He had been at the races with his wife, and seemed in good health. After hia return he went into hi 3 own room, and his wife on going in sometime afterwards found him lying down with two empty bottles of chloral beside him. She sent tor and applied the stomach pump, but unavailably, the patient dying soou aft.ervvards. It is not known whether it is a case of suicide or whether he had taken an overdose of tiie drug. No cause for suicide is known. At the inquest on the deceased, who formerly belonged to Christchurch, a verdict of death from natural causes was returned. The post mortem showed extensive disease of the heart.