NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8387, 15 October 1890, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF.

CHXisTCHCTjBCH Diocesan Synod was opened yesterday. Chief Detective Kirby assumed the duties of his office yesterday. A fresh westerly breeze was blowing in the Gulf during yesterday. The famous Captain Jackson Barry has arrived at Wellington from Sydney. Mr. W. F. Buck land addresses the electors of Manukau at Otahuhu to night. Mr. H. Coutts, of Hobson County, is a candidate for the Bay of Islands district. Inquest on Elworth, who was found drowned in the harbour, takes place to-day. The direct steam liners to England have reduced the freight on dairy produce considerably. The New Plymouth murder trial still continues. The defence is expected to begin to-day. Mr. A. L. Wilson has pu 1 the three-ton yacht now being co noted by Mr. C. Bailey. Weather prophets at Wellington are predicting a dry summer, and if so, a water famine is feared.

The tender of S. Sheldon has be ' accepted for the construction of concrete breastwork at Quay-etreet. A great number of names are being struck off the rolls. There are some extraordinary cases of roll-stuffing. The brigantine Nautilus, from the Islands, is now long overdue, and it is feared that she has foundered.

A project is on foot amongst the local athletes to have a 20 mile running race (shortly, from near Drury to town. Puhipuhi Prospectors Company are having their battery site excavated, and levels taken for fluming and water power. James Elsworth, master of the scow Lake St. Clair, is missing, and is supposed to havo fallen overboard and been drowned.

Tho land near Calliope Dock, otiered by the Auckland Harbour Board to the Admiralty, is to be given without conditions.

Subscriptions for David Patterson, who lost his horses and damaged his cab by the accident on Saturday night, are coming in "freely. The first of the new pumps now in course .of erection at the Calliope Dock is expected to be ready for use by the end of November.

The Under Secretary for Native Affairs (Mr. J. \V. Lewis) is at present in Auckland on business in connection with his department. Free open-air concerts are projected by Lieutenant-Colonel Carre, who says he wishes to infuse a little life into the Auckland people. Mr. W. Trimble, a brother of Colonel ■Trimble, M.H.R., and one of the oldest Treemasons in the colony, died at the Hospital, yesterday. There appears to bo a doubt as to who is responsible for the removal of the two liorses drowned in the Auckland Harbour on Saturday night. Federated Stewards' and Cooks' Union .are moving the Supreme Court for an injunction to prohibit the trustees from using accumulated funds for strike pay. Rev. Charles Clark's lecture on Westminster Abbey was well received last night. ■*' Thackeray ami Snobs" is the subject of to-night's lecture. It should prove highly interesting. At a meeting of St. Matthew's parish'ioners last night, it was decided that the time had arrived to build a stone church, a parsonage, schoolroom, and provide an endowment fund.

Thomas Johnson, a bankrupt, attributes bis failure to an accident, which incapacitated him from business, and to the loss of a Supreme Court case, in which he was cast in costs. His unsecured debts are £728.

The Hon. G. McLean has informed Mr. I»iccol that, until he discusses the San Francisco mail service with him, nothing will be done in the direction of altering the port of call of the steamers in New Zealand.

The Auckland Harbour Board have remitted storage charges on some books for the School for the Blind. They have, however, declined that concession in other cases in which goods have been detained in their sheds owing to the strike. The following is the state of Her Majesty's prison, | Auckland, for the week ending 11th October :—On remand, 1 female ; awaiting trial, 4 males ; penal servitude, 45 males, '2 females; hard labour, 52 males, 15 females ; default of bail, 4 males ; received during the week, 11 males, 5 females ; discharged 15 males, '2 females. Total in prison, 105 males, IS females.