NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 10013, 27 December 1895, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF.

J/ebald summary. Mariposa, from Sydney, to-day. A large number of yachts are away cruising. The Auckland Weekly News Christmas Number is published at the extremely low price of 6d. It is estimated that the shortago in the Australian wool clip this year will be about 150,000 bales. A lad named William Jarrettwa? walking on the railway lino at Williamstown (Vic.), »nd was killed by a passing train. The first prize for an event at the Clinnfcon, the chief town of the Otago Prohibition district sport«, was a bottle of whisky. To hand the Northern Territory over to chartered companies would, in the opinion of the South Australian Treasurer, bo a national disaster. A Moree carpenter named William Coleman has been committed for trial on a charge of unlawfully assaulting his own daughter. 13 years of age. The disciples of l hrist in Victoria have S9 churches, with about 5200 members. Ot these -S churches, with over 3000 members, we in Melbourne and its suburbs. At Windsor, New South Wales, a lad named Gilbert, 13 years of age, blew his brains out with a rifle in consequence of a misjnders-tandinir with his mother. During a servico at the Holdsworthy Church, New South Wales, recently, two worshippers fell through the whito ant-eaton floor aid nearly disappeared from view. A son of Mr. Christopher's, while practising for the College sports at Nelson, fell in e-saying the high jump. He had the misfortune to break his arm just abo\e the wrist.

At P.ilmerston North Mr. Laurence, a butcher, accidentally cut off the end of one of his finders a few days ago. The accident was caused by his knife slipping on a bono.

in granting a colonial wine liconse at Melbourne, -Mr. I'anton, P.M., Mid ha regarded the Couit as an agency for encouraging trine-drinking by the licensing of proper persons. A prominent citizen of Nelson has come into a little fortune. In the Hobart lotteryMessrs. Dijjby Andrews, Mclbnough, «nd Co., have won the prize of the Oriental Hotel, valued at £10,000. From the beginning of January to the end of October gold to the viilue of £5,650,'231 was imported into England from Australia. The amount for the same period of the previous year wa £4,5.493. A man named James Dunsmore has pegged out the whole area of tho town of Kaigoorlie, H'.A , in four 13-acre blocks, and the result of his application to mine on the same is being watched with interest. The long-vexed question of the union of the Presbyterian and Free Chuche3 of Tasmania, which has been before both Churches for 40 years, will be settled at a meeting to be held in Hobart on the second Tuesday of March. The beautiful weather which has succeeded the rain a , is bringing nut the crops in South Canterbury splendidly, and it is said that over the whole district there were never seen better promises of a rich yield at harvest time.

The committee of the Female Inebriate Home in connection with the Sydney Women's Christian Temperance Union, have rented a large hou«e at \ alley Heights, surrounded by a good garden, and are now ready to take in patients. A labouring man, while walking along the foreshore, Port Melbourne, found a luspicious looking parcel on the sands. On opening it he discovered under the wrapper two bodies of infants, which were, to all appearances, not fully developed. A Kiama lad, named Charles McOlinchy, found a dynamite cap, and commenced picking it with a pin. The result, was that an explosion occurred, destroying his thumb and two fingers of his left hand, and terribly injuring his right hand, also one of his eyes. A strange experijnee fell to the lot of the Steamer Karaweera on her voyage from Port Firie to Sydney. When approaching her destination she ploughed through an immense school of fish as large a' echnapper, which considerably impeded progress for over a mile.

The following is the state of Her Majesty's prison, Auckland, for the week Ending Dec. "21 On remand. 4 males ; awaiting trial, 2 males, 1 female; boys, 3; penal servitude, 17 males; hard labour, S9 males, 11 females; imprisonment, 2 males, 4 females; default of bail, 1 male, 1 female; received during the week, 12 males, 2 females; discharged, 19 males, females. Total in prison, 118 males, 17 females.