NEWS EPITOMISED.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXIII, Issue 9347, 28 February 1881, Page 2

NEWS EPITOMISED.

A chair factory is about to be established at the Thames. Portions of a mastodon of enormous size were discovered recently in Wicker's Park, Chicago, in excavating for s sewer. The Chicago papers are filled with evidence of the manufacture of vast quantities of oleo-mangarine in the city, equalling 3000 pounds a day. Messrs Batlrin and Seed are pursuing their retrenchment inquiries at the Upper Thames. They will return to Auckland via Waikato. Mr H. H. Hayter, the Victorian statist, classifies the denominations in that colony as follows: — KeHgious belief. — Total : Church of England, 319,922 ; Presbyterians, 140,216 ; Wesleyans, 116,996; other Protestants, 65,151; Eoman Catholics, 211,820; Jews, 4429; Pagans, 21,894; other sects, 8202 : total, 888,500. In a controversy to which the Argus (Melbourne) opened its columns, the doctrines of Calvinism, as stated in the Presbyterian standards, has been severely criticised, several correspondents declaring that ministers dare not preach Chapter HI. of the Confession of Faith, although they are required to subscribe to it at ordination. The Daily Times says that in six years of an ordinary school curriculum the State spends something like two millions sterling on Education. - Out of this extremely coatly manufactory do we (asks the Times) turn out every six years ten or twelve thousand reasonably trained boys and girls ? Even if we do, the system is still costly. The Pacific Medical arid Surgical Journal refers those who regard vaccination as a "relic of barbarism," to the medical statistics of India, where in three of the local governments the total deaths from small pox in the year 1878 were 226,946, and advises the antivaccinationists to travel off to the Punjaub, where they may enjoy the fruits of exemption from what they are fond of terming the " Jennerian curse." It appears that English marine engineers are by no means unanimous in approving the introduction of steel boilers in steamships. Those made for the Czar's new yacht are reported to have failed under test, and the use of steel for boilers is utterly condemned by some engineers ; while, on the other hand, according to the English Mechanic, several new passenger steamers have lately been fitted with boilers of this material. [ A Sydney paper says: — "Sir James ( Palmer, baronet, is now, and has for many years been a constable in the Victorian force, notwithstanding that he has a private income of at least five or six times his poor 'official screw.' Another baronet, Sir Kenneth , was, when last heard of, getting an honest living by between the Hodgkin- , son. (N.Q.) and tEe coast,"