NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9293, 31 August 1893, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF.

"Clod night" at the rink this evening. The franchise granted to women of New Zealand.

St. Sepulchre's annual social gathering was held last evening. The Waxworks exhibition was visited by a large number of visitors yesterday. It is reported at Masterton that a party of Forty Mile Bush settlers intend leaving shortly for Paraguay. ' The Rev. Thomas Spursjeon has been preaching to some of the largest congregations ever assembled in New York.

Tho deposits sent in by applicants for one Crown land selection in the Napier district the other day totalled £1232.

" Pre-historic Animals" is the subject of a lecture to be delivered this evening at tho University College by Professor Thomas. Tho Rev. L. M. Isitt will deliver a lecture to-night at the City Hall on "Dr. Norman McLeod, Philanthropist, Poet, Author, and Humourist."

In the course of the Speight and Syme case now proceeding in Melbourne, a juror the other day went ofF to sleep, and on awakening pulled out a pipe mechanically, and struck a match.

A number of horses have died lately in different parts of Canterbury, and an analysis of the stomach in each instance has disclosed the presence of the bota in a more or less advanced stage.

The recent floods in the rivers and streams of the Wellington district are said to have in a great measure spoiled the chance of trout-anglers for the coming season, which opens on the loth of next month. In consequenco of the frequency with which Melbourne constables on night duty recently have met with armed resistance, authority has been given to issue revolvers to constables on duty after midnight. There are ten land districts in New Zealand, and a return showing operations for the last twelve months gives Auckland as sixth on the list, from a revenue point of view, Hawke's Bay being just above ib. There is apparently a desire for some fresh blood in the Auckland City Council, and Mr. Ernest Eugster has been nominated by Messrs. Enoch Wood and George Winstone as a candidate for the representation of the Karangahape Ward. Mr. Hayter, the Victorian Government Statist, estimates that on the 30th of Juno last tho population of Victoria was. 1,170,319. According to the official returns the population of New South Wales on that date was .1,630, or 41,311 in excess of that of Victoria.

An Oamaru paper says : —The dry winds of the past week or so have parched up the country a good deal, and grass is now very scarce. The result of this householders will find in tho increased price of dairy produce, which ii now said to be limited in supply. Another funeral fiasco is reported from Reefton. The body of the late Mrs. O'Connor could not be interred in its last resting place until about an hour after the arrival at the cemetery of tho cortege, and then the coffin could only be let down four feet and left floating in water.

A brilliant young South Australian scholar, Dr. James W. Leitch, who took his B. A. degree when 17 years old, and secured the M.B. and Ch. M. degrees at Edinburgh at the age of 22, has died at Adelaide from consumption, aged 20. Ho was greatly esteemed by the medical profession.

A novel thing occurred at a ballot for a section at the Napier Crown Lands Olfico last week. A husband and wife both applied, so as to have two chances of securing it, but, as it happened, there were no other applications. A ballot was held as bo the order in which their names were to be drawn, and then the ballot for tho land took place. The husband burned up the winner.