NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9694, 14 December 1894, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF.

Cmplaints of sheep stealing are being made in Obago. 1 There were 21 students at the Ofcago

chool.of Mine 3 last year. Melbourne undertakers now run a newspaper called In Memoriam. t Before leaving yesterday both the Premier and the Hon. J, G. Ward gave Messrs. Robinson and Yates a sitting for their photographs. ' The New Zealand Gazette of the 6th instant contains an Order-in-Council defining the districts in the colony under the Factories Act, 1894. Some of the hill slopes near Pahiatua are just now covered with enormous patches of daisies, which, from a distance, have the appearance of snow-white carpets. Some of the orchards in Masterton, which were badly infested with the woolly aphis early in the season, have been completely cured of the blight by the use of ordinary tar. A very severe thunderstorm swept up the Wairarapa Valley last Saturday afternoon. It was felt most in the direction of Masterton, where it is reported two native lads were struek by lightning and severely injured. A man who was sued for law costs in the Magistrate's Court at Masterton complained that; he had been charged 6s 8d by his solicitor for a telegram sent by counsel, 6s 8d for the receipt of the telegram by the solicitor, and 6s Sd for the despatching of the telegram again. A newly-appointed member of the Wellington Benevolent Institution was so surprised at the nature of the business that towards the end of the meeting he gave brief expression to his feelings by exclaiming, "Why, this is a sort of chamber of horrors; I shan't get over it for a week." The weekly drill of. the "A" Battery Artillery was held at the drill shed last night. Captain O'Brien was in command, and Lieutenants Lipscombe and Bosworth were also present. There was a fair muster, and the drill in which the company was exercised was useful and instructive. A young man met with a rather serious accident in a singular manner ab Hunterville the other day. He was lying on the grass with a sheath knife in his belt, and while he was turning over on his back, the knife ran into his back about three or four inches, fortunately just escaping his heart. Yesterday ths sale of work at the schoolroom of the United Free Methodist Church, Pitt and Vincent streets, was continued afternoon and evening, a good business was done, and the general financial result was satisfactory to the promoters. In the evening the church orchestra performed some choice musical selections. The Hawera Star says : —" The Taranaki County Council proposes to put a tollgate on the South Road for the purpose of rebuilding the Taungatara bridge. This certainly is a very cool proposal. Hawera county ratepayers are to find half the cost and then pay to the Taranaki County tolls to make up a large part of the moiety to be found by Taranaki County." A tax upon entire horses in Queensland iB proposed under a Bill introduced into the Legislative Assembiy. The Bill requires owners of stallions to include in their annual returns of stock a description of all stallions over the age of 20 months in their possession. The tax to be imposed is £5 a year for each stallion, with a penalty of not less than £10 nor more than £50 for default.

The management of the estates of the following deceased persons were placed under the management of the Public Trustee during the month of November : — Philippa Angove. Auckland, estimated value of estate £30; Charles Richards, Auckland, value of estate £15; Edward Roenneau, Thames, value of estate £50; Michael Shae, Coromandel, value of estate £5 ; Christina S. S. Topp, Auckland, value of estate £10.

Quite a scare was got up at Pahiatua the other day in connection with the accident to the train in the Gorge. A rumour was circulated that the train had goDe over the Gorge and that a numberof passengers had been killed and injured. A number of Pahiatua residents immediately proceeded towards the scene of the supposed tragedy an horseback and in vehicles, but before Woodville was reached the coaches were met and the facts ascertained.