NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11714, 25 July 1901, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF.

?>:;'■■.•'•'■•;; ' IIOTOKiNO left for Fiji. ebajld Summary- to-morrow. Manapouri expected from the Islanus. ' The Moura v arrives from the South today. Lambing on several farms has commenced in the Wairarapa district. -'• Whitebait have already < made their ap- ''■■'' pearance in the' Buller River. Th« Pahiatua Borough Council has decided to disband i the, fire brigade in their town. Recent ; returns show that there are upwards of 3000 justices of the peace in New Zealand. , It is stated that the valuation of the Patangata County has* been increased by about "£250,000. X v For using bad language; a spectator at a football match in Dunedin was sent to gaol for a week. ; J>v One sawmilling firm at Takapau, Hawke's Bay, will ship to Sydney early in August .450,000 ft of white pine. . The Sydney woolbrokerg sold , this year (1900-1901) 391,316 bales, as against 400,400 bales the previous year, a decrease of 9084 bales. An examination for stationary and traction engine-drivers' certificates will be held : at Palmerston North' towards the end of ?;; : . stbsjpresent month. * Whilst numerous sheep were lost as a result of Saturday's snowstorm in the Wairarapa, reports ' also 5 indicate * that there has . been considerable mortality among rabbits.;•? . "Sir J. McKenzie, K.C.M.G., Mayor of Wellington," is the address on an.envelope H which has ; reached the Wellington Corporation offices from the Premier of, West Aus- . tralia. . . . , The net production of New' South Wales wool for the last 12 months (to June 30) ,amounted to bales, as against 615,447 bales the previous year increase , for 1900-1001 of 103,726 bales.: . ; The - Taiarua' Ranges presented a magnificent spec Jade the other morning, the glistening! peaks standing out, clearly cut ■ . like • icebergs, '■; against; the "bright blue sky.' The contn >of pure "white and - azure • blue mad* up a*lovely horizon. At Perth, West ''Australia, a man named George TLornton was prosecuted for illtreatin? his three-year-old son by shutting : him in an outhouse at night in a nude state. He. was convicted of "culpable negligence/' .and fined 40s, and costs 245. I The body of a miner named William Wor-1 ■" , boys. aged 44, was found in the bush near i Plattsburg (Newcastle). recently.: Deceased : was recently released from a lunatic asylum, • and has ;been very peculiar in .his manner. •'.; It is thought to be a case of suicide. The number of offenders before the Invereargili Court recently shows that drunken- . • ness'has been on the increase, and it is a startling fact that for the first six months . this year the number of prohibition orders *;J issued is in excess of the number issued for the whole of last year. .f*-. : About £100 is now in hand towards the fund being raised by the Mayor of Hokitika for the purpose of erecting a monument to .the memory of the West Coasters who have lost their lives in South Africa. /Mr. Michel Hopes to be able to raise £200 at least before finally closing the list. Ts»» building bought 'by the Dunedin Trade Unionists for a trades hall is situated in Moray Place, opposite the First Church; iu' a central position in the city. There are eight rooms in the building, the largest ; room accommodating 250 persons, the next 120, and two - -others 50 and 40, and: the fcther four rooms are suitable for committee meetings.; There are now 25 unions affiliated to the Dunedin Trades' Council,; with some 70 delegates. ", " " ' ' "ii :' '