NEW ZEALAND NEWS ITEMS

Otago Witness, Issue 2391, 28 December 1899, Page 19

NEW ZEALAND NEWS ITEMS

AUCKLAND. A respectable married man named Lipscomb, a cabinetmaker, attempted to commit suicide with a razor. He was suffering from influenza, and was mentally depressed. He has been taken to the hospital. His wounds are not regarded as likely to prove fatal. WELLINGTON. So far the following bands have entered . for the contest of the North Island Brass Bands' Association, to be held* here in March next :-*Woodville, Palmerston North, Mitchell Town, Petone Boys', Naval Institute, Wellington Garrison, Jupp's, North-East Valley (-Dunedin), Denniston, and Nelson Garrison. The test selection is now being distributed to the competing bands, and the ballot for the judge will be taken on the closing of entries. The prizes which are offered by the committee are as follows : — First . prize, £100 cash, 25 silver medals, and a Be««on challenge shield ; second prize, £50 ; third, £25; fourth, £15, fifth, £10 ; and sixth, £5. Air T. Fairhursfc, who obtained the lease

of the dining cars on the trains between Christchurch and Palmerston South, will pay a rental of £1092 per annum. A skull was fished out of the harbour o.n Thursday. ' It is supposed to have belonged to either Luxton or Crea, both of whom wsre drowned- some months ago. Speaking at a social given in his honour at Masterton, Mr Hogg .said that he believed the Government would still further assist small settlers by relieving them of taxation and placing it on the broad shoulder?, which were well able to bear it, of some of those gentlemen who had offered the bribe of a freehold. An amended scale of premiums for the different classes of policies issued by the Government Insurancs department is published in this week's Gazette. Heretofore the department's tariffs have been the lowest in Australasia, and even now it is stated to be on a par with the lowest, but, in accordance with the policy of the colonial and American offices generally, dictated by the requirements of a sound business, ithas been found necessary to make very small increases in premium rates. Existing policies are not affected. The Otaki election is fixed for January 6. A large meeting of Mr Buchanan's supporters, held at Greytown, Wellington, decided to raise a fund to erect an operating theatre in the South Wairarapa Hospital, in commemoration of his 18 j r ears' service to the district. The scheme promises to be taken up heartily.