long. There is regular steam communication with Adelaide by the vessels of the Eastern Australian Steam Navigation Company, which make the voyage by way of Melbourne, Sydney, Cooktown and Thursday Island, and proceed onward to Sourabaya and Batavia, returning by the same route. The town is well laid out; is 60 feet above the level of the sea; contains some good hotels, banks, and Government offices. Cool breezes blow, and temper an otherwise almost unbearable heat. Population 600, in addition to a large number of Chinamen, who live close at hand. It would appear from the very slight progress made by the settlement during the past quarter of a century that the principal hope of a prosperous future lies in an immigration of Asiatics being encouraged. The climate is much too warm for European labourers.

Northpine, Qd. A township in a good farming and grazing district, and railway station on the north coast-line, 18 miles from Brisbane.

Northumberland, Cape, S.A. A headland on the S. coast, near the boundary of Victoria.

Northumberland Isles, Qd., are situated off the N.E. coast, 10 miles W. of the Percy Isles, off the Pioneer river, and near the port of Mackay.

Northumberland, N.S.W. One of the old counties, bounded on the N. by the Hunter river, on the S. by the Hawkesbury, and intersected by the Northern railway, and containing the cities of Maitland and Newcastle and several important towns.

Norton, Qd. A gold-mining township on Wattle Creek, a tributary of the Boyne river, 36 miles S.E. from Calliope and 400 miles from Brisbane. A mail coach runs to Calliope and to Gladstone. Population, 160.

Norton's Summit, S.A. A township in a horticultural district on Third Creek, 8 miles E. of Adelaide; on the eastern road; commands a view of Adelaide, Port Adelaide and the Gulf. The country residence for the Governor has been erected in the neighbourhood, on the Mount Lofty Range, 4 miles distant. Population 175.

Norwood, S.A. A suburb 2 miles N.E. from the centre of the city of Adelaide,

10,100.

Nowra, N.S.W., the government township of the Shoalhaven district, is the centre of a large area of land, surveyed by the Government on the S. bank of the Shoalhaven river, ten miles W. of Greenwall Point; the river is crossed by a bridge 1050 feet long, and the Great South road passes through the town. The nearest railway stations are Mossvale and Kiama, and there is daily steam communication with Sydney. The surrounding land where cleared is very rich, and the scenery on the banks of the Shoalhaven river is tropical in its luxuriance. The Coast railway will shortly be extended to Nowra, which contains good buildings public and private, and is in the centre of a prosperous agricultural and dairying district, which has a population of 13,000. Newspaper, Shoalhaven Telegraph.

Nubeena, Tas. A township in an agricultural district 25 miles E. of Hobart.

Nudgee, Qd. A small settlement 29 miles from Brisbane. The railway to Sandgate has a station 2 miles from the centre of the village.

Nugent, Tas. A township in an agricultural district, 45 miles from Hobart.

Coach communication via Sorell.

Numeralla, N.S.W. A township in a pastoral, mining and farming district on the Numeralla river and Big Badger Creek, 316 miles S. of Sydney. Nearest railway station, Cooma, 18 miles distant. Population 200.

Numurkah, Vict. A township in an important agricultural and pastoral district, and railway station on the Goulburn Valley line, on Baala Creek, 133 miles N. of Melbourne; is the starting point of coaches to Katamatite and Yarrawonga. Population, with district, 7015. Newspaper, Standard.

Nunawading, Vict. A town on Blackburn Creek, which is never dry, even in the hottest seasons, 13 miles N.E. of Melbourne. Nearest railway station, Box Hill. Population with district 4449.

Nundle, N.S.W. A township in an agricultural district in the centre of the Peel River goldfields on the Nundle Creek and Peel River, 37 miles S.E. of Tamworth, and 234 miles N. W. of Sydney, at the commencement of New England.

Oahu, Lake, N.Z. A lake in the Mount Cook region of the Southern Island, about 12 miles long by 21⁄2 wide; is fed entirely by glaciers, and partly surrounded by forest.

Oakbank, S.A. A township in a mining and agricultural district on the Onkaparinga river, 20 miles E. of Adelaide. The Balhannah bismuth and copper mine is 14 mile from the township, which

is situated in a bay near the Oamaru headland; is the terminus of the branch railway which goes up the Waiareka valley 24 miles, and the other which ascends the Waitaki valley to Haleateramea. Fine building stone is found in the neighbourhood, and the town is in the centre of the largest grain-producing district in the Southern Island. The harbour has been much improved by the

factory, and has a fine racecourse. Population 120.

Oaklands, S.A. A township in a wheat and wool-growing district, 212 miles N. of Adelaide; communication via Moonta or by steamer. Population, with district,

long, 36 feet wide, and 32 feet high, and is now one of the safest in the colony; is handsomely built of white limestone, contains several fine buildings, woollen mills, and meat-freezing works, grain stores and elevators; is lighted with gas, and supplied with water from the Waitaki; coal has been found and worked in the neighbourhood. Population 5724. Newspapers, Evening Mail and North Otago Times.

Oatlands, Tas. A township in an agricultural district and railway station 1400 feet above the sea-level, on the main road between Hobart and Launceston, close to Lake Dulverton, 50 miles N. (by rail 55+) from Hobart, and 70 miles S. from Launceston. General sessions and sittings of the supreme court are held here. Population, with district, 4000.

Oberon, N.S.W. A township in a farming and mining district on Fish River Creek, 120 miles N. from Sydney, and 39 miles equidistant from Bathurst and Hartley. A payable quartz reef has recently been discovered 2 miles from the township; copper has also been found 10 miles away. Nearest railway station, Tarana. Eighteen miles from here are

500.

0. B. Flat, S.A. A village in an agricultural district 298 miles S.E. of Adelaide. Nearest railway station, Mount Gambier.

Obley, N.S.W. A village in a mining district on the Little river, 208 miles N. of Sydney. The Goodrich copper mine is within 5 miles of the township. Nearest railway station, Molong. Population 60.

Observatories. The first observatory in Australia was near Dawes Point, on the W. side of Sydney Cove, in lat. 32° 52′ 30′′ S., and long. 159° 19′ 30′′ E. An observatory was built at Parramatta, under the inspection of Sir T. Brisbane, 1822; Charles Luis Rumker was appointed

New South Wales corps came to arrest her father, was the one redeeming feature of that rather discreditable episode.

Oddfellows, Society of. First established in New South Wales, Feb. 24th, 1836. Foundation stone of new hall, Elizabeth Street, Sydney, laid by Hon. John Sutherland, Nov. 19th, 1870; hall opened, May 24th, 1871. Branches of this order now exist in all the towns of Australasia.

Ohaeawai, N.Z. A native village in an agricultural and pastoral district, halfway between Russell and Hokianga, 115 miles from Auckland by land and 146 by sea; is celebrated as the scene of a fierce

Hill, Melbourne, 1858, which was afterwards removed to the permanent building

in South Yarra. The exact position of this latter is 37° 49′ 53′′ S., and 144° 58′ 42" Ε.

O'Connell, N.S.W. A township in an agricultural district on Fish river, 139 miles W. from Sydney, and 4 miles from Brewongle railway station. Population

200.

O'Connell, Sir Maurice Charles, formerly

Commander of the Forces in New South

Wales, was cousin to the celebrated Daniel O'Connell, M.P.; came to Sydney in 1809 as lieutenant of the 73rd Regiment.

Married the daughter of Governor Bligh; remained in New South Wales till 1814, when his regiment was ordered to Ceylon. In 1838 returned to the colony as Commander of the Forces, with a commission as Lieut.-Governor, and held that appointment till relieved by Major-General Wynyard; was Acting Governor of New South Wales from July 12th to August 2nd, 1846; was much esteemed by all persons, and especially the private soldiers. Died at Sydney, May 25th,

1848.

O'Connell, Lady, the daughter of Governor Bligh, was married first to Lieutenant Putland, of H.M.S. Porpoise, who died at Sydney Jan. 1808, and secondly in 1810 to Lieutenant (afterwards Sir) Maurice O'Connell. Died in England, 1864. The heroic behaviour of

coach to Kawa Kawa, rail to Opura, thence steamer to Auckland. Popula

tion, 50 Europeans and 300 natives.

Ohaupo, N.Z. A township and railway station on the Auckland Southern

line, 94 miles S. of Auckland, and 7 miles from Hamilton, and about the same distance from Cambridge, Te Awamutu and Alexander. Ohaupo, from its central position, has sale yards, and sales are held regularly for the surrounding

district. Ohinemuri, N.Z. A county in the Northern Island, S. of the Firth of Thames. Population 1516.

Ohinemutu (postal name Rotorua), N.Z. A township near the S.W. corner of Rotorua Lake, and is the centre of the Hotspring district, and within easy reach of all the natural wonders of the Rotorua and adjoining lakes, 120 miles S.E. of Auckland. A fine sanatorium and bath houses, connected with the various sulphur and mineral springs, have been put up by the Government. Nearest railway station, Oxford, or steamer to Tauranga. Population, 50 Europeans and 150 natives. Newspaper, Hot Lakes Chronicle.

Ohiwa, N.Z. A small settlement on the Opotiki side of the Opotiki harbour, with broad and deep entrance, there being a depth of 18 feet of water on the bar at high tide; lies between Whakatane

and Opotiki, 203 miles by sea from Auckland.

Omaha, N.Z. A township in an agricultural and fruit-growing district, 58 miles from Auckland, with which there is steamer communication. Population 300.

Omeo, Vict. A mining township on Livingstone creek, 250 miles E.N.E. of Melbourne, and reached by rail to Bairnsdale, and coach thence via Bruthen. A large deposit of marble has been found at the head of Limestone creek, 38 miles distant. Population, with district, 3491. Newspaper, Telegraph.

Onehunga, N.Z. A seaport on Manukau Harbour, and railway station, 7 miles S.E. by S. of Auckland; is lighted with gas, and has a good water supply. A bridge costing £15,000 connects the town with the fine agricultural district of Mangere. It contains a fine woollen factory, sawmills, tannery and iron foundries. Ironworks have been established to manufacture bar and pig iron, and wire from the Onehunga iron sand, and are now in successful operation. Population 2994. Newspaper, Manukau Gazette.

Opaki (Dreyerton), N.Z. A township in an agricultural and pastoral district, and railway station, 70 miles N.E. of Wellington, and 4 miles from Masterton. Population 298.

Opals. Discovered at the head of the Bulla creek, S. of the Barcoo, Qd., in 1870. Ophir, N.S.W., is contiguous to the Summerhill creek, 154 miles W. of Sydney; is famous as being the locality where in 1851 gold was first discovered. Communication with Sydney is via Orange (16 miles). Little now remains to show its former importance, and the

population, from thousands, has dwindled

away to about 150.

Ophir (or Blacks), N.Z., the centre of a gold-mining district on the river Manuherikia, 139 miles N.W. of Dunedin, and connected with it by coach and rail via Palmerston. Population 212.

Opossum, or Phalanger Phalangista, is an arboreal and nocturnal animal feeding on leaves, and differs in many respects from the true opossum of America. They are, like nearly all the animals of Australia and Tasmania, marsupial; they live in trees, and are most active on moonlight nights; their numbers have

increased since the occupation of the country by whites, owing to the cessation of hunting by the aborigines, whose favourite food they were, and the diminution of the number of native dogs. The Tasmanian opossums are darker and larger than those of the main land, and their skins are more prized for rug making, which now forms a considerable industry all over Australia. Some of the species of opossum are as large as a hare, while others are as small as a dormouse, one indeed being smaller; but the ordinary opossum is about the size of a rabbit. They all have the power of hanging to the branches of trees by their tails, and vary in colour from a dark iron grey to a light grey. Allied to these is the flying opossum, which has a lateral membrane between the fore and hind limbs, and a flat tail with diverging hairs, similar to the flying squirrels of Asia, which they greatly resemble. Other species are smaller, the flying mouse being one of the smallest of quadrupeds, and smaller than an ordinary mouse. The ringtail opossum, Phalangista Cookii, is smaller and less sought after than the ordinary species, since the dogs will not eat his flesh. The flying opossum is not indigenous to Tasmania.

Opossum Gully, Vict. A small township in an agricultural and mining district, 4 miles from Salt creek, and 157 miles N.W. of Melbourne. Nearest railway station, Ararat, 5 miles distant. Population 200.

Opotiki, N.Z. The most easterly settlement in a rich agricultural district in the Bay of Plenty, 170 miles S.E. of Auckland, with which it is connected by steamer. In the vicinity several skirmishes took place during the Maori war, 1868-9, and it was here the Rev. Karl Volkner, a missionary of the Church of England, was murdered by Maori fanatics, in 1866. Population 550. Newspaper, Opotiki Herald.

Opunake, N.Z. A township in a dairyfarming and flax-milling district, near a bay on the sea-shore, 40 miles S.S.W. from New Plymouth, and 88 miles from Wanganui. Nearest railway station, New Plymouth.

Orange, Cultivation of. First introduced into New South Wales in May 1788, by Rev. Richard Johnson at Kissing Point, from seeds obtained at Rio de Janeiro.

Orange, N.S.W. Municipal town and station on the Western railway, 192 miles from Sydney, 2843 feet above sea-level, in the centre of an important wheatgrowing district. The Ophir, Forest and Lucknow goldfields, the Carangara copper works, and Lewis Pond silver mines are in the neighbourhood. The town is lighted with gas, has a good water supply from Gosling creek, has 31,241 acres of land under crop in the neighbourhood, principally with wheat, although a great deal of fruit, especially apples, is grown in the district. The town con

ings, including churches, banks, public offices and schools.

Orange, East, N.S.W. A suburb of Orange. The Great Western railway line passes through its entire length, and the railway station is on the south-western boundary. Population 1800.

Orbost, Vict. A township in an agricultural and pastoral district on the Snowy river, 247 miles E. of Melbourne. Communication is by rail to Bairnsdale, and steamer to Cunninghame; schooners trade to Orbost. Marlo, at the junction of the Brodribb and Snowy rivers, 10 miles distant from Orbost, on the South Pacific Ocean, is likely to become a favourite watering-place. Population, with district, 700.

Orepuki, N.Z. A township in a mining district and railway station, 40 miles W. from Invercargill. Population 300.

Orford, Vict. A township on the Shaw river, 195 miles S.W. of Melbourne, and reached by coach from Port Fairy, 164 miles distant. Population 150.

Orient Steam Navigation Company. Direct steam communication with Australia owes much to the efforts of this Company, which was founded in 1877 by Messrs. Anderson, Anderson & Co. On March 7th, 1878, the pioneer vessel, the Garonne, left London flying the flag of the Orient Steam Navigation Company, which had been formed by the efforts of the Messrs. Anderson and Messrs. F. Green & Co., of London. At first only a monthly service was intended, but very soon it became plain that the traffic

which closely resembles the Orient, but is of even greater size and power. The Austral, like the Orient, was built in accordance with the requirements of the Admiralty for ships which in case of war may be turned into cruisers. The Orient was selected by Government to take out some of the principal officers of the Army despatched to Egypt in 1882, among them being H.R.H. the Duke of Connaught and his suite. Since that date five other large, swift and luxurious steamers have been added to the fleet. There are the Ormuz, 6031 tons, Orizaba, 6077 tons, Oroya, 6057 tons, Orotava, 5552 tons, Oruba, 5552 tons, and the Ophir, 6910 tons. A mail contract for a fortnightly mail service between London via Naples and Adelaide was entered into in 1888; the term is 7 years, and the subsidy is £85,000 per annum. Formerly the route was, outward, via St. Vincent and the Cape of Good Hope; homeward, via the Red Sea and Naples. Now the outward and homeward route is the same, via Tilbury, Plymouth, Gibraltar, Naples, Port Said, Ismailia, Suez, Aden, Colombo, King George's Sound, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney.

Ormondville, N.Z. A township in the Seventy Mile Bush and railway station on the Woodville and Napier line, 66 miles from Napier and 27 miles from Waipawa. The district is heavily timbered; several saw mills are at work, and agriculture is carried on. Population 420. Oroua, N.Z. A county in the Northern