Peninsula News.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume XVI, Issue 1287, 16 November 1888, Page 2

Peninsula News.

Nomination of Mayor.—The nomination of Mayor takes place on Monday next, the I gth inst.

Cricket. —The following are selected to represent the Wainui Cricketing Club in the match against Okain's Bay on Saturday next, to be ployed at French Farm :—Messrs Snow, Hutchison, H. Knight, E. Collett, T. S. Baker, G. D. Bates,, j. Taylor, Saddler, Turner, H. G. Robinson, and W. Bullock. Emergencies—Messrs W. Wright, G. Bullock, and A. Shadbolt. " But the dinner ?" Family Tickets,—A new idea has been started in the way of admission to the performance of the Lady of Lyons, which will be produced in aid of the Library on Friday, 30th inst., at the Oddfellows' Hall. This is the issuing of family tickets to the reserved seats. It has long been complained that where there are large families the expense is too great, and the management have endeavoured to meet this by making a substantial reduction where many from one house attend. Particular attention is calied to the advertisement elsewhere. "Glory is priceless!" Phoenix Masonic Lodge,—The anniversary of the above lodge takes place this day week, the 23rd iust. The Grand Lodge officers will be present, and the installation takes place in the afternoon. In the evening there will be a ball and supper in the Oddfellows' Hall, which will be open to friends of the craft as well as members. Brethren from other lodges ure cordially invited elsewhere to be present at the installation ceremony, and those gentlemen nut members of this craft, desirous of being present at tne ball, are referred to the secretary, Mr R, Noonan, for information.

Suitable Grasses.—Messrs Masefield J Bros, have kindly left Mr Mackay's book* on the grasses and forage plants suitable to New ( Zealand, in the Akaroa Public Library, where ■ it can be consulted by all who are interested in its contents, " Homage to the beauty of Lyons !" The Lincoln Seat.—Mr J. Ollivier is in the field for this seat rendered vacant by Mr O'Calhghan's bankruptcy. Among other probable candidates we mention Messrs Rolleston, A. Saunders, and E. J. Wright. " Poor Pauline, her dream will soon be over." The Boating Club.—The members of this Club who intend to compete in the rowing events at the coming Regatta have placed themselves under the supenntendance of Mr Walton, who has kindly consented to act as coach. The new boat, bought from the C.R.C , arrived by the Takapuna last night. She is in good trim, and under her old name of the Petrel has placed several races to her credit. She is now to be called the Tikao, and, we hope, has a long career of victory before her. « Till she is sixty-nine and three-quarters."

The Maori, Murray.—The Akaroa police have been on the look out for the escaped prisoner, Murray, but have not found any trace of him. The Christchurch police have received information to the effect that a Maori answering the description of Murray was seen at the top of the hill between Poit Levy and | Pigeon Bay on Monday evening. Constable j M'Cormack bft Lyttelton for Rhodes Bay with instructions to make a thorough search of the hills on the Peninsula. Sir H. A. Blake.—The «St James Gazette " remarks that democratic Queensland reiects*he brother-in-law of a duchess, because it wants a real live lord. The Dublin " Freeman's Journal " says that Sir H. A Blake was a draper's assistant in Dubhn, whose talent for amateur acting so pleased the Earl of Carlilse, then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, that he gave him a cadetship in the Royal Irish constabulary. To his own politic behaviour, aided by a lucky marriage, he owes his subseqi TRADE.-The O SLAVE P THE British agent in Zanzibar reports that he paid a visit to he missionary stations at Mombasa, a port on the mainland North of Zanzibar where he found no less than fourteen hundred runaway slaves, who had been received and protected by the missionaries on behalf of the British Government. They assured them of their freedom, but. owing to the difficulty of providing for and disposing of such a large number of people, he thought it best to ask for instructions before taking further action. « How forward these men are!" The Mysterious Murders.—Sir Chas. Warren's resignation was due to attacks which have been made upon him by the newspapers, in consequence of the helplessness of the police with regard to the recent murders. He had also been officially censured for writing an article in '-Murray's Magazine" defending the Department. An open verdict was returned at the inquest on the last victim of the Whitechapel murders. The police and other people continue to receive letters signed, •'•Tack, the Ripper," admitting the murders, and threatening more shortly. Mr Matthews, the Home Secretary, in reply to a question in the House of Commons, reiterated his refusal of a Government reward for the apprehension of the murderer. The •' Times " Commission. Sir James Hannan, President of the "Times" Commission, has received menacing letters. Sir Charles Russell states that several such letters have been sent to him since the proceedings of the Commission opened. Two witnesses, exmoonlighters and members of the Land and National Leagues, swore that when they joined the organisations the perpetra ion of outrages was discussed, and plans were laid for shooting landlords. They also stated that sheeD, the property of farmers obnoxious to them, had been destroyed; that they were quite ready to commit murder it so ordered. Upon Sir Charles Russell attempting to show that the witnesses were Fenians, they declared that Leaguers and Fenians were identical. One of these witnesses swore that the Secretary of one Society compelled him to swear allegiance to the Irish Republic. « Let me see the oracle that can tell nations I am beautiful."

The Drought in Australia.— The bush fires in the neighborhood of Dubbo and Gilgandra have assumed immense proportions. The country is swept by the flames for miles. Coupled with the drought the fires are causing great distress and consternation throughout the country. The property of farmers and squatters in almost all the inland districts is burnt up ; whilst a water famine already prevails in some districts, and is threatened in other parts of the interior. Thousands of sheep and cattle are dying, and the stock routes in various directions are absolutely strewn with the decaying carcases of sheep which are being " travelled " in search of feed; and in many districts the owners are glad to give away portions of their flocks in the hope of preserving a little feed for the remainder. Unless rain falls very soon, general and widespread disaster must overtake the Colony. Some of the more remote suburbs of Sydney are participating in the water famine. Late Cable News.—Mr Jeremiah D. Sheehan, M.P. for Kerry, has been sentenced to a month's imprisonment for abusing the police.—The Agents-General have agreed to appoint an expert to investigate the epidemic which is destroying the rabbits in Cheshire.— In the Chamber of Deputies M. Goblet expressed the opinion that the situation renders extra vigilance necessary on the part of France though she was strong enough not to fear provocation. - The police have not yet found the slightest clue to the Whitechapel murderer.—MajorGeneral, Sir Charles Warren, Commissioner of Police has resigned his position. The resignation has been accepted. It is expected that Mr James Munro, one of the Assistant-Com-missioners, will succeed Sir Charles.-It is reported that Sir Henry Edward Bulwer, High Commissioner of Cyprus, may be appointed to the Governorship of Queensland instead of Sir A. H. Blake.—A free pardon has been offered to anyone concerned in the Whitechapel murders, excepting the actual murderer, for such information as will lead to a conviction, A sailor lately returned from Sydney has been arrested on suspicion.—The worst fears with regard to the colliery explosion at Pittsburg have been realised, and it is now ascertained that 160 miner- have lost their lives,—The Russian Government are taking active steps to restrict the influx of Chinese into the Amoor country. An Imperial rescript has been addressed by the Czar to the Grand Duke Alexis, High Admiral of Russia, in which he says he is rejoiced to observe the progress and formation of a Black Sea fleet, by which considerable extension of Russian trade is secured. The rescript further declares that the fleet will be ready to defend Prussian rights in the Black Sea.—Lord Salisbury, in his speech at the Lord Mayor's banquet at the Guildhall, said that the election of General Harrison as President of the United States annulled the Sackville West Incident, which was merely a piece of election tactics. He considered the peace of Europe was now assured.—The Republican Party will probably have a majority of six in the Senate. General Harrison, the President-elect, has drawn up a reduced tariff, which has been revised oa a protective basis.—The Duchess of Cambridge is seriously ill, and lies in a precarious con« dition

Outside News.—The barque Langstone caught fire at Napier, and damage was done to the extent of £5000. —O'Brien has sold Carbine to R. Rogan for 3000 guineas.—The Victorian and New Zealand bowling teams played out two matches in Melbourne which resulted in each case in a victory for the visitors—Government have received an intimation that the Midland Railway Company are only awaiting the arrival of the contract, which was signed on Sept. 25, to complete arrangements for securing the necessary capital, when the works will be immediately pushed on.—-The schooner Lizzie Cuy, bound from Oamaru to Auckland with grain, was wrecked on the East coast off White Station, on Saturday morning last. The telegram states that the captain and cook were both drowned, but the remainder of the crew are safe. —Mr Hill, Inspector of Schools, has discovered fossil moa feathers in the pleiocene deposits near Gisborne. This is of scientific value, completely upsetting the theory that the moa did not exist in New Zealand in pleiocene times. — Three Ltncoln ram hoggets, exhibited by Mr H. Overton last week, and one other that was not shown, were shorn on Tuesday last, and clipped no less than 831b of clean wool.—The Mararoa arrived at the Bluff from Melbourne on Tuesday. On board were ninety-three steerage passengers, which looks very much as if the tide of emigration was beginning to turn in favour ot this Colony. ODDFELLOWS' HALL, NOV. 30TH. FOR THE LIBRARY. I "THE LADY OF LYONS."