About 2,500,000 copieß of the Revised New Testameut have been sold, iucluding all editions, English and American. Thirty editions have been published in America The Old Testament Committee hold monthly meetings in the Bible House, and baa fini shed a fi;st revision of the Old Testament, wnh the exception of Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon. The second revision will take the whole of 1882, and the work, will be finished and published during 1883. We (' Taieri Advocate ') have been in formed that Mr James Shand and Mr David Grant (Granton) are conjointly chartering a vessel to take a cargo of wheat to the Cape. The Taranaki ' Herald ' says that the iron sand appears to be attracting a good deal of attention outside the colony at the present time. Last week the Harbour Board received an application from a firm in England for a lease of the sea beach, with the object of erecting smelting works and manufacturing j the iron sand. An application has been received from a firm in Sydney, also applying for a lease, and giviug very satisfactory re ferences. It is to be hoped that the interest which has again been manifested in the smelting of the iron-sand will this time lead to satisfactory and permanent results. The local company would probably combine with a foreign company, and thus more capital would be available, and the success of the scheme no doubt be secured. The ' Tuapeka Times ' says :— Our readers will doubtless be glad to learn that from the latesb accounts Dr Withers was showing aigns of improvement. The head-symptoms, at the first appearance of the fever, gave bad indications, but the doctor passed a good night on Thursday, and yesterday was much better. The other fever patients are doing well, on the lad Grey especially the fever showing signs of abatement. The total number of emigrants seat out by the Cape Government Emigration Agent during 1881 was 4163 as against 2607 in 1880, and 1332 in 1879. They consisted of 324 employes for the Government railways : 2613 artisans of all kinds, and domestic servants for private employers ; 758 agriculturists, j and 468 recruits for the Cape Mounted Riflemen. The agriculturists took out with them in money alone an aggregate amount j of £15,465, a little over £20 per head of men, women, and children. 