NEW ZEALAND: GENERAL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 35, 28 August 1902, Page 19

NEW ZEALAND : GENERAL.

The .Wellington subscriptions to the Veterans' Home amount to close on £1700.

The Victoria College Council ha? decided to appoint a professor of biology at £700 a year.

The Department of Industries and Commerce will ship 27,500 cases of potatoes to South Africa by the Norfolk.

A pbess association mossajre states that Mr J. P. O' Regan will ba a candidate for Wellington City as the general election.

Southland will at no distant date be made a separate police district, with an inspector of police stationed at Inveroargill. It is said that his Excellency the Governor and the CounteßS of Ranfurly intend, at the close of the session, to reside for a time in the Wairarapa district.

The New Zealand Times say a that an attempt ia being made to get the various trades and labor councils of New Zealand to pronounce in favor of the nationalisation of the liquor traffic. As the result of a conference of Wellington hatchers, a carii price list has been drawn up, ia which rump steak figures at 8d per lb, loin beef at 6d, ribs ud, cutlets, Bd, chops 6d, and legs of mutton sd.

Mr Hayes, inspecting engineer for the Government, returned to Wellington after eupf rintending preparations for the opening of the State coal mines on the West Coast on the old Weetport-Cardiff Company's ground. In the new mine being opened it will take the greater part of a year to reach coal, and some time longer before there is any considerable output. At the Point Elizabeth mine work is being pushed on rapidly.

Flax-mills on a large scale are to be erected in tbe Hokitika distriot.

The Chinaman at Alexandra who was reported to be ill is not, as at first supposed, suffering from leprosy.

The Pablio Works Department has accepted the tender of Mr T. Dillon, tat £26,541, for the eretion of a road and railway bridge over the Hokitika River near Hokitika. The highest tender was £36,310.

Thb search for the missing steamer Quirain? nag been abandoned. The Quiraing left Newcastle on June 23 for Dunedin with a cargo of coal for the Dnnedin gasworks, and has not since been heard of. The Quir&ing was an iron screw steamer, with a ret register of 653 tons. She wan owned by Mr Griffith, of Toowoomba, Queensland, but was under a 12 months' charter to Mr Sneddon, of Sydney.

During the past few days (says the Prest) quite a large number of men and boys have been engaged at the Kaiapoi and Papanui railway stations packing potatoes for South Afrioa. Many hundreds of tons are being packed into 1001 b boxes. There were about 10 truck loads of timber for the boxes, out into lengths for nailing together, which were sent np from a Southland sawmill. Rapid progress is being made in order to oatch the direct steamer, and care is being taken to make the shipment a success, though the season is rather late. The shipment from New Zealand is expected to oousist of 27,000 cases, of which 8000 will be taken from Picton, 17,820 from Lyttelton, and the remainder from Dunedin.

Nine surveyors selected by the New Zealand Government at the request of the Imperial authorities for work on Gold Coast, West Afrioa, have left Wellington for Auckland, from whence they take their departure on Friday by the Ventura. The party comprise Messrs T. C. Denmson (Oamaru), N. Hazard (Waihi), Leonard and Percy Webb (Masterton), J. Stevenson (Chmtchurch), Frederiok Jordan (Auckland), Reginald Webb (Napier), George Joyce (Invercargill), A. Btretton (Thames). The Acting-Premier and Minister of Lands bade the party farewell at a gathering at the Parliamentary Buildings, and expressed cordial good wishes for their" success in their new sphere of work.

The many friends of the Rev. Father Bogue (writes a Ross correspondent under date August 18) will be pleased to learn that his health has improved so much during the past week that he has been able to set out on his trip to Rotoruu. During his stay amongst ub he has made himself very popular with all cluseea, and it is the sincere wish of all that he may be so far recovered in a short time to again take up his many duties. Prior to his departure he was presented by the pupils of St. Patrick's .School with a beautiful travelling rug and case. Messrs O'Callaghan, W. Punch, and G. Minehan waited en Father Bogue at tbe presbytery, and on behalf of the parishioners presented him wilh a substantial gift. The presentation was made by Mr O'Callaghan in a few well ohosen words, in whioh he referred to Father Bogue's many good qualities. Father Bo^ue thanked them for their good wishes and said he felt sure he would be back in a short time. All his friends join in wishing him a pleasant journey.

The aaored ooncert held last Sunday afternoon in St. Patrick's Church (writes our Palmerston North correspondent) proved a great success, and the large number who attended and so much enjoyed it will be pleased to hear it is intended to hold similar concerts every few weeks until the debt on the organ is cleared. The new conductor, Mr A. M. Watts, is to be congratulated upon the success achieved, for the solos were not only particularly well rendered, but the concerted singiDg was pronounced a real treat. The following comprised the programme : — 'Gloria ' (Farmer's in B flat) choir ; violin solo, ' Salut de amour,' Mr T. Kitchen ; ' Lord God of Abraham ' (.Elijah), Mr John Permain ; ' Aye Maria ' (Gounod), with violin obligato, Miss Hogan ; clarionet solo, ' The better land ' (Jude), Mr Brunette ; ' O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion ' (Messiah), Miss Scanlon ; cornet solo, ' Cavalleria Rusticana,' Mr C. Pickering ; ' Thou art passing hence ' (Sullivan), Mr Permain ; ' Heaven and earth ' (Pinsuti), Mies C. Rush ; ' O Divine Redeemer ' (Gounod), Mr Rodgers ; orchestra, 'Idyll in G' (Beothoven) ; 'God save the King.' The orgau accompaniments were nicely played by Mr P. Tombs, organist. After the concert the choir, together with those who so kindly gave their services, were entertained at afternoon tea by the Rev. Father Tymons at the presbytery.