BREVITIES.

Evening Star, Issue 11626, 10 July 1902, Page 1

BREVITIES.

The Wellington Ttcocfian ■ Synod opened their annual synod yestesday. - A large black bear belonging to, Wirth Bros. ’ circus died at Auckland, yesterday after undergoing a surgical operation. The Wanganui Charitable Aid bodyyesterday passed resolutions 'increasing the responsibilities of fathers of , illegitimate children. , . ; Queensland proposes to reduce Ministers’ salaries by £l5O • each, aikl members of the House by £SO. • J •’Die newspaper ‘Ncues_ Wiener TaghlattV states that a. considerable number of Polish ■ soldiers in Prussia have deserted to’ the Russian Army. , , Fremantle reports a, death from plague. The Canterbury Acclimatisation Society threaten to withdraw their contribution of £3OO towards the cost of importing large game if only moose and wapiti are selected, as these are not suitable for Canterbury. The society wish to obtain ibex and thar. The Canterbury, A- and P. Association are agitating' to secure short Saturday afternoon lectures from-Government experts at the rooms of the Association. The Warwickshire match at Birmingham had to be abandoned owing to rain. The manipulators of a maize “ comer ” at Chicago made four million dollars (neatly a million sterling) in a few weeks. The underwriters have abandoned the steamer Karawera, which met with a mishap in' the Brisbane River. The Federal Senate has got into a tangle over the Tariff, through passing distinctly contrary’resolutions. * Viscount Kitchener will •be presented with the freedom of Southampton on arriving there on Saturday. He leaves directly afterwards for London. Fifteen thousand troops will line the route from the railway station td Marlborough House, where the ex-Commander-in-Chief will be .entertained by the Prince of Wales. Lord Methuen is also returning to England, where a warm welcome awaits him He cannot yet use his injured leg. The -Secondary Education Bill of the Government discussed in the House of Commons on Tuesday. Mr Balfour accepted an amendment preventing the teaching of a distinctive religious formula in any institution receiving State fundsi 6 Lords Cecil (the Premier’s son) and Percy (of the duc&l house of land), representing the High Church parte m .the House, protested against Mr Bal four’s concession. An amendment that, no teacher should be compelled to state his religious belief as a condition precedent to employment war negatived. : The King’s progress is all that can be desired. Mr Chambel’iain has left the hospital for his _ home at H :^hbury, Costa Rica, one of the South American Republics, subjected to volcanic eruptions The "House of Lords discussed the mean; that ought to be taken to protect the Empire’s commerce. Lord Brassey urged the construction o' fast-speed steamers, to be used as auxili aries, and to be adapted as training school.' for the navy. The First Lord of the Admiralty (Lord Selbome- did. not think that the carrying trade of the world being almost entire!' in British hands was a matter for congratulation. He deprecated national jealousy in discussing the Morgan Combine. ' but said that the Imperial Government were fully alive to the need for conserving British interests in the Atlantic. The Masterton,.Benevolent Trustees invite the co-operation of similar bod if throughout the colony to support a Bill giving magistrates power to grant liens over a husband’s wages when- he fails to provide for the maintenance of his family. New South Wales is blessed with good rains, which, however, do not reach° the drought-stricken districts. Trooper Edgar, only returned from th< war. was killed by an accident during a peace celebration at Aranidale (N.S.W.). Kruger is engaged on a history of the late Avar. The St. Kilda people make out a venstrong case against- inclusion in the Chalmers electorate. On ait that Mr George Leslie will be the new Registrar of Friendly Societies. Prices at the London wool sales show an upward tendency. There was a large attendance of buyers, and competition Ava? good. The Cape Parliament meets on August There is divided opinion in South Africa as to the wisdom of* Mr Chamberlain’s despatch. Ihe Moderates approve of it. hut the Progressives ore doubtful, while the ‘Johannesburg ‘Star’ thinks it means handing the destinies of the country to a party who are not above suspicion. * A goodly number of New Zealanders have taken up farms in the Ermelo district. Tipton (Stafib.) Free Library Committee have improved on the practice of blacking out betting news. Spaces taken up by betting transactions are to be offered to tradesmen, Avhose adA-ertisements will be gummed over. A young man named Robert Johnson Owens was arraigned at the Bendigo (Tic.) Supreme Court on June 12 on a charge of manslaughter. Accused is a farmer, living -with his wife in the Charlton district. Last month their infant daughter was taken 31, and, according to the case for the Crown, they took it to accused’s mother at Charlton “ for her sympathy and prayers.” The fanulv prayed for the child’s recovery, but she died a* week later. Accused did not send for a doctor, as he believed that God would restore the. infant to good health. At the inquest a verdict of manslaughter was returned by the jury, and accused was committed for trial.