NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9261, 15 January 1889, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF.

it is proposed to start a roller flour mill -at Waimate, Canterbury. The Wellington Gas Company dividend for the year is 15 per cent. Cabinet meetings will be held day and night during most of this week. Donald, the eldest son of Rev. Dr. Stuart, of Dunedin, died on Saturday night. The police have commenced making out the jury lists for the city and suburbs. Colonel Fraser, M.H.R., was a passenger by the Gairloch which left Onehunga yesterday. Chief Detective Brown proceeded to Wellington yesterday, having obtained leave of absence for a few days. Two puro Ayrshire bulls and '24 cows go to Sydney by the Wakatipu from C. B. Ferguson's herd, Otago. The young lad Smyth, who got his leg fractured at Waitakerei, is progressing favourably at the Hospital. It is said that in Santa Rose a man eradicated codlin moth by planting tansy seed at the root* of his apple trees. The weather at Wanganui during the last two days has been very hot. The crops in the district are looking splendid.) At the Christchurch City Council it was reported that the ' city valuation was 211,733, or 13,000 less than last year. Mr. Phil Robinson lectured at Wanganui last night to a fairly large audience, who were very attentive and appreciative A six-roomed house at Cosey Dell, Dunedin, owned by D. Simpson, gardener, was burned down cm Sunday night. Insurance, £175 in the Union office. The Hawke's Ray Herald states that it is reported that Mr. J. G. Kinross has sold his fine Raukawa property at a price in the neighbourhood of £40,000. The fashionable pastime, just ' now at Wanganui is rod-fishing for kawhai, and those"who have tried it say tha ftor real sport it beats trout fishing by a long way. The annual meeting of the Presbyterian City Mission was held yesterday evening at St."David's Church. The various reports were of a very satisfactory nature. A full report appears elsewhere. Pettengell and Cunningham fought six rounds on Saturday at Dunedin for a stake. Pettengell showed nothing like his usual staying powers, and did not come to time at the end of the sixth round.

A trap accident! occurred at Wanganui on Saturday, by which Messrs. W. Alexander and James Thain had a very narrow escape. Both were severely shaken, and both got their noses broken. The steamer Rotomahana, which arrived from the Thames yesterday, brought up two boxes of gold, containing 20050z, consigned to the Bank of New Zealand. "The usual Gospel Temperance meeting was held on Sunday evening in the Protestant Hall, Karangahape Road. Mr. Hooper presided. Mr. James French gave the address. The attendance was very good. The measures to be laid before Parliament, including one dealing with hospitals and charitable aid, are now under the consideration of the Cabinet, and some considerable changes are to be proposed to Parliament.

In accordance with ancient custom, a number of leal Scotsmen assembled at the Shades, Christchurch, on December 31, to celebrate Hogmanay by a haggis supper. Saut herrins and new tatties preceded the bagEris, which was really a splendid one. The Railway Commissioners will not be gazetted till "the business is ready to be taken over. They are anxious to obtain control at once,' but accounts have to be balanced and other work done, so that it will probably be February before they will take charge. The Gisborne Standard lectures vigorously the people of Napier, and says: " The sooner the business people and residents of Napier recognise that a continuous round of gambling is not an indication of , the prosperity of a town the sooner a turn for the better may be expected." The Dunedin tramways report shows a falling off in the year's traffic of 1921, and in consequence the revenue account only shows a credit of £832, and the profit and loss account has a debit of £380. The directors recommended writing off from the capital accounts a sum equal to 3s per share.

Harvest prospects in Central Otago seem to be bright, according to the Dunstan Times, which reports that the whole of the crops in the Blacks and Ida Valley districts are looking splendid, and farmers are in excellent heart and great spirits, looking forward not only to a bounteous harvest, but to good prices.