GENERAL NEWS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6090, 29 January 1898, Page 6

GENERAL NEWS .

MIDLAND RAILWAY. The Midland Railway Company paid oA Thursday the anm of i>13,000 due to the Government in connection with the construction of the line between Jackson's and Springfield. There are now 170 men engaged on the work. THE REV FATHER LYNCH. The Otago Daily Times is informed that there is good reason for believing that the Rev Father Lynch, who for so many years was connected with St Joseph's Cathedral, has abandoned his intention of returning to this colony. The reverend gentleman is at present in Rome, and, it is said, has decided to join one of the missionary orders there, so that should he come to this colony which his very numerous friends will sincerely hope he may do, it will be as a missionary, and not.to resume the office whfoh he filled for so many years, and in whioh he won the respect and esteem of all those, with whom he came in contact.

AGRICULTURAL CONFERENCE. Ah intercolonial conference of Minis- - ters of Agriculture hap be.en arranged by Mr Taverner, of Victoria," to take place in Melbourne. At the Sydney conference it was decided that the colonies should act together in endeavouring to obtain a redaction of freights on the ocean carriage of exported products, and this matter will be followed up. Recently there has been some fear expressed that the tick plague was likely to spread southward from the infected areas in Queensland, and the prevention of its spread will be another subject of discussion. It is suggested that the Governments should jointly offer a bonus of .£SOOO for an effective remedy. The War Office rejection of Australian tanned leather will also be considered. The Branding Bill, which will introduce uniform legislation to prevent the destruction of hides by hot iron brands, is to be an important topic. Othjsr matters of importance to producers, such as the joint shipment of fruit, the supervision of exports, and kindred questions will be dealt with. • THE RIGHTS OP PUBLICANS. ■? In -the -Magistrate's Court at Wellington, yesterday, argument was heard on an important point under the Licensing Act. The licensee of the To Aro Hotel was charged with allowing: liquor to be consumed on the premises after hours, and the case narrowed itself down to a question as to whether a publican is allowed under the Act to entertain his friends as guests after hours by giving them refreshments. It was admitted that no money had passed, the question being Bimply whether liqonr can be consumed on the premises during prohibited hours. Mr Bell, who represented the police, contended that an offence had been committed under Section 155 of the Licensing Aot. Mr - Skerrett, for defendant, combated this argument. Both counsel intimated that, whatever Mr Kenny's judgment might be, the case would be taken before the full Court of Appeal in May. Mr Kenny said, under these circumstances, he would prepare a written judgment, and deliver , ifc later on. . . .

A NARROW ESCAPE. A narrow escape from a terrible railway accident was experienced by the passengers of the 7.50 a.m. train from Parramafcta to Sydney a few mornings ago at Parramatta. The incident was also a very peculiar one. A little black dog was frolicking on the line near the bridge, just out from the station. The 7.60 a.m. train had just been signalled to start out, and the points which would let the train out from the siding to the proper track • were set. The dog, however, got caught in them, and cried out piteously. This attracted the attention of a porter who had been shunting an engine on a Biding, and he thought the driver of the shunting engine had run over the dog. Accordingly he ran to the scene, and found that the little animal was locked faßt between the points, crushed to death, and he could not remove it. He waved to the outgoing train, but it came on till the shunting engine near by let out a long Bhrill whistle ■ of alarm, and the Sydney train then stopped and backed off the line till the points were freed. Had the dog not been noticed, the train must have been hurled over the bridge close by, and a terrible catastrophe would have resulted. COCKSFOOT. The Akaroa Mail Bays: — The weather continues hot and dry, the occasional heat showers not being sufficient even to damp the surface. The greater part of the seed is down, and agood.deal is threshed as well. There has been no delay, at all as yet, threshing having been possible on every day. There is Borne splendid clean and heavy seed in sheltered localities. Up Grolmn Valley, for instance, on Mi? Penlingfcon's estate, Mr P. Glynan has threshed a wonderful sample, and the crop is just double that of last year. The general thing, howover, is that the heads, though good, were very far apart, and the yield not within 50 per cent of 1897. The nor'-westers of last week caused much loss in many localities, notably Pigeon Bay, where in some paddocks fully half the seed, if not more, must have been threshed out. Labour continues plentiful, but we are. glad to note that there is no surplus, everyone seeming to have got a job. The seed wo have scan is dazzlingly bright in ' colour, but from the light land some looks very light and shrivelled. Other samples ' from sheltered places and high up the hills are plump and heavy. All sampleß, , whethor bright or heavy, soem particularly clean this year, the fog, goose grass, and ' other pests having had a very bad time" of it with the drought, which the deep-rooted ' cocksfoot was able to stand. We hear seed ' is moving, bub have not heard of any large sale of this season's seed, and fancy many - of the Australian orders are being filled from last year's stock stored in Lyttelton. PETROLEUM AT CHEVIOT. Great interest is being taken in the supposed discovery of petroleum at Cheviot. • The locality of tho discovery is being kept secret, but it is stated that the hole from which tho oil was obtained discharges gas very freely. A sample of. the oil is being * analysed, and it is hoped that it may be found to be of commercial value. AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS. The following are the official estimates of the yield of the grain crops of the colony during the last five years :— ion. }P. eat - Oatf i- Barley. ?«& - S-2? 1 - 885 12,153,06* 724,653 S - 5-2& 037 ".»«'&« i»ooo«a 1806 ... 0,650,128 10,309,0*2 938,007 1898 ... 6,770,263 10,601,550 709,950 The figures for the current year, especially m the case of wheat, are probably a good • deal too high. The yield of our principal cereal is set down by private experts ab about 5,200,000 bushels. GAME AT THE SOUNDS. It will be gratifying to lovers of the rod to know that Lord Ranfurly, during hie recent visit to Milford Sound, placed beyond all doubt the successful establish, ment of trout there. His Excellency, says " the Otago Daily Times, first fished at the mouth of the river Arthur, and brought in some " speckled beauties," not remarkable for size, but of good colour when cooked, and of exquisite flavour. On the following day, his Excellency, who is a keen sportsman devoted his attention to Lake Ada at the head of the river, fishing from a boat and using a minnow. He killed some thirteen fish, of an aggregate weight of 401 b, the largest measuring 15in in length— ail excellent trout, but not so well flavoured as those takeu at tho outlet. Ho tried in all likely places for Californian salmon, which was supposed to exist there, but without success. Near the mouth of Milford Sound, tho party went liapuku fishing in deep water, and had good sport, Lord Ranfurly's line lending the two largest fish, weighing together exactly 701 b. His Excellenoy would permit ( of no shooting in tho Sounds, as it was the breeding season, but it was remarked that wild fowl were everywhere abundant, including black swan, paradise duck, and groy duok.