There are suits amounting to millions pending against New York elevated railroads for damages by obstructions of light and air.

The Deputy-Coroner for North Hants, Mr Forster, has established a novel precedent, by fining himself for neglect of duty. He summoned a jury to hold an inquest, and then forgot the engagement and failed to attend. On the following day he apologised to the jurymen and witnesses, and said that as he had the power to fine a juryman for being late, he thought it only fair to fine himself. Mr Forster then proceeded to fine himself two guineas, which were sent to the Guildford Hospital.

Mr Stone, Director of the Radcliffe Observatory, has just published his report upon the observations of the parties of astronomers who, in December, 1882, were scattered all over the world to watch the transit of Venus across the sun's disc, which took place on the Bth of that month. Expeditions for this purpose were sent out by the British Government to Jamaica, Barbadoes, Bermuda, the Cape, Madagascar, New Zealand, and Brisbane, and at all these places save Brisbane satisfactory results were obtained. In addition, the Colonies equipped stations in Canada, Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, Queensland, New Zealand, Mauritius, Natal and the Cape. The object of the observations was to determine as accurately as possible the distance of the sun from the earth. The results show the distance to be 92,560,000 miles, with an uncertainty of 250,000 miles.

The Duke of Edinburgh received an address in Englißh from the Municipality of Cadiz on the occasion of his recent visit, in which he was welcomed as "most egregious Prince," and eulogised " as friend and ally " by the ancient city of " Gades," whose population, he was assured, was preparing " a lively reception " for him ! Trafalgar was alluded to as " a quarrel of brothers," but " the two warlike and stubborn nations are now united in a brotherly embrace." The address concluded : — " God save the valorous and virtuous Duke of Edinburgh ! God save the son of the most powerful Queen of the world I God preserve the fleet and her brave crew 1"

The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have addressed a letter to the Bishops of the British Colonies and dependencies calling their attention to the evils of the drink traffic amongst the Native races. The prelates say they have felt it their duty to bring under the notice of the Colonial Bishops the painful accounts that have reached them concerning the prevalence of drunkenness amongst the weak and uncivilised peoples of the globe, and to assure the latter of their warmest and earnest sympathy in any efforts they may see fit to make to deal with the serious difficulty. The Colonial Episcopacy is told that it may possess the means of influencing 1 the different Legislatures ; it can do much to form public opinion ; and it can make it plain to all men that the Church is not, and never can be, indifferent to this great sin.

Colonel Elwood Cooper, the largest olive grower and manufacturer of sweet oil in the world, has given a reporter some interesting points about his business. " Santa Barbara is the great olive country of the United States and of the world, " said the prosperous grower. " But they can be raiaed all the way from San Luis Obispo to San Diego. I hear of a few trees in Georgia, but there is nowhere else in America that they are produced except in California. I have 100 acres now of olive trees, eighty of which are bearing. I began in rather a small way in 1873, and have planted from 1000 to 3000 trees each winter ever since. It takes the trees from four to six or seven years to bear. I expect to make from my present crop from 20,000 to 25,000 bottles of oil. Yea, there is the biggest sort of a market right here at home for every bottle that can be made. California can't begin to produce the tenth part that is required. The present crop is very good. The trees are in fine condition and ara bearing well, I employ 30 men steadily, and a good deal of the

time I have from 60 to 70. I am engaged largely in raising nuts, too. What kind ? English walnuts and almonds. They are not go profitable as the olives — abill they go very well with them. This year I shall raise at

least 10 oar-loads of English walnuts and four or five of almonds."

The London correspondent of the Dunedin Star writes : — The unscrupulous conduct of Mr Stead, of the Pall Mall Gazette in his

(fortunately) futile attempt to let loose upon society that interesting murderer, Mr Israel Lipski, is, I am glad to observe, meeting with universal reprobation. Never were the utterly reckless and scandalous tactics of the socalled "new journalism" more conspicuously exposed. From iirst to last the ' Pall Mall Gazette's sole end and aim seem to have been to keep the public excitement at boiling point. What matter if sensational statements made one day had to be withdrawn the next, or if important assertions relative to what the Judge or the Home Secretary thonght were contradicted as soon as published. They furnished pretexts for interviews, inquiries, etc., and enabled Mr Stead to gratify to the full his splenetic hatred of Mr Matthews. Fortunately Lipski brought this edifying "sensation" to a premature conclusion by confessing his guilt. But for that we should certainly have had Mr Stead hammering on about " the young martyr " for weeks to oome and reourring to "this appalling judicial murder " whenever opportunity arose. The confession — coming as it did right on the top of a most pathetio plea in the Pall Mall Gazette for this " much injured young exile" — would have completely crushed a journalist of ordinary calibre. Fortunately Mr Stead's epidermis is like Major Bagster's — " tough, sir, dayvelish tough."