NEWS IN BRIEF.

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 25 August 1909, Page 52

NEWS IN BRIEF.

Spain has ordered a dirigible balloon in France for use irt Morocco.

The proposed boxing match between Johnson and Kauffman is off.

Advices from the Solonion Islands state that a whaleboat belonging to a trader named Huson capsized, and that three* natives were drowned.

The South Australian Government statist reports that the vintage constitutes a record one ; 3,132,000 gal of wine were made, being an increase of 1,070,000ga1. Mr Neil Leith, a visitor from New Zealand, died suddenly at Lubeck, Victoria, from heart disease, accelerated by the excitement over the flpods. Vickers, Sons, «md Maxim are building for itio Janeiro a floating dock that will be large enough to accommodate Dreadnoughts. The Daily Chronicle states that a movement has been started to presents colossal organ to St. Peter's, at Rome, on the 'occasion of the Pope's episcopal jubilee. The report of the Broken Hill Proprietary Company shows a loss for the last halfyear of* £59,029, caused by the late strike, the stoppage of the smelting works operations, and the decrease in the price of lead.

The Queen sent a message -of sympathy to General Booth.

The" head of a Japanese cattle-breeding establishment is visiting Great Britain to purchase stock, especially Ayrshires. Fitzsimmojis, - a -Melbourne bank clerk, has been sentenced to thtee- years" imprisonment for falsifying accounts. M. BJeriot and Mr Latham are arranging an aviator match in London for the end of September for £5000. The total value of Victoria's primary products for 1908 is £24,608,716, • against £26,061,783 in the previous year. A fire in ,the business section of the city of Mexico did damage to the extent of a million and a-half dollars (£300,000).

A lire" at Pecatur (Illinois) destroyed 20 business buildingi. Tbe damage is estimated at a million dollars (£200,000). The North German Gazette declares that it is not too much to say that for a considerable time there has been upwards of one million unemployed in Germany. The total quantity of wheat and flour afloat for the United Kingdom is 2,300,000 quarters, and for the Continent 1,280,000 quarters. The Pacific shipments were 251,000 quartors. Mr Unitt, who brought an action in Brisbane for injuries sustained through the falling of an awning on the Vancouver steamer, was awarded £1250 damages •igain&t the Union Steam Ship Company. A block of buildings between Cannon street and Abchurch lane, London, was seriously burnt, , including 40 offices and also the New South Wales Government storeroom, containing the records of inraii-' gration circulars and literature exhibits. Mr Taft, in the interests of economy, . has instructed Mr J. G. Diekenson (Secretary for War) to ieduce the army from 88,000 to- 80,000. The annual cost of each American soldier in peace time is £240. (not dollars) per annum. .... „ Five persons were killed, including the deputy sheriff, in the Pittsburg strike not. The troopors fired a \olley. wounding 20, of whom 10 probably will not recover. Women, armor! with clubs and stones,via.»iously attacked the soldiers. The fewnsss of cases before the magistrate* i-9 one- of the. features of the Swedish etrikes. The closing of all drink places largely hslpecl in the maintenance of ordar. A large meeting of strikers at Stockholm urged that the prohibition of alcohol bs maintained for a month after work has been r sumed 1 . The G. W Young Company, of JSew York, as representing the United States Mortgage and Trust Company, have undertaken to refund Guatemala's national debt, amounting to £2,400,000, and to put the finances en a gold basis. American financiers are seeking lo establish a chain of American banking houses in Latin-Ameri-can countries. Jo3ophine Webb was fined £20 at Chriet 4 - church on Tuesday for selling liquor without a licensa in Moorhouee avenue. Mr Kirk, the Government Biologist, who l- in Tasmania, investigating the potato blight, cables to the Minister of Agriculture that tho outbreak there is not so pc-rious as anticipated, and that there is much sound stock. The Minister states tlia-t no Tasmania n potatoes have reached here since the end of June. | In the annual report of the Deacons' Court of St. Andrew's Church feeling reference wae made to the losses by death among the congregation. Miss Campbell Bathgate was in earlier days an active worker, and maintained her interest to the last. Mr Thomas Coull was the teat of the band of elders who held office when the Rev. Dr Waddell came to St. Andrew's 30 years a.go. By tine death of Mrs MacNeil the* church lost one of its most generous givers. Her purse was at the call of every need*. Tbe total number on.

the toU of the church is now 490. Of these 429 were in active membership, and 61 wer-a infirm or absent. The average attendance at communion, was 276. At the annual meeting of th« members ot Knox Church* Mr G. M. Thomson, M.P., in moving the adoption, of the report, referred in eulogistio terms to the Rev. Mr Hewitaon, who, after nearly 14 years' strenuous service, had left the church to take charge of Knox College, which, und«r his festering care and guidance, would ©s a working home for the future manaeters of the Presbyterian Church. Mr Thomson ateo referred to the valuable services rendered by Mr Shaw. Be, felt they were putting too heavy a burden on. Mr Shaw. The Rev. Mr Hewitson, in acknowledging the kind words spoken by Mr Thomson, and other speakers, said that with the adoption of the report and balance sheet the last thread of bis official connection with the congregation had b&en* severedThe Education Department h»s notified the Otago Education Board that the Minister cannot sec his way to modify -.the conditions of the grant for providing free books to the pupils of Standards I and II The board has therefore decided to accept the grant, and the Rev. P. B. Fcaser has given notice of -motion to ask the inspectors to report whether any, or , what, changes should be made in the book*' at present in use, and- -that ©Ms afeachers' , Institute be' give©- an 'opportunity to ex-> press an. opinion on the- subject- • • • - The congregation of St. Andrew's- Pres- . byteriari> Church has now -undertaken -to provide the -salary of Miss Anderson in the foreign mission field as- a permanent obligation. The amount available above the salary was so much that during the year" it was decided to undertake the obligation of a second missionary. Mies Maggie Reid, who we* on furlough after 11 years' service in China, was offered «.nd accepted the appointment, but within the post few weeks circumstances have arisen which compelled her to resign. The annual report congratulated the congregation on having the unique distinction of being tho only congregation among Australasian ohurehes supporting two missionaries in the foreign field

There- was quite a storm at the Waiei* side Workers' Conference on the 20th-* Messrs frFCaaa ami Tones, the two Wellington .delegates, took exception to Mr D. M'Larem, M.P., „the secretary .of the. federation, speaking and voting when he was riot a delegate. Mr M'Laren heatedly declared that hm did not attend to be - insulted, and several delegates protested against' personal attaclcs on tbe secretary. A lively few minutes • followed, during which several delegates tried in vain to make themselves heard. Eventually * motion was carried according Mr il'Laren" the full privileges of a delegate, Messrs Jones and M'Oanm dissenting. After going into committee a. motion was carried! asking Messrs M'Cann- and Jones to retire on the ground fhat they iuul otsfcructed th« business, misrepresented their union, and were injuring tho. interests of. tbair own federation. Th® two*d»le- ' gates immediately retired.