MISCELLANEOUS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 93, 23 April 1891, Page 6

MISCELLANEOUS.

A twenby-two mile section on the Otago Central railway to Middlemarch will be opened at the end of the month. The Standard Accident Insurance Com.

pany, a new company in this line of busi ness, is just starting in Auckland.

At the Dunedin Hospital Dr. Gordon McDonald experimented with Dr. Koch's tuberculine on a consumptive. He reports, the usual reaction has been produced.

A despatch received from the Admiralty, containing the regulations under which naval cadetships in the British Navy may be obtained, was published in Thursday's " Gazette." Last month the." King Country " natives brought into Kihikihi, Waikatc, 10,000 rabbit skina, for which they received the usual Government bonus of 3d per skin—a total of £125.

A shock of earthquake lasting several seconds was felt in the Masterton district; at thirty-six minutes past lour p.m. on April 7th. The direction appeared to be from north to south.

A farm in Taieri (Otago) which was sub* divided in eight small farms, was sold by auction and ranged in price from £27 15s to £15 12s per acre..

Tho Government have refused to pass the voucher for Judge Edward's salary sineo Murch 31st, on the ground that no money has been appropriated for the purpose.

The Wellington Board of Health held a meeting to consider the advisability of declaring American ports infected in consequence of the influenza, bub it was decided that sufficient information was wanting to enable them to act.

The Feilding band contest resulted as follows :—Wellington Garrison, 78 points, 1; Gray's, 73, 2; Feilding, 66, 3; Marton, 56, 4; Palir.terston, 50, 5, The Garrison Band gained on tbeir own selection. Gray'a made the most points in the test piece, in which the Garrison and Feilding tied for second place.

The Denniston unemployed miners, to whom the Minister of Public Works gave one oi the sections of the Mokihinui railway at the usual rates, are preparing to take up the contract. The Westport unemployed have set to work on three sections eiven to them, the work being carried on under the co-operative system.

The arrivals in the colony during March were 1.172, and the departures 1,980; 583 came from New South Wales, and 1,155 went there; 136 came from the United # Kingdom, against 219 who went there; 10Chinamen went away.

The secular cantata, "Australia," by Mr Luscombe Searelle, was performed by the Cbristchurch Musical Society at the Cliristchurcb. Theatre Royal on April 16, under the direction of the composer, with great success. The music is bright v.nd pleasing. There are some tuneful solos and effective choruses. The solos were taken by Mrs Luscombe Searelle (soprano), Mrs W. P. Townend (contralto), Mr H. Weir (bass), Mr P.. Trist (tenor). Mr Searelle was organist.

Ngauruhoe,. the volcano, has been in violent eruption lately, and on Monday, 23rd of March, a terrific explosion took place on the south-western side of the cone. Ever since the mountain has been vomiting clouds of steam. The explosion on the date named took place about noon, and later in the day there was a heavy fall of enow. The appearance' 61 "ihe volcanic peak ha 3 been considerably altered, by the eruption. The news, which coiaea through the Chief Surveyor, was sent in a letter from Mr C. Clayton, surveyor in the Taupo district.

The Kakanui Relief Fund Committee ab Dunedin have adopted a report drawn up by a sub-committee, in which a plan was proposed for allocating the fund on the basis of £1,980 being collected under it. _ A certain sum is put down for each, ranging from £319 for Mrs Nordeen and £297 for Morgan's children to £1610s for Mrs Cowan. Cash is to be paid to Mrs Best and others, while the allowance of others will be given in weekly payments, which will expire in about eight yeari A trust deed is to be prepared. The fund will thus exhaust it6elf. ■

When the petition to the. Harbour Board requesting the reconsideration of their decision to erect gates at the wharf was presented ab the Board's meeting laet week, Mr Butcher moved that the prayer of the petition be granted. Mr Dignran seconded. Mr Devore spoke in favour of the motion. The public had not asked for the gates; on the other hand, here was a distinct pronouncement agaiusb them. Mr Houghton also spoke in favour of the erection. The motion was pub and carried by 7to 6. This practically means that the gates will not at present be erected.

News from Rotorua states that th e tourist traffic returns just collected by M r Malfroy show the number of visitors for the year ending March 31 to have been 2,590, being an increase of about 800 over the preceding year's returns. The value of the tourist traffic to the colony must be very great, with the certainty of increasing annually. Supposing that one-half of the above number are from foreign countries, and that they spend on an average £20 each in travelling, and hotel expenses, there is a clear distribution of about £26,000 foreign capital, a large amount of which the Government receive in the shape of railway fares and customs duties on goods.

The annual mealing of St. Stephen's Orphan Home was held on April 16 in the Schoolroom of that institution, Parnell. There were a number of subscribers present, and the chair was occupied by Bishop Cowie The annual statement of accounts waa read by Mr ;ft. Walker. The capital account at the beginning of the year was £13,539 5a 3d, and during the year £100 was received from the trustees of the late C. Ol Davis, but, owing to the Rawlinge defalcations, amounting to over £1,800, the balance carried, forward was only £12,843 7s 3d. The trust accounts included the savings of 33 children, £337 19s 9d. The following were appointed a committee for the ensuing year :—Messrs G. P. Pierce, T. W. Doonin, J. B. Stoney, R. Walker, and J. B. Gilfillan. On the motion of Mr Abbott, Messrs JSbenezer Waymouth and Jonas were appointed auditors. The following prizes were presented by His Lordehip Bishop Cowie :— Standard VI.: Elizabeth Rae, 218 marks. Standard "V.: Ernest Arnold, 190 ; Bertie Smith, 147. Standard IV.: Laurence Dunn, 236: Nellie Nazef, 233. Standard III.: Violet Wardell, 189; John Nazer and Frank Dowrick, 188. Standard 11. : Eva Wannop, 101; Samuel Burns, 100. Stan dard I.: Benjamin McPberson, 59: Florence Mason and Albert Newell, 57. The prizes given by the Board annually to the best all-round boy and girl in the school were awarded on the decision of the matron. The prize for the best girl in the school was won by Florence Whiting, whilst two boys were equal as the beat in their division, Walter Whiting and Donald Rae, both received prizes. The two special prizes for sewing, presented by Mr A. Kidd, were awarded as follows: — May Reynolds, Ist; Annie Ramage, 2nd. Three prizes for boot-mending were given respectively by Mr G. P. Pierce, Professor Carrollo, and the Mayor of Auckland (Mr Upton). They were presented to the following boye :—Robert Joughin, Ist; Harry Reynolds, 2nd; W. Somerville,.. grd.