NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11852, 2 January 1902, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF.

Three warships are new in port, The Waihora arrives from the South this morning. The annual regatta at Waiheiio yesterday was a great success. : Gladstone district .proposes establishing a . co-operative dairy factory. __ ; In the south-western portion of West '■ Australia heavy rainstorms have done much ' damage. - '," Perth is making very complete arrange- . meats for . the entertainment of the Gover-nor-General. • A syndicate is being formed in Wanga- ':.'.■ 1 nui for tho running of motor-cars through- '■ *-'.:'v out- the :; district. -j ;• -'A ■■ ■",;■ i A phenomenal downpour took place at ! Mauricevillo on Christmas afternoon, the rain falling j literally "in buckets," the .drops being of exceptional size, ■ ! The will ox the late Mr. Winter Irving, " M.L.0., " was lodged 'for probate.? at Mel- ■■'■;. bourne last W2ek„ He left property valued at £245,050; all to' his widow and children. The sugar exported from Queensland this season up to December 23 is 65,890 torn compared with 50,853 tons for the corresponding period of : 1900. The last gold escort; from Malcolm (West ;-;'. Australia) brought 21,0000z from the Mount : Margaret field. The output of this field will be greatly increased during the next /■. year. , ' - _'-. /■'■'■'■;■;•■■.:: *"' : . Large purchases of; oats have been made .', in. the Albury district. (New South Wales) for shipment to South Africa at :2s per bushel. This price is largely in advance of .the rate, usually ruling at this season for large parcels.: -The Hawera town clock is now placed in . position in the post office tow It has four dials. The bell weighs 6621b. ; The ', whole machinery, etc., "weighs over, two tons. The cost of. the clock erected was £316. It does not vary half a second a day. '' "•' •■'■" :: ' ' ■■'■"' ■'" ' ''' .-■;■ 'The early maize in Lismore district. (New South Wales) will be a very light crop, and unless rain soon comes the general crop will suffer. The pastures are in need of showers. i Paspalum dilatatun grass is withstanding ; the dry -weather much better than other grasses. ;, ; ..■'..-. ;r :■:..: During the serious bush fires which have I -been raging around the Maitland district ;|.■>: {New South Wales), recently, the Aberdare -'".., railway line was endangered, and a con- ' siderable . number of sleepers : which -were to be used in the -construction of the line were burned., ' ; " I ■ _ ;V The London correspondent of the Brisbane Courier states that the Bishop of Brisbane has collected about £1200 in England towards the cathedral fund, and hopes to get;a substantial addition to; that amount. ; He is fairlv satisfied' with his efforts so far, as he did not goto England with very sanguine expectations. . ! " The year's wool traffic in New South ; ;. Wales continues to" show, a satisfactory increase, as compared with the previous twelve months, there being an; excess of 31,700 bales up to December 23. In other ? ■ departments ; traffic jis also satisfactory, and the demands have ; occasionally exceeded : locomotive "resources. f -lu announcing that the miners in the- . Broken' Hill \ Proprietary Block 14 '; Company were to be asked to accept a "i;educ- - tionofwagus, the chairman of directors said that, considering the circumstances, the '?:..], Board had little doubt ; but that the good '" sense :of the ; men would show them that to submit to a reduction was the wisest course to pursue. .