BRIEF MENTION.

Evening Star, Issue 8774, 15 March 1892, Page 4

BRIEF MENTION.

A local scientist, writing in the ‘North Otago Times,’ suggests that the Elginshire could be floated of by means of compressed air. He says that sufficient air could bo pumped into her chambers by her refrigerating machinery to force all the water out of her, and that this would be the most effective means of floating the vessel off the rocks if her decks are strong enough to stand the strain put upon them.

A one roomed outhouse at East Gore was burnt on Friday. It was the property of William Boyne. It was valued at LlO, and was not insured,

A quantity of dynamite has been discovered in Limerick, and one arrest has been made.

The ‘Financial News’ says that Sir Thomas M'llwraith’s duty was to have ascertained all the facts before making the charge against the Bank of England, and declares that the whole blame was due to him.

A report ia current in America that the Marquis of Salisbury has agreed to renew the modus vivendi on condition that President Harrison undertakes to pay the amount of damages that may be hereaftsr awarded to the sealers.

The number of deaths in connection with the disaster at the Charleroi mine (Belgium) is about 150. Tha pit is on fire, and flames are shooting out of the mouth of it. Two thousand and sixty-nine rams and sixty-three ewes have been entered for the Canterbury ram fair. Last year the entries numbered 3,313, The falling off is accounted for by the withdrawal of stud sheep for the North Island.

Mr Turnbull, manager of the New Zealand Farmers’ Co operative Association, has withdrawn his resignation, and retains his position. In the course’of a leoture delivered in Vienna, Theodore Westmark accused Mr Stanley of being responsible for the death of Lieutenant Licksicfc, who died in the Congo State, Ip consequence of this accusation the lieutenant’s parents are suing Mr Stanley for L 4,000. The first sale of the Bank of New Zealand Estates Company’s properties is announced to take place at Titnaru on tha 26th April, when the Riveralea and Arowhenna estates, comprising 9,244 acres, will be submitted. Mr A. S. Paterson and Mr Gale, representing the Chambers of Commerce of Dunedin and Christchurch, waited on the Minister of Public Works at Wellington yesterday with reference to the representation of New Zealand at the Chicago Exhibition. The interview was of a strictly unofficial character, but the result is regarded by those interested as satisfactory. The Palmerston Agricultural and Pastoral Association are moving for the suspension of several clauses in the Sheep Act relating to the branding of shorn sheep. At the Wellington sessions James Madden was acquitted on a charge of attempting to stab the Hon. Dr Grace, Thomas Riordan received a sentence of twelve months’ imprisonment for an attempt to wound.

According to Melbourne 1 Punch’ it Is rumored that Mr W. H. Fitohett, editor of tho ‘ Daily Telegraph,’ is about to take up the editorship of the ‘Review of Reviews.’ Mr Fitohett, who is a brother to the Rev. A. R. and Dr Fitohett, of Dunedin, has been the principal of the Lsdioa’ Methodist College, Melbourne, for many years, and was also very favorably known in the pulpit. Twelve quarters of beef have been sent by Mr W, Bayly, of Taranaki, as a gift to Dr Barnardo’s Homes, The Egmont Freezing Company made no charge for freezing, and the New Zealand Shipping Company sent the beef without charging freight. The value of the gift is between L3O and L4O,

Miss Hcywood secured re-eleobion to the Taranaki Education Board, being second highest on the list,

The “ drink bill ” of the United Kingdom for the year 1891 reaohed the enormous total of L 141,250,000, averaging L 3 15s per head of population. Ten years ago, in 1881, the total was L 98,700,000, or an amount per head of L2 16s sd. Thus we see that in a decade the consumption of intoxicating liquors has largely increased pro rata and this in the face of the multiplied agencies for combating the evil which are constantly working. A peculiar drowning case has been reported from Munyabla, a farming settlement forty miles from Albury (N.S.W,). A farmer named Shlinker was missed from his homo, and subsequently was found drowned in a water-hole near his residence, in about 2ft of water. Deceased had dislocated his neck. It is supposed that while reaching for a water-melon, which he had placed in the water to cool, he overreached himself, fell into tho hole, and sustained the injury to the neck. Death resulted from asphyxia. At Home the question has been raised why should not applause or some other sign of approval follow the worthy utterance of the preacher of religion as well as that cf the platform speaker, the dramatic artist, or tho parliamentarian ? Why should the audience be allowed to express its feelings, while the congregation must remain mute? Acoording to the ‘ Spectator,’ Mr W. T. Stead is reported to have said that if he were preaching ts a congregation bound to silence he “ would go mad in six months 1”

When we heard that Mr PercevaPs letter was published by ‘ The Times ’ we realised the change which thirty years have made. Some time in the sixties Mr Crosbia Ward was Postmaster-General—no relation he was of the present popular bolder of that office. Being in London on public business, and noticing an incorrect reference to the colony, he wrote to ‘The Times’ to set the matter right. To hia surprise the editor refused to publish tire letter, giving him to understand that he did not feel bound to insert communications reflecting on his leading articles. The storms of thirty years’ march of progress have taught “Jupiter Tonans” better manners.— 1 New Zealand Times,’