SOUTHERN ITEMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10060, 21 February 1896, Page 2 (Supplement)

SOUTHERN ITEMS.

The total damage in the Oamaru district by the recent hailstorm is estimated at

£10.000.

The rate of interest payable to depositors at the Dunedin Savings Bank will be reduced to 3$ per cent, on the Ist May. Oho of the officers of the barque Lutterworth dived from one of the yards into tho water, a height of about 50 feet, at Wellington.

A contemporary states that it is proposed to float a company in London with £600,000 capital, to develop the mountain of ironstone at Nelson.

The Wellington College has achieved a most creditable record in the University examinations. Out of 23 candidates, all but one succeeded.

The first quadruplex used in New Zealand was worked between the Wellington Telegraph Office and the Hutt Racecourse on January 22, and was a decided success. Opossums liberated by the Nelson Acclimatisation Society in various parts of the district are said to be increasing. Those set free by the Wellington Society are also doing well.

An American firm intends starting shortl' an industry in Christchurch which wii

employ some 50 hands. This is the manufacture of butter boxes. Tho interior of tho boxes is to bo coated with enamel. Cool storage for butter, etc., is also to bo provided. The Waipaiva Mail reports that a resident near tho Waipawa river bank saw a number of gulls fluttering l with something, and after disturbing them he found that they dropped two trout, one weighing 71b and the other 41b. Each had its eyes picked out. The Wellington city valuation for tho year shows a total of £363,765, as compared with £349,841 for last year, an increase of £13,924. Two hundred and seventy-four new buildings were erected during the year, an increase of 39 as compared with the previous yoar. At a moeting of the Wellington Industrial Association, it was decided that the Exhibi tion should be opened on or about the '24th November. Buildings will bo erected adjoining the Education Board offices, at the foot of Cuba-street. Committees were appointed to proceed with their sovoral functions. The Government) intend to extend the defences in Wellington, and have decided to immediately construct a battery on the top of the hill, overlooking Wellington Terrace, either in or close to the Botanical Gardens. The work is to be carried to completion as speedily as possible. Only one heavy gun is to be mounted.

At the Wellington Gun Club's meeting on Jan. 23, Mr. C. Chavannc»,of Wanganui, won tho chief prize of £100, with deductions ; and was ono of the second nominations of sevon who tied for second money, which was divided. A strong wind was blowing, but the shootists had the best of the birds. Chavannes wins about £67.

The auction tale of Wellington properties, under instructions from the RealignBoard of the Bank of New Zealand Estate? Company was held on Jan. 28. Nono of the city properties realised the reserve figure, and consequently they wero all passed in, but in some instances privato offers aro likely to be accepted. Suburban lots met with a ready sale. Peart, of Fitzgerald's Circus, dived off the maintop gallant yardarm of the ship Nelson into the harbour at Wellington—« vertical distance of over 100 feet. The feat was witnessed by between 3000 and 4000 people. A collection was taken up for the Benevolent Institution and Homo for the Aged and Needy, which will benefit to tho extent of some £25.

Ono day last week a bull belonging to somo one unkown swam across fcho Ilutt river and entered a field where seven horses, belonging to the Gear Company, were grazing. He attacked and killed, or badly gored, the whole of them. Three were found dead, ripped open, and another desperately injured on the head, with its chest torn opon, Tlioothers escaped with wounds in the flank, showing they had had a narrow escape of being disembowelled. The damage done to tho animals will hardly bo covered by £100. The directors of the Westport Coal Company, in their report for the year ending 31st December, state that tho profits for the year, after providing for bad and doubtful debts, depreciation, etc., amounts to £14,109 lis 7d, to which has to be added £G,702 7s 2d brought forward, making a total of £20,811 18s 9d. An interim dividend of 2J per cent, was paid for the half year ending Juno, absorbing £5196 9s, and the directors now recommend the payment of 3J per cent, for the past half year, making a dividend of 0 per cent, for the yoar, absorbing £7275 Os (id; to appropriate for expenditure on Granity Creeks Works, £3000, and to carry forward £5340 9s 3d.

Tho annual report of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce deals with many questions dealt with during the late session of Parliament. After references to the progress of work on the North Island trunk line, and the Wellington-Woodvillo lino, regret is expressed that tondera have not yet beon called for the Makohine viaduct on the former line, and that settlement on valuable lands to the north of the valley is still delayed. The Council considers, in view of the statement that the Government do not intend to take over the WellingtonManawatu Railway for a long time, it would be fairer for the Government to give the directors some more definite assurance as to length of tenure. The new tariff, it considers, is calculated to increase instead of diminish taxation.

At Wellington on Monday, February 10, at eight p.m., Kennedy, a moameriat, placed Frederick Keating in a trance, with the intention of keeping him in that state until ton p.m. on Saturday, February 15. Keating, during the time of enforced sleep, flaß visited by large crowds, the hall in which ho was reposing being open day and night at various times. The sleeping man was subjected to various tests, all of which failed to wako him. Oil February 15 he was subjected to a moat severe teat, A Sydney doctor (Sweet) inserted surgical scissors under the finger nails, and strong ammonia was applied to the nostrils, flo declared the man to be in a fib state for any surgical oporation, and said ho hoped tho day was not far distant when tho medical profession would follow the example of tho French School of Nanoy. Dr. Creasy, of Nelson, also examined him, and confirmed tho former statement. Precisely at ten p.m. on Fobruary 15, in the presence of a large audionco, Keating awakened, apparently none tho worse for his long repose. The profit and loss account of the Wellington Harbour Board for the year 1895 shows that after providing for interest, £10,617, nil working expenses and depreciation, £10,076, there was a margin on tho working account of £822 as compared with £1414 and £758 and £2458 respectively, tho surplus in tho three preceding years. This margin of £022 was, however, turned into a deficiency of £228 by a payment to the City Council of £850 in respect of perpetual maintenances of tho Queen's Wharf approach roadway, which payment had been charged to this year alone, in place of being spread over a term of years, Tho increase in assets amounted to £3071. The amount of assets was £335,262, and of liabilities £201,025, leaving a credit balance of £134,236. The receipts wero: 1895, £55,490; 1894, £53,514 working expenditure, 1895, £42,634 ; 1894, £42,673 ; capital expenditure, repairs and maintenance, £2865 in 1805 as against £3396 in 1894 ; new works, £20,709 in 1895 as against £8221 in 1894 total capital expenditure, £23,565 in 1895 as ag«inefc £11,017 in 1894, i

Mr, William Booth, a prominent citizen, has intimated 'that ho will donate to the city of Wellington a good nte, valued! at. £300, in Newtown, for a free public library, and also £500 for the purchase of books, if the City Council will erect a suitable and permanent building. The Council will consider the question later on.

j The oißht-inch Run rccontly mounted at Fort Gordon, Wellington, hna an effectivo range of seven mile?. It is probably that when tho weather clears an old hulk will be towed out to the Heads, and un effort made to sink hor with a few shots Irom the pun, which is paid to bo on« of the finest pieces of ordnance south of the Equator. The annual meeting of the Lyttelton Harbour Board was held on Feb. 6. The receipts for the year 1895 were £39,687 12j, including £14,90S Ss 10d, balance in hand at the beginning of the year. Outstanding cash asset.", £3795 17a 7d, make the total £43, 9a 7d. The expenditure was £24,171 16a 7d, and the outstanding liabilities £254, leaving a surplus of £9057 13*. It is estimated that at tho end of this year the board will have a oredit balance of £957, independent of the surplus above mentioned.

J In banco at Wellington on Tuesday, the 4th of February, an appeal was heard against the decision of the Registrar of Patents, refusing to go on with the Caseol Company's application for leave to amend its patent without an order from the Supreme Court, because of a petition to revoke the patent having boen lodged by tho Attorney-General on behalf of the Government. Sir R. Stout appeared with Mr, Quick for the Ca?sol Company, and Mr. Stafford and Mr. Hall for the Attorney. General. The Chief Justice decided that the Registrar was right, and reserved the question of costs until an application is made to the Supreme Court for leave to proceed, which application Sir R. Stout intimated would at onca bo made by the Cassel Company.