General News.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 4, Issue 22, 21 March 1893, Page 3

General News.

Three of the directors of the Anglo - Australian Bank were sentenced to five years, two years, and six months respectively, A bank director’s lot is not always a happy one. Mr T. K. Macdonald has propounded a scheme to purchase the whole of the Native lands (ten million acres) at once by debentures bearing 4 per cent interest, the owners to receive the amount of interest due to them quarterly. We think this is rather too big a contract for the colony to undertake all' at once, and if undertaken might lead to other equally wild financial schemes, which have caused so much mischief in this and other colonies. More floods are predicted in New South Wales. What with droughts, floods, extra taxes, and financial difficulties generally Australia has about as mnch as it can stand without any additional troubles. During the recent floods in New South Wales a girl floated from Singleton to Maitland, a distance of 29 miles, on a bundle of hay. She was rescued from her perilous position at the latter place. The Victorian revenue is £700,000 below the expenditure. As the expenditure cannot be reduced the only alternative is extra taxes. The New Zealand Company’s steamer Kaikoura is bringing to Wellington a consignment of English fresh fish preserved by a new process. Further consignments are to follow. The hull of a vessel bottom upwards is reported as lying on the shore at Kaipara Heads. ’ It is supposed to be that of the Northern Star, which is now overdue, being 23 days out from Hokianga for Wellington. For the month of February the arrivals in the colony were 2,625 persons and the departures 1,952, leaving a balance in favour of the colony of 673. The Mount Morgan Gold-mining Company gave £I,OOO towards the flood relief fund. This represents j ust about the nett profit on one day’s work. The first lady dentist in America, Miss Annie Romberger, has a practice in Philadelphia from which she reaps £1,200 a year. The people who attended the Cheviot stock sale consumed three bullocks, 228 sheep, 5,8201bs of bread, lOOdoz eggs, 120 pairs of fowls, besides hams, bacon and sundries. It is not stated how many “ dead marines ” were left behind.