NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6002, 11 February 1881, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF.

It is said that the Premier will address his constituents in a few days. Mrs. Hainpson still continues successful in her mission at the Thames. The Timaru Herald thinks the vacant portfolio ought to be offered to Mr. Reader Wood. His Excellency the Governor visited the district school and the hospital while at Napier. . The Government of New South Wales is about to ask Parliament for a vote of money to provide 'suburban parks. . The- Bay of Plenty Times notices the airival in that district of several pigs from Mr. Hurst's establishment. The New South Wales Government has lately "greatly reduced the railway rates for agricultural and dairy produce. The cost of completing the west front and dome of the new Victorian Parliament builddings is estimated at £220,000. The Samoan branch of the London Missionary Society has received an addition to its staff in the person of the Rev. Mr. Newell. : The deepest shaft in the colonies is the Magdala, at Stawell (Vic.). It is 3000 feet from the surface, and 2000 feet below the sea level. The Waikato Mail, under the new proprietorship, lias been greatly improved already, and promises to be a first-class country newspaper. The Wagga Wagga Advertiser says : —"We have not had. a drop of rain for months, and the.country is dried up and parched, with the thermometer over lOOdcg. in the shade. -' The examiners for scholarships in Dunedin were severe on the candidates for their errors in grammar and composition. The Dunedin Herald shows that the examiners have made grosser errors in their reports. Since the bad licking of the Canterbury Fifteen at Christchurcli, sympathetic telegrams have been forwarded from Timaru, proffering ihe aid of some of tlie South Canterbury players, *ih the event of a consolation match being arranged. A paiufui case of a deaf witness appeared at the Darlingliurst C6urt-liouse lately. When repeatedly asked her name, she at last replied, "Between 4 and 5 o'clock in the afternoon," and looked round the Court in an air of surprise at the laughter which her remarks occasioned.

In the Supreme Court at Wellington a few days ago au eminent lawyer admitted that, through obscure instructions, lie had been several days getting up a case from the wrong standpoint—his labours, and researches could, only be beneficiHl to his opponents, by whom he had wrongly believed he was retained.