NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6270, 21 December 1881, Page 4

NEWS IN BRIEF.

Ax Akaroa "correspondent says that during the recent earthquake the ground was seen to wave. Map 3 of the new Licensing Districts are now being prepared, and as soon as they are ready the districts will be proclaimed. Mr. H. A. Levestam, of Nelson, has deposited at the Patent Office specification of an improvement in the rudder of ships or vessels of all kinds. The Maoris at Parihaka are now becoming very friendly with the A.C. force, and they hare made frequent presents of fish to the officers and men. The loser of a hat (value not specified) over the Christchurch mayoral election, met his obligation by presenting the winner with a shilling Zulu rush hat. Mr. Vale, a Victorian politician, characterises the people at Flemington on the Melbourne Cup day a collection of the "whole devilry of the colony." At a meeting of the Canterbury Acclimatition Society, the Secretary reported that from first to last some 20,000 fish had been placed in the Avon. It was resolved to place 3000 more in the same river. The Bruce Herald understands that a longtalked of improvement to the steam-engine— a revolving valve—has been brought to a successful issue by a local engineer, and will shortly be brought before the public. A Taranaki paper reports that salmon are now becoming plentiful in the Waiwakaiho River. A gentleman, a few days ago, saw a number of salmon in the river disporting themselves, and they were all of good size. The olive truncheons under the care of the Curator of the Domain at Christchurch are now making good progress, and the white mulberry trees planted in connection with the silkworm industry are showing well. When the vote for the Melbourne Botanical Gardens was under consideration Mr. Richardson drew attention to the extravagant expenditure of money on the gardens, as compared with the meagre results produced. A meeting of the Burns Statue Committee was held in the Coffee Palac?, Dunedin. Mr. Rebert Campbell presided. Communications were received from several gentlemen in country districts proffering support to the movement. The revenue derived "from the telegraphs of the various colonies for ISSO is stated to be as follows :—New South Wales, £84,110; Victoria, £85,359; New Zealand, £73,002; South Australia, £55,152 ; Queensland, £46,313; Tasmania, £7422. At a meeting of the Dunedin Gaelic Society a very interesting lecture, entitled " Reminiscences of Perthshire," was delivered by the Rev. Dr. Macgregor. At the conclusion of the lecture Mrs. Macgregor played several pieces of Highland music, which were warmly appreciated. The Montague-Turner band of cricketers suffered their first defeat in this colony at the hands of the Christchurch Press-men. The scores were : Fourth Estate, 98 and 122 (for seven wickets); Opera, 77. For the latter Hall was top scorer with 20, and Devereux made 19 ; while for the Press-men Mainwaring made 62, W. H. Atack 46, Smith and Connor (both not out) 20 a-piece. No fewer than 447,274 words were transmitted over the English wires on the day that Mr. Gladstone spoke at Leeds. This is believed to be the largest total ever despatched from one office in a single day.