NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11855, 6 January 1902, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF.

f ft. " ' ' Ulingamite arrived from Sydney. Zealandia for Sydney this evening. "Tlie 'Frisco mail leaves next Saturday# Star of New Zealand arrived from London and Australia. I ,■■ The fire brigades of Masterton intend holding ; a comeptition in February next-. Chinese residents of Tuapeka (Otago), have donated £11 to the Lawrence Hospital. , Some East Indians have started wheatgrowing at Fiji, and the first sample is said to be a very fair one. Much fruit was destroyed by a hail- ■ storm near ' Oamaru oil Saturday week, and

damage was also done to vineries. . < Harvesting- has commenced on farms * around Masterton. . The yield is not ex* pected to be nearly up to the average. A big Christmas dinner given by the Maoris at Papawai was marked by the fact that there was no liquor about the pa. A dog was taken by a shark in the Lano Cove River, New 'South Wales,' close to a favourite bathing place near the Pig Tree. Owing to the low price ruling for wool, the Riverton Star has heard of several farmers who intend to store until prices improve. " ■ _ The by-law prohibiting the sounding of steam whistles or bells on board vessels inWellington harbour is tjp come into force to-morrow.; ! Waimangu Geyser was very active during the past week, being in -almost continuous eruption during the early hours of Wednesday last. As showing the extent of dairying operations in the Rongotea district, it may be stated that last month 1,500,000 gallons of milk were received at the dairy factory. A private in the Wallace Mounted Rifles, who had been convicted at the Stipendiary Magistrate's ' Court for disturbing a religious service, has been dismissed from the defence ; forces. i i The Collector of Customs at Christchurch has received the sum of £1 from an uncorrespondent, who states that itis for " dutiable articles which were landed there, and for which the duty was not paid." i■■ V , \... _ . ■. ' While working in a mine at Bimbimbie, New South Wales, on December 22, a miner named William Pender, 30. received severe injuries to the eyes through a blast, which had "hung fire," unexpectedly exploding. A certain firm in Timaru insured its employees in the Ocean Accident office one ■ day s lately, in the afternoon, and before night one of the hands qualified for a claim :on the company by getting his fingers jammed in some machinery. . ,What is considered a record for : the world in homing pigeon flying was established; recently, when 33 birds were liberated at Kaitoki, and 30('reached their destination, Timaru, a distance of ' 316 ;miles, in seven and three-quarter hours. It was stated at the meeting of the Executive Committee of the New South Wales patriotic fund, on December 23, that since June 30 last £3681-had. been paid away in relief, to which must be added the amount passed at the meeting, making a total of £4026. , Two of >■ the ; settlers on the Hannaton settlement (says the Tima.ru Post) have sold out the goodwill of their properties of 40 acres each Mr. J. McGimpsey to Mr. Faulds, of Dunedin, at over £310. and Mr. Simpson, to Mr.: Wright, of Rangitata Island, •at over ,£350. ~■■■.■ - ■ . The vital statistics for Wellington for the past year, as compared with . those for '1900, are as follow: Marriages, 658. as against 667 in 1900 birth. 1441, as against .1330; deaths, 599, as against 514. . During the past months there were 62 marriages, 102 births, and 42 deaths.