NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9335, 19 October 1893, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF.

Orchestral concert in the Choral Hall this evening. > . ' •*• The annual Soiree in connection with the Newmarket Wesley an Church was held last Brening. •' Bushmen are now in demand in the Mana* watu, Bunnythorpe, Forty-mile Bush, and Palmers ton districts. > :

New South Wales wool has secured 123 awards at Chicago for 200 exhibits, while minerals have 86 awards.

In a divorce case listed for trial in Ballarat on the 16th instant, the petitioner and respondent are each 80 years of age. An electrical appliance has been invented in Sydney by which one clock can be made to register time at any number of places. The New Zealand Methodist states that the Rev. J. A. Luxford has been invited to St. Alban's Wesleyan Church.Christchurch. In consequence of the large number of fatalities from deep diving in Torres Straits, the Queensland Government. intend to prohibit diving within certain areas. For the nine months ended September 30, the gold production of Queensland was 445,4520z, being an increase of 63430z on the corresponding period of last year. Yesterday afternoon a prisoner named Joseph Anthony, charged with larceny as a bailee, arrived from New Plymouth by the steamer Mahinapua, in charge of Constable Lister.

A man named James Miller was brought in, yesterday, by Constable Ryan, of Raglan, en route for Mount Eden Gaol, on warrant of commitment, for neglecting to support his wife, Sarah Miller. According to a Parliamentary return, there are 1929 officers retired from the Victorian Civil service now in receipt of pensions, amounting in the aggregate to £220,612 per year. This sum capitalised represents £5,515,300. The Strasburg Clock exhibition continues to prove attractive, the attendance yesterday being beyond the average. During yesterday afternoon thero was quite a rush of Maoris to the hall; they displayed the keenest interest in the exhibition.

Shortly after the arrival of the steamer Mahinapua at Onehunga yesterday, Sergeant Greene proceeded on board and arrested Ralph Fhrol, the' chief cook, on a charge of assault preferred by an assistant named Frederick Vincent Rutherford. The Bay of Plenty Times says .—"The demand for Government land in the district continues unabated. One block of 1000 acres, close to Matata, has been taken up by Mr. Ralph. Two other blocks of ever 600 acres each have been taken up at Te Puna." It has been decided to hold an official inquiry into the circumstances attending the recent grounding of the barquentine Vacuna, on the Orwell Bank, inside the Manukau Heads. Tuesday, the 24th inst., is the date fixed. All the necessary witnesses have been subpaned. The largest will for which probate has been granted in the New South Wales Courts this year was that of George Augustus Mein, late of St. Kilda, Victoria. It was sworn at under £165,750. The testator provided an annuity of £3000 a-year for his widow. The Wellington Press understands that John O'Keefe, of Otaira, -who was recently acquitted at Carterton on a charge of cattlestealing from Martin's run, which adjoins his property, has instituted proceedings against Arthur Martin, claiming £1000 damages for malicious prosecution. The protection work at the New Plymouth Breakwater is progressing most satisfactorily. The Works Committee visited the" breakwater the other day. and were highly gratified at the amount of work already done. The fine weather proTailing enables the dredge to take out three loads of sand a-day. A Sydney paper of October 10, says :— The River Murray at Echuca is over 29 feet high, and the sawmills are submerged. Over 100 men have been thrown out of work. Those residing on the banks of the river have had to quit their homes and take shelter in tents. They are removing their belongings in boats. The Chief Secretary of Queensland has decided to remove the restriction as regards recruiting from the islands of Santa Cruz and the Southern Solomons ; also Tongoa, in the New Hebrides. The removal of the restriction will practically throw all the South Sea Islands under British jurisdiction open for recruiting purposes. . . The total private wealth of Australasia is about £1,160,434,000, being equivalent to £309 per head, and is distributed as follows : —New South Wales, £412,454,000-£36S per head ; Victoria, £344,224,000—£304 per head Queensland, £117,414,000-£3Ol per head; South Australia, £99,141,000— £310 per head Western Australia, £10,619,000 —£218 Der head ; Tasmania, £34,360,000— i.236 per head ; New Zealand, £150,192,000 —£240 per head.