MISCELLANEOUS.

Inangahua Times, Volume X, Issue 1505, 4 February 1885, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS.

♦ Daring the recent flood the northern approach to the Abahura Bridge was considerably damaged, and one span •of the bridge was destroyed. Messrs J. Petrie, W. 0. Smith, G. Perotti, R. Helms, J. Barrowman, W. Holder and E. I. Lord have been elected members of the Greymouth School Committee. Ten tons of hay have been cut off the ■streets of New Playmouth this season. It is said that in 1884 a flock of sheep ■could have found good pasturage in the streets of liivercargill — more than they can now. Orders have been received at Sheerness directing preparations to be made for commencing the building of the Swallow, a large gun vessel. She will have eight five-inch breechloading, one seven-pounder and two Gardner machine guns. H?r engines will be of 1000 horse power. In the Contemporary Sir E. J. Reed «applements his letter to the limet (October 20th) on the British navy by earnestly deprecating the unavmored «hips, which are turned, he says, into so many slaughter-houses early in an I engagement even with a light armed I ship. He urges that the navy should j be brought to its proper strength by the construction of two sorts of war vessels. " Fully-armortd ships with

»i high-armored sides and with armor ol I great thickness, whether they are to I! be fast or slow, must be made khort, k and their shortness is in every way , a great advantage to them for close t naval engagements in which heavy .' armaments, rams, and torpedos have " to be both brought into play and t avoided to the fullest extent possible. , But the case of a swift armed vessel j for overhauling privateers and all sorts , of unarmored craft is a totally different , one : a shallow and limited belt is for . the most part all that is required, and in her wholly different proportions are absolutely demanded. ' The Duke of Cumberland will reside > in England. The Emperor of Austria t has notified him that his residence ia that country is not agreeable to the , Austrian Government, as they desire i not to give offence to Germany. 1 The Domesday Book gives the fol- ' lowing as the valuation of the landed 1 property owned by the landholders in 1 the Colony: Allen, James and Charles, 1 Dunedin, £132,562 ; Bcetham Brothers ' Wairarapa, £104,52 • Chambers John, Hawke's Bay, £109,895 ; Clarke, Joseph, Melbourne, £103,959 ; Clifford and Weld, £157,000; Creyke, Alfred Richard, Christchurch, £149.052; (>rigg, John, Canterbury, £138,139; Hall, Sir John. £111,704; Harding Richard, Waipukurau, £100,515; Holmes, Matthew. Oamaru, £180,679; Johnston, John, Wellington,£22l,679; Martin, John, Wellington, £98,778; Menlove, Edward Oamaru, £108,596 : Moore, G. Henry, Canterbury. £292, 780; Macfarland, John, Rangiora, L 181.068: M.Gregor, John, Dunedin, L 107.585; M'Lean, Allan, Waitaki, L 200.000 : M'Lean Douglas, Hawke's Bay, Ll 19,491; M'Lean, John, Oamaru L 210,426; M'Master, Alexander, Oamaru, L 101.782 ; Reid, John, Elderslie, L 147,322; Rhodes, Robert and George, Christchurch, L 129.745 ; Rhodes, William 8., estate of, Wellington, L 102.654; Richardson, Edward, L 132,600 ; Robinson, William, Cheviot L 261.812; Russell, A. H. and W. 8., Hawke's Bay, L 120,976; Shand, James, Outram, L 154.961; Thomson. J. T. (died since,)Ll2l, 234 ; Williams James Oelson, Hawke Bay, L 136,800 ; Williamson, James, Auckland, Lllß, 537: Wilson, Sir J. Cracroft, estate, of, L 134.583. A writer in a Melbourne paper gay S : —lt is not only in Victoria that the rabbiter makes money. At one of the stations on the Lachlan a great many aboriginals are employed trapping. About two months ago they sent a message to the nearest hotel-keeper to have LIOO change ready for them i n about a week. My informant has been told that when they did arrive, their cheques amounted to nearly L2OO ! It is perhaps due to this access of possessions that some are becoming sticklers for etiquette. One of them lately reported to a station manager that his sable companion had addressed him in language not " fit for one Sjentleman to use to another !"