NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9722, 18 January 1895, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF.

, There was only one prisoner in the lock-np last evening, a man for drunkenness. Several of the recent victims of typhoid fever at Coolgardie are New Zealanders. The sum of £6000 is being expended in road works in the vicinity of Eketabuna ab present. The recent rain has destroyed a large amount of cocksfoot grass-seed in the Pahiatua County. The Kumara Times says :—" More gold was sold to the banks this Christmas than at any these three years past." The General Synod of the Church of England for the province of New Zealand meets in Nelson a* the end of this month. The Fire Brigades Committee of the City Council has to deal with the recent fires in Pitt-street and the Asylum, and the inadequate water supply. The season in Southland, up to date, has been one of the most favourable on record. Neither farmer, grazier, orchardisb, or gardener has aught to complain of. The prolonged dry weather at Dunedin having rendered water scarce, the corporation of that city are now trying to keep down the dust by pumping water from the

bay. The Chief Inspector of Factories, Mr. Tregear, is at present engaged in visiting the country in connection with the Labour Department. He will leave Auckland next week.

It is stated that the new letter card issued by the Post Office at the New Year is proving very popular. About fifty thousand have been already disposed of throughout the colony. An occasional stoat finds its way to this coast, says the Manawatu Farmer, probably from the Wairarapa. We are free of the rabbit nuisance, but we do nob want to cultivate their natural enemies.

The tender of Mr. McCallum for the building of the Grand Hotel, Rotorua, has been accepted by Messrs. L. D. Nathan and Co., and Messrs. Hancock and Co. Mr. McCallum's tender was the lowest.

Some excitement was caused in Wellington the other day, by ac alleged gold find on Latobton Quay. An expert declared that thg specimens were only the spelter of zinc, etc., which were melted when a fire destroyed a building which stood on the locality many years ago. A writer in the Uawera Star says there are a good many newcomers in our (North Taranaki) part of the country, and they are able to buy stock 33 per cent, lower than they could three months ago. Ae Inglewood, Waiwakaiho, and Waitara yards all classes, even the little ones, were dull of sale.

A Danevirke resident says he has performed a variety of duties in his time, but never until the other day did he bury a house. On the day that the fire started in the bush near the railway station he pulled down a small building on a section adjoining, and buried it in the ground, so that it would be in safety in case of the fire spreading. Out of 122 retail shops in Uhristchurch whose opinions were obtained on the halfholiday question, there were 100 in favour of Thursday and only 22 in favour of Saturday. Some retailers considered that to,close on Saturday would mean the loss of so much trade that business would have to be reorganised, and possibly wages reduced.