NEWS AND NOTES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume X, Issue 1904, 14 April 1888, Page 2

NEWS AND NOTES.

The Egjiont Star this week contains a further instalment of Topics of the Day, a chatty article contributed by a London correspondent ; Australian Notes ; an article on the Panama Canal; Silent Nuns: Visit to the Strange Convent of the Bernardines ; Peruvian Bailways ; a budget of interesting and valuable notes under tbe beading, Home and Household ; &c, &c. The novels, Sabina Zembra and the Mystery of Haddon's Ferry, are continued ; also, the novelette, " A Terrible Inheritance," which is concluded in this issue. There is a sermon by the Rev. W. Beattie, M.A. The current news of the week in cable news, telegrams, reports, and correspondence is given fully.

The New Zealand Times speaks of Mr. Larnach as the most eligible man to lead the Opposition.

Sixty summonses have been issued by the county clerk to ratepayers two years in arrear with their rates. Another batch for defaulters for tbe current year will be issued shortly.

It will be observed, by a notice in another column, that the Bank of New South Wales is extending its operations to Manaia, by establishing a visiting branch, which is to be open for transaction every Tuesday, commencing from next week.

In the report of the case Normanby Town Board v. MoKeever in the R.M. Court on Wednesday, it should have stated that it was " alleged " that the court in a previous case had directed defendant to pay the license fee for two years. That point did not aiise in the case, although the board wrote to defendant stating that such had been the order made.

The Lyra, steam yacht, belonging to Sir William Brown, Bart., has been supplied throughout with the electric light. Motive power is produced by a small engine, and not only have the saloons, cabins, and every nook of the little craft been illuminated, but the riding lights at the mast head and the colored side lights are also fed in connection with the electrical system. A successful trial of the electric apparatus was made a few days since while the Lyra was at her moorings in Portsmouth Harbor.

Some intesesting experiments on long distances telephony were made a few weeks ago in connection with the proposed telephone line from Paris to Marseilles. In order to obtain a line 1000 kilometres long the line from Antwerp to Brussels was connected with that from Brussels to Paris ; these were connected with the line from Paris to Brussels via Momignies, which had been previously connected witn that from Brussels to Veryiers. Thus the total length from Antwerp to Verviers was about 1000 kilometres. Speech was clearly understood on this line, which is composed of bronze wire of tolerably high conductivity. The work of erecting the line from Paris to Marseilles has already commenced at some points. The wires, of silicium bronze, will be subterranean as far as Nogent-sur-Marne, after which they will be carried on the posts along the railway. The line is expected to be in operation about July next.

It is stated that a large quantity of electric lighting plant, valued at about ;£ISOO, now iv store at Wellington, has been condemned as useless. The Wellington correspondent of the Auckland Herald writes : — " The plant was imported by the late Government, and was intended to be used for lighting the underground magazines at the forts. It now appears that in no other country would such a lighting-up of the recesses of fortifications be allowed, unless, indeed, it were intended that the fort should be blown up, or that its defenders should be marks for the guns of the enemy. I also learn, upon authority, that a large quantity of other defence material, ordered and in stock, has been condemned as unnecessary, and that the Defence Minister has cabled Home to stop tbe shipment of a quantity of surplus material ordered by the late Government, which is now pronounced to be useless for the purposes of defence. Suppose the war scare of 1885 had devoloped into active hostilities, what would have been the consequences of this extravagant expenditure for useless material of war ?"

More light on the secondary education expenditure and its results. Thus the Auckland Star of 11th April:— "This morning the Hon. Geo. Fisher, Minister of Education, visited the Auckland College and Grammar School. He was received by the headmaster, Mr. Bourne, who showed him round the building. Mr. Fisher expressed himself as a little depressed at finding such an admirable building occupied by so few pupils. He considered that the design of the building was admirably suited for the work. He could not help thinking that it was unfortunate that a boarding establishment was not connected with the institution. Although it could not be expected that pupils would come from New South Wales or other colonips, still it might reasonably be anticipated that pupils would come from the islands to board at the Auckland Grammar School Institute. Mr. Fisher considered that the prevailing depression no doubt contributed to keep pupils away from the school, but he could not help ieeling regret that such an admirably adapted institution should not be better attended."

The electric light is being installed, established, and developed at most Lori' don clubs, says the Country Gentleman. For a while the committees at the Old World establishments hesitated to follow the lead given by such dashing youngsters as the men of the Naval and Military and the Junior Carlton. The Carlton proper was electrified in October last, and who knows but that the Senior and the Athenajum may not have a shock one day soon ? The steady-going St. Stephen's is now longer to be lit by gas and lamps, as specifications are now out for electric lighting tenders. The new light in most cases is admitted not for light, but because it is cooler than gas and sweeter than oil. The atmosphere at most clubs during the fogs of a fortnight ago wns really intolerable.