OMNIUM GATHERUM,

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11399, 17 April 1899, Page 8

OMNIUM GATHERUM,

The Minister for Lands takes hiß departure from the colony to-day. : '

A man named ■ Morfessie was suffocated a few days ago at Melbourne by falling into a pit of mud. •.•'...

During the present season 240,000 sheep' have been driven from Hawke's Bay to Wairarapa and West Coast..

The question of erecting a fruit, canning and preserving factory at Hastings, Hawke's Bay. is being discussed.

The Tuapeka Agricultural Society's s'nt-cp-dip.at Tuapeka Flat was opened on-Wednes-. day afternoon with some ceremony. :. Potatoes are a glut on the market at Hastings—:price 30s a.ton, and tho market!falling. Nearly, two years will be occupied in building the Bank of New Zealand's new premises, -in Wellington... ■ ~

Do you need a lamp, bell, or anything required on a bicycle? If so, go for best value to W., A. Scott's, Speedwell Factory," 155 Georgo street,... .'',:'.' . The. hospital returns for the week are a« follow:-^Remaining from the previous.week,; 100 patients; admitted during the past week, 24; discharged, 11; and the remaining pa-, tients number 113.

The harvest of the local fishermen, (says.th;! North -Otago Times) has commenced.! The sprats, which have been off the coast for the. past five or six weeks, came into the harbour in shoals yesterday, and the fishermen extensively levied toll on them. Most of the fish are sent away, to Christchurch and Dunedin. .'■''.

Owing ,to. the recently-established.,cooking classes not being the success the Wanganui Education jßoard anticipated, it has , been decided to (jive Miss Murphy, the capable instructress, three months' notice of the termination of her engagement. ,-'.- , At Wellington last week the Chief Justice granted an injunction restraining, .until further order, Messrs Marriot, Leightoii, and Dalgleish from performing or advertising, a performance pf the drama "The Sign of the Cross," the respondents-to give ,48 - hours', notice of any application for. the dissolution of the injunction. . ' An effort is being made to form an Insurance Institute for New Zealand. Mr H. J. Kearney, editor bf the New Zealand Journal of Insurance, Mining, and Finance, is tho prime mover .in the matter. : .The Gazette,contains the Government's appointees to the .Clutha River! Board, under "The Clutha River Board Empowering Act, 1898," its: under: —John, Crawford Anderson, of Stirling, and Daniel Stewart, of Balclutha. The-other members of the board are: Jas. Ross Mitchell, eleoted by the Clutha CountyCouncil ;:: Jas. Rutherford, elected bythe Bruce County Council, Jas. Sim, elected by the Tuapeka County Council. ' ■ The Wairoa Guardian says:—"Races were held at |Cihitu the other day, the nomination fees, as well as the stakes being a modest box of-matches, the rider's fee three boxes, whilst the winner of the'stake drew five boxes. It is contemplated to hold an oats meeting socn, when owners of budding Garbiiies expect to enough horsefeed for the season.". -. The Christian religion recently found - a strong defender in a North-Island Maori, who had: -been converted -. irom Te Whit-ism.: - ■', A pakeha was ridiculing- the Maori's new religion, saying it wa. an exploded idea and fit only for women and children: The Maori replied:'". It's all very well for, you to talk, but. if it was not for the religion! you uro running down you wo.uld have made my dinner to-day." . ' " ( Several of our contemporaries have bean much exercised over the Maori name of' a township—" Taumatahakatangihangakoauau'-' —(says the Taranaki News), but up to the present none have made an'attempt to. give its meaning. "Taumata." means tlie_br._r of a hill-or edge of a cliff; "haka,"'a- dance;

" tangihanga," the sounding of an instrument, etc; and "koauau" an ancient Maori flute. A.Maori scholar therefore says the long word (there is no need for us to repeat it) means

The, dance which took place on the brow of a. hill (or edge of a cliff), and which vvas accompanied by the playing of a flute." ■, The Dunedin Painters' Musical Society. gave a minstrel entertainment in the Foresters' Hall, Port Chalmers, on Friday evening! The various items were heartily applauded, and encores were frequent. The musical part of the programme was supplied by, the painters' string band, under the leadership of Mr Charles Home. The entertainment concluded with a farce entitled "Thumbs Up." ,

The. approaching election of : directors of the A.M.P. Society is again exciting interest, among those who are addressing; the.members through our advertising columns being Mr F. E. Wiiiehcombe, senior partner in the wellknown Sydney firm of Wincheombe, Carson, and- Co., and Mr B. Short. The A.M.P. is dealing more largely recently in advances on jrood pastoral holdings, and in this class of business Mr Winchcombe's large experience iv connection with such securities should be valuable. Mr Short is already well known to New Zealand members of the A.M.P., among whom he is reenrded with special favour.

. Last week 7566 tons of coal were shipped fripm Westport, of which the,Westport Coal Company sent away 6758 tons, and the Cardiff Company 808 tons.