NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9147, 31 August 1888, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF.

teraorivß Doolan left by the s.B. Mararoa forDunedin yesterday. . Mr. Robert King, J.P., Opotiki, has seen gazetted a coroner within the colony of New Zealand. Sir Henry Parkes has authorised the distribution of £100 among the Chinese lately burnt out at Botany. Mr. James Stephenson Clendon, R.M., is gazetted R.M., for the Auckland district with jurisdiction up to £100. A number of bakers in Wellington are being proceeded against by the police for selling bread under weight. Dr. Macgregor hopes to be able to proclaim Her Majesty's sovereignty in British New Guinea not later than 6th September. A Manawatu paper has found out that although " the Ministry is not worthy of support," "the Opposition is still less worthy." The Legislative Council of South Australia have passed a bill giving separate representation in the Assembly to the Isorthern Territory. It is suspected that Julian E. Jeffreys, the defaulting manager of the hyngan branch of the Commercial Bank, has sailed by the ship Lota from Newcastle for Valparaiso, i-i The Primitive Methodist Intercolonial Committee, which has been sitting at Melbourne, has fixed tho date of the first General Conference for October, 1890, at Adelaide. . At the Columbia Rink last night there was a well-contested polo match between the Eureka Club and a scratch team of the Columbias. The latter were victorious by five points to one. It is alleged that the men on strike in Sydney have funds enough in hand frcm the Union to keep them comfortably even if they should not do another stroke of work for the next six months. The Taranaki Herald coolly states that when the interest on the New Plymouth Harbour Board Loan becomes due in November, it will not be paid unless the Government finds the money. Diphtheria is increasing in New Plymouth and suburbs, there being over thirty cases—some of a very severe form—at the present time. The increase is directly traceable to want of proper isolation. bjp Waite's fire kindlers seem to be finding *" a readv market, for amongst the shipments vesterday were 2000 to Melbourne and 15 cases for the South, and in both instances the shipments were short of the orders. The flax industry in Raglan is said to be working great changes in that district, absorbing all the available labour there, and providing as well employment for some of the young men from the neighbourhood of Hamilton. So far as the rainfall in and around Sydney is concerned the present year is one of the driest that has ever been recorded, as we have had only 27 per cent, of the iverage fall of rain. The driest yea? on reconT prior to this one was IS4O. It is stated that Mr. Cowen, the conductor of the Exhibition orchestra in the Melbourne Exhibition, relies entirely on his memory, never having any music or notes before " him. Considering the variety and character of the music, performed, this is | truly wonderful. At a recent meeting in Sydney the Tobacconists' Association of New South Wales was formed, the object being to effect reforms in the trade, to correct abuses, to raise the trade in public estimation, and to promote social intercourse imong them generally. The quarterly licensing meetings for the sity commence next Monday, when the Auckland North committee will sit to hear applications for transfers. The sitting of the committee for Auckland East is fixed for Wednesday, the sth, nnd that for Karangahape for the 10th proximo.