NEWS CLIPPINGS.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 508, 22 August 1902, Page 3

NEWS CLIPPINGS.

The value of property in Perth, West Australia, has increased so greatly of late that a block of land in Hay street, not In the centre of the town, was sold recently for L 250 per foot, realising L 15,000. During last month the rainfall at Inverell, New South Wales, amounted to 11 points only, the lowest for July for 25 years. The condition of the district is reported to be getting worse through the absence of rain.

Lambing has commenced in some of the Lower Wharema stations. Stock in that locality are in fair condition. Already there are signs of the advent of spring, which is especially noticeable in the forward state of the grass. A now industry is about to be established in Otaki, viz., that of supplying kindling wood in largo quantities. The plant will cost about £IOOO. Tho wood-chopping machine will be worked by a 10-h.p. oil engine.

A young woman named Martha Mauger was accused at Melbourne of victimising various city drapery firms in a wholesale manner by means of forged cheques, and was committed for trial at the City Court. She seemed to feel her position keenly, weeping throughout the proceedings. Mr Scddon is in London, reaping the rewards of his magnificent Imperialism, while the men who served his purpose at tho cost of their health and lives are being brought back amidst filthy and overcrowded conditions on disease-stricken ships, and fed on stuff that would searcoly be thrown to the pigs in New Zealand. Is it any wonder that tho troopers complain? Is it any wonder that tho people are indignant? AVe think not. —Observer. A daring robbery was committed at Richmond, Victoria, tho other night, burglars breaking into a store and removing a cartload of goods in a stolen cart. Subsequently tho horse got bogged, and they stole another horse, but tho harness failed to fit, and being disturbed, thoy left the horso and cart and goods in tho street. So scarce is food in tho Lithgow district, New South Wales, that night animals like wombats —roam about in the daytime, and are too weak to get back to their burrows.

11 The Conciliation Act has aggravated industrial strife ! ” was the expression of a delegate at the meeting of the Labor Conference at AVellington, which was approved by several “ Hear, hears.” The proposal to restrict farmers in the freedom of their market by imposing an oxport tax is too preposterous a proposition to bo soriously entertained. —Auckland Star.

Four improvement leases on Ulonga pastoral holding, Hay district, New South Wales, aggregating 71,233 acres, wore submitted at auction by the Crown Land Agent. Mr Patterson, tho pastoral tenant, was the only bidder, and he securod all the leases at the upset rental of 2d pov aero. A cab-driver named William Hepburn was charged in AVellington with having refused to carry a passenger in his licensed vehicle, and, on being compelled to do so, with driving his horse at a walk. Defendant >vas fined 5s and 9s costs On the first charge, and 5s and 7s costs on the second charge. Though the rainfall in tho Dubbo district, New South AVales, since tho end of last October has been only Sin 35 points, settlers think that good rainfall even now would ensure a fair spring.

A few days ago an operation was performed hy Napier medical men in which a portion of the lower jaw, tho floor of the mouth, and tho tongue, all cancerous, were successfully removed. A boy of eight years, named Alfred Coater, residing with his parents in Riley streot, Surry Hills, Sydney, but three fingers of his left hand by tho explosion of a cartridge with which ho was playing. In tho stomach uf a bullock killed by a Hadloigh butcher, there were found 99 pieces of brick, two nails, and a small pieco of iron. One of the nails had pierced the stomach, and was partly embedded in tho fat. The whole of tho brick was quito smooth, and some pieces were as largo as a hen’s egg. A unique specimen of magnificent opal is reported to have been found at White Cliffs, New South Wales, in tho form of a tusk, or horn, of an oxtinct water reptile of tho ichthyosaurus order, said by geologists to havo once existed there in prehistoric times. Tho curio just unoarthed measures 3in in length, and tapers off to a point with a natural curve like the tip of a bullock’s horn. Tho Boers bid fair to become more British than the British,—New York Tribune.

Thero will be no war between Japan and Russia as long as it is not forced on the former. But once provoked into a war, Japan knows that it will be a war in which the last drop of her blood will be shed beforo she yields.—Japan Weekly Times.

The other night Charles Dryrnan, a German sailor, went to sleep on the railway line near Pinjarrah, West Australia. One leg was horribly mangled, and the other badly injured, by a train, and his condition is critical.

A Justice of the Peace at Wellington, during the hearing of an assault case, laid down the ruling : “ It is not the cause we have to enquire into, ‘ but the effect.’ ” “ It is worse than being fined Liooo for a hotelkeeper to have an endorsement placed upon his license, on account of the enormous prices charged for the goodwill of the public-houses in Wellington,,” said Mr Wilford, in the Magistrate’s Court. At Condobolin, New South Wales, Ed. Ford, a horse-breakor, has been killed by his horse rearing upon him.