NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 7015, 12 May 1884, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF.

The Wellington Woollen Company are at length making a, start.

Major Nixon, one of the oldest Wanganui settlers, died there a few days ago. The Salvation Army in Melbourne is raising funds for a Chinese camp brigade. Nealy 100 mongoose were recently imported to Adelaide to deal with the rabbits.

The Premier and Minister of Public Works are expected to leave Wellington for Auckland on Tuesday night. Mr. Cadman, M.H.fl., is about to commence a tour of his electorate. He speaks at the Thames on Tuesday. It is said that the Wanganui River is much improved in consequence of the works undertaken by the Harbour Board. Mr. Neville Barnett, the new organist of St. Matthew's, is expected during the present week, to commence his duties next Sunday. The New Zealand Times suggests that a surgery should be established near the Wellington football ground, accidents are so numerous.

Referring to the football team, the New Zealand Times says:—" If the team only play well together New Zealand need have no fear of the result, even though the team be not perfect."

The Congregational Union of South Australia reports that the past year has been a very successful one. More churches had been built and greater, progress had been made than during any similar period before. Hunt and party, the prospectors of the Rotokohu district, intend puddling and panning _ off about lewt. of their dirt, being convinced that if the stuff is so treated, from three to four ounces gold—per ton, presumably—can be saved.

Among the priests who were present at the banquet given by Bishop Moore at Ballarat waß the first priest who arrived at Ballarat. He celebrated mass in a tent a few weeks after the discovery of that goldfield, 33 years ago, and is now Dr. Dunne, of Wagga Waggs, .New South Wales.

At a special service at the Christohurch Synagogue on Sundiiy, May 4, Mr. Liohtenstein preached on the immortality of the soul, taking for his text Isaiah xiv., verses 6 and 8, "All flesh is grass, and all the godliness thereof like the flower of the field. The grass withereth away, the flower fadcth, but the word of the Lord remaincth for ever." The settlement of claims against Che Board of Land and Works in connection with the Little River railway collision is proceeding satisfactorily. Seven claims have beqn disposed of for a total of £650. There ore about twenty-five more claims to be dealt with, and it is anticipated that the aggregate compensation will exceed £10,000. At the last meeting of the Zoological and Acclimatisation Sooiety of Victoria, Mr. Booth, manager of the Murray Downs Ostrioh Station, read a paper on ostrioh farming. He took a most favourable view of the prospeots of this industry. Experience during last summer showed that the birds thrived on salt bush and cotton bush country without artificial fodder.