BRIEF MENTION.

Evening Star, Issue 9688, 4 May 1895, Page 2

BRIEF MENTION.

The Government auction sale of Rotorua town, suburban, and rural sections and leaseholds for ninety-nine years was held yesterday. The bidding for town sections was spirited. One hundred and eight sections were sold at a rental of £215. A Wellington telegram s&/b that an elderly man named Alexander M‘Donald, who recently came down from Bangitikei, is missing dace Thursday night, causing some anxiety to his friends. On (lit that the Dunedin Licensing Committee have determined to maintain their present attitude in regard to ten o’clock closing and conditional licenses. The Invercargill folk were desirous of hearing Captain Russell on the political situation, but his engagements precluded him from journeying further south than Dunedin. It is probable, however, that Mr George Hutchison will make a visit to Invercargill and deliver a political address there. The Pope, in a political testament, asks the cardinals to hasten the election of his successor, so as not to afford auy time for intrigue. His Holiness says although he has not gained temporal power the Vatican is able to dictate conditions when it is opportune. As a result of Mr Bragato’s receut address on vine aud fruit culture in Central Otago the Central Otago Vine and Fruit Growers’ Association has been formed, with the object of promoting the establishment of Vine and fruit culture in Central Otago. A subscription of 5s is to constitute membership. Mr Bathgate acts as treasurer pro tern., and the City has been divided into sections for canvass by members of the Committee. As soon as 100 members are enrolled a meeting will be convened for the election of officebearers, etc. The co-operation of the various horticultural and agricultural societies in Otago and Southland is to be asked. Two cases of diphtheria—one at Middlemarch and the other at North Taieri—weto reported to the Taieri County Council yesterday. The monthly meeting of the Mornington School Committee whs held on Thursday evening, when Mr George Stewart wrote resigning his post as first assistant on account of illness. The Committee accepted the resignation very regretfully, and resolved that a testimonial should be presented to him. The question of establishing a penny savings bank in connection with the. school was referred to a committee, to report at next meeting. The head-master reported that the average attendance for the last month was 467, that the highest attendance on any half-day was 487, and that the number on the roll was 520. The stationery money collected in Standards I. to VII. inclusive amounted to £3 5s lOd for the quarter. Special reports of the work done in each standard during the last quarter were furnished to the Committee. At the annual meeting of the Hospital Guild, held in the Town Hall yesterday, the following committee was appointed for the ensuing year President, Mrs K. Ramsay ; vice-president, Mrs P. Hayman ; hon. treasurer, Mrs E. Melland; hon. secretary, Mrs W. Downie Stewart; committee— Mesdames Gloss, Thomas Dick, J. B. Callan, D. Haynes, Gilray, Hazlett, Lloyd, Davies, and Phillips. There are now nearly ninety members on the roll—an increase of twenty for the year just closed. The Committee make a strong appeal for further membership, otherwise the expenditure will have to be greatly curtailed. Mr J. Gatfield, of the Oamaru Freezing Works, has given fifty sheep to the local Labor Bureau for distribution among those in need. The court-martial at Sydney to inquire into the case of Paymaster Coulton, charged with embezzlement, has begun. Business men in Auckland have resolved to form a fire insurers’ protection association. The rates are admittedly low enough :n Auckland, but complaint is made in respect to the average clause inserted in policies.