General News

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4588, 18 September 1883, Page 2

General News

MA proposal was made some time ago by the head teacher of one of the Dunedin schools that the dinner«hour should be extended by 30 minutes for the benefit of the children. The school committee took the opinion of the head teachers of all the schools, and two were in favour of the change. The Australasian says that in New Zealand the proprietors of, some of the ; greater estates hare begun that bursting* up process which is prophesied forall good agricultural lands through which railways pass. The New Zealand and Australasian Land Company, upon no less than five stations in Canterbury, Otago, and Southland, bave picked oat some of the most fertile portions and sold them at satisfacory prices to bona fide farmers. The prices, as quoted in the latest papers received, vary < from £2 to £2 10i. per acre. The lowest of these prices in Otagfo would be twice the first cost of the land, the highest in Canterbury about five times that amount. The engagement entered into between France and England in 1878,. referred to in our telegram on the subject 0.-i Saturday, not to annex the New Hebrides, on which the South Australian Premier places such implicit reliance, is contemptuously referred to by the Temps as a " vague covenant,'' which, must be supplemented by granting to the New Hebrides Company rights similar to those granted by Great Britain to the North Borneo Company. This is necessary in order to counteract the covetous designs Jof Australia. , In the course of a brewing season Bass and Co., the London brewers, send avray 800.0C0 barrels of pale ale, the value of which is estimated at £2,400,000. The firm employ about their premises 2,250 men and boys, and the weekly wages amount to £2,550; there are 185 managers and clerks, the weekly average of whose salaries is £760. The malt tax and licence ■, duty paid to the Government is estimated " at over £280,000 per annum. The small island of Iririki, purchased 14 years ago by the New Hebrides Mission, is situated in south-west or Teila Harbor in the island of Efate (Tate). It has never been inhabitated by natives. In the same harbor are two other islands, Mele and Teila, both baring ||very large population, whose homes are ■ on the small islands, and whose plantations are on the main land. They paddle across every day in canoes to work their plantations, and return to their homes in the evening. They live upon the small islands partly for defence, and partly because they are healthier than the main " land. Strange to say, they speak a totally different language from that of the mainland of Efate, being in fact Malays, while the others are Melanesian3.' The will of the Count de Chambord is stated to direct that the Count de Paris bo recognised by all Royalists as heir to the throne of France.