Colonial Brevities.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2952, 1 August 1878, Page 2

Colonial Brevities.

The Invercargill Times office has conflagrated. The cause is not known, but as the fire started in the editor's room, his fiery leaders may hare something to do with it. • , E. H. Power, registrar, Thames, is lobbying at Wellington ; more power to him. It is said there will be some trouble re McMinn's election for Waipa. "Undue Ministerial influence" will be the string the Oppositionists will harp dn. In connection with the opening of Parliament, the Governor's age is said to betelling on him; at any rate he is turning , Grey. . Since we started to "run this colony j we have had fourteen ministries and ten Governors or administrators.

Notwithstanding the lesser area of New Zealand, and the greater engineering difficulties to overcome, New Zealand has over one hundred miles of railway more than some of her elder sister colonies. , The hon. the Premier received the honor of knighthood in 1848^ As Captain Grey he was Governor in '45. Mr Dick, of Oamaru, is to be presented with the Royal Humane Society's medal for distinguished gallantry in rescuing three lives some time ago. Entomological.—Mr Seymour Thome George, whilst making love, to the Hoki tika electors, said if he was elected he would "emerge from the chrysalis state and become a full blown butterfly." What a prospect! Hokitikians, we congratulate you on your choice ! At Nine Mile Springs, Tasmania, there is a 40 stamper battery capable of crushing 500 tons of quartz per week. It is said there are 47 Ministerialists and 35 Oppositionists in Parliament; and three "no counts," or doubtful ones. Our other member is one of these latter.

The Keefton people are awful litigants. Almost every issue of the local papers contains several columns of ■ some local cause celebre.

J. C. Brown, M.H.H., the shabbily dressed little man who came here with Grey and Sheehan, and travelled round the colony with the former, had a grand dinner given him by his constituents of Tuapeka lately. It is said the Premier's stumping tour will cost the colony £6000.