BREVITIES.

Evening Star, Issue 12764, 17 March 1906, Page 12

BREVITIES.

The Dunedin and Suburban Presbyterian Office-bearers' Association last night pass.d the following resolutions:—(l) "That tne Rev. J. Chisholm, convener of the Syhou" Business Arrangements Committee, be requested to arrange for a conference on the question of the tenure of the pastorate at the forthcoming sitting of the Synod of Otago and Southland.* (2) "That tnifi mating affirm the principle of a limited tenure of the pastorate, and that the question be remitted to the Executive to take what action they deem necessary in the matter."

Joseph Brady, a youth, was committed for trial at Auckland yesterday on a charge of wilfully setting fire to a dwelling in Albert street. Brady’s aunt, Annie I ock. was also committed for trial on a charge of having counselled and procured Brady to commit arson. Mr Alexander Graham Bell, at a dinner of the Automobile Club .of America, predicted that the problem of aerial navigation wonld be solved soon, when men would be able to dine in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and breakfast next morning in London. He could not say when this would be realised, but beli ved that the solution of the problem would come suddenly. In a case heard in the City of London Court the other day a West End theatre cloak room attendant said his ‘‘ tips ” amounted to £5 per week. Theatregoers often gave him a shilling or half a crown. The largest tip he had received was a guinea from the Crown Prince of Siam. For ten years an eccentric grocer in Indianapolis, U.S.A., has carried on his business “ as Christ would have done,” but his methods have ended in bankruptcy. Another scandal in connection with war stores in South Africa has just ‘come to light. It appears that during 1901 and 1902, in the Harrismith district, two fraudulent overpayments were made to contractors. the sum being considerable in both cases. Two of the persons implicated are said to have fled the kingdom. WilUnm George Smith, in the employ of Begg and Co at Ashburton, pleaded guilty to several charges of forgery and embezzlement, and va-s committed for trial at Christ, church. A Wanganui farmer fined £5 and costs for failing to clear his land of weeds. An explosion at the Christchurch Gasworks yesterday afternoon did considerable damage' to the plant. It will take nearly six weeks to effect repairs. Tire vJerraan Coal Syndicate at West-

phalia contributed £5,C00 to the sufferers by the disaster at the Couirricres (Franco) mine. Sydney advises that three more cases of plague have been reported. The source of infection is similar to that of previous cases. Brisbane advices state that a case of plague has been detected in the city. The French Government have appointed M. Sargon a commission to study more lib rtl legislation, and such measures as are considered important from the standpoint of Franco-Chinese relations. The information against the Assyrian Molouf (New South Walts) of being a prohibted immigrant was dismissed, the magistrate holding that the time in which the educational tests should have been applied Bad expired.