INTERPROVINCIAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3367, 20 November 1872, Page 3

INTERPROVINCIAL.

Diphtheria haa made its appearance at Coromandel.

The Fiji Times calls Auckland "the Aisatia of Fiji."

The eßtablishment of an archery club is talked of at Christchurch.

The Thames Advertiser nays that Ooldiielda rnemberH " are always for sale."

New quarantine buildings are being erected on Soaines Island, in Wellington harbour.

The New Zealand Herald estimates the cost of the General Assembly session at about £20,000.

Commodore Sterling and his party lately lost themselves for two days in the bush at Waikato.

All the grouse shipped on board the ship Queen Bee in England for the Auckland Acclimatisation Society, died on the voyage out.

The ladies of Wanganui, according to the Wellington Post, have determined to cut any of their acquaintances who are seen smoking in the street. Their visiting li.sts are likely to be considerably reduced.

The ships Niger and Milton, which arrived a few days ago at tho Bay of Inlands from a whaling cruise, both reported having their second officers killed, and their boats smashed to pieces, by whales.

The Maoris living to the north of the city of Auckland predict that the coining summer will be an unusually dry one, and Bay the European settlers are a month too late with their crops.

The Hon. Messrs Reynolds and O'Rorke have been visiting the Scandinavian settlements in the Province of Wellington. The Swedes and Norwegians seem contented and comlortable, and are better adapted for settlers than the Danes.

The Auckland correspondent of the Hawke'H Bay Herald says that the announcement of the proposed establishment of a National Bank of New Zealand was received in Auckland " with 'unmistakeable evidences of deep satisfaction."

Colonel M'Donncll, at one time commander of the Colonial Forces, has been appointed Resident Magistrate at the Chatham Islands. This is considered to be a very inadequate recognition of hia services, seeing that men of much inferior standing have received higher appointments.

A Christchurch paper says that "the committee of the Canterbury Auxiliary Bible Society have decided to send a fltipply of Bibles to every hotel and accommodation house throughout the Province, so that a copy of the Holy Scriptures may be placed in each bedroom."

The New Zealand Herald mentions having seen a " splendid sample of steel" from the iron mine lately opened near the Miranda Redoubt, in the Province of Auckland. The ore from the mine in question (which belongs to an Auckland firm) is said to contain GO per cent, of iron, while good coal is found close to it.

With respect to the crops in Canterbury, the Lyttelton Times says ; —" Information is to hand from all quarters of the Province, that the cereal crops are looking exceedingly well—indeed, it may bo said that they never promised better. The fruit crop has unfortunately suffered very much by the recent frosts, especially in peaches and cherries "

The following telegram from Auckland appears in the Evening Post of the 31 at ult :—" George Seymour, aged 20, son of Captain Seymour, struck himself with the lash of a whip whilst driving stock. The wound gradually got worse, and symptoms of tetanus set in. Shortly afterwards his jaw set as firm as a vice, and he died yesterday."

The following lively paragraph appears in the Kaikoura (Marlborough) Herald :— " We hear, that Mr C. Evans is having Home land cleared in the vicinity of the Kohai for the cultivation of hops. His energy and enterprise are deserving of success. Won't the beer be strong by and bye t We have Home recollection of having been once taken off our legs by a pint in the old country ; we expect that we shall have to wait a bit before the Kaikoura brew will do that."

In connection with the disclosures mad*; regarding the notorious Green Harp swindle, our Auckland correspondent writes:—"One incident is worth mentioning. A director was married at Onehunga with great splendour—six gr^ys to the carriage, and a large procession of friends. As a fee, he gave the priest five ' Green Harps,' and advised him earnestly to buy five more, to make the number ten. The priest did so, and has since had to pay a five-shilling call on each of them."

At a meeting of the Canterbury- Board of Education, held recently, Mr Bmven. R.M., urged upon the Board the necessity of the establishment in Canterbury of a University similar to that of Otago. In referring to the efforts of Otago in the cause of education, Mr Bowen is reported to have said that " the people in Otago had come forward like men in the cause of education, and it showed that they fully appreciated its incalculable advantages. " Our Auckland correspondent says :— j " It is well understood to he Mr Voxel's chief object to keep in office if possible for five years, and thus—if in the Governor's good graces at the same time—to be recommended for a knighthood. Sir Julius Vogel, K.C.M.G., an eminent Zealand statesman, five veers in office as Colonial Treasurer, mi«ht take a now flight in London as a Colonial authority in financial matters, and the Colony get out of its difficulties under some less brilliant guide as best it can." The Grey River Argns announces that the first gleam of advanced civilisation reached Ahaura a few weteka ago, in the shape of a black stove-pipe hat on a man's ; head. White golgqthas have been seen ' occasionally, accompanied by wandering nigeer minstrels, or itinerant members .of Parliament, but this is the first black "bell-topper" that haa ever made its appearance in legitimate nee further «p the Grey Valley than tlie Arnold Junotion.

A Christehurch paper says that the game of golf i» growing in popularity there, and when the material, which are expected by the next San steamer, arrive, a good club will no doubt be formed. There isgenerally a good muster of players in Hagley Park on Saturday afternoons.

The Wellington Post says:—"Theworka in connection with the scheme for supplying water to the city are progressing favourably. The Council lias without difficulty purchased all the required land, and the tunnel has been cut through very successfully. By recent advices from home, we learn that the manufacturers hoped if) ship the material in September, and should they succeed, we may expect to have the works finished by February. At the furthest, allowing for every delay, before April there is little doubt that the undertaking will be completed."

A very interesting foot-race (says the Auckland Star of the 29th uit.) was witnessed yesterday in the Barracks, namely, an impromptu match between O'Hare, the pedestrian, and Signor Donato, the onelegged dancer, the farmer giving the Signor forty yards start. It was an exciting race, and was only won by the pedestrian by leas than a yard- Donato attributes hia failure to having looked behind him when the lookers on urgtd him forward. He fairly hopped over the course, and the enormous " strides" he took fairly took people by surprise. The affair caused great amusement.

With,regard to the Taupo hot springs, the Hawke's Bay Herald has the following :—" We hear that Mr Lofty, formerly proprietor of a store at Taupo, has leased a piece of laud comprising some hot springs, in the neighbourhood of Tapuaeharuru, from the natives there, *ith the view of erecting a bath-house. The spot I appears to be excellently choften. The two streams, one hot and the other cold, flow together into a basin at the place where the bath-house will be situated, so that anyone availing himself of it can. enj'»y the luxury of bathing in warm water, and, by moving a few yards, of finding himself in cold. Mr Haatie, the proprietor of the Tapuneharuru Hotel, intends shortly to run a trap regularly between his house and a hot spring about a mile and a half distant from it, where there is a basin about OOft in diameter, excellently adapted for a warm swimming bath. Taupo, it will thus be seen, is likely to prove a, much more attractive resort for tourists during the coming summer than it has been during any previous one. By the commencement of the new year, the coach road will, most likely, be open all the way."

A correspondent sends to the West Coast Times the following account of an amusing instance of the indomitable perseverance of the fair sox when making charitable collections :—" Two ladies from the Hauhau were a few days since can vassing a neighbouring township for donalions for the approaching concert and ball in aid of the district contribution to the Hokitika Hospital. Taking the business places xfiruilim, they arrived at the shop of a worthy knight of the anvil. One of the ladies entered, and having made her application in the blandest of tones, and with a smile which she doubtless thought the blacksmith could not resist, was informed that all he could give was a wheelbarrow of unusually large size which he had just made. The lady expressed her thanks, and said she would get some one to fetch it away. This, however, the blacksmith would not consent to ; he had made the offer in jest, thinking himself safe in making it, so he insisted that the lady should trundle it away herself, or she should not have it at all ; he would not even permit the assistance of the lady's companion. The lady, doubtless piqued by the ungallant conduct of the blacksmith, was determined that he should be punished by the loss of his wheelbarrow, so she complied with the condition, and wheeled it about two miles, over a rough road and up a heavy incline, to the Hauhau, where it will be sold in a few days, with a collection of other articles, for the benefit of tho hospital."