NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13479, 2 July 1907, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF.

Taviuni arrived from Fiji. Zealandia left for Sydney. Rakaia arrived from London. Victoria for the South this afternoon. Navua left for the Islands and Sydney. . . Hauroto due from the Eastern Pacific on Thursday.

Actinomycosis was declared in last week's Gazette to be an infections disease.

There are now upwards of 30 shops in Ohakune, and more are in course of erection.

The present cost of maintenance of the Dunedin Fire Brigade is in the neighbourhood of £3000. .

f : Twelve cases of scarlet fever were reported to the authorities in Wellington last week.

There was shipped through the Patea works during June 1255 boxes of butter and 2322 cases of cheese.

The Railway Department has received 3s sd, forwarded as "conscience money" by a person signing himself "X.Y.Z."

An ex-sailor had his first ride at Nelson the other day. He was subsequently charged with cruelty to animals and was fined £1 and £1 8s costs.

The homing instincts of birds received further illustration, by a statement made at a meeting of the Dunedin Acclimatisation! Society that one bird of a batch of Canadian wild geese, despatched recently to the Waipara district, promptly returned to its temporary abode at the society's gardens.

Speaking on the number of "swaggers" who peregrinate along the east coast, the Wairarapa Times says a remedy has been suggested Which is said to have proved effective in one case. It is to erect a notice reading thus: "Men wanted for digging." The number of sundowners " has decreased since this notice was displayed in the case mentioned.

An unfortunate Christchurch hawker, whose little business is much handicapped by failing eyesight; was pleasantly surprised on reaching his home one day last week to find a new ■ handcart standing at his door, with a note attached to it stating that it was left as a present to him. The grateful recipient has made every effort to find his benefactor, but so. far without success,- - ■