NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8814, 1 March 1892, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF.

Two hundred thousand cases of apples are to be soiib to England from Tasmania this season. Two deaths from typhoid fever have occurred at Farramatba Gaol, owing to defective sewerage. The grape vines being cultivated by several settlers in the Forty-mile Bush have been attacked by mildew. The Australian shearers have a delegate at present in >lew Zealand, commissioned to form branches of the union in this colony. There are 21 patients in the lepor asylum at Botany (New South Wales). 10 of whom are natives of the colony of European descent. The Minister of Public Works has ordered the railway extension works at the Woodville end to bo proceeded with as soon as possible. Starling.4 are being liberated in the Forty-mile Bush. They are being brought from Canterbury, and arc a natural enemy to the catapillar. Returns to hand ihow that the rainfall in New South Wales last* year was 3l's6in, or 'JS per cent, greater than the average of the past 17 years. A dairy factory is to be established by Mr. Sorensen, the dairy expert, on his own account, between Okaiawa and lvaponpa, on tho Wannate Plains. At Maharahara copper mino the lodo struck in tho low level drive shows a fine body of stone. It is intended now to open it tip and obtain an expert's report. At Messrs. Watson and lnglta' rabbit and meat preserving factory, at Stonytord. Victoria, nearly 1 ,IHX>,(KK> rabbits, and also a quantity of mutton were tinned last year. Warden McKell, of ('obar, has forwarded to the Minister for Mines of New South Wales a report, in which he describes the alleged silver discovery in the lJyos Ranges as a hoax.

It is stated that Miss Lizzio Payne (Mrs. Steele), of the well-known Payne Family, has been seized with an affection of the throat, which will necessitate twelve months' rest.

Mr. John Ormsby, the well • known native assessor, states that the King natives generally greatly regret Mr. Cadman's retirement from the position of Native Minister.

The sparrow nuisance is increasing in the Master ton district. Millions of small birds are to be seen in the crops which are not yet harvested, and no small amount of damage has been ne. Replying to a question put by Mr. Toohey in tho New South Wales Assembly, Mr. Dibbs said that at present It was not convenient to explain the object of his proposed trip to England. Mr. Frost, a member'of the Canterbury Midland Club, had a singular accident in the cricket field lately in Christchurch. He was throwing in the ball, when ho broke his arm above the elbow.

Under individual cultivation tho Maoris hold about 50,000 acres of land, and in

common cultivation 39,000 acres approximately. They own 251,703 sheep, 42,912 head of cattle, and 86,259 pigs. An exchange says that in order to be suitably prepared for the advent of Lord Glasgow, the good people of Wellington are now dieting themselves on oatmeal, tem pered with a dash of Burns' poems. Under the Imprisonment tor Debt Abolition Act a judgment creditor may, after obtaining a judgment, charge the debtor interest at the rate of five per cent, until ho takes out a judgment summons, or until the money is paid. South Australia does not appear to hold out permanent attractions to population. Official returns for last year show that. 58,685 people arrived in that colony and 58,296 left, the net increase in favour of South Australia being only 389. A farmer of the West Coast who was recently in Masterton says that sheep in hie district have decreased in value by several shillings during the past few weeks. This is in consequence of the inferior class of sheep placed on the market. The Wairarapa Weekly says : " It is a startling fact that between Wellington and New Plymouth, inclusive, there is no less than fifty-three days' racing during the year. This is a record which, comparing populations, is unbeaten in any part of the globe." It came out in the Napier police court, a few days ago, that a boy 12 years of age, charged with taking money not his own, went to a shop and purchased a suit of clothes, a Water bury watch, necktie, carpet bag, handkerchief, hat, a pair of boots, a pipe, and stick of tobacco, all of which ho put into his carpet bag, and went on his way rejoicing.