NEWS ITEMS

Colonist, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8065, 9 October 1894, Page 4

NEWS ITEMS

The Hawaiaus are fast disappearing, From two or three millions their number has decreased until they are now lees than 40,000, with some 1,800 to 1.4C0 lepers. The Wairarapa ' Timss ' stales :— " Mr Buchanan declares that the un> employed are increasing in this district, but Ministers say they are decreasing. Me Buchanan is in a position to know all about them, Ministers seem to know nothing, The Labor Bureau publishes a monthly record which is utterly valueless excepting to bolster up misleading statements from the Government. There are a thousand unemployed swaggers in the Wellington oountry districts, but we defy any explorer to discover a tithe of them in the pages of the Labour journal. That official record is utterly worthless as a guide to the number and condition of the unemployed.

A week ago (says the Christoharoh ' Press') Mr Boss, secretary to Mr Mills, of the Union Steamship Company, arrived in Ohristchnrch by train. He placed a bag and a despatoh box in a cab, and when be returned, cab, bag, and box, had disappeared. The cabman was found, bat could give no explanation as to the myeterione disappearance, except that a man, apparently his fare, got into the cab and he drove him away. The property was discovered in Eagley Park South on Thursday by a boy, who returned it to the Company, and was rewarded. The box had been broken open, and the thief when he had performed the operation must have felt disappointed, since there was nothing in it bat papers. These, wbioh he oould not convert to bis own use, were intact.

Another very carious discovery was made in Borne lately. Some masons were working in the Pizza San Silvestro, when suddenly the ground gave way, disclosing a large hule. A number of the workmen procured torches and dt scended hy means of ropea and sticks, wbioh they dug into the soft earth. Judge their amazement on making the discovery that th£ Church of St Silvestro in Oapite, and the Post office to which it is annexed, are built on lcng galleries having all the appearance of as ancient catacomb. A number of bones were found in various parts of the gallery. It is thought that more excavations can be made on the spot, which may prove to be of great interest in the world of science and archeology.