NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 10713, 29 March 1898, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF.

,s7aihoba left for Sydney. Mararoa leaves for the South this afternoon. , , . The wheat traffic on the Victorian railways has been much heavier this season than last. The Waihora took large consignments of butter and frozen fish to Sydney yesterday. A boy named James Hahmer was drowned at Brunswick (Vic.), while bathing in a' waterhole.

About 1000 persons took part in a school excursion from Palmerston North to Masterton a few days ago. A mysterious disease among horses and cattle continues to cause great mortality in the Corowa district (N.S.W.). The Minister of Railways is being requisitioned to provide a dining-cai on the express trains between Hawera and New Plymouth. Bishop Wallig is to be asked to lay the foundation-stone of an Oddfellows' Hall about to be built in Hawera at a cost of about £700. The Southland Bowling Club has decided to hold a tournament at Easter, and to write to the Northern clubs inviting members to attend. At Albury (N.S.W.), six members of one family are suffering from typhoid fever, which is believed to have been caused by bad drainage. At Rockhampton a little girl, named Ryan, was burned to death through her catching fire while she was putting some papers in the fire. A farmer in the Albury (Canterbury) claims to have the record minimum yield of Wheat ; a small paddock of his has tlireshed out only 4011) per acre. A Nelson lady was relieved of £16 on the train from Masterton to Wellington, the ether day, and another lady lost £5, A female spieler is suspected. Scarlet fever is prevalent at Glen Innes '(N.S.W.). One case is under treatment at the local hospital, and a numbe. of others have been reported in the district. The dingoes aro reported to be very tioublesonie in the Burra district, South Australia. They go about in packs of about 20 or 30, and kill calves and sheep. Some very necessary repairs are being effected at the Wanganui Court-house, which has been in a dilapidated condition since the big earthquake some months ago. During a thunderstorm at Waipawa lately more rain fell in a quarter of an hour than had fallen during the previous six months. At Hastings over an inch fell in an hour. The New South Wales Minister for Works says that there aro now 2639} miles of railway in the colony, constructed at a cost of £37.369,205, and returning £3 15s lid per cent.

With reference to the recent disastrous fire in Melbourne, a witness lias come forwid to say that on the night of the fire he saw a man coming from the premises where it originated. A team of 24 howlers has been picked by the New South Wales match committee to practise for the intercolonial matches with Victoria next month, the final selection to be made on April 6. Mrs. Cusick, the widow of the Rookwood murderer, expresses her relief in that his suicide has saved her from the mental anguish which would have resulted from a trial, and an inevitable execution.

The Technical School Committee of the Wellington Education Board has decided to recommend the appointment as a cooking teacher of a fully qualified young lady who has recently arrived from England. It has been reported that Mi. P. Cannon has discovered silver in the Seaward Ranges at Cheviot. The ore will shortly be tested, and application is being made to have the district proclaimed a mining district. Vague rumours have been in circulation in •New Plymouth lately, concerning " highwaymen," " robbers," " sand-bagging" and other unpleasant subjects. Nothing serious lias, however, been reported to the police. The working members of the Cliristcliurch Beautifying Society have, in addition to other bulbs, recently planted no less than four sacks of daffodils for the adornment, of the river banks, and another sackful is still

required. A New Zealander named James Malone won a chief prize in the art union held at Sydney last week in connection with the fair promoted by the authorities of St. Mary's (Roman Catholic) Cathedral. The amount ,was £500.

A fresh food and ice company is being formed in Wellington, to conduct business on lines similar to those of establishments in Australia. It is intended, amongst other things, to provide a regular supply of pasteurised milk.