NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8882, 19 May 1892, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF.

The Revision Court for Eden County, under the provisions of the Land and Income Assessment Act, concluded its Sittings yesterday. Mr. Solomons, a dealer, was fined £10 fend costs at Blenheim for selling goods by auction, viz., calling out he would take a certain price for an article. The Railway Department is unable as yet to furnish an estimate of the damage done to the line between Ngahauranga and Petone by the recent bad weather. An artesian well has been successfully Wank at the Longburn Freezing Works. Water was struck at a depth of 190 feet, the flow rising six feet above the surface. It i? a rather a significant fact that out of seventeen polling places for the Bruce election Mr. Lee Smith, the Government candidate, was only able to secure a majority at two. The once-boasted " hop gardens of Hastings " are now a thing of the past. The land has been parted with in a number of sections, and, speaking in general terms, all the bines are grubbed up. The Wellington Pres.* hints that either Mr. Ballanco or Mr. Reeves will be a candidate for Y\ ellinsrton City at the general election, and be bracketed with Mr. Kennedy Macdonald and Sir Walter Bulier. Sir Walter Buller has purchased an estate near Horowhenua Lake, one of the most charming spots in the Island. The property is one which Sir George Grey desired to purchase some years ago, but at that time tho natives were unwilling to sell.

The Argus, in its report of the trial of Deeming, says that the Judge, Mr Justice Hodges, laughed at the evidence given by the doctors called for the defence, and when about to pass sentence prefaced the duty by bestowing upon the prisoner " a look of withering contempt." The Minister of Public Works entertains a favourable opinion of the auriferous resources of the Tuapeka district. The field was generally considered almost worked out, but Mr. Seddon believes that, with a propter water supply, tho district would support a very much larger population. A Wellington citizen informs tho Press that his garden has suffered in a curious way from the late storm. A crop of carrots has' been blackened as it by smoke, and the leaves in his garden have been withered and shrivelled as if by a simoon. This latter effect seems to have very widely followed the gale. Three person? arrested for drunkenness were in the police cells last night. George Jackson, charged with having obstructed Constable Carroll when the latter was performing police duty, and John Martin, accused of having broken a pane of glass belonging to K. F. Luks, were also in custody. The following resolution has been passed by the Wairarapa North County Council : —"That it be a recommendation to the Government to empower all local authorities to impose a penalty of not more than 10 per cent, on all special rates in arrear for a period of three months after the demand was made."

The Examiner says :—" As showing; the growing imj>ortance of the New Zealand butter trade, we are informed that in addition to the firm- represented in the colony now in connection with the butter industry, eight more home firm? intend sending retiresentatives to the colony to buy up the toming reason's produce.' 1 The Taranaki Herald says:—"ln no country in the world have more schemes for the settlement of people on the land been tried than in New Zealand, in this connection the West port Times remarks that the only "scheme" ever tried in that district — the most prosperous in the colony—was hard work, which has answered admirably. In a communication to the Egmont Agricultural and Pastoral Association, .Mr. J. D. Ritchie writes " Step-have already been taken to establish an agricultural department. It is hoped that in a short time all matters relating to the agricultural and pastoral industries will receive that consideration such important industries deserve."'

The Taranaki News says :—" The mortality amongst the Maoris living at the ilangaone pa, near Hell Block, is becoming alarming, and we consider it high time some steps were taken to prevent the natives indulging in the hideous orgies and drunken bouts that have been so frequent of late, and which appear likely to continue for an indefinite period." The new Dunedin paper (Weekly Life) thus indicates its politics: —" To take up the cry of Party—right or wrong —is not only puerile, but it means assuming the office of a barrel organ that can, under all circumstances, be warranted to grind forth one strident unreasoning tune, no matter on which side the rigftt or wrong may be. In a word, we deal with Life rather than Party." The Otago Daily Times, referring to the regulation- of the liquor traffic in Dunedin, says : —" What we want to point out to the Licensed Victuallers' Association is this :

That such cases as that of certain hotels are rapidly educating public opinion to the point when a large majority of the people will demand the total abolition of the drink traffic, in very despair at the futility of all efforts to restrain it. : '

A correspondent, over the signature of "Justice," writes from Tuakau respecting the accounts published of the death of Miss Matilda Bovell. "Justice" says Miss Bovell died on Monday the 2nd, and not Sunday the Ist, and that her age was 23 and not 24 years. Miss Bovell was ailing about a week altogether from quinsey, and died about two hours before Dr. Dalzell reached her father's residence. Dr. Dalzell gave his opinion that the cause of death was suffocation arising from quinsey. She was buried ou the 3rd instant in the Tuakau Cemetery, the Rev. W. F. Findlay reading the burial service.