NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13202, 13 June 1906, Page 8

NEWS IN BRIEF.

'.Herald Summary. Mokoi.'. left lor the South, 'Frisco mail due Monday. .. Moura fw Fiji this afternoon. Vancouver mail leaves to-day. Hauroto for the Eastern Pacific to-day. Gold and bullion valued at £23,856 was sent to Sydney by the Manuka, oa Monday. At Hunterville, Taranaki, last week, a sheepskin (with fleece), weighing 611b, was obtained from a six-tooth Lincoln wether. The Wakatipu Licensing Committee has decided not to issue conditional licenses in connection with sports gatherings, or affairs of the kind. , Returns - issued recently show, that the number of sheep in Victoria have increased by more than a million and a-quarter, over last year's figures.

A Rangitikei settler reckons that the law is too slow, and advertises that he will kick trespassers off his property in future, irrespective of persons." .

The New Zealand Railway Review remarks upon the fact that during the week ended May 12 the Methven sheep special train gang put in 27 consecutive '.hour's on duty. The Eltharn Argus states that "the blackleg inquiry in Taranaki- will take tho form of a Departmental investigation, and that in all probability those directly interested will be invited to give evidence.

One of the leading commercial houses in Christchurch has applied for a space it the Exhibition, in which it is intended to ex- ' hibit various articles of produce that are soid in London in competition with New Zealand productions.

At the District Court, Melbourne, ■ recently, the Australasian United Steam Navigation Company was fined £3 for loading the steamer Kyarra on Sunday with cattle, though it was admitted by the Customs officers that under the circumstances the work was unavoidable.

A Wellingtonian has been foi a holiday to Taranaki, and on his return, he was asked what it.was like there. "Oh," said be, "it is nothing but- cows. There is cow - everywhere, even on the names of places. What with ' Cow-pokonui,' " Cow-pongo,' and 'Cow-puni,' it. makes a fellow wonder if there is a'place called Cow-land."

Last Wednesday morning there were 169 patients in the Wellington Hospital, as against 177 on June 5. of last year. Of the patients at the institution, 93 were males and 76 females. ■ There were 18 in the fever. wards and 22 children were numbered amongst the general patients under treat- ' meat. The Victoria Chronic Hospital had 20 male and 19 female patients. . .. The blue gum alight is extending : t.s ; "ravages' over the whole district (says lie North Outgo Times), and blackened and decayed trees may be seen in all directions. A great many, 'of the trees are being cut clow for firewood or for fencing, as it scorns probable, if this is not done, that they will, die from the effects of the blight. Whatever may be .the uiidesivableness of the stoat from the point of view of lambs and poultry, the imported curse certainly' gets to work on.; its -natural enemy, the rabbit. -Two Carterton sportsmen had a. demonstration of this the other day "at Longbush, where.-they watched , a stoat gradually circling a rabbit, which fell an easy victim. The stoat left a small puncture ii the throat ut the rabbit, and stood and stared fearlessly at the intruders when robbed of its prey.

The new forests of Canterbury'are now being cut for timber. At St. Leonards and Mount Thomas, in North Canterbury, the, pinus insigais trees planted 30 years a rt o axe being cut down and sawn into boards and, scantlings. The timber .is expected to be useful for building and carpentering purposes. Some of the trees, it in understood, allow of boards being cut width of nearly 2ft, A quantity of the timber has, already found 'ts way to the market. ~'■■■

An accident occurred last Thursday afternoon on board the barque Manurewa, lying at the railway wharf. Dargaville. The vessel had just completed loading her cargo of sawn timber, when the winchmati, Peter Einarsen, became entangled in the wire rope and was thrown across the winch. Luckily he was able to stop the winch and avert further danger, but it was found that he bad sustained a fracture of the left leg below the knee. The services of Dr. Horton were requisitioned, and the broken limb set. Tli© patient was later on taken to the Koptiru Hospital, where he will remain till the vessel's return from Newcastle.