NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 7161, 29 October 1884, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF.

A farmer named William Hudson has been burned to death in Otago. Messrs. Rignold and Allison are building a new theatre in Sydney. The health of the Premier of New South Wales continues to improve. Last year there were in our prisons 25 children under 10 years of age. The Ashburton Mail urges that the Government should repeal the duty on binder-twine. 4568 tons of sugar have been exported from Queensland since the commencement of the season. The branch line to Nelson from the East and West Coast Railway will cost about a million. A grand naval and military demonstration of the Victorian forces is to be held on November 10. There are 112 cases down for hearing at the R.M. Court on Thursday next, the usual average being 80 per week. Northe's boat-building shed, at Napier, has been destroyed by fire. It was insured in the National Office for £60. Dr. Von Lendenfield, of the Linccean Society of New South Wales, has succeeded in discovering a nervous system of sponge, thereby proving their auimal nature beyond doubt. The Agricultural Coaopany, in which Sir Julius Vogel is largely interested, owes £3000 of rates on account of the Waimea Railway, one of the lines in the schedule of the District Railways Bill. The Executive of the New Zealand Temperance Alliance have sent a circular to the principal cities in the colonies suggesting the desirability of extending the operations of the Alliance throughout New Zealand, on the ground that a strong federal society will be able to do more effectual work than a number of scattered organisations. It is proposed to employ an agent—say Mr. Booth or Mr. Glover—to devote all his energies to the object the Alliance has in view. The following compose the new Ministry of the Dnnedin Parliamentary Union :—Mr. JN. Y. A. Wales, Premier; Mr. T. W. Whitson, Colonial Treasurer and Minister of Trade and Customs; Mr. G. M. Barr, Minister of Public Works; Mr. George Fenwick, PostmasterGeneral and Minister of Telegraphs ; Mr. C. Darling, Minister of Lands and Colonial Secretary; Mr. S. Solomon, Minister of Justice.