BREVITIES.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 252, 26 January 1889, Page 3

BREVITIES.

Back page—Bankruptcy and Governors. Baron Hirsch has donated 12,000,000 f. for the education of Jews in Galicia. The death is announced of Dr Wanless, a well-known Wellington practitioner. The Minister of Lands visits Rotorua and East Coast settlements before the session. Over £220 is to be given in prizes at the forthcoming Caledonian sports in Napier. During their stay in Dublin the Maori footballers visited Guinness’s brewery—teetotallers tool The Hussars had a complete victory on Thursday—a regular heartkilling engagement. Hughes, the notorious West Australian bushranger, has again attempted to escape from gaol.

The schooner Gisborne has been undergoing a thorough cleaning and overhaul in the dock •t Auckland. Otago Acclimatisation Society proposes to liberate chamois in the mountainous districts of that province. A Sydney commercial traveller reports that during his tour up country he had to purchase water for bis horse. A large brown bug is doing incalculable mischief in the orangeries at Alstonville, New South Wales. It is said that a proposal is on foot to build a pier about 600 ft or 700 ft long, at New Brighton, Christchurch. News has rdhched Hong Kong- that the Tonquin pirates attacked a French garrison, killing thirteen soldiers. The Auckland branch of the Seamen's Union refuse to install the secretary appoinri by the head office. The New Zealand Frozen Meat Company’ export about 90,0001 b of tinned beef every month to Tasmania alone. Mr H. E. Johnston is so disgusted over the cement contract that canvassers are warned off if they value their existence. A Home correspondent says Mr Scott has been forced to work his boys mercilessly of late, and they want a spell badly. During the month of December no fewer than 2293 persons arrived in New Zealand, Whilst only 1250 left the colony. A recent letter from a lady in Sydney to a friend In Masterton says, " Butter ii selling at J* fid per lb, and bad at that." Thomas Scrivener was on Thursday remanded for eight days on a charge of lunacy and of not being under proper control. Sir Jarge is not a candidate for the Harbor Board—the Government ought to give him a nomineeship, with an honoraruim attached. The Victorian loan of three millions has been successfully floated. There were 870 tenderers, and 6j million* were subscribed. A flying fish IS inches in length and 19 inches across the wings flew on board a steamer going from Tauranga to Auckland. The first batch of immigrants sent out tinder the auspices of Mr Rees's Colonisation Company, sail for Gisborne by the Aorangi. Th* Maori footballers defeated the Spon Valley United Club, after a hard tussle, by two goal* and two tries to two goals and one try. At present some £36,000 is paid in the Colony in Imperial pensions. Of this amount about £lB,OOO is distributed in the Auckland district. Captain Grinling, of the Salvation Army, left for Christchurch last night. Large crowd of soldiers on the wharf to bid him farewell. At a meeting of the Irish National League in Dublin on December 5, Mr Hutchinson, M.H.8., of New Zealand, was amongst the speakers. In Napier tha other day some thieves Crawled under the Wesleyan Church and out away and stole ail th* lead ggs piping they Could get at. Bismarck is in competition with Cupid to some extent. A German officer cannot marry an American lady without the consent of the Chancellor. The proposal to raise £lO,OOO for water and drainage purposes, as submitted to the ratepayers by the Petone Borough Council, has been rejected. Mr Pyke's constituent* intend to present him with a testimonial in recognition of his ■•rvices on behalf of the Otago central. Over 200 have subscribed. In Tauranga the Maoris have this season gone in largely for the old fashioned sickles for harvesting, and one merchant alone has sold them as many as 37. A petition of ratepayers is talked of for bringing out Mr Thompson, late 8.E., as a candidate for the Harbor Board. “ Let sleeping dogs lie,” we say. Sir Julius Vogel has not after all made up his mind to return to New Zealand. We suppose, however, says one writer, that if he does not, New Zealand will continue to exist. A Southland paper thus describes a borre race: —The four starters raced together to the turn, when arms, legs, and horses commenced to go like a full-rigged ship before a gale.

Two Marlborough residents held an oniongrowing contest. Each produced three onions and when the bulbs were weighed the result, was—Paul’s three, 2?lb; Hodgson's three. 21b.

John Goodall, having recovered from the effect! of his spree, has been discharged by Mr Booth, after being had up for the serious charge of lunacy—it ought to be a wholesome to John. Notice of motion has been given for the next meeting of the County Council at Whangarei, by Mr Wakelin, as follows: “ That the Counties Act be hung up," the cost of administration being so great. It is stated that lima de Murska, who died iu poverty at Munich some days ago, was systematically.robbed of her earnings. The reported suicide of tha deceased lady's daughter has not been confirmed. Nearly all the colonial papers are advertising a balloonist styling himself Professor Baldwin. A Melbourne paper says the sole intsrest attaching to the feat is the danger to the life and limb of the person who performs ?he Minister of Lands is enthusiastic over his trip to the North, and states that the mixed bush lands of Auckland will be more speedily brought into pasture at less expense and with better results than the open lands of the South. Referring to the recent race meeting the Auckland Herald remarks : —That so straight a racing man as Mr Bobbett has been subjected to such treatment will certainly cause Auckland owners to give Gisborne a wide berth in the future. In th* N.B.W. Assembly last week a Mr Buchanan said he knew very well he bad not the requisite imbecility to become a Minister

of the Grown, when Sir H. Parke* retorted, *• That is cruel. I bad the hon gentleman in my ey* for some time.” The native Hawaiian* are said to be disappearing very rapidly, and it will not be Jong before the race is extinct. Their lannis still quite generally spoken, but as h is the language of the court the native dialect is bound to fall into decadence. A man named Andersen has been sentenced to. two months' imprisonment for an attack upon a Chinaman at Thursday Island. Anderson, with others, attempted to pull down the Chinaman's house, and so serious did the disturbance become that th* polios threatened to fire on the rioters.

There ought to be an opening for a respects able paper in the Opotiki district—the only one they have there Is owned by a brewer, and it seems to be capable of nothing better than a continual and disgusting abuse of the Rev. Mr Wills, or in fact anyone who upholds temperance principles. Last week th* Wairoa pilot reported the beach was bad -on* day when the tea was a* smooth at a millpond- result, after waiting several days the arrival of the steamer again delayed and the pilot and bi* boys were free to go harvesting on their own account I The yearlings sired by Nordenfeldt, and purchased by Southern sportsmen, have created a most favorable impression in Can* terbury, and on all bauds it is admitted that the good look* of Nordonfeldt’s stock stamp Maa* a fitting Hoosisor toMarket st Sylvia

Sydney plasterers are adhering to their demand for Ils a day. Defective sewerage is causing a great deal of typhoid in the suburbs of Sydney. A shark 12ft long was seen in the river and alongside the breakwater on Thursday. In a claim at Invercargill eight Chinamen have netted £BOO as the result of ten week’s work.

Melbourne carpenters are agitating for a reduction of the hours of labor without a reduction of the rate of pay. Mr Fish, M.H.8., says that Mr Denniston's appointment is a “ wrong to the Bar, Bench, and country.” Poor Fish 1

It is suggested as probable that the typhoid epidemic at present raging in Brisbane may be doe to the use of Chinees vegetables.

Mr Jacob Watt, of Pennsylvania, has in a letter addressed to •• Your Majesty the Chief Officer of Australian Government,” offered to sell a rabbit, rat, and mouse trap for 75,000 dollars.

" Now, my dear,” said the teacher, “ what is memory ?” The little one answered, after a moment’s reflection : "It is the thing you forget with.” During the performance of the battle scene in Youth ”at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Sydney, one of the performers received a charge of powder in the face, and had to be taken to the hospital. Reports from Canterbury state that the tide of prosperity has fairly turned. Farmers are receiving large advances on wool and grain, with the prospect of good crops and remunerative prices. In Christchurch there is quite a boom in the building trade, £70,000 worth of new buildings being in hand.

An Auckland journal says it is lamentable to see, week after week, strapping young women, comfortably dressed, putting in an appearance before the Charitable Aid Board, and with the little womanhood and selfrespect knocked out of them, impudently demanding rations, without regret and without shame.

On Sunday last at Auckland the sehooner Vindex went for a spin with the owner and a large party of friend* on board, and in response to an offer from the barquentine Jessie undertook to sail round the latter, starting from some three huudred yards in her wake. The Vindex accomplished the feat, sailing completely around the Jessie in some twenty minutes.