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Bruce Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 2624, 26 October 1894, Page 2

I Acknowledged — We have receivjd from the Goverment printer the Public Works Statement with tables and appendices ; the report in full of Waste Lands Committee upon the Pomahaka Eatate Purobase ; papers aLd reports relating to minerals an I mini g ; report npon Village Homestead Sattlemen'i by J. E. Marob, superintendent, and Ptber Parliamentary jpajpn-

Wool. -*Shear log baa been oommenoed in tbe Tapanui distriot. It is not general yet, however, only the rams and fat sheep being operated on so far. Fire.— A stack of oaten sheaves, belonging to Mr B. Reid, was burned on his farm ne_r Milton on Wednesday. Mr Reid and bie family were away in tbe afternoon and on returning the stack was observed to te on fire. The loss is estimated at £20. Tbe origin of the fire is a mystery. Presentation — A very pleasant ceremony took plaoe the other night, when the members of the North Branoh Qaadrille Assembly presented Mr D. Sinson, who acte ) as M.C during the winter, with a hand tome rookiog chair. Mr W. Farquharson made the presentation in a neat speech, the recipient suitably responding. Couldn't Help Himself.— ln moving that the amendments made by the Council in the Native Land Validation Bill be agreed to, the Hon. the Premier Baid on Monday that he bad to submit to the inevitable. One of the amendments was to the effect that Native Lands Court judges should be barristers. Singular.— The new drain recently cut at Kaitaugata between the railway and swamp road, in connection with the Matau Drainage Scheme, is proving quite a death trap for hares, no fewer than twelve having been drowned in it during the last fortnight. The drain is seven feet wide at the top, and it is supposed the hares jump Bhort when attempting to cross, and not being able to climb the sides are drowned. Fast Day. — Yesterday being the halfyearly Presbyterian Fast Day, was observed as a close holiday in Milton, all the shops being closed. Servioas were conducted in the Presbyterian churoh both morning and evening, there being large congregations at both services. The weather was splendid, and in consequence those whose inclinations took them further afield, on pleasure bent, spent an enjoyable time. S.M. CopKT.— A sitting of the Milton Magistrate's court was held yesterday, when a boy named John Templeton wae charged before Messrs J. E. Brown and J. C. Harris, J.P p, with being unlawfully on the premises of Francis Grant on the night of the 24th inst. After hearing evidence the Bene i convicted accused and ordered him to oome np for sentence when called on, tbe father, whj was present promising to maka another effort to control th* lad. I'evenue Returns. — According to the 'Gazette' the ordinary revenue colleoted during the quarter emiing September last amounted to £1,147,909 13s sd, as against £895,031 19a Id for the corresponding quarter last year. Territorial revenue, sinkiDg funds set free and a couple of small miscellaneous itemß brings the total revenue up to 11,267,157 3* Bd, as against i 1,043,878 13s Id for the corresponding quarter last year. The ' Gazette.'— We hwe the 4 Gazette ' of October 18 : G. S. Young has been appointed Registrar of births, deaths, and marriages for Cheviot, which we hope is an indication of the successful settlement of the vexed Cheviot Estate question. Tbe presidential appointment of the Bank of New Zealand is gazetted. Ferrets, cats, stoats, weaeelß and mong^ese are gazetted ac the natural enemies of tbe rabbit and are duly protected under penaltiee of from £5 lo i'2o. Beckham's Case. — The order made by Mr Hawkins* M. in the Milton Court against W. R Beckham to contribute 7a 6d a week towards the maintainance of his chili has been challenged by Beckham who was absent at Wilsons River at the time. He has applied to the Invercargill Court to have the order suspended or cancelled on the plea that he is cow instituting divorce proceedings. Mr Bawson the S.M. heard the app'hati' n on Wednesday aod suspended tbe order till the divorce oase had been heard. Last Offices —The funeral cf the la'e Mr Peter M'Gill took place on Wednesday last, a very numerous cortege of the friends and acquaintances of deceased assembling to pay their last tribute of respect to his memory. The business people of the town turned out in large numbers, while friends also came from all parts of the district, as well as from Dunedin. Included in the cortege were the whole of deceased's workmen in a body and the members of tbe local Masonic Lodge, of which he was a member. The servioe at the grave was conducted by the Rev. James Chisholm, while Mr W. M'Elrea, secretary of the heal Masonic Lodge, offered up a modern Masonic prayer. Corea. — The construction of new warships and defence works has been ordered to be pushed on in Japan, and also an extensive increase in the guns and ammunition. Japan claims the right to garrison Corea till reforms are effected and demands territorial seou'ity from China till an indemnity is made. China aaks for independence in Corea. Negotiations have been reopened and it is probable that peace will be restored, There are 1800 wounded Japanese at Chemulpo and many at Seoul, besides which over 2000 have been forwarded to Japan. An engagement took place last Monday at Wiju, the Japanese retiring in the direction of Pingyang. Each side lost 3000 killed, Japanese warships seized a Norwegian vessel supposed to be carrying contraband goods. List o_ Unfobtunate**. — The following new bankruptcies are announced in the 'Gazette 'of October 18. Thomas Coatee of Auckland, fish dealer ; Fanny Stevenson of Auckland, grocer; A. H. Ihle of Palmerßton North, contractor ; William F. Browne and Walter F. Browne of Feilding, bakers ; Charles Djwsett, caal and wooddealer of Wellington j Albert Delaney of Wellington, restaurant keeper ; C. Lucas of Blenheim, bootmaker ; Daniel Duggan of Spring Creek, hotelkeeper ; Mandus Soott ot Nelson, tobacconist ; Robert Spencer of Christchurch, working jeweller; J. L. Lauder of Kuri Bush, farmer ; W. Helm of Becks. Department ok AGRIcrLTOBE. — We have received the report of the Agricultural Department for the year ending 3lst March, 1894 It is contained in a pamphlet of 236 pages, and deal* fully with matters agriculture, reports of rabbit and stock inspectors, veteranarian reports with lettera from London agents, and correspondents. It contains all the •'leaflets" issued by the Department during the year, and in tbe appendix is the volum inous and instructive report of Mr Valentine, Chief Dairy Expert, and report of Mr John Sawers, Chief Dairy Instructor. The latter are full and very in-:truotive. Interesting stock returns are included in the appendix. The pamphlet is a credit to the D 'partment and should be found in every j farmhouse. High School Magazine. —We have received the High School ' Magazine ' for the current month. We can highly commend tbe substance matter of the leading article treating upon the fictional 1 terature of tbe day of the Jules Verne kind and the false I and misleading impressions it conveys to youthful minds. The subject is closely, intelligen'ly and logically criticised from a boyish standpoint and may be read with much profit by youngsters, aye, and oldsters, too, who favor the yellow, and other color cover, trash that abounds in libraries and booksellers' shops. We cannot, however, praise the mimography and " reading " of the article. The ' Magazine ' contains besides the usual school news, correspondence, some extract articles, and a report of the football match Clutha and Clinton v. the Sohool, Only one more ' Magazine ' will be published this year aud contributors are requested to hurry up. Temperance —Mr R. Crabb, Good Templar lecturer, is announced to give a public temperance addre.s in the Presbyterian Hall, Milton, to-morrow (Saturday) evening. The Rev. J. Chisholm is to preside, and the Rev. J. G. Chapman is to take part in the meeting. Mr Crabb haß for the past 15 years been lecturer for the Grand Lodge of I New South Wales, and cornea to New Zealand on a six mon'.hs' leave of absence, and is highly commended as a speaker of oon siderable experience, And high attainments. He is working under the auspices of the Grand Lodge of New Zaa'and, I O.G.T During the past three weeks he has been holding most successful meetings in and around Dunedin. Last week he initiated about 120 new members into the several lodges of tbo 1. 0. G.T. in the Dunedia dhtriot. He has a most Convincing and yet enterta : ning -tyle, and hie meetings are reported to be most enjoyable. At tbe close of his publio address on Saturday evening, he nil! initiate candidates end institute a indue of the Indepwcknt Order of Good yemplwii

Rainfall.— Throaghont tbe oolony for September the rainfall ac reoorded by the 'Gazette ' was moderate, the northern part of the North Island excepted, and there the rainfall ranged from 10 inches, at Pur* ingarenga to 17 _ inches, at the Bay of Islands. Parts of Hawke's Bay and tbo Mania Peninsula were pretty wet, 11 inches falling in thre places there. Inglewood and Stratford were wet as usual, 10 inohes at the first and 7. inohes at the second. Coming south the rainfall tapered off bnt at nowhere was less than an inch and an eighth. A Sinister Increase. — At a meeting of the Cbristchurcb Charitable Aid Board 03 Wednesday a great increase in tbe number of oases relieved was shown by the statistical record. For a period of six yoars ended March 31, 1892, the average monthly number of Be par ate cases relieved was 461. For the period of two years ended March 31, 1894, ths average had risen to 421 per month, whilst during the six months ended September 30 the number had been increased to an average of 460.3 In and Oct.— By the ' G^tte' returns we learn that daring September 1,626 persons arrived in the colony and 1,822 left, the balance against beiog tho. a 196 Of the arrivals 609 men, 271 women, 49 male and 60 female children came from New South Wales, total 989; while 1013 men, 348 women, 48 male and 58 female children went to New South Wales, total 1467; the departures exceeding the arrivals by 478. From tbe United Kingdom came 130 men, 91 women, 18 male nad 21 female children, total 260, and to it went 21 men and 9 women and 5 female children, total 35 ; balance in colony's favor 95. From Vioto-ia came 122 men, 85 women, 10 male and 9 female children, total 226, and to it went 149 men, 68 women, 9 male and 9 female children, total 235, balance against 9. Tasmania sent 24 men, 8 women, 1 male and 3 female cnildren, total 36, and received in return 17 men 10 women, 3 male and 4 female children, total 34, baianoe in favor 2. Ovber places aent fiS men, 30 womeo, 8 male and 9 female children., total 115, while fr m the colony went 34 men, 8 women, 8 male aod 1 female child, balance in New Zealand's favor 64.