NEWS IS BRIEF

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10083, 19 March 1896, Page 6

NEWS IS BRIEF

Squadron gone. Manapouri gone Sooth. I Richmond for the Island* to-day. _ Two foreign warships have arrived at Queensland. Waihora left for Sydney, with a larg passenger list. It has been decided to create Southland a Separate volunteer district). Harbour Board are to consider a better method of dredging and reclaiming shortly. During the present season 36 toiw of blackberries have been fisnfc from Bulli to Sydney. ~ . . Quite a sharp frost for this time of year Was experienced in Carterton on Friday morning. . Further complaints of rafts of timber lefb in the harbour at nighb without any light being exhibited. The Harbourmaster asks the Harbour Board to prohibit steamers whistling jusb before sailing time. The body of a man, who is believed to hc.ve been murdered, has been discovered at yarradool station, near Walgett. Recent returns from London show that Mr. 0. W. Heller, of Carterton, topped the market at 6|d for 16 bales of skins. A meeting of Italians hold in Sydney decided to organise a Red Cross Fund for the relief of the wounded in Abyssinia. Another long spell of fine weather has made the Wairarapa look very dry indeed, and the present rain is much needed. The Railway Conference resumed its session yesterday and considered several matters having reference to the executive. All mounted corps between New Ply. mouth and I'almerston will hold an Easter Encampment at Miramar, near Wellington.

During » heavy thunderstorm at Charters Towers, the wires in the Telephone Exchange were fused by the unprecedented lightning. During the next two or three weeks it is rumoured that no less than four hotels in the Christchurch licensing district will change hands. A largo number of Wanganui and opriver natives are on their way to attend the big Maori meeting at Parihaka to be held some time this month.

A friendly game of golf was playod between Mr. Gillies and Major Elliot yesterday afternoon, nine boles. Major Elliot won the match by one hole. The Wanganui Education Board has resolved that the teachers shall devote half an hour a week to giving instruction to scholars in physical drill. An elderly woman, Mrs. Ahern, who resides in a lane off Elgin-street, Carlton (Victoria), was burned to death tho other morning through her house catching fire. The Wellington Anti-Chinese League intends to give a prize of £1 Is for the best collection of European-grown vegetables exhibited at the next show of the Horticultural Society. At Dunrobin, Otago, Mr. Alex. Barron has cut 40 bushels of Hungarian Tuscan wheat to the acre off lea land this year on bis farm. The ground was prepared by a digeer plough. The country south of Mauriceville and north of Master ton is parched and dry. Bush fires are dotted here and there over the landscape, and the rivers are reduced to mere shingle beds. Professor Thomas has received from Germany one of the original photographs of the wonderful discovery of Professor Roiitgen, whereby the bony structure can be shown through the flesh.

The railway north at" Ekatahuna is not yet open to timber traffic. The Minister of Railways is to be urged by the County Council to open the line as far as Newman with as little delay as possible. It is intended to freeze from 200,000 to 300,000 rabbits for the London market at the Southland Frozen Meat Compuny's works during the winter on account! of Messrs. Taylor and Sullivan, Dunedin.

We learn that the floral decorations at the dinner given to their Excellencies the Governor and the Admiral at the Northern Club, which were exquisitely arranged and admired, were in the bands of Miss Street, of Bond and Co.

A man named E. Harlec, employed by the Corporation as a carter, fell off his cart in the Corporation yard at Wellington on Monday afternoon, and received concussion of the brain. He was taken to the hospital, and regained consciousness the same night. A Chinese resident of Wellington has struck out in a new line, having opened a ihop in Manners-street for the sale of boots, drapery, and clothing'. It was stated at a recent meeting of the Workers' Union that furniture is now being made in Wellington by Chinese. Quite a little typhoid geare exists just) now in the remarkably healthy town of Ashburton. Dr. Greenwood reported four cases to the Borough Council, and that body is taking energetic steps to have the street channels kept clean, and a steady stream of river water constantly running in them. A Bluff resident, while about to enter his house one night last week, hearing voices in the next yard, reported the matter to the police. When the constable entered'the yard the men had disappeared, but, according to the Southland Times, they left behind them in a bag a cask containing 11J gallons of whisky. The police watched the placo all night, but the owners of the whisky did not return. A meeting of the Council of the Auckland Institute was held yesterday. Present : Professor Thomas (in the chair), Dr. Purchas, Messrs. G. Aickin, J. Batger, W. Berry, E. A. McKechnie, T. H. Smith. A letter was read from the Government asking the Council to take the control of the Little Barrier Island. Some conversation took place on the terms of the arrangement, and it was agreed that the matter should be left in the hands of Professor Thomas and Mr. Cheeseman, the secretary.