NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10423, 22 April 1897, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF.

Mariposa from 'Frisco to-morrow. The banks will be closed to-morrow. Anglian from the South this morning. Rimutaka's passengers arrive on Monday. Splendid rains have fallen throughout Tasmania. A female lunatic was committed ester. day to the Avondale Asylum. Bernard's circus still continues to draw Urge audiences nightly to the Agricultural Hall . . . . The Rangiwahia district is being canvassed for the formation of dairy comclose season for seals has been ex. tended from the end of Jane next until the 30th June, 1898. . .... The Dunedin Fanciers' Club has decided to obtain a judge from Australia for their dog show in June. There were 24 deaths in the colony from consumption iast' month, 13 from heart disease and seven from cancer, Stratford is the proud possessor of a pumpkin weighing 119 lb, which measures Bfeet 8 inehes round the girth. Last week, Rhys Bodycombe, an employee at the Phoenix foundry, Ballarat (Vic.), suicided by hanging himself. The other day, Thomas Leah, aged 4J, died from a bite of a snake, or a centipede, at Apis Creek Station, near Rockhampton. Melbourne City Council has contributed £1000, and the Stock Exchange £100, towards the Infectious Diseases Hospital Fund. , Last week Mr. W. White, traveller for Mr. John Duthie, had his collarbone broken by being capsized from his baggy at Opunake. Queensland Parliament will meet a week prior to the record reign celebrations to adopt an address of congratulate to the Queen. A man was fined at the Wellington Court a few days ago in the sum of £3 and costs for working a horse with sore, shoulders. . . The police authorities have received information of the committal of a man named Jackson, at Coromandel, on a charge of alleged theft. . The public library connected with Hobart Town Hall iB to be extended, at a cost of £3000, as a memorial in connection with the Queen's record reign. A novel claim for compensation has been made against the Melbourne Board of Health as a result of the recent outbreak of small-pox on the Nineveh. The plumbago discovery at Collißgswood, Kelson, is of importance. The lode has opened out to something like 10ft in thickness, and the quality, says the Colonist, has improved. The question of lighting Wanganui by electricity has been taken in hand by the Borough Council. A committee has been appointed to inquire as to the cheapest and best method of carrying out the proposal. It is reported from Danevirke that one of the Hawke's Bay sawmillers has declined to join the combination, and that the Association is said to have reduced its price 2s fid per 100 feet in hope of catting out opposition. The Pahiatua Dairy Company'* creameries and the Loan and Mercantile Company's creameries at Scarborough have been purchased by Messrs. George and Cock, representing the Crown Dairy Company, ot Taranaki. The Marlborough Education Board proposes to take advantage of the Parliamentary vote for technical education, beginning with classes for shorthand, which the Department holds comes under the subjects provided for by the Act. There were in the lock-up last evening, three persons on charges of drunkenness ; Arthur Halsey, for stealing £7 16a from Alice Melton in October last, and Kate Pinch for theft of a pillow and pillow-caw, the property of Mrs. Jessie Norman. The Wanganui Borough Council have under consideration the question of imposing a tax on bicycles. One member has urged that a tax of 10s a year be imposed, and the money spent in forming a track for cyclists throughout the streets of the town. The engineer to the Patea Harbour Board stateß in his report to the Board that the conditions of the Patea river have materially improved, and that since 1877 the depth of water in the river has increased from- 3 feet 3 inches to 8 feet 3 inches below low water at spring tidee. The Rangitikei local bodies have been endeavouring* for some time to frame bylaws, to enable them to impose a tax on the owners of timber waggons and carter* who take heavy loads. They have, however, been legally advised that their bylaws are useless, as no such distinction as was contemplated can be made between the users of the road.