MISCELLANEOUS.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 23, 28 January 1888, Page 6

MISCELLANEOUS.

THe Qear Meat Company's report; and baian'ce-shee,fc were adqpte^, Wd WViaend of 10 p?r pent, declared. tte Wellington. QQ^niibte? for the Meh boujnfl Pxhi^itiqQ have decided, tq jnvite the Mayors, Presidents oi Chambers of Commerce and industrial Associations to co-operate to form local committees for the Melbourne Exhibition. Constable Luke McDonald, of the water police force, ha.s been awarded the honorary bronze medal of the Humane Society for his humane exertions qn March 31stlast, when he jumped from the Railway Wharf and saved a man from drowning.

The Dunedin Tram Company made a profit of £3,559 last year. They have declared a 3 per cent, dividend, carrying forward £307, balance going to write off concessions and goodwill account. John Galbraith, member of a Government survey party, left his camp between Opotiki and Gisborneon Christmas morning, intending to go to Gisborne, and has not since been heai'd of. The project for the representation of Dunedin at the Melbourne Exhibition has fallen through pwing to lack of interest and the. fact, that Government will only grant £25. "»* The Equitable Building Society of Wellington have paid a 10 per cent, dividend. Sir' Charles Mitchell, Governor of the Leeward Islands, left Wellington on Deoember 9, fprMelboui^ne. '

A further concession for 15 years has been granted to the proprietors, of the Wellington city tramways. ; ' The Christchurch City Council are con* sidering the electric lighting question. During 1887 there were slaughtered at the Belfast Freezing Works (Christchurch), 226,763 sheep and lambs, 242 cattle, 275 pigs, an increase of 51,379 sheep and lambs and 22 cattle over the previous year, and withjn 20,000 of being double the number of sheep and lambs killed during 1885. Firth's new mill, which will start wprk shortly, is capable of turning out 60 tons of •flour every 24 horns'. The mill will b^ the most extensive and complete, of the kind in the Australasian colonies.

The Sydney Seamen's Union the other night voted £350 to the New Zealand branch of the federation, to assist them in opposing the Northern Steamship Company. W TellingtPn bicyclists have decided to form a Cycling Club, and take steps to form a track.

The Secretary to the Northern Clu,h, Captain Daveney, has resigned. Mr Chadwick, of Tauranga, has proposed to the Government that 5,000 acres of land, having a frontage to Tauranga harbour, should be reserved tor the settlement of Indian military settlers.

The Mayor is waiting a reply from Sir George Grej befpre fixing the date of open ing of tjhe Art Gallery. During the laß.li three months of 1887 over 142 tons pf potatoes grown in the Borough oi Onehunga were shipped South. During tysb ye^r 19,7*18 sheep were frozen a,t the. Southland Frozen Meat Works.

It ia rumoured on. good authority that the Clause in the Act, last session, prohibitfurther borrowing for 3 years is so worded as to prevent the floating of either the North Island Trunk Railway Loan, or the Million Loan of last session until the clause is altered. -

Letters of administration in the estate of the poet Domett were issued recently to his) stepson, Major George, of Auckland, The vftjue, of the persona) estate in England is sworn at £4,340. Jphu L. Sullivan intends to visit Australia, and New Zealand.

New Zealand Sugar Company have advanced the prices pf sugar JOs per ton for Nos. 1 and 2, and £1 per ton for No. 3 and A. ,* . ■■ ..

TJie:French, cnjisexFabext, which left Melbourne op the sth January, ha.s arrived^ in Otago Harbour. The New Zealand Insurance Company and A.M.P. Society are erecting palatial buildings of Oamaru stone at Dunedin, Dunedin financiers believe that the New Zealand million loan might be raised in the colony.

It is affirmed that a loan for, say three years, for a million could be got ia New Zealand at par at 5 per cent. As the new loan is, not expected to realise more in England than 96 or 97, it is stated there would be a saving of between £30,000 and £40,000.

It js understood^ that from the Ist February the hburs of attendance required o f officers of th« Civil Service will be from nine to five. ,

A deserter from the Nelson, who was arrested in Auckland while the fleet was here, was tried by court-martial at, Wellington on Jan. H, and sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment. At Kawakawa lately, a tug of war took place between 12 Maoris and 12 pakehas. After great efforts on bqfrh sides with varying success, victory was declared for the Maoris.

Quartz specimens discovered at the Upper Waihou, Hokianga, have been forwarded to the Bank of New Zealand, and to Mr George Fraser, for testing by assay. MrT. E. Corkhill, o f the Bajikpf.Ne*? Zealand, who spent h{s Christmas holidayp at the Hot .Lakes, reports that Rotomahana is now much larger tihan of old, apparently receiving the whole pi the drainage of country to the south of it.

Auckland Tramway Company compels all its employees to insure against accident with the Accident Assurance Society. (the fiftieth anniversary of the introduction of the Catholic iaith into this colony will occur shortly.

The Wellington Commissioners for the Melbourne Exhibition have received, a telegram that their endeavours to get a representative collection of New Zealand grown woods have, so far as the South Island, is concerned, been crowned with signal success.

Onehunga Woollen Factory has been successfully lighted with 30 Edison-Sch wan elecferio lamps of 20 candle power each. The work was carried out by Mr A, B,qp.k&vt, electrical engineer. Inspector Wejdon, of Otago, wjU probably be asked to retire shortly, but no official intimation has been conveyed to him that he is to be superannuated. The nuniber of police inspectors is considered to be top large, and Weldon, Shearman and pn.e or twb others will, in all probability, have to; retire. . •

An excellent return has resulted; frpm a crushing of 16 tons of quartz brought in by Messrs Blaekmore and Ruffins fripm t^e Manaia. ' -The 15 tons ' was put through a,t the Corby tjattery and yielded 100 ounces of gold. This is the secpnd good crushing- from the satne district, pi'ovi^g that the bounty is worth a good trial.

The " Bay pi Plenty Times " spates that the result of the test recently made from Katikati quarts shovyed gold, byt not in quantities to pay. As the test, was merely tiken from the surface it is tnougiit payable gold may be got at, a,nd a san^pl^ of stuff from a lqwer level wjll shortly be got ou,t and sept f°r testing. An aiqminated address w^s presented to the Bishop of Waiapu by th.c clergy of Hawke's ? previpus, to his departure to attend the 31amb.eth Conference. " llrMeGuirie,' contractor, Auckland, is, the successful tend^rgr,| fi r the Te Aro Eecl'amation, Wellington—a £40,000 job. Atjout X 5. pins of ore will be sent from thp Ciwyi) ra.ine, Karangahake, to London, for special treatment. It is reported tliat a new seam of coal has been, discovered i n " thg Kawakawa coal mine, Byussell. It js at present four feet wide but dpes iipt fqllovy the same coarse as other seams in tJie lpine. Mr^iacjcay, jSoyernHigntgeologist, visited Fernridge, Masterton, qn Jan. 'l4and is satisfied of the existence of a valuable limestone formation, also cpa,} and other mineral? iotb^n^|S[hJP9^99cft

The- New Zealand Exhibition Commissioners have cabled to Melbourne for more space. Mr. W. A- Graham has received $ letter from a Germa,n firm offering to provide onehalf the capital to start a sugar beet factory in Waikato, to be repaid fy pa,id up, shares if the other half of the capital t? found locally, and the farmers, are wiflin* to give a two-years' guarantee for thQgroMftK of the roots;

The Remington-Lee rifles were generally condemned by all who used then* at Oamaru on January 10. Wh^le one rifle was being fired It was rendered useless. The mechanism jof the lock was much injured., aopd part of th,e woodwork blown off, while the marksman had his eye injured. Out, of thirtjf-ijve cartridges used: by Lieut.-Qol. Suh^pt^P, five missed fire; two other shots falling;£|)tarfr at 200 yards. The. weapon is generally distrusted all over the colony, andithaa been resolved not to use them at tho anproaohing meeting of the N.Z, Ritle Association.

The city valuation for Wellington amounts to £290,033 being a,n increase of £14,082 on: the previous year. 368 new rateable buddings have been erected in the city dflrinj? the year. Within the last ten years 10,058 new buildings have been erected,, and their value has increased by £83,209. The water valuation of las,t year increased by £16,602. If the rates are the same as last) year the municipal revenue will be £1,950 more. A locally-manufactured violin, the handiwork of Mr J. M. Shearer, of Kohukqhij, Hokianga, is on view afc Mr Ea^y'ai Music Warehouse. The violin is made, of kahikatea and rewarewa, which woods have been found to be suitable for the musical properties required, aii& lfc $9 stained, varnished and finished iii first-class style. There are two other violins by the same maker, but composed of pycamoro an 4 white S wins pine. All three violins have been tested by experts and pronounced to ba superior in many respects to the ordinary run of imported violins.

Tjiere is to v be a chapjpafinithjßJtiQumi bency of Sb Alban's, as tho Rev. Mr 4 , Phillips is lquving for England. The Rev, Mr Cockerton, of Helensville, will hold sqr-i vices on alternate weeks at St. Alban's and Helensville. The restoration of the Wellington Post Office will be proceeded with jn a few days, the tender of It. H. Carmichael, of Chriatchurch, having been accepted. - < the amount is about £14,000. The of Wesllington Cripketj Association hag received a letter from MeU bourne stating that it will be impossible for Yernon's cricket team to visit New ZealandMr E. W, Burton, eeliaifcqr, of thia-oity, wrote Borne time a^q tQ §ir Fpedoriok Bql: lock, the e4ltqr pf tjh& ''Law Quftrteriy Revjew." with whiQh paper Mr Burtqii corresponds, calling attention to the Hall ppisoning case at Tiroayu, md fQmarding a report of it. Sir Frederick haa replieq under date October 24th last, stating that a frien4 of his intoMed to review the case, Mr Burtop is at present engaged upon a,n article on "Imperial Federation" top $h.e " La\v Quarterly Review" . :-j

T|»e Waitara Ha,rb,our B.eajd.ha.y§ passed; the following resolution :— " That this Board declines to pay the rate flow demanded by the $Je.W Plymouth. Harbour Board, or any future rate demanded.'* Other locaj bodies are. likely t® adopt a similar .attitude, and serious complications are probatjle. Opposition is also being shown tq the, rate by sutlers, A batch; of 30 were summpned jn Qpurfc on Jan. 11 and other batches are. to follow.. |fc Jf asserted that the Crown lands in the district wiU b.e unsaleable unless I SflmeJ relipi }a< afforded by the Gpvernmenti.. ... are, already being token in connection with th,e eleotion o| yceoaiog «©mmiiitees, which will be held t*h,ig wpnih". .We understand th^Ji the publieaoa' party are 4esjroua of avoiding- any contest this yearj and, have wa^e overtures to ]SJr Jpseph Newjman vith the object of off^ctiijg a compromise, a.t the same time sub|»iiito4:W namet ©f five, gentlemen whom th§y would be. preparsd'fo' accepti as a, CQmn^itjtee for all the d;ißtriet^ and which are as foUows, :~MtSi?rß H, ,F. Anderson, J. Winks, Q. 3§. Button^ Gewge "\vinstone, and Joseph Newman. Thfee qf these gentlemen are Blue. Ri.kfcpnitejii, fbe proposed comproniise hag not yet been considered, but ife will receive due a,fct§nt}o:&. The Auckland Tramway Company are making considerable preparatapna for the next football season. A Une gi rajhj hog been completed from Newmarke|.JiQ Patter's paddock, which is now the property of the Company, §nd a, large and sp§cfpiig im*shed and have be^p erected in jbhe south-eastern qbrner pf jt, while twp neat cottages are nearly finisgejd,; An pnplo stack of hay attests the productjiv§pejß. pf the soil, and will lessen ths Cgmpft^yrfs qutjlay for fodder. The ground seems to, bjsiin first.cl^ss condition, and pad^flfiliprqmises to become a most popular resort fop athletic spprts qnd g^mejg. • " The warm weather is beginning to ni^ke a gqod record qf victors tufa tih^ yreßJ^^ater Public BaLths. The average number of visitors now is abput 300 d§i}y, The total for last November was 1,195, and for December 4,5^7. The largest number tih^fsvqr.viiited the baths during one month was 10,?26 hi January, JBB6. The ; smallest record fpr~ a month was 54 in the winter of ]$%, the lowest monthly attendance during last winter being 159.

It was staged |n th,e, WMUne|o« R.^[ t Court on January 11 (wirejj 6ur cprresr pondent) that hares were becoming quite as much a nuisance in the Wellingtoiii aisfcrijbt as rabbits were in Wairarapa.. Ssitilerswgr^ complaining that all their grass was being eaten up by these pests, anovthey cqu/cl nol get enough feed for their cattle In co'tiger quence. Hares were* protected' by" the Animals. Protection Act, whereas facilities should be afforded for destroying theiiJ- : Qn January 10, a fire occurred a^ a large house in Woreester-atre.eti, "Gfjr&tT ohurtih, belonging to Dr. Wilkinq, and ofet cupied by l^lrs 'Hapris. The " bqilldWg was insured for £900 in 1' National, The damage is esfeimateol at £400. "Tjiq furniture waß insured for £710 fn the Lbh don and Lancashire j damage £350,

A few $*$* 9if{9, whilst * walking along j£a,rangaha.pe Road, a lady wets heard re r parking in an excitant nmnnGr, "Wha| does thia grea* e?owd of people moan ? Is j^ theß^l%»^pi\ I wbftdoypf "Indeed, no," said her fpispa; «I tpouglit you krievv. It is D. MgicPherson's genuine cash stocktekjng sale of drapery, etc., that is creating pj^ch. a sensation, and I heap thftt on < &afcur< day ftn4 MQ pday next he will make a special show, and bold a clearance of all remnants of blackand coloured cashmeres and merinoes at desperate prices, Poq't forget to yfil I ! j i-(5toW;)-:' i^ y siao : '■■:",;/'- ••;;_,..■;,- -^ : Choice things |n yisftej, 9ftm fellM 18 * ■^n^ short fe^te'at grattly W9P9 pjw« c!«»r«nc« e»ie for ooe »«$ fW'^t^^VTt