NEWS IN BRIEF.

Otago Witness, Issue 2914, 19 January 1910, Page 57

NEWS IN BRIEF.

Sir Philip Fysh, ex-Premier of Tasmania, is critically ill. The directors of Messrs Robert Campbell and Sons have paid a dividend of 10 per cent. The report shows a profit during the year of £65,900. A bonus of 5s per share was declared, and £43,911 carried forward. The Earl and Countess of Meath have started for Australia, where they remain until the spring. The Midland Junction municipality (Western Australia) has received from Mr Andrew Carnegie a promise of £ISOO towards a library. The report of the Union Bank of Australia shows deposits of £19,879,000; cash investments and balance of remittances, £10,230,000; bills and other securities, £13,872,000. A tidal wave struck tiro steamer Lusitania in mid-Atlantic. Two thousand tons of water were shipped. The wheel room and oharthou.se were damaged, and the lifeboats dislodged. Lord Derwent’s residence at Scarborough (England) vfas burnt, and many thousands of pounds damage done. A quantity of paintings and valuable furniture was saved. T.ho Commonwealth wheat fleet numbers 112 vessels, representing an export of 15,366,400 bushels. The latest harvest estimates point to a crop of 52,000,000 bushels, and a surplus available for export of 51,000,000 bushels. On the current average of tonnage it will require 350 vessels to carry the wheat surplus to oversea, markets, or 263 vessels in addition to those already chartered or loading. .Arrangements are completed to take the Commonwealth census on April 2 and 3 of next year. The Bishop of Ballarat has notified his intention of resigning in December. He considers that a younger and mare vigorous man is needed to deal with the work of the diocese. The Tageblatt states that in consequence of the miners’ eight-hours’ trouble in England, British steel and iron manufacturers have been . obliged to raise their prices, thereby enabling their German competitors •to raise their prices, Ahich had sunk to a very low level- There was now a genuine revival in the home markets of Germany. . Sueakinn- •at - Newcastle, Sir E. Grey declared that the navy shall be kqpt at its proper strength, and that eight new ships will be built this' year.