NEWS JOTTINGS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXII, Issue I, 7 January 1899, Page 19

NEWS JOTTINGS.

A pair of handsome brass vases have been presented to Holy Trinity Church by the ladies of Picton. who subscribed 1/ each to purchase them. They were much needed in the church, where a pair of black bottles did duty for vases. Mr Dobbie carved and presented the rere table for holding the To give an instance of the strong wind felt in Auckland on Monday last, a farmer residing in Mt. Albert while crossing a paddock with a load of hay had his horse ami cart overturned. A sudden gust or wind catching the off* wheel turned it completely over. Happily neither horse nor driver was hurt. The members of the Wellington Garrison Band left for the South last week to compete in the brass band contest at Dunedin. Mrs Brett, of Lake Takapuna, presented S. Paul’s Church. Auckland, of which she was for a long time a member, with a pair of very handsome brass vases for a Christmas gift. Mr Alfred Scott, a son of Dr. Scott, of Picton, has had the misfortune to have his cottage at Kaiurna. Pelorus Scund. burned down during his absence in Picton. He had Just laid in a quantity of stores and other necessaries from Wellington, and everything was destroyed. There was no insurance on anything, so Mr Scott's loss is a very heavy one.

A presentation of a silver tea service has been made to Miss Richards, of Auckland, who has so ably filled the position of organist of St. John the Baptist's Church, Parnell, and who is now about to be married. The surveying- work in Norfolk Island by a New South Wales Government surveyor is causing some Interest in the island. .Mr Murphy has a wonderful knack of keeping his own counsel as to the object of his work. The Blenheim Operatic Society is practising ‘Rip Van Winkle.’ and at a meeting held after the last practice, Mr L. Griffiths was elected stage manager. The scenery for the opera, which has been specially painted by Messrs Hutchins and Ward, has been tried on the stage of Ewart’s Hall and found very satisfactory. In Hawke’s Bay the codlin moth has begun to show a preference for plums, many of the trees in the orchards at Hastings having- been attacked by the rapacious moth.