NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10416, 14 April 1897, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF.

Hkbald Summary to-morrow. Manapouri gone to Sydney. Upolu arrived from Eastern Pacific. The Upolu had a full cargo of fruit, eopra, etc., from the Islands. Dengue fever has assumed an epidemic form at Rockhampton. A local syndicate is proposing to light Stratford by electricity. A man named Patrick Higgine was killed at Rockhampten through the capsizing of a dray. A miner named Wray wae drowned in the Brilliant Deep Levels shafb at Charters Towers. At Brisbane a man named Redmond Oliver has been charged with forgery, by altering a cheque for £2 to one for £2000. At Blenheim recently a man named Sutherland was fined £5 and costs for removing a flock of sheep infected with lice. A truck of lime from Mauriceville became heated at the Masterton Railway Station, and burnt the wood-work of the truck away. A woman at Eketahuna has been creating some excitement by threatening to shoot the hotelkeepers there for keeping her hueband out late at night. A young man named Albert Thompson was riding a bicycle at Woolloongabba, when he collided with a cab and sustained concussion of tho brain.

After the recent floods the Maori? at Jlurewai gathered off the beach about four tons of pumpkins, which had been washed down the Waipaoa river. Ladybirds liberated by the Department Of Agricuture in the Hutt Valley have done much to reduce the cottony cushion scale which was affecting the orchards there. During tho month of March a large number of cattle in the Hawera district, West Coast, suffering from disease were destroyed by order of the Stock Inspector. The rabbit industry is assuming fair proportions in the Kurow district, some 15 tons of the rodents being weekly sent away from the township for export. The industry is also employing eomo 15 or 20 hands in trapping and preparing the rabbits. At thequarterly meeting of the Auckland Tailors' Union, it was decided that in future the Onion meet in the Tailoresses' Hall. A donation was granted to the Trades and Labour Council towards the expenses of their delegates to the Labour Conference.

The Mataura Ensign complains of the action of the prohibition party in contesting the licensing committee election at a cost of £300, which it considers, wasted, as the local option poll in December clearly showed that the people did not favour prohibition principles. The total number of Methodists in New Zealand is 73.367, of whom 7041 are Primitives. This leaves 66,326 for the United Church. In five years Methodists have increased by 10,000 save forty-eight; of these 1821 are Primitive?. The colony's increase of population during tho same period was 12} percent.; but the Methodist increase was 15.1 per cen| " The annual soiree of the Parnell Wesleyan Sunday-school was held last evening in the schoolroom. A public meeting was afterwards held in the Church. The prizes were distributed, and a musical programme which included items by the Rev. A. Mitchell, Miss Gordon, and others was gone through. There was a good attendance of children and parents. A meeting of creditors in the estate of A. W. O'Keill wa? held at the Official Assignee's Office, yesterday. Mr. John Lawson presided, and said that nothing could be done at the meeting. Mr. Buttle, who appeared for the Bank of New Zealand, explained that it was understood by all concerned, that the question of the liability to the Bank would shortly be brought before the Court, and the grounds of such application would be made known in writing, later on, to the Official Assignee. Tho annual meeting of the Grafton Association Football Club was held last evening in the Queen's Head Hotel. There was u good attendance ; Mr. W. G. Jury occupied the chair. The following officers wore elected:-Patron, Mr. J. J. Holland, M.H.R.; vice-presidents, Mr. Moss Davis, R.K.Garlick, A. Myers, J. McDougall, T. Henderson, G. S. Graham, A. Seccombe, Bloomfield, Bain, A. H. Nathan, and A. Nathan ; captain, A. H. Grige; vice-cap-tain, R. Cowan; secretary and treasurer, J. MeDougali. jun. ; auditor, T. VV. Thomas; delegates to the Association, K. Cowan and J, McDougall, jun. Colours, black and white.