A FAST PASSAGE.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 9991, 22 March 1898, Page 5

A FAST PASSAGE.

The Union Company's s.s. Rotomahana travelled the distance from Lyttelton to Wellington on Sunday in 12hra 3min.

SUBJECTS OF INFLUENZA.

The Wellington Post states that Dr. Martin remarked at the Medical Congress that he had observed that chronic drunkards were rarely caught by the influenza epidemic ; the moderate drinker was not severely attacked ; but the rank teetotaller supplied the bulk of the patients who suffered moat severely.

CONGRATULATIONS FROM PARADISE.

Among the congratulations received by Air Duthie on his recent victory was one from Paradise. The new member proceeded to quote the epistle at his recent meeting in Wellington, and the large audience was on the tip-toe of expectation. Their disappointment was great when it was found that the Paradise in question is located somewhere in the region of Mount Earnslaw. "

BALE OF AN ESTATE.

The Wanganui Standard says that the Assets Board has sold the Beerescourt Estate, in the Waikato, to Mr Rushbrook, a recent arrival from England.

"THE SUPERFLUOUS WOMAN."

Returns prepared from the census reports by the Registrar-General show that, whereas in 1886 there was an excess of bachelors over spinsters in New Zealand of 12,339, itisnow converted into a, surplus of 1786 women. Canterbury has now 3997 and Otago 2966 more spinsters than bachelors, these two districts having lost a large number of men by departure to the North Island.

MOTOR CARS IN WELLINGTON.

An exhaustive trial has been made of one of the motor cars recently imported to Wellington. It is recorded that the trial was admitted to be successful, and that the horses, to the surprise of most people, evinced no objection to this novelty in street traffic. An application for licenses to run the motor cars has put the Wellington City Council in a difficulty, as there is no provision in the by-laws for such vehicles. The City Solicitor will have to be appealed to for advice.

SLIGHT EXPLOSION OF FIREDAMP,

A slight explosion of firedamp (writes a correspondent of the Olago Daily Times) took place in a section of the shaft workings of the Kaitangata mine, by which four men, named D. Jones, John Shore, A. Cunningham, and E. Davis, were partially burnt, the first-mentioned being the most severely injured. The employees in this part of the mine were working with locked safety lamps, but it appears that one man entered it with a naked light, having negligently passed the station where all such lights should be left.

WHAT A RUNAWAY MATCH LED TO.

A young man named John Gorton, for making a false declaration for the purpose of procuring marriage, was committed for trial yesterday at Invercargill. Accused made a rupaway match with the daughter of a Wallacetown settler, and declared to the Registrar that she was twenty-one, whereas she was only sixteen. The two lived in an out of the way place till they were discovered by the girl's relatives, and were dependent on the neighbours for food.

BAD WEATHRR IN THE OTIRA GORGE.

News from the Bealey slates that the Otira Gorge is still blocked. There is a washout about three miles this side of the Otira. A number of men are cutting away the rock to form a fresh road, and it is hoped to be passable for vehicles in a few days. Meantime the coach passengers have to walk, and their luggage is packed to meet the coach about six miles from the Bealey. It is now raining heavily. Two cyclists from Christchurch and one from Kirwee are weather:bonnd at the Bealey, waiting a chance to get through to the Coast.