There is great excitement here." Ox Wednesday last, 6,000 acres of Run 106, Waitahuna West, were thrown open for sale at the Lawrence Land office. There were 27 sections offered, of which 18, com prising an area of 4,600 acres, were applied for. The number of applications was 110. As there were more than one applicant for each section, with two exceptions, an auction sale will shortly be held according to the j terms of the Laud Act, at which the bidding I will be limited to the applioants for the re spective sections. Many persons have long wondered why the telegraphic accounts of prices of wheat in the London market should always give New Zealand as of less value than Austra lian. From a table compiled by the manager of the Canterbury Farmers' Co-operative Association, it appears that Reuter's tele grams have invariably given the highest Australian quotations and the lowest New Zealand. The actual prices have for the last three months been very nearly the same. According to the latest official returns to hand, the number of sheep and lambs de pasturing in Great Britain and Ireland is 27,839,636, against 34,837,597 in 1874, being a decrease of close on 7,000,000 within the past seven years. The number of sheep in the United States is returned as 40,190,866 ; while the total number in Australasia, ac cording to che last census, is 75,242,936, of which number New Zealand possesses 13,069,338 ; which is more than any other colony except New South Wales, which has over 35 millions. Most of the business men in Union- street have taken kindly to the asphalt ; several who most bitterly opposed the construction of the footpath have had it made to the full width in front of their properties, whilst others occupying corner premises have still further shown their appreciation by having it carried round. It is to be hoped that the Council will see its way clear to make the contemplated crossings the full width of the footpaths, especially at Alfred and Edward streets. We understand that some residents on the other side of the way have decided to get the paths in front of their premises asphalted, and there can be little doubt that before very long the East side will favorably compare with the West. 