NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10404, 31 March 1897, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF.

Waihoea gone South. Southern Crose for Melanesia to-day. Continued losses from redwater are reported in the Bowen district, Queensland. A collection of Queensland agricultural products will he sent to the next Melbourne show. Another Manilla direr has lost his life through diving in deep water at Darnloy Island. The General Exploration Company has subscribed £25 to the funds of the Charleston Hospital. Forty-six thousand bags of seed wheat are being distributed among the distressed farmers in South Australia.

Facilities are to be offered to farmers in Victoria desirous of visiting QaeensUnd and inspecting land for sale there. According to the Sydney police quite a number of small boya are in the habit of sleeping in the sewers, and are known as sewer rats.

John Stokes, a Maori native, who was admitted to the Ularemont Hospital, Queensland, from Craven station, has been pronounced to be a leper, An Order-in-Gounoil has been passed authorising Messrs. T. Hartley and others to use and ocoupy a part of the foreshore of Hokianga Harbour as a recreation ground. The charred bodies of a man and two horses have been found on the road between Georgetown and CroydoD, Queensland, having apparently been struck with lightning. A Wellington councillor suggested ab the Council meeting the other day that magnificent wooden block pavements could be obtained by the councillors laying their heads together. A Maori named Hune was fined £2 at Wanganui for supplying two native women with intoxicating liquor, contrary to the provisions of recent legislation. Costs brought his amercement up to £4 13s 6d. As there were 1075 persons in the Wanganui Electoral District who failed to exercise their privilege of voting at the last general elections, they were alt etruck off the roll, which now contains 1075 less names than formerly. At Napier, on Monday week, Madame Bell, in her "visions," predicted that a bracelet lost by a certain Hawke'a Bay lady would be found on her lawn. A search in the locality indicated duly revealed the missing article. The Colonial Analyst (Mr. W, Skey) reports that some water from the Nubaka Hot Springs, Poverty Bay, which he has tested "resembles that of the medicinal springs at Baden, celebrated for their property of reducing glandular swellings." The Mount View Asylum is overcrowded. One of the official visitors (the Hon. John Rigg) has mac , * representations on she subject to the Government, with the result that about 50 or 60 of the inmates are to be transferred to the asylums in other pirte of the colony. Some months ago some quartz was secured by a Masterton resident from a reef in the Tararuas and sent to Australia for analysis. The result is that gold in payable quantities is thought to exist, and the resident in question has gone out to obtain further specimens. A peculiar development has arisen in connection with the proposal to adopt the rating on unimproved value system in the Stratford County. 16 appears that the New Plymouth Harbour rate is ac present levied on the improved value, and if the new pystem is adopted the rates payable by those residing in the Stratford Connty will be greatly reduced. The Clutha papers state that a petition is nowin circulation asking the Minister for Lands to acquire, under the Land for Settlements Act, the Otanomomo estate, situated within four miles of Balclutha, containing approximately 4800 acres, owned by Messrs. William and Thomas Telford. The property consists largely of river flat lands of excellent quality, free from flooding. One of the more comical sights at Greymouth during the recent floods was that of a Chinaman complacently wheeling or floating a perambulator along the flooded street. In the vehicle sat a child contentedly sucking from a feeding bottle, while the mother of the infant trudged aloogside, epparently enjoying the novel situation. The Celestial was smoking a cigarette quite contentedly.