NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9509, 30 October 1889, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF.

Iris reported that a flaxmill will be started Bhoartly at Tapeka, near Russell. The estimated population of Western Australia on September 30 was 43,352. A company is being formed at Heriot, Otago, to establish rabbit preserving works. Telephonic communication between Melbourne and Gcelong is said to be working admirably. 1). Cameron, farmer, was yesterday, at Balclatha, fined £2 and £3 costs for cruelty to » dog. Mr. Justice Hodges has accepted the vacant chancellorship of the diocese of Melbourne.

A man named William Harris fell dead in the Congregational Church, Molbourne, on a recent Sunday night. On October 22 hist year there were SOS unemployed on Government works. Ou the same date this year there were only 2*25. Tho Row E. Austin, Congregational clergyman, has given notice of his intention to resign tho pastorate of Titnaru church.

Tho word " worldliness," in our report of the Itov. Mr. Gulliver's lecture on Sunday last, should have been printed " otherworldlinefis."

At a meeting of the Lyttelton Presbyterian Church a practically unanimous resolution to send a call to the Rev. James H. McKenzie, Wallacotown, was adopted. The Geelong ArbitratiomCourt, to decide the amount of compensation to 17 hotels ordered to be closed by the operation of the local option vote, has fixed the amount at £17,069.

The drapers and grocers of Blenheim propose to close at nine o'clock instead of six, in consequence of tho action of the smaller tradesmen, who keep open till a later hour.

. Bishop Grimes laid the foundation stone of tho Roman Catholic Cnurch at Fairlie Creek on Sunday. Four to five hundred people were present, and the collection on the stone was over £150.

An interesting lecture on the subject, " Ireland : Past and Present." was given yesterday evening by the Rev. Father Fahey before the Auckland Catholic Literary Society, at St. Patrick's Hall. Mr. C. C. McMillan, who has been appointed to fill the vacancy on the Harbour Board caused by the resignation of Mr. J. M. Clark, took his seat at the regular meeting of the Harbour Board yesterday. A cottage near r anganui Railway Station has been burnt down. The cause of the fire was a defective chimney. The insurance is in the South British, viz., building' £125, aud the furniture £25. There were in the lock-up lasb evening two persons on charges of drunkenness, and John Swaanensheck, charged with intending to desert his wife, Annie Swaanensheck, and two children under the age of 14 years. According to advices received by Mr. Ewington, Mr. F. Larkins was leaving London for New Zealand in the Austral, and after staying at Melbourne for a time ho expected to reach Auckland before Christmas.

It has been resolved to hold a regatta at Nelson on Boxing Day, and a strong committee has been appointed to carry out the arrangements. The New Zealand Amateur Rowing Champion Pairs is to be rowed at Nelson. Mr. D. P. Fisher, of the Wharf Labourers' Union, Wellington, has been appointed president; Mr. Lomas, of the Denniston Coal Miners' Association, treasurer ; and Mr. Miller, of Dunedin. secretary, of the Maritime Council. The next meeting takes place at Wellington. The Wanganui Education Board have revoked their former decision, and resolved to allow their scholarship holders to carry out their studies at St. Patrick's College, Wellington. The sums privilege has been extended to female scholarship holders as regards the Wanganui Convent School, pending the erection of a girls' high school. The Hon. T. Fergus, accompanied by Messrs. W. N. Blair, O'Connor, Bell, and other members of the Public V\ orks Department, visited the Otago Central line yesterday, and inspected it. The party proceeded as far as Sutton. The contractor for the bridges expects to finish them in six months' time, and after that, the line will be pushed on speedily to Middlemarch.