BRUTAL GERMAN SERGEANT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 14, 17 January 1905, Page 5

BRUTAL GERMAN SERGEANT.

Partial Justice at Last. (Received 8.29 a.m.) BERLIN, January IC. The German Superior Court has reduced the sentences of five years' imprisonment, passed upon Privates Gunther and Voight, during the month of November, to 18 months' ordinary imprisonment, while Heme's nas been increased from three to six months, with reduction to the ranks.

[Sergeant Heine, it may be remembered, insulted some girls in the presence of hie subordinates, Gunther and Voight, who asked for an explanation. Heine replied by drawing his eword, but was knocked down and disarmed. The action of the soldiers in knocking the sergeant down was treated as grross insubordination, and was punished witn Hie terms of imprisonment mentioned above.]

THE MURRAY RIVER QUESTION. SYDNEY, January 16. The Premier, speaking at a conference called to 'discuss irrigation generally and the Murray riparian' rights especially, with a view to submitting the decisions to the forthcoming Premiers' Conference, said it would be better to pay South Australia a lump sum for the rights she considered she possessed in the Murray River as a navigable stream, than endanger the chance of New South Wales of using the waters for irrigation purposes. Ten million pounds would be required to construct works in the various rivers of the State, and it would be absolutely impossible for a few years to come to go to London for that money. The question was whether they could not help themselves in solving the problem. Wae it not possible for those having a large stake in the country, those who would gain largely by irrigation, to assist in financing the work?

PRIMAGE ON WOOL SYDNEY, this day. The deadlock in the wool trade has been removed. The shipping companies have decided not to levy the primage charge until after i'#rch 31. This timeis given to allow the wool buyers to make arrangements in connection with insurance and other matters at the London end. The wool sales will be resumed to-mor-row.

DEATH OF EARL CAIRNS. LONDON, January 16. Earl Cairns has died suddenly at Cannes of heart disease, aged 41. [Earl Cairns, third successor to the earldom, was the son of the first Earl, who was a distinguished judge, and twdee Lord Chancellor. The late Earl was a partner in the Elswick Ordnance Company, but is best known by a noted breach of promise suit, when in the eighties he was Viscount Garmoyle. This action was brought by the well-known actress. Miss Fortescue, who was awarded by tbe jury the unusually large sum of £10,000.]

INTERESTING NAVAL APPOIMTMENT. LONDON, January 16. The Admiralty has appointed Captain Percy Scott to supervise gunnery practice in the navy. [Captain Scott, who is 51 years of age, served in Ashantee, the Congo, Egypt. South Africa and China, did valuable work on the Ordnance Committee, was the inventor of the naval night-signalling apparatus, and invented several important gunnery appliances. The gun-car-riages invented by Captain Scott enabled the 6-inch and 4.7-inch guns to be used in the land operations in South Africa, and especially in the siege of Ladyenith.]

GOLD FIND IN ABYSSINIA. Rveaian Advioe to Kirns Meaelek. LONDON, January 16. Russian engineers report that they have discovered rich gold mines in Abyssinia. They nave advised King Menelik to develop the mines himself. ATLANTIC RATES WAR ENDED. LONDON, January 16. ' The Cunard Shipping Company has agreed, to rejoin the North Atlantic shipping conference, and in consequence the rate war has come to an end. AUSTRALIAN CABLES. AUSTRALIAN BUSH FIRES. (Received 9.38 a.m.) SYDNEY, this day. The Premier has informed the Lord Mayor's Committee that unless immediate relief is given to the suilerers by the bush fires a grant will le made by the Government and distributed through local committees. . A NEW ZEALANDER'S APPOINTMENT. (Received 8 a.m.) SYDNEY, this day. Mr. Graham, late manager of the Waikonaiti cheese factory, has been appointed cheese instructor and staff dairy expert to the Government of New South Wales. SPLENDID RAINS IX QUEENSLAND. (Received S a.m.) BRISBANE, this day. There have been splendid rains throughout the Stute, and some record falls. Howard records, 20, Rosedale 19, Miriainrale 13, and Gingin 11 inches. RAINS IN NEW SOUTH WALES. SYDNEY, January 1C Heavy rain has spread from Queensland to the northern parts of New South Wales. Lighter rains have fallen in the southern districts of this State and Victoria. SYDNEY LIVE STOCK. SYDNEY, January 16. At the Home-bush market to-day values were unchanged. I'rossbreds were scarce. Best wethers. 15/ to 17/3. No ewes offering. Best bullocks, £9 5/ to £9 14/; ijood, £8. Be.it cows, £7 5/; good, £G. Beef, 21/G to 22/ per IOOIbs. THE NEWCASTLE STRIKE. SYDNEY. January IC. The directors of the Dudley colliery have rejected the proposal of the wheelers to resume work. At a mass meeting of wheelers it was decided that none of the strikers should return to work until they all did. The wheelers are to be called out of every pit in the Newcastle and Maitland districts.