OMNIUM GATHERUM.

Otago Witness, Issue 1917, 13 November 1890, Page 32

OMNIUM GATHERUM.

NEWS GOSSIP, AND ADB.

Cardinal Newman was an accomplished violin player. On Friday night 8 8 inches of rain fell at Dunedin.

The Mines department invite tenders for the secend five mileß of the Garston-Nevis road.

It has been decided that a United Service homtt for disabled soldiers and sailors be established at Dryßdale. A young man named Rogers was washed out ot a buggy while crossing the Waipahi river on Saturday, but was rescued. Bruce County Councillors voted £20 to the chairman (Mr H. Clark), to assist in recouping his outlay during the year. A team from the Ashburton Rifles won £14 10s at the military snorts at Wellington, and the crew from H M.S. Curacoa £5 ss.

In Dr Barnardo's "Babies' Castle " there ia a child wtose mother, in a state of drunkenness, deliberately blinded it with a needle ! Messrs Craig and Co. are again the successful tenderers for the same line of mail services over which the firm's coaches ran last year.

It is stated that the Ameer of Bokhara intends to reorganise his army on the Russian system, and to adopt Russian uniform". Henry Jones and John M'Guire, who were raptured by a constable in a draper's shop in' Wellington on the 4th inst., have been committed for trial. The railway pmployes at Balo'ntha presented Mr T. Lynch, the well-known footballer, with a handsome clock, and Mrs Lynch («ee K. Walsh) with some silver plate. The Woodville Examiner is responsible for the statement that the Government intpnd to acquire the Maniwatu railway line, when Woodville will revert to its position as the central terminal station. The hospital returns for the past week are : — Remaining from previous week, 86; admitted during the we"k, 18; discharged, seven; death (John Coll), one. Total remaining in the institution, 96. A deputation of ppttlers and others about Stirling waited on Mr George Tn<?lH at his residence »t SMrlinp, and presented him with a gold albert chain, and Mrs and Miss Inglia gol 1 brooches as parting gifts on the occasion of their leaving the district. The Indian Government are thinking of establishing a second Molokai on one of tho nnhabitated islands in the Indian Ocean. It n feared that the lepers in India are increasing at the rate of about 30,000 every 10 years. A policy of segregation is under consideration. A lad named Richard Overs, employed by Mr B. Trier, stock and share broker, Melbourne,

cashed a cheque for £360, the property of hia employer, in January last, and absconded. Last week on the arrival of the Gulf of Mexico from Newcastle, he was found on board as assistant cook and was arrested.

The most extensive hotel in the world is said to be the Hotel del Ooronado, of San Diego, which covers by buildings alone over five acres. The' total floor area is four and a half-acres, the area of the dining rooms is 10,000 square feet, and the capacity of the drinking and domestic water reservoirs 150,000ga1. M. Jules Simon confesses to being seriously alarmed at the progress of the depopulation of France. He shows that the annual total of marriages has decreased by 13,000 in four years, and that a Frenchman marries on an average at between 29 and 30 ; that is, a year and a-half later than the average Englishman.

According to the Mount Ida Chronicle, shearing at the various stations will commence within the next two or three weeks. It is expected that the clip, on the whole, will equal, if not exceed, that of the past year. The extremely cold weather lately experienced has unfortunately proved fatal to a large number of lambs. The Birmingham barber who had for many years been in tke habit of attending Cardinal Newman professionally, is evidently ' a most sagacious man, for it is stated that he always preserved r~ost carefully the cuttings of this distinguished customer's hair, for which there is, of course, a brisk demand among the faithful.

At his election meeting in Carterton, Mr Bunny was asked if he was in favour of stoats and weasels. His reply was: "Is it likely a 1 bunny ' would approve of stoats and weasels ? —(Roars of laughter.) There are stoats and weasels outside of the animals we call stoats and weasels, and they are doing their best no get rid of • Bunny,' but they won't do it." — (Laughter).

Mr A. J. Thompson (a son of Police Inspector Thompson), in the service of the Bank of New Zealand, Oamarh, has secured the diploma of Associate of the Bankers' Institute of Austral bs"iß. Mr Thompeon's pass was a highly creditable one. For arithmetic he obtained the full number of marks, and for poli'.ical economy 90 per cent. In other subjects he was also very successful.

The following gentlemen have been appointed census enumerators and superintendent collectors of agricultural statistics for the census and collection of 1891 : — Andrew Thompson, for Waihemo, Waitaki, and part of Waikonaiti north of Waitati stream ; Richard B. Martin, for the Peninsula, Taieri, and part of Waikouaiti south of Waitati stream ; Frank Dathie, for Bruce, Tuapeka, and Clutha

Mustard is one of the best stimulants to digestion within our reach, and is extensively used ; but od'Hy enough there are some who boast that they never touch it, being evidently under the impression that its use is injurious to the system. A really good brand of mustard, such as that prepared by Keen, and known as " Keen's mnsf-ard," is undoubtedly one of the best preventives of indigestion obtainable. • The Mount Ida Chronicle states that one day last weak considerable damage was done by a gale at White Sow Valley. Mr W. Guffie's bouse and several outbuildings were unroofed, a reaper and binder greatly knocked about, fences blown down, and much damage of a similar nature done. In order that the force of the gale on the occasion may be properly estimated, it will only bo necessary to state that a dray was carried clean over a fence of the usual height at Mr Mawhinney's farm,

Messrs Mallock and Lance's second and third prize ramp, in the fine combing merino section of the Canterbury show, were ahorn by the Wolseley shearing machine. The fleeces were weighed, and the densely woolled sheers which gained third prize, shore 141b Boz of wool ; the second prize sheep, with the longer wool, only cutting 121b 14oz. The sheep had 358 days' wool on, and cut last jear, with 13 months' wool, 16lb 4oz and 151b respectively. The wool will be scoured and valned.

A number of subscribers to the " Illustrated Atlas of Australia " held an indignation meeting at Wellington on Friday night laqt, at which it was said that it had been explained to them that the work would comprise 14 numbers on New Zealand, to be 1c« livered monthly at ss, on faith of which an order was signed. They now find that they have given an order for 42 numbers of the 11 Picturesque Atlas of Australasia," costing lOgs. It was resolved to consult a solicitor before accepting delivery.