NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11243, 12 December 1899, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF.

■Westkalia left for Sydney. Elinpimite for the South to-day. The New South Wales patriotic fund amounts to £5149 18s. The monthly return of the Whangamata Gold Corporation is to band. Nearly'lsoo sacks of maize were sent to Sydney yesterday by the Westralia. "The" scrutiny of the votes recorded in the Eden electorate is still unfinished. In a fight at Kalgoorlie a pugilist, William Dohertv, broke both his hands. The scrutiny of the votes recorded at the City election has concluded, and the position of the candidates remains unaltered. The Kingston Ministry, which was defeated a few days ago, had held office for 3641 days, being the record for South Australia. A well-known Bendigo (Victoria) cricketer, Wm. Ward, attempted to cut his throat with a razor. He is expected to recover. To the Hon. W. Hall-Jones belongs the distinction of going back to Parliament with the largest majority obtained by any candidate2l72. A waiter at Ballarat, who was warned to look out for another situation because of his drinking habits, committed suicide by drinking a quantity of ammonia. The gold produced in New South Wales during the eleven months of this year totalled 448.6590z. or 162.7300z in excess of that for the corresponding period last year. From September 20 to December 4 the slump in West Australian stocks was very heavy, and in six of the leading companies the depreciation was equal to £3,000,000. An eclipse of the sun was clearly visible at Albany (West Australia.) on Sunday week. No observations were taken at Perth, where the contact was only slight. A council of the Churches of Auckland, has been formed to act on behalf of the churches in the discussion of social and religious questions in the interests of the community.

Smile of the Maoris in the Taranaki district (says the Church Chronicle) are greatly exercised "bout the war, and are anxious to make arrangements to send a shipload of potatoes for the use of the Boers. A newsboy named Gibson was caught playing at the game known as "hazards" in Philip-street, Sydney, the other night. Detective Iloskisson, who arrested the accused, stated at the Water Police Court next day that gambling by boys of his class hail become a nuisance in the neighbourhood of the street- mentioned. A fine of 10s, with levy and distress, in default seven days' gaol, was inflicted. The following is the state of Her Majesty's prison, Auckland, for the week ending December 9, 1899:—0n remand, 1 male; awaiting trial, 7 males; sentenced to life, 3 males; sentenced to hard labour, 137 males, 14 females; imprisonment, 1 male; default of bail, 1 male; received during the week, 12 males, 4 females; discharged, 22 males, 3 females: total in prison, 150 males, 14 females.

A dastardly act was committed at the Taradalo Hotel on Sunday night week, between nine and ten o'clock, says tho Hawke's Bay Herald. Someone entered the premises, evidently having a feeling of animosity against the proprietor, Mr. Warren, and, with the aid of a duplicate key, made his way to the storeroom and turned on the taps of all the wine and spirit casks. Liquor to the amount of £60 or £70 ran out. The police have the matter in hand, and there is a suspicion as to tlio perpetrator.