NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9243, 21 December 1888, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF.

.Sreat demand For the Christmas number Of the Auckland Wkekly News. An Invercargill syndicate is establishing Dew works for meat freezing. The I'icton Rowing Club have joined tho New Zealand Amateur Rowing Association. The close season for seals has been extended by Order-in-Council until 31gb December, LSS'J. The -Mayor and Town Clerk paid an official visit yesterday on board H.M. ships Opal and Lizard. The Cambridge branch of the Colonial Bank of Now Zealand will bo withdrawn at the close of this* year. Captain Edwin wired yesterday at 12.f>0 p.m.:—"East to north and north-west gale and rain within next twelve hours. Glass fall soon."

At Carterton yesterday an old resident named Adam Armstrong was committed for trial on a charge of perjury in connection with the recent land case.

Tho Messiah was performed last night in the Palace Rink by the Christchurch musical Society, with a chorus of 200 voices, the largest ever seen there. Tho attendance was estimated at -1000.

The Under Secretary for Native Affairs, Mr. T. W. Lewis, arrived in town last evening by '.he Gairloch. Ho has come up in connection with tho business of tho Native Department. A cricket match between teams from tho Nelson College and Wiinganui Collegiate School was played at Wellington yesterday, and resulted in favour of the latter by 54 runs on the first innings. The Napier Supremo Court yesterday gave judgment in the case Pukepuko v. W. Douglas, a. claim of £'2500 alleged to be due for back rout. Judgment was given for the defendant with costs.

The new cathedral at Napier was crowded last InVhfc, when there was full choral service magnificently sung by a strong united choir. The buildiug was illuminated most brilliantly by the albo-carbon light. Tho two cutters which sailed to Dusky Pound in search for treasure reported to be in the old wreck there, searched in vain. They met with the prospectors of Preservation Inlet, who have been very unsuccessful. The decision of Mr. Hookham having been received on the unfinished games in the late telegraphic chess match"between Timaru and Oaruaru, the victory is found to be in favour of Timaru by games to .i'

Mr. J. T. Mat-on says that, he invested for a client in England €400inChristchurch city properties 31 year? ago, and since then he has remitted in principal and interest £(i!).3'23, and he has over £10,000 yet to realise.

The competition between Cobb and Co.'s 'buses and the Wellington Tramway Company is now very keen. Both services are now carrying passengers from terminus to terminus, a distance of about 3i miles, at h\ fares. The weather up country in Otago has ceen so severe lately that shearing on several of the stations has had to be entirely suspended, while in some instances sheep died from exposure the day after they were shorn.

The General Synod of tho Church of England meets at Dunedin in February next, and the lay representatives elected for this diocese are Mr. G. P. Pierce, for Waitemntaj and Mr. Thomas Wells, for the Waikato.

A subscriber in the New Plymouth district, writes: li The AUCKLAND WEEKLY News is the very best paper in the colony. 1 ' We can assure him it is a great satisfaction to find that our efforts are =o thoroughly appreciated. The tender of Mr. J. Goss has been accepted for the erection of meat freezing works at Templeton, Canterbury, for the New Zealand Produce and Provision Company. The contract price is stated to be between £13,000 and £14,000. A meeting of past masters under the English, Irish, and Scotch constitutions is about to be held in Wellington for the purpose of considering the advisability of following the example of New South Wales Masons, and establishing an independent Grand Lodge. The Dunedin Hospital trustee? have by a majority appointed Dr. Copeland to be house surgeon, and Dr. Barclay house physician—to alternate duties every six montlfs. Tho trustees elected Dr. Maunsell to the honorary staff conditional upon hie retirement from the trust.

The new cathedral of St. John's, Napier, Was consecrated yesterday by the Bishop of Y\ aiapu. There was an immense assemblage within the walls of the building, and the ceremony was grand and impressive. A half-holiday was observed on the occasion, all the shops being closed. The Colonial Secretary (Mr. Hislop), accompanied by Major Messenger and Mr. Phil Robinson, paid a visit to Fort Ballance. Mr. Robinson, having inspected the fortifications, expressed his astonishment at the large expenditure which the colony has cheerfully gone to in the defence of ports. A. few days ago there was exhibited at Christchurch samples of Lincoln wool from the flock of Mr. H. Weston, Ellesmere. One fleece weighed 22Albs, from a fifteen months' hoggett ram. The other fleeces weigh as follow : 221bs, 20ilbs, and 19Albs. For the product of fifteen months' hoggetts this is a splendid yield. In the list of exports from the Taranaki breakwater for the four weeks ending December Bth is an item of butter 210,720 lbs. The value of this at 3d per lb., which was the rate ruling last year, would be £4390. However, taking for the purpose of comparison !)d a3 the ruling price, the value of this article for the four weeks is £7902.

Jn accordance witli the request made by the chairman of the Board of College Governors, Mr. Macky, Principal of the Wellington College, will inquire into the working of .secondary schools in New South Wales and Victoria during his visit to those colonies, with a view to making a report upon tho suinc on his return.