NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9269, 3 August 1893, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF.

fuERE wcro in the lockup last evening two prisoners on charges of drunkenness. The Auckland Choral Society's second orchestral concert takes place this evening. The Rocs-Cadman election campaign will be decided on Friday, when the polling will tako place. Mr. Charles Robinson has been gazetted a forest ranger for tha Land District of Auckland.

Universal complaint is made regarding he quality of the paper of tho new telegraph forms. Tho Rev. C. H. Garland is preparing a reply to Mr. Shepherd Allen's pamphlet on " Higher Criticism."

There is an agitation in Wellington in favour of making the pay of female teachers approximate that of males. Nearly half a ton of butter is imported every week from Taranaki and other districts by tho Napier merchants. The electoral meeting in the Ponsonby Hall last night was a lively one. There was more than one eviction.

The final address in the present contest for tho Auckland seat will bo given by Mr. Kees in tho City Hall this evening. The Southland News asks how long the Government will continue to bury iu the Gazette announcements .regarding laud sales.

The Napier Borough Council have decidod to start laying tho mains for tin waterworks plant to relievo the unemployed. The Wellington Acclimatisation Society will make an attempt to introduce canvasback ducks, Oregon quail, and tho ova of the English grayling. We understand that ho Misses Albu, who give their first concert 0:1 Monday nest, will give an "At Homo" at the Grand Hotel on Friday afternoon. A cable has been received from the Rev. Thomas Spurgeon by his friends in Auckland, stating that he has arrived safely in London, and was in tho enjoyment of good health.

Curiously enough (*ays an exchange) the two newly-elected members of the House of Representatives, Sir Robert Stout and Mr. Willi.*, arc vice-presidents of the Now Zealand Freethought Association. At the Masterton District Court the other day a bankrupt was asked by his lawyer it he were anxious to get his discharge. "Yes, to get. shut of you," was the unexpected reply, which convulsed the Court.. The Marlborough Press states that a right was recently witnessed at Torea Point between an octopus and a seal. The arms of the octopus, ono of which the seal was busily operating upon, were four or live feet In length. The gold thief has been making a haul at the Upper Duller, West port, some dastardly wretch having cleaned down an unfortunate miner's boxes and stolon therefrom about 40oz of gold. The police are investigating the matter. Among tho latest additions to the reference branch of the Free Public Library is the concluding volume of the "Spitzer Art Collection," which lias just come to hand. This tine work will be of great value to art students fur reference, as it contains facsimiles in colours of tho finest specimens of art in I'iris.

The Waitarapa Star says:—" The legal costs of the endeavour to compel William Hull, bankrupt, of Pahiatua, to surren ler to the Official Assignee the deferred payment section on which he resides, have already amounted to El SO. It is said that in defending himself the bankrupt has expended fully £10U. The New Plymouth highwayman, who is now in gaol, was assistant '•editor" of a periodica] read at the meetings of the local Wesleyan Mutual Improvement Association, and was to have met the " editor " on the night he was captured to fix up the papers for the next meeting, but the business was postponed. Yesterday forenoon an old man named Alexander Philips, ,-i shoeblack, who resides in Swanson-street, w.i« taken to the Hospital by Constable McConochie. Ho was found on the doorsteps of the Waitcmata Hotel, suffering from severe pains in the stomach. evidently the result of exposure, and is said to be in a precarious condition. A child in the care of a drunken mother in Master ton is said to be in a deplorable condition. For days at a time it is said to have been without fowl (excepting a little that a neighbour has handed it through the window), and the mother has regularly come homo drunk and beaten tho very life out of the poor infant. The house is in a dreadful condition of filth, and would disgrace the worst-kept tenement in an Eastend slum.

SPORTING. SOUTH AUCKLAND RACING CLUB. [til" TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT, j Hamilton, Wednesday. The seventh annual meeting of the South Auckland Racing Club was held to-day. The balance-sheet and report were adopted. Member's subscription was fixed for the ensuing year at £1 Is. (Jeneral business was gone through, and a vote of thanks was passed to the A.K.C. for their action in endeavouring to reduce the amount of added money per meetiug necessary to the passing of programmes with the use of the totalisator. A vote of thanks to Mr. Barton was accorded for having acted as delegate to the Conference of Suburban and County Clubs held in Auckland, also to the officials of the club for their past year's services.