NEW ZEALAND.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 8990, 1 January 1895, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND.

(H-ESS ASSOCIATION TELBQ-AMS.) WOODVILLE, December 31. IA petition ia being got up here urging the Government to acquire the Hon. J. D. Ormond's property of 3500 acres for-settle-ment.

The long spell of dry weather is unprecedented htre at this season, and rain is badly wanted. WELLINGTON, December 3L

The expressman Creighton, who was injured on Friday night, regained consciousness to-night, and some hopes of his recovery are now entertained by the hospital authorities.

The General Lending Board under the Advances to Settlers' Act will sib early in January. About 300 applications are now in, the total ; sum applied for being over JE200.000. ;

The Hon. Mr Reeves visited the Labour Settlements in Victoria, New South Wales, and South Australia. He was mo3t impressed with the irrigation colonies in the lastnamed colony on the Murray River. They are conducted on co-operative principles, bub are still in their infancy. The oldest is ten months old, but already 2000 people are settled on them. He considers the working of these settlements the most interesting experiment of the moment to the whole world. Mr Reeves met with the greatest courtesy in his travels, and everything was done to enable him to travel with the least possible loss of time. OAMARU, December 31. The number-of bankruptcies for 1694 was 20, and for 1893 15. DUNEDIN, December 31. The Star says that the Tariff Commission will be set up this week; Messrs Dnthie and Thomas Mackenzie, besides the names already announced, will be members. _ Archdeacon Ed wards preached valedictory sermons at St. Paul's yesterday. Forty-three insolvencies were filed in Otago this year against forty-seven last year. BLUFF, December 31. The Bteamer Hinemoa has arrived here from the Southern Islands, and reports that the sealing party left on the Auckland Islands by the ketch Anna were picked up by the ketch Gratitude and taken on by that vessel to McQuarie Island, thence returning to the Bluff.