NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 13979, 8 February 1909, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF.

Yesterday was the 46th. anniversary of the wreck of H.M.S. Orpheus on the Manukau Bar. The question of establishing a solar observatory in Australia is to receive consideration by the Federal Government. A telegraDh. and bureau office has been, opened at Mount Cook Hermitage, in the Timaru district. The hours of attendance will be from nine a.m. to five p.m. Telegrams will be delivered regularly. The capacity of the new freezing works at Nelson may be gauged by the fact that it is expected to treat for export 30,C00 sheep and lambs per annum, or 10 percent, of the estimated 300,000 sheep in the Nelson district. The executive of the Political Labour League of New South Wales, in its annual report, state* that it recognises the necessity for developing the resources of Australia, and to this end is prepared to welcome desirable, immigrants. " I entirely disagree with any State proposal to buy land from one man for the puroose of celling it to another," said Mr.T. H. Davev, M.P., at a social gathering to Mr. G. W. Russell, M.P. for Avon. "When the State buys land, it should never again part with the fee-simple." An extraordinary theft took place at a house in Woolston lately. It liad been unoccupied for some time. When the owners* weni to it the other day they were astonished to find that the boiler and its fittings, bricks, cement, and all, had been taken out of the kitchen and removed. No steps have yet been taken by the Temperance party with a view to putting forward candidates for the Dunedin City Licensing Committee election. Something will probably be done after the return of Messrs. A. S. Adams and G. B. Nicholls, who are at present absent from Dunedin in connection* with the Ohinemuri licensing petition.