NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7304, 16 April 1885, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF.

Gineral McNeill has a brother in Southland. Mr. Sala's lectures in Melbourne have been well attended. , v The Otago Early History Society has been successfully inaugurated. Mr. R. Graham is reported as a possible candidate for the Tauranga vacanoy. Mr. R. Hood's pianoforte playing is well spoken of by the . Wellington papers. All v the Australasian Governments - are vigoroucly prosecuting defence works. A Maori church was recently opened at Taumutu, near Southbridge, Canterbury. A man named John Primrose was Beverly, scalded a few days ago, by slipping into a hot spring at. Rotoiti. "Some sugar beet has been sown in the Patea district, and it is proposed to send some to Wellington for analysis. The Union Company's steamer Takapuna is the fastest vessel in the Pacific, and in the event of war would make an admirable despatch boat.'; A travelled "professional" says "there is no place like the colonies. The climate is the . best in the world, and the . people the. most prosperous." The volunteers, says a Southern : contemporary, ought to know every hedge and hill, every copse and streamlet, every bridge, and every defensive ridge in their districts. The Rev. Mr.lsittsaid in his Well sermon at M*Bterton that whereas at one time the pulpit was the educator of the people, the Presfi how has taken that position, as far as secular affairs were concerned. A gentleman who visited the Hon Hon pa, in the Rangitikei district, the other day, states that be saw there a number of portraits of the Hero of Khartoum, and that, in conversation with the natives, he disoo.ered that they regarded him with absolute reverence. -; : ....