NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9241, 19 December 1888, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF.

Have you seen her? Great battle in Samoa. More deaths from heat in Queensland. Last night but one of the Gaylord-Silbon Company. Captain Edwin predicts east to north and north-west gale, with rain. Attempts are being made to victimise tradesmen by means of forged cheques. The Shakespere Revival Society in Dunedin have been performing "Othello." The mayor of Feilding, Dr. Monckton, talks of making roads "viable." Pedantic, surely. The foundation stone of the water tower connection of the Invercargill waterworks was laid yesterday. Four handsome landscape paintings in oils have been presented to the Art Gallery by Mr. C. A. Laßoche . The wheat crops in Marlborough are reported to bo looking magnificent, and the yield is expected to be a very large one. The weather in Invercargill, which has been unparalleled in wretchedness for nearly two months, now shows indications of improving. The insurance companies havo paid Hobday, of Christchurch, tlio full amount of his insurance on the stock destroyed in the tiro on October 3.

The commission appointed to examine into the working of the Lincoln Agricultural College, has been allowed until the 2Sth February to send in their report to the Government.

Four Dunedin Chineso friends have subscribed £80 to the Exhibition, and other Chinese have subscribed £20, while they have made arrangements to canvass their Chinese neighbours for shares. The Hawera Star says : —" The universal question now is ' when are wo to have summer V The continuance of cold westerly weather coupled with occasional showers is most unusual and most disagreeable." A few days ago, two boxes of tobacco were knocked into Tauranga harbour from the wharf. They were "fished out by a sailor, but as ho was not satisfied with tho salvage offered, he chucked them in again. It is stated that on Saturday night a firo occurred in the store department/ at the Sunnyside Lunatic Asylum. The flames were "extinguished before much damage was done, but" a quantity of goods were destroyed. A~conver.-a7.ione was held at Napier last night to welcome the Bishop of Waiapu. He was presented with a handsome and costly pastoral staff or crozier, just imported. The new cathedral will be opened on Thursday. Yesterday, December ISth, was the bicentenary of the "shutting of the gates of Derry" against James 11. —in defence of civil and religious liberty, and in resistance to arbitrary power, brass money, and wooden shoes ! A public reception was accorded the Bishop of Nelson yesterday on his return from England. . Two addresses of welcome were presented. The Bishop, in his reply, emphasised the importance of fostering a national spirit in the schools of the colony. The Wanganui Harbour Board have resolved to ask the Marine Department to suggest the name of a competent man, acquainted with fascine work, with a view of the Board consulting the same before allowing the proposed works at the head of the breakwater to be proceeded with. The Premier and Messrs. Mitchelson and Fergus arrived in Oainaru yesterday. In the afternoon they inspected the Tokarahi Railway line and received a number of deputations on local subject?. To-day they go to Kurow by train, and from that place drive from Hakateramea to Waimate, and thence to Timaru. An inquiry into the origin of the fire by which the Forbury school, Dunedin, was destroyed was held yesterday. The bulk of the evidence went to show that the fire originated through water coming in contact with lime stored in the building. The jury returned a verdict that the fire was accidentally caused.