SCINTILLATIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 4324, 25 March 1884, Page 2

SCINTILLATIONS.

Lady Jkkvois has arrived in Auckland,

Onohunga races on Saturday next. Parnell is to havo a Fire Brigade. Tho tramways aro to bo extended to Onehunga. Helensvillians want a sober doctor. £600 a year promised. " Bruddor Bonos " makes a collection for St. Thomas to-night. Yesterday was tho 36th anniversary of tho foundation of Otago.

A "religious banjo solo" was given recently at a Salvation Army meeting at Prahran.

Dunnlng's Opera Troupe leftDunedin for Chrietchurch yesterday. Her Majesty the Qneen Js to visit Germany next month.

Chemistry was introduced into Spain by the Moors about 1150.

In the drowning eases at Patoa, a vordict of " Accidental Death " was returned.

Tho Christchurch police would not allow Professor Payne to perform hie dangerous shooting feats. Ho proposed to shoot a cigar from a barmaid's mouth. Lithography was invented about 1796 by Sennefelder.

The first Christian burial-place was instituted in 596.

Loading of wheat is at a standstill at Lyttelton, though eight wheat ships are on tho berth.

Mr Hayter calculates that by the middle of 18SG Victoria and Now South Wales will have each a million of inhabitants.

"Lights o' London" still keeps the boards in Wellington, and its popularity is unabated.

Drs. Newman and Bullor, and Messrs Gisborne and W. B. Edwards are mentioned as probable candidates for the vacant Thorndon peat, Wellington. Suppositions speech of Sir Wm, Jervois on being presented with the first-fruits of Tauranga Cheese Factory on Saturday last —"That's the cheese I"

Edward 11. decreed that no person should wear furs of any kind who " could not spend " £100 a year. Hasting, of Wellington, won the mile raco yesterday at Dunedin Amateur Athletic Clob Sports. Tho bicycle races were won by F. A. Cutten. Thirty-eight different nationalities, each speaking its own language, which is foreign to all others, live under the sceptro of the Cznr.

The United States contain 116,000 miles of railroad, and are building over thirty miles'per day, and earning 550 dollars per mile.

Miss Einilie Melville, the celebrated vocalist, has filed her schedule with £1,000 of liabilities and £100 of assets.

The ship Mataura is loading frozen meat at Ihvercargill. A luncheon was given on board yesterday. On Sunday, 16th inst., a great fire took place at Brisbane, which destroyed Howard Smith's wharf, and caused a total damage of over £20,000.

Mr Edward Preston, author of " Unclaimed Money," writes to the London "Times," stating inter alia that a windfall awaits Stephen Hughes, of New Zealand. The coroner's jury at Patea yesterday recommended the railway authorities to Erovide lights on the wharf, and also lifeuoys and grappling-irons in case of emergency arising. Mexican banana-planters get three crops a year. The plant is cultivated far more easily than any grain or tuber in the northern latitudes, and the fruit is more nutritions.

From April 1, 1883 to February 1884—a Eeriod of ten months —2,754,915 .passengers aye travelled on the 1,395 miles of New Zealand railways—an increase of 4 1,423 over the corresponding period of last year. There was also an increase of 12,470 in parcel*, 141,282 in live stock, and 126, 298 tons in goods. Mr Guilders, Chancellor of the English Exchequer, in a recent address stated that, during th&paet three years there have been 556 motions in Parliament to (spend more money, and only 20 to spend leje money,