NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8889, 27 May 1892, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF.

The Chinese at Oamaru subscribed £2 16s towards Dr. Barnardo's Homes. The Napier Telegraph says there is very little building going on in Napier just now. The second orchestral concert of the season will take place in the Choral Hall on Thursday next. Since the inception of the new sanitary arrangements at Bertdigo typhoid fever has decreased by nearly one-half. Upwards of SOO.OOO acres of Crown lands will, it is hoped, be ready for sale by auction in Queensland on June 28. The Cromwell Argus says that at Tarras % farmer, last week, found forty ducks in a field dead, from eating rabbit poison. It is said that the proposed stock tax in Victoria will seriously affect the raisers of stock in the south-east of South Australia. The section of the railway line between Sodwalls and Tarana (N.S.W*.) is being relayed. It was on this section the recent accident occurred. j The Finanoe Committee of the Otago Education Board have under consideration a scheme for the revision of the scale of payments to teachers. In our report of the meeting of t.he_ City Schools' Committee in our last issue, the name of W. J. Dennis appeared in place of \V. C. Den ties. Professor Elkington, of Melbourne University, barrister and solicitor, lias filed his schedule. His liabilities are estimated at £37,000, and assets at £'2t5,505. Mr. Allen, M.H.K., is about to resign his seat in the Dunedin City Council, as his Parliamentary duties will prevent his attending to municipal business. Mr. H. H. Park, who died recently at Riverton, aged S2, was the oldest Oddfellow in the colony, having been connected with the Order over GO years. The woman, Mary Reid, belonging to Newmarket, who took " Rough on Hats" is progressing favourably at the Hospital, and is regarded as out of danger. Thero is a delegate from Christchurch at the Chamber of Commerce Convention now

being held in London. He will support a cheaper postage and telegram rate. The Christchurch Press says : —" It is reported that about £">O,OOO worth of property in the recently held Reviewers' Courts has been offered to the Government at the valuations put ou it by the assessors.

Inquiries are made by Mrs. Catherine Murphy, by letter to the Town Clerk, of the whereabouts of one Edward .Tones, who sailed from Ireland about 28 years ago (he married one Mary Riley); also, of James and William Harley. The many friends of Mr. W. A. Murray, an Waikato and elsewhere, will be glad to learn that he has sufficiently recovered from his recent illness as to have left the Auckland Hospital, and is now walking about gathering strength daily. In the Carlton (Victoria) baby-farming case, a verdict of manslaughter has been returned against Mrs. Elizabeth Perry. Mrs. Perry is said to have lived in a filthy hovel, where she adopted" children of tender age, and less than half fed them. A Wanganui gentleman recently tried the effect of bird poison as a means of getting rid of the nuisance he experienced from the sparrows. One bag and a-half of sparrows' bodies were gathered up next morning. The bags were ordinary-sized corn sacks.

The New South Wales PostmasterGeneral says that the Ministry of that colony is a very happy family. Everyone's vote is recognised, and if the chief himself is in the minority, he simply says that the majority must rule, and goes on with the next business.

The people of Balranald are of opinion that the demand for mallee country on the N.S.W. side of the River Murray would be as great as in Victoria if the Government of the colony would throw the land open and hold out similar inducements to selectors as aie offered there.

A farmer named McTigh was driving from church near Ararat, Victoria, with his wife and five children, when the horses took fright at a bicyclist. The vehicle went over an embankment. Mrs. McTigh had her left leg broken, but the rest of the family were uninjured. The international tug-of-war commences at the Drill-shed on the 4th prox., and will be continued on following nights. Entries will be received up to noon on Thursday next. These competitions have excited the greatest interest in the South, and been witnessed by thousands. A letter has been received by the Victorian Premier from a resident of New Zealand, suggesting as a means of employment of *he surplus labour of young people, especially girls and women, that the Government should assist in establishing a Hand-loom weaving industry." The New South Wales Director of Agriculture reports that the disease which affects the oranges at Burragorang is known a3 rust mite, or Maori disease, and that white oil soap, when applied in the proportion of lib to 50 gallons of water, is found to be an effectual remedy for it. An incident similar to that which marked Deeming'a incarceration in Western Australia has occurred at Bourke, where a man named Bourke, alias O'Brien, while awaiting the hearing of a charge of passing a valueless cheque, by some unknown means shaved off his beard so as to prevent identification. The Oamaru Mail learns from an authentic source that the Midland Railway Company have just disposed of a block of land some 50,000 acres in extent, lying at the foot of the ranges north of the Waimakiriri River. The purchaser is a Timaru gentleman, and the price paid was 12s per acre. The committee of the Parramatta Benevolent Society has adopted the scheme for a rest proposed by Archdeacon Gunther. It provides for food and shelter, also work and a bureau. No inmates are allowed to remain more than two days, and cannot be re-admitted until the expiration of three months.

As some cattle were being driven through East Kempsey, N.S.W., one broke away and rushed into a house. The occupant, Mrs. McCarthy, was knocked down, and received two cuts in the neck, which the doctor had to stitch up. Latest advices state that Mrs. McCarthy is in a critical condition.

The Minister for Customs in Victoria was asked by a deputation representing the exporters of horses to India that no increase be made in the duty on horses imported into Victoria, as it would practically kill the trade with India. Mr. Turner promised to submit their views to the Chief Secretary.

The "A" Battery of Artillery volunteers mustered for an ordinary weekly inspection parade last night, under the command of Captain Geddes, and there was a very fair attendance. After the roll call the com-

mand was handed over to Sergeant-Major Bush, of the Permanent Force, who gave a *«cture course on gunnery.

A young married man, employed at Frogley's mills, Newcastle, met with a very painful accident. He was sawing timber, when his hand slipped, and, coming in contact with the saw, received a terrible gash. He was removed as quickly as possible to the Friendly Societies' Dispensary, where part of his hand was amputated.

A bad case of vitrol throwing occurred the other night at Randwick, New South Wales, when, without any provocation, an unknown man threw a bottleful in the face of Robert O'Connell, a dealer. O'Connell was standing in his doorway, when the other man came up and threw the acid in his face. He was severely burned.

A coloured man named Charles Russell, aged 75, a notorious bushranger, died lately in the Bendigo Hospital. The deceased was known in the early fifties as " Black Douglas," the bushranger, and was a chief actor in many escapades throughout the midland counties of Victoria. Before he •took to the roads he was a prizefighter.

An elderly woman named Riley, residing in the Hape Road, was admitted to the Thames Hospital yesterday, suffering from severe burns on the face. It appears she is subject to fits, and yesterday, whilst in the house alone, one of these fits overcame her, and she fell with her face into the fireplace, and before she was found her face was badly burned.