TELEGRAPHIC BRIEFS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1935, 26 March 1891, Page 13

TELEGRAPHIC BRIEFS.

The annual balance sheet of the Wellington* Manawatu Railway Company shows a credit balance of nearly £13,000. This includes £5000 odd carried forward from the last annual meeting, and over £7000 earned daring the 12 months. It is the intention of the directors to recommend the payment of a dividend of 8$ per cent., which will absorb about £6000, and carry forward the balance of nearly £7000.

The last mail steamer from San Francisco brought 4000 vine cuttings of four varieties, of a sort of vine stock which resists phylloxera. These were sent by Mr R. J. Creighton, and were taken charge of by Mr Humphries, commissioner of Crown lands. Some of them are to be handed over for cultivation to Mr Hay, nurseryman, while Mr Humphries will send the rest to the nursery at Whangarei, whioh is now undor the charge of the oounfcy council. A quantity of riparia seed has also been sent, from which j blight- resisting stock can be raised.

Tbe greater portion of the flagship Orlando's coal came from Westport, and now all the warships on this station receive a very large proportion of their fuel from the' same looality. Several days ago a load of some 1500 tons of coal came here from Westport by the s.s. Poherua for the use of the various cruisers in port, and yesterday the steamer finished the distribution of her coal amongst the men-of-war, discharging the last of it into H.M. ships Cordelia and Lizard. The Orlando alone took 400 tons of it into her bunkers. If Captain Kane's exploit at Samoa in 1889 did nothing else, it served as a splendid testimonial to the qualities of Westport coal. g |The Government propose to make reductions of £8000 per annum in the Marine department, chiefly in contingencies, The divorce proceedings instituted by Lady Wastneys against her husband, Sir William Wastneys, of Reef ton, have been withdrawn, the matter having been amicably settled. The Governor intends to make a three months' stay iv Cbristchurch in the summer, and has leased the late Hon. W. Robinson's house for that period, By a proclamation in the Gazette no less than 46 rivers and creeks in the district of Westland are declared water courses in whioh tailings and mining debHs may be discharged. The Gszsfcte notifies the acceptance of tbe resignations of Captain G. R. Smith (of the Dunedin Navals), Captain R, Neill (of the South District Rifles), and lieutenant D. Henderson (of tb,Q Highland Rifles),