NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 8985, 24 February 1888, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF.

The Taranaki Herald thinks that it is high time the Bant .of New Zealand issued their new notes. The Victorian contribution to the Bulli disaster fund has been £12,275 19s 3d. It is said that a patriotic Irish banquet is being arranged to be held on the 17th of March, St. Patrick's Day. The Waterworks Committee have accepted the tender of Messrs. Morrin and Company for supplies. The ISew Zealand Times has taken a fad that girls should play football, and is dealing with the subject in leading articles. A circular has been issued calling a special meeting of the members of the Finance Committee of the Harbour Board. The Christchurch Telegraph makes some severe remarks upon the conduct of the Naval Volunteers at the opening of the Ca^S?veJ— ThatMr. take the chair and act as such for the ensuing twelve months," is an entry in the minutes of a Taranaki local body. ...... . , _ Complaints are made that the intending exhibitors at the Industrial Association a Exhibition are proving very dilatory in forwarding their exhibits. The total amount of New South Wales gold received at the Sydney Mint for coinage during last year was 105,2650z. This represents a value of £375,755. The only prisoner in the lock-up last evening was Martin Lestrange, an old offender, who is charged with drunkenness, vagrancy, and being a rogue and a vagabond. _ , . The native village on the island of Motiti, near Tauranga, was destroyed by fire a few days ago, only a chapel and a whare remaining. A largo quantity of maize was also destroyed. , The Shaw, Savill and Albion Company s ship Invercargill, which sailed from \\ ollintrton on Sunday last for London, took 10/743 carcases of frozen meat, and 1512 pieces in her freezing chambers." The Taranaki Herald states: —"From private advices, dated Honolulu, January 19, a local gentleman was informed that G. V.' Jakins, who recently absconded from Auckland, is now in business in that place, and is receiving consignments of New Zealand produce from Auckland." The directors of the Timaru Gas Company have been able to declare a dividend of 12i per cent, for the year's operations, leaving a balance of £626 lis to be carried forward. Reducing the price has increased the output of gas by 704,700 feet. The total output for the year was 6,343,000 feet. A "puff paragraph" in a Wellington paper commences thus —" Sir Julius ogel is a many-sided man—a man of very large experience, colonial and European, and a man who has the faculty of observation very keenly developed; but we doubt whether, in all his experience or in all his observation, he has ever seen anything to equal our sale of," &c.