NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 7885, 2 March 1887, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF.

The object of Mr. Lalor's visit to New Zealand is to recruit his health. There was only one prisoner in the look* op last night, a man for drunkenness. 'Two sharks were caught in Dunedln harbour a few days ago, one 17 feet in length by 12 feet 6 inches in girth. A Southern paper says that the Stout Government " represent every side of politics, religion, and morals." 7450 bags of raw sugars for the N.Z. Sugar Co. were received from Fiji by the barque Sharpshooter yesterday. The contract for the ereotion of the fever ward to the Hospital has been let, and the work will commence immediately. . A Southern paper speaks of a local solicitor as having "joined the majority," and explains that he has sought the protection of the Bankruptcy Court. . , , A native feast was held lately at Gisborne, and a number of Europeans were invited. They are now talking about giving a return entertainment, , „ . The Petane (H. 8.) Maoris foretell a great flood. They have been watching the rats lately, and are taking precautions in consequence of the signs. , The Tongans, when savages, were noted for their peaceful disposition®. Since they have become Christians they are at bitter enmity one with another. , The barque Merope cleared for London yesterday, with a large and valuable cargo of kauri gnm, wool, flax, etc. One of the lines was 1750 cases preserved meats. At a meeting of the Eden Terrace Licensing Board, held yesterday evening, Mr. A. Porter was elected chairman for the ensuing year, and Mr. Stickley was appointed secreto A* sunflower has been shown in Christchurch cut from a stem S feet high, while the seed-head was 3 feet 3 inches in circumference. The number of seeds was estimated at 2000s The return cricket match between Mr. Mumford's Kleven and the Manukau County Eighteen, which was to have been played on the Domain to-day, has been postponed at the request of the county team. Some of the patrons of the Wellington High Schools want to make them free schools by applying the "no rent" principle. The ichool fees at Wellington College are £j>oo in arrears, and at the Girls' High School £-11According to a Melbourne physician, Dr. John Singleton, the death rate from typhoid fever has been due to the use of alcohol. In the Homoeopathic Hospital the drink of the patients was milk, &c,. and the mortality was only one in thirty cases. , A petition is in course of signature in the Waimate district (Canterbury), praying the Governor to exercise his powers under the Codlin Moth Act to prohibit the importation into New Zealand of fruit and fruit trees from plaoes known to be infected- _ t Referring to the Auckland ammunition, the Mail says that in Oamaro numbers of cartridges have been taken to pieces and carefully weighed, and that the difference discovered in the weights of the powder ana ball in different cartridges was astonishing. Speaking at the Chamber of Commerce, Wellington, on the subject of the prevailing depression, Mr* Travers said he had heard in New Plymouth of people being reduced to the system of barter, and a person going to a store would ask for an-egg a worth of sugar, and a chicken's worth of tea. The quarterly communication of the District Grand Lodge, E.C., was held last night. In the absence of the D.G.M., Bro. I*. Graham, Bro. Lodder, D.D.G.M., presided, with Bro. Dr. Dawson officiating as S.W., and Bro. Rev. W. Tebbs as J.W. The busi neas transacted was purely of a routine character. , , _ , Dr. Leslie Eccles, the medical officer of the 8.8. Tainui may be regarded as the champion "globe trotter" of the day. Within something less than fourteen months he haa made no less than four complete voyages round the world, accomplishing upwards of 112,000 miles of steamer travelling in that period.