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Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2454, 3 April 1888, Page 2

As the telegraph offices were not i open last night, and no excursion train retured from Auckland, we have been unable t.o obtain any results of the Auckland races for this morning's issue. I It is stated a plot to murder Mr L Balfour has been discovered. ; The Melbourne Opera House had a narrow escape from tire on Friday last. The British Government intend to present H. M.S. Nelson to the colonies. ' The Negus of Abyssinia, fearing a I famine, is suing for peace with the Italians. I General Gourko has been placed : in command of the Russian forces in the ; West, Sir F. D Bell is favourably im--1 pressed with M. Pasteur's scheme for rabbit j extermination. There is great activity in mining circles at Waiornngomai, and increased work at the mines lately purchased by Mr W. It. WiI.SHII. By some accident, the French Mediterranean squadron fired on the Italian steamer Solferino. The affair has been satisfactorily explained. From to day all the minor telegraph olfices and telephone stations in the Waikato will be closed to the public after 5 p.m., and not re-open, as hitherto, in the evening. The English and American mails via San Francisco, per mail steamer Alameda arrived in Auckland on Saturday morning, and the Waikato portion was delivered the same evening. It is intended to give a banquet at Waioiongomai to Mr H. H. Adams mine manager, in rec ignition of his o'Forts to. wards the successful introduction of Austialian capital into the Te Aroha and Waiorongomai minim.' district. We remind members of local bodies of the meet ng to be held in the Public Hall, Hamilton, to-morrow, to consider Mr W. A. Graham's proposals to establish an Agricultural Board, and to levy a rate to promote the manufacture of beet sugar. With a view to improving the rifle shooting of the local volunteer corps, it is contemplated to inaugurate a series of sweepstake and other matches, to be fired for on Saturday afternoons. The first of these matches will take place on Saturday next, and a good muster of riflemen is expected. Mr Comrie, who has been student in chargo of the Presbyterian Church, Hamilton, for a few months, preached a farewell sermon to a large congregation on Sunday last. He spoke very earnestly and well, and leaves an impression on the minds of his hearers that after ha has completed his theological studies he should become a capital preacher. The newly-organised Hamilton Volunteer Band, under Bandmaster Mottam, turned out on Sunday with the company for church parade. Mr Mettam's euphonium playing was much appreciated ; and we noticed that several of the best musicians of the old band were also present. With such good material at command, Hamilton should soon have a band that will be a credit to it. Sir Morel! McKenzie, the London throat-specialist, who has boon in attendance on the German Crown Prince, is one of the best-hated doctors in the profession. He is not on speaking terms with the set comprising Sir Andrew Clark, Sir William Gull, and Spencer Wells, of whom he has oflon spoken with undisguised contempt. He is a tall, lean, vigorous Scotchman with the most decided manners. As an operator he is siid to be unequalled, and his is the only British name that is recognised by the throat-specialists of Paris, Berlin, and, above all, of Vienn i, the (irst school in the world for this branch. He charges three guineas for the first, and a guinea for every subsequent visit; and from tiO to .SO people gather in his consulting rooms each morning and wait for hours with exemplary patience. An Adelaide paper says that nothing but mining, in all forms, is spoken of everywhere. In shops, business places, places of amusement, private houses, on tramways and railways, everywhere the talk is of the silver mines. One comical instance is told of having occurred at » North Adelaide church. Two families were proceoding to divine worship coming from different directions, with olive branches marching demurely ahead. They met at the church door, the children going in first, the wives next, and lastly the two heads of the family coming together. As they were uncovering and entering the sacred edifice one pater familial said to the other, "Take 5-i for your Gipsy Boys ?' " No, Sirrie," was the audible answer as pater fainilias No2enters his pew—" You can have them for hi lid." And throughout the service ws presume both men thought anxiously of mines and scrip. An experiment of a somewhat novel soit has just been successfully made by Mr John Fisher, of Layton Hall,'near Blackpool, one of tho most practical farmers in the country. Having spread some dry straw on the pavement in his farmyard, he stacked thereon a quantity of aftermath, upon which he then placed a large quantity of turnip tops. The heap was then covered with boards, and these were weighted with stones, and tho mixture was allowed to settle. When he came to cut into the mass he was agreeably surprised at the rosult. About an inch of the outside of the heap having been sliced away, the bulk was found to bo ill first-rate condition, making admirable food for cattle. The turnip tops are as sound as on tho day they were stacked, every leaf being perfect, and the grass cuts beautifully. In fact, the mass is perfect ensilage—sound, sweet, and wholesome ; it cuts less to waste than in the ordinary silo, and tho cattle are quite fond of it. There appears to be little likelihood of the price of wheat rising in England if only on account of tho enormous quantity of flour being sent from America, as shown in the following statement in the ■ New York Commercial Bulletin, of the 30th December, 1887: —"The clearances of flour from Boston yesterday were beyond anything in tho history of the trade, being , 80,000 sacks ; while steamship and railroad men say that tho bulk of the Hour now on the docks in this city is sold, and freight i taken for export, but there is not tonnage i enough here to take it away. They say | there is enough fl«ur thus held here already to load 20 steamers, and that some of the railroads are refusing to take any through i flour from the West. Tiiis is true of the New York Central and West Shore, ' while ths Erie's side tracks are blocked up with flour that it cannot deliver, leaving ' only the Pennsylvania Railroad and tho '• Baltimore and Ohio of the main trunk I lines open to further shipments of flour to ] Europe from the West; and oven they ; are unable to get ocean freights for new , shipments, and are simply piling it up on j their docks awaiting ocean tonnage." ,