NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12555, 22 April 1904, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF.

2TAX.T7NX arrived from the South.

Hawea for the South to-morrow.

, The 'Frisco mail leaves next Friday. A public library is to be opened at Halfmoon Bay, Stewart Island, during the present month.

Three little girls in Brisbane ate a poisonous fungus in mistake for mushrooms, and two are not likely to recover. Since December 1, 1903, 1,710,000 bags of ■wheat had been carried on the New South Wales railways up to April 9. A cottage near Warburton (Vic), occupied by an old-age pensioner named John Redgell, was destroyed by fire, and the occupant burnt to death. , Restrictions as to the berthing and fumigation of the shipping from Sydney, Queensland and Fremautle are still being adhered to by the Hobart health authorities. Superannuation allowance ot £331 a year has been awarded to Mr. Gaw, who retires from the position of chief traffic manager on the New Zealand railways on Monday next. A limited liability company, with a capital of £10,000, has been formed in New Plymonth to purchase the freehold of the Theatre Royal there and carry on business as theatre proprietors. The Queensland Government lose £20,000 annually on lighting the coast and pilotage. Twenty-six cases of frozen eels formed an item of "cargo taken by the Athenic. from Napier for London. The Palmerston and Waikouaiti Times understands that a new seam of coal has been struck in the Shag Point mine. The coal is said to be of excellent quality, and the seam has every appearance of extending to a lower level. In explanation of large purchases of cattle at the Edendaje sale by the owners of Heddon Bush Estate the Southland Times states that the sheep are being sold off Irora Heddon Bush, which will be re-stocked with rattle, as likely to yield a better return than nheep. ~..] The Christchurch Press states that in order to bring Hanmer Sanatorium within easier reach of the people of the South Island the Minister for Railways has given instructions to have the line to Culverden surveyed, and it is proposed to ask Parliament next session for the necessary authority for its construction. The introduction of the traction engine into Wellington has given several of the local bodies responsible for the maintenance of roads a good deal of concern At a meeting of the Lower Hutt Borough Council reeentlv it was reported that a traction engine, in" one trip, damaged a certain road to"suoh an extent that it will take two davs to place it in repair again. A decision of some interest to farmers was •given bv the Gisbome magistrate a few days ago. It appears that the defendant in the else had killed six pigs which had strayed on to his property, and was sued for the value of the animals. In giving his judgment.' the magistrate held that to justify defendant in killing the pigs he must first show that his land had been properly enclosed by good permanent fences, and as tins had not been done, the judgment would go for plaintiff for the value of the pigs, and £5 4s costs. '