Thursday.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XII, Issue 45, 27 February 1885, Page 13

Thursday.

Some excitement has been caused at ChristchuTch by the exhibition of samples of quartz brought from Mount Haimon, at Browning's Pass. The quartz is calculated to yield at the rate of soz. to the ton. A large number of applications for mining licenses have been lodged.

With the exception of one slight shower, no rain has fallen at Kumara for the last three weeks, and many miners are consequently idle. '

The Ringarooma arrived at Sydney on Tuesday from Auckland. Soon after she was berthed it was discovered that a steward named Thomas James was suffering from smallpox. The passengers had disembarked, but 15 of them were subsequently secured and sent to the quarantine station. Several others of the passengers cannot be traced, and are still at large. The vessel has been placed in quarantine. It appears that the patient is one of the crew, and that on the last trip of the steamer lo Sydney he was two days in that port, and it is believed he then contracted the disease. The outbreak created some little excitement at Wellington. The examination at .New Zealand ports of each Sydney vessel will be a most minute^one, and every precaution is to be taken to prevent the introduction of the disease into this Colony.

A smart shock of earthquake was felt at Hokitika at 2.30 p.m. yesterday. The direction was apparently north-east and south-west, and the duration of the Bhock about eight seconds. A smart shock was felt at Kumara at 2.30 in the afternoon. The oscillation appeared to be from west to east. Two shocks of earthquake were felt at 2.35 p.m. at Grey mouth. The second shock was very severe, making the buildings rattle. At a meeting of the Conservative party on Tuesday the Marquis of Salisbury stated that the Tories were fully prepared to assume office should the present Administration be found not to retain the confidence of Parliament. In the House of Commons Sir Stafford Nortbcote's motion of censure of the Egyptian policy of the Government was further discussed. After various speakers bad addressed the House the debate was again adjourned. The division on the motion ,will take place on Friday next.