The colours are brought out by grinding,, buffing, and polishing. The electric light is to succeed the gas light. That is a certainty. If the gas com panies want comfort, they must find other uses for their product, or discard it alto gether. Sinca the discovery of gold in the Fingal district, no less than 67,000 ounces have been, raised and sold from the several gold-fields in Tasmania. Already more than 1000 dols have been subscribed in England to the Palestine ex ploration fund for the exploration of the sea of Gallilee. In Ireland, seaweeds are a favourite ma nure for potatoes. When ploughed in they decompose rapidly, and are rich in the main constituents of plant food. J. G. Bennett's yacht, the Jeannette, (late? the Pandora) is undergoing repairs at San. Francisco, and will leave for the North. Pole early next June. England's last and greatest poet, Swin burne, has just sent forth another volume o£ Poems and Ballads, making the fourteenth work sines bis firsb book was published^ twelve years ago. A. T. Stewart's body has been returned by the thieves for the reward offend, and in. future is to occupy a burglar-proof vault. Drysdale and Roberts, hardware mer chants, Sydney, have secured the patent ins the Australian colonies, for the electric light, and also for Edison's electric pen. Six hundred and twenty men are now em ployed on the Sydney Exhibition Building. The space applied for by Great Britain and the continent of Europe is larger than the entire area. An apple-borer is committing great ravages in the Tasmanian. orchards- It is feared that unless a remedy is found, the apple industry will be ruined. Is there not danger of its being brought to New Zealand in the im ported apples ? Santa Claus appeared at the Bush street Theatie, New York, on the afternoon of the- Ist January, and presented New Year's gifts to all the good children who chose to attend. Messrs Robert Wilkin and Co., of Christ church, received per Tararua ten splendid pedigree Leicester rams, from the flock of Mr Gibson, of Esk Vale, Tasmania. The Young Men's Christian Association o Christchurch, announce that in consequence 1 of the inadequate support received in the form of subscriptions, they have discontinued publishing sermons in the Canterbury Times. 