OMNIUM GATHERUM.

Otago Witness, Volume 02, Issue 2420, 2 August 1900, Page 10

OMNIUM GATHERUM.

The regulation step of the British Army is 120 to the minute.

Aghanfci has cost Great Britain in military expeditions over ten millions.

The dew that is annually deposited on the surface of England is equal to sin of rain. Canterbury (England) will erect a large number of municipal cottages for labourers.

From August 1 post and telegraph office at Maunganui Bluff to be renamed Arariga. The presidents of the boroughs of Greater New York all favour municipal ownership of gas.

A Chinese in Brisbane has been fined £10, or three months, for , supplying opium to blacks.

Paris, Lyons, and Bordeaux are three leading French cities that have municipal restaurants.

A "crown of wild olive" from Venice has been placed on the grave of John Ruskdn at Coniston.

The fastest-flowing river in the world is the Sullej, in India. Its descent is 12,000 ft in 180 miles.

A girl named Sarah Herrick was killed at Deloraine (Tasmania) on the 14th. inst. by a tree falling on her. The Bank of England destroys about 350,000 of its notes every week to replace them with freshly printed ones.

New Scotland "iard is the largest police office in tho world. It is capable of accommodating 3000 police officers.

The British and Foreign Bible Society has supplied over 1000 Testaments, Gospels, and Psalters to the troops at the front.

One hundred and fifty Dutch boys of Grey's College, Bloemfontein, were commandeered, armed, and sent to the front.

A middy named Down, only 17 years of age, managed a gun during the Tugela battle, and his coolness was remarkable.

For the year ending June 30 the Victorian revenue was £7,450,676, and the expenditure £7.321,755, giving a surplus of £128,921.

The New South Wales Premier has promised to place a sufficient sum on the Estimates for the maintenance of country parks.

The Bruce Herald is informed that the first lambs of the season made their appearance at Mr W. Farquharson's farm at Lovell's Flat last week.

Miss Louie Morrell, a Melbourne vocalist, who appeared at the Adebide Theatre Royal last year, gave a very successful concert in London recently.

Mr A. Duncan, from Whangarei, who has been appointed to succeed Mr Piper as slationmaster at Oamaru, arrived on Thursday to take up his new duties.

A young Austrian named Froncois Lieheka. being disappointed in a love affair, committed suicide at Melbourne recently by shooting himself in the head with a revolver.

An American swimmer who broke his neck ]ast August, and who was successfully operated upon, is now a bio to write, and his hand gained steadiness with sach attempt. A middle-aged man named Johnstonc was walking down a street in Adelaide one morning recently' when he suddenly -paused, leaned against a wall, and then dropped dead.

From Greymouth list week the Blackball Coal Company exported 1717 lons 4cwt coal, and the Brunner Company 2193 tons Bcwt coal, 4 tons coke, and 10 tons lOcwfc bricks.

Telegraph wires are better conductors on Monday than on Saturday, en account of their Sunday rest; and a rest of Ihree weeks add<s 10 per cent, to the conductivity of a wire.

Tho smallest book in the world is in the possession of the Earl of Dufferin. It is an edition of the sacred book of the Sikhs, and is said to be only half the size of a postage stamp.

A man named William Robbards, who described himself as a Sydney solicitor, was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment at Melbourne on a sharp;© of being a rogue and a

vagabond and obtaining money under false pretences.

The yield of gold in New South Wales for June was 14,9220z, as compared with 40.6760z for the month of June last year. The total yield for the six months this year amounts to 156,3560z, against 185,0840z. for the same period of last year.

The magnitude of the unemployed difficulty was shown at Sydney recently, when, for 400 positions offered at the labour bureau, tinder the Minister of Works' scheme, 2000 men put in an appearance. From these the necessary selections were made. -

A peculiar death occurred at Bellinger (New South Wales), on the 16th inst. T. E. Collins, school teaciier, was wounded in the hand by the spur of a -rooster, which he was endeavouring to catch, and inflammation set in, causing lockjaw ancj death.

An attempt was made to horsewhip the editor of the Reformer" in the Main street, Cobden (Victoria), hj a man named Clarke, but he failed to carry out his intention, as the editor turned upon him, and forced him to seek refuge in an adjacent shop. Captain Wallington, private secretary to the Governor of South Australia, is proceeding to England to take tip an appointment there. Dr Pennefather, who is well known in New Zealand, will acl as private secretary to his Excellency for three months. At the Thames Magistrate's Court last week two Austrians .named Mate Duzevich and Stephan Bai'bovich were lined 5s each, with costs, for digginp; kauri gum without a license. The fine, and costs in Duzevich' s case amounted to £7 14s, and in Barbovich's to £8 2s. The Buller Post understands that" after argument in the matter of the Matakitaki Gold Dredging Company (in liquidation) the Supreme Court has decided that all who registered under the provisions of the Mining Act are entitled to three months' wages. Nine persons were adjudged bankrupts in the colony last week — viz., a tailor at Opotiki, a fruiterer at Auckland, a labourer at Springfield, two seedsmen at Timaru. a contractor at Reefton, a farmer at Waikaia, a min^r at Colac Bay, and an agent at Riversdale.

A young man named Edward Crump, about 19 years of age, committed suicide at Mount Hope (New South Wales) recently because ho was too far away from home. His body was found suspended from a mallee tree, and a letter left in his bunk explained the reason of his action.

It is not generally known (writes the Milton correspondent of the Free Press) that the constable at Milton (Mr D. Macrae) went to school in Ross-shire, Scotlard, with Brigadiergeneral Hector Macdonald, now in South Africa. Mr Maeiae was very well acquainted with Macdonald and his people.

The Secretary of State for the Colonies lias informed the Colonial Secretary fiat her Majesty will not be advised to exercise her powers of disallowance with respect to the net No. 15, of IBs9, of the Legislature of New Zealand, entitled "An Act to Amend 'The 'Sharping and Seamen's Act, 1877.' "

The Southland Times states that Mrs Coi'lam, widow of the late Mr Job Coulam, of Nokomai. has received a compassionate allowance of £10 from the Postmaster-general. Mr Conlam had been postmaster at Nokomai since 1864 and mail carrier for a longer period, and always performed his duties to the satisfaction of the Government.

When a fluice was being cleaned up at the Canadian Jewellers' Dredging Company's lease, which is in the vicinity of the Eureka Stockade (Ballarat), a number of interesting relies were discovered. Th.e<=e comprised several bullet?, some swan-shot, and several silver coins, impressed with the heads of George 111 and George TV.

At the coronet's inquiry into the circumstrvices connected with the shooting or Mi=s Aubrey at Dnwson (Victoria), the jury returned a verdict of wilful murder against John Ferrier, who was committed for trial. Throughout the proceedings the prisoner maintained an indifferent, pven cnllous, attitude, and once or twice smiled at certain portions of (.lie evidence.

The Palea Press fay? that al a meetinc of delegates representing; the different polling districts nori.li of Wanganui, held at Patea, io choose a candidate to cortest the Patea seat in the Liberal interests, Dr G. Gillon, of Patpa, was chosen for the position. No decision has yet been come to with regard to the Opposition candidate.

Mr W. Gunn. chemist, of Timaru, has received from Dr Thomas, who is in South Africa, on his wav with a force to join Lord Carrington at Petersburg, a sample of " biltong," as used by the Boers. The sample includes two pieces, one piece being somewhat of the shape of a hare's foreleg and. the other not unlike a piece of steak.

The petroleum boring question has been revived at Inglewood (says the Taransiki Herald), as it is reported that a company intend to start operations there in a few weeks on land where petroleum indications were claimed to have been found some years ago. The leading residents affirm that there are excol-

lent indications of oil in different parts cf the district.

The commander of the barquentine Elizabeth Price, Captain Hughes, is a heavy loser by the wreck of that vessel. He had a halfshare in her, and she was uninsured ; while all his persoaal effects, valued at over £200, were likewise lost. The latter were insured for£lso, but, unfortunately, Captain Eughes has just received from his Sydney agents notice that in his absence they inadvertently allowed the policy to lapse.

An Order-in-Council in +he last issue of tha Gazette notifies that his Excellency the Governor has consented to the grant by the Tuapeka County Cour.cil-to the Miller's JFiat Electric Dredging Company of the right to erect an electric lina from a point on tho Golden Eun Dredging Company's claim to the claim belonging to the former company— a distance of 50 chains.

At_ Chris tchurch on Saturday Mra TV O'Brien was presented by Detective Livingstone, on behalf of the police force, with a very handsome marble and granite clock and a silver-mounted spirit stand, both suitably inscribed, on the occasion of Iho removal of her husband, late sub-inspecLor of the. Christchurch police, to the position of inspector in Napier. Inspector O'Brien suitably replied on behalf of Mrs O'Brien.

At the Mosgiel Magistrate's Court on Tues-i day, Arthur Ernest Ede, a prohibited person', was charged with having obtained a bottle of whisky, valued at 5s 6d, from Mrs O'Kane by] false pretences. The evidence showed that ac- f - cused represented that Mr Wm. Kirklandl sent him for the whisky, as his daughter waa very ill. A sentence of one month's impri-i sonrnent in Dunedin Gaol, with hard labpuiy was inflicted, and Ede was ordered to pay the cost of the whisky by September 1. ">

At Cromwell, on Saturday evening, Mr James M'George, late dredgemaster of the ; Electric dredge, was presented by; his late crew with a gold albert prior to his taking'up' the position of manager of the Magnetic dredge. Mr John Johnston, in making the ' presentation,. said the crew were sorry to losa t Mr M'George, but they were proud thathe , had secured the golden rooster before leaving . the Ranfurly. Mr M'George, in thanking tha - donors for their gift, stated that he was jusfe going up the river a bit, and it would not bs "* long before he took the golden rooster up too". " Mr M'George was also presented with a hand-* some tobacco pouch on behalf of Mr E, M'Nulty, who has had the contract for carting coal to the dredge for over two y v ears. A remarkable case is making- a great slic in Pennsylvania. The Rev. E. Dixon, a prominent Methodist clergyman, recently attempted to prevent the erection of a .big brewery at Stroudsburg, and, failing, publicly, prayed for divine vengeance against it. A few days later, during a violent thunderstorm, lightning struck the brewery, partially v/recking it, anCl " the brewery company thereupon commenced an action for the recovery of 50,000d0l against' Mr Dixon, charging him with being responsible for the damage, besides making libellous statements from the pulpit. Mr Dixon says • he cannot be held responsible for an act of Providence, and will call several eminent theologians to testify on his Behalf. The ease promises to be one of the most novel ever tried in a court of jxisties.

At Christchurch, on Monday evening, 23rd, the parishioners of St. Michael's and All Angels' tendered a farewell social to their late curate, the Rev. C. A. Fraer, prior to his departure to take charge of the parish of Waikouaiti and Palmerston. The Rev. A. W. Averijl presided, and referred to the loyalty and devotion Mr Fraer had always displayed for the highest interests and spiritual welfare of tho parish. The speaker also expressed his extreme regret at, having to part with so able a coadjutor. Mr F. H. Barns, on behalf of the parishioners, presented Mr Fraer with a, cheque, which had been subscribed by over 200 parishioners, and conveyed to the recipient an expression of the parishioners' high, appreciation of the services rendered by Mr Fraar during his residence of four years in the parish.

At a meeting of the Invercargill "W.C.T.IT.on Monday, several important matters weya discussed (pays the Southland Times), and in regard to the Eemoval of Women's Disabilities Bill the following resolutions wera passed : — (1) That the members of the Invercargill W.C.T.U. regret the unworthy and 1 illogical manner in which the proposal for the removal of women's disabilities was discussed l in the House of Representatives ; (2) that, in, the- opinion of this union, the artificial limitaiions placed on women are against their best interests and ought not to be tolerated in a . young and free country ; (3) that the Government be respectfully urged to pass a measure for the removal of the civic and political disabilities of women ; (4) that a copy of the foregoing be forwarded to the Premier, and 1 to the 3'I.H.R. for the district. Copies. of al re?oluti6h protesting strongly against the ' granting of licenses in the King Country were also ordered to be sent to the Premier and 4(? Mr Hanan.