TOPICAL TITBITS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1213, 31 May 1895, Page 21

TOPICAL TITBITS.

The banking returns of the March quarter for the Australasian colonies, says a Melbourne cablegram,, show that the fixed deposits in six colonies decreased by .£1551,000, but the current account increased by .£2,655,000. Since 1893 there has been a decrease in the advances of .£17,566,000, and a decrease in the deposits of .£12,500,000, while the coin and bullion have increased £3,470,000. The Premier of Victoria says he will give the Pacific Cable scheme every assistance, and instruct the Agent-General to co-operate with Great Britain, Canada and other countries in pressing the matter as one of urgency. He is also to communicate with the other colonies urging them to take action. The ship Indian Empire, bound from Cardiff to Port Pirie, is ashore at Shoalwater Point, Gulf of St. Vincent. Ihe wharfinger at Napier is to receive ,£l5O a year, and his assistant .£l4O. By an explosion of a gunpowder mill near San Francisco, 14 people were killed. For the position of city rate collector at Christchurch 112 applications were received. Mr J. T. Mathews was appointed. At the annual meeting of the New Plymouth Investment and Loan Society, the report stated that interest at the usual rate, with a bonus of 2 per cent., had been placed to the credit of investors, .£IOO added to the reserve fund, and a balance of .£9B 12s 3d carried forward. Messrs J. B. Connett, C. T. Bundle and T. Furlong were re-elected directors. Mr Villiers, the war correspondent, who is at present in Sydney, says:—"The idea in Japan seems to be to go ahead as fast as possible with manufactures. If she does that she will want a lot of your Australian wool, for she can't grow it herself—she has no grass." Regulations under the Inspection of Machinery Amendment Act are gazetted. The period of election of Boards of Conciliation under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act has been extended till the Ist July next. Dr Buckby, the Hawera Hospital surgeon, asked the Hospital Board if it was part of his duty to take splints to the racecourse and attend to any accident there. The reply was that it was no part of the surgeon's duty to attend any race meeting in anticipation of an accident occurring, and that the doctor was quite right in refusing to allow appliances and splints to be taken to the course or other public amusement grounds. For the Mangamaka road work the Kiwitea County Council has accepted the tender of Mr M. Doherty, .£l7O. A mild shock of earthquake was felt in Wellington on Monday morning at about j 10.25 o'clock. The specimens stolen from the Christchurch Museum comprised: Nuggety gold and gold dust, about twelve rough diamonds, three specimens of crystallised gold from Australia, ancient Irish gold collar, torque (crescent shape), gold brooch with green beetle in the middle, gold ring with the signs of the zodiac round it, three golden amulets with oval raised figures. Two native pearl shell divers at Penrhyn Island were so badly bitten by sharks that they died soon after getting ashore..

A St. Bernard dog waiting for a customer in an Auckland drapery store went out for a promenade on the verandah, and fell through a large pane of glass. No one was underneath. The dog discontinued promenading for that day. The anniversary of the Feilding Fire Brigade was celebrated by a dance in %\<k Foresters' Halh Feilding, on Moaday night. Leslie Fraser, who was accidentally shot by a Maori while out hare shooting near Waitara on Queen's Birthday, is not so dangerously wounded as was at first thought.

The Mohaka bridge, Hawke's Bay, is now open for traffic. A lad named Frank Smith, who was ordered to be sent to the Burnharn Industrial School, escaped from gaol at NewPlymouth on Friday last, and is still at large. The latest trick of the practical joker, as he is found in Nelson, is to stretch cotton lines across the streets, suspended from door knobs, at night time. A good birch is an effective cxire. Mr Buick, member for Wairau, addressed his constituents at Ewart's Hall, Blenheim, on Wednesday night, and received a vote of thanks and confidence, passed unanimously. The story told to Baron von Mueller about the discovery of the North Polo proves to have been a silly hoax. The report of the Victorian Railways Committee recommends that the Betterment system be introduced in connection with the construction of new lines; also, that the districts benefited make good any deficiency in regard to the working expenses and the interest on the cost of construction.

A collision took place at the Sydney Heads between the steamer City of Grafton and the ketch Amy Moir. The latter was badly damaged, and was towed into port leaking heavily. The South Australian Government is placing on the local market £300,000 worth of 3 k per cent, bonds, being the balance of a loan authorised in 1893. The German colonists in Queensland are preparing a memorial for presentation to the Reichstag and the North German Lloyd's Company, urging that the latter company's service be extended to Queensland. The residents of Matarawa have decided to poll in favour of raising .£4OO towards the construction of the bridge connecting Matarawa with Greytown. The Lyttelton Harbour Board have chartered for another six months from the Otago Board Dredge No. 222, and it is understood that they are anxious to purchase her outright. Mr Tennent has given notice to move at the next meeting of the Martinborough. Council, "That the building known as Shannon's be purchased for Borough Council chambers, provided the price be not more than .£550." The conductor of the Ranana Native Brass Band, Mr A. Evans, sued Major Kemp at Wanganui for .£ll7 19s 6d, balance alleged to be due for the teaching of the band. Major Kemp admitted that the plaintiff was engaged at 25s per week, but that the committee were responsible for the payment of the money. Judgment was given by Mr Kettle for plaintiff for the amount claimed.