SPECIAL TELEGRAPHIC.

Cromwell Argus, Volume XVII, Issue 832, 24 March 1885, Page 2

SPECIAL TELEGRAPHIC.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRB3PONDENT.) DUNEDIN. Monday Evening. To-day is the 37th anniversary of the foundation of the province, and is being kept a close holiday in town. About 1000 people have gone to Lawrence by excursion train, and the Waikouaiti races have enticed a few people in that direction. Happily the weather is tine, though yesterday it was wet and cold. We have two members of the Ministry in Dunedin just now—Sir Julius Vogel and Mr Larnach. The latter will start on his Goldfields tour on Wednesday. Probably he will be accompanied by Mr Pyke, and also by a special reporter of the Daily Times. He will be away about a fortnight. Sir Julius Vogel arrived on Saturday night, and will not leave again until this day week. He is still unable to walk, and he waited in the railway carriage for nearly half an-hour on Saturday so as to escape the crowd which was waiting to get a look at him. He will give his public"address in Dunedin next Saturday night. At Gamaru as he passed through a deputation from the Borough Council waited on him about getting the town defended, but he gave them pretty plainly to understand that in his opinion the Russians would not waste time over Oamaru, and that the money proposed to be spent on big guns had much better be spent on something more reproductive. . The Easter Review and Encampment is to r.ake place after all, as Colonel Stavely has received instructions to purchase the necessary tents. The Doric sailed from Wellington for London yesterday. She took over 101) passengers. Her cargo included 16,000 carcasses of frozen mutton. An extremely gross case of ill-treatment to children on the part of parents has been discovered at Kensington, and the indignation that has been aroused amongst residents on the Fiat in consequence is quite equal to what the celebrated Wain case created. Both parents seem to be equally culpable. The father is au expressman named Alexander Fleming, and his first wife died in June last. In November he married Caroline Condon, and entrusted to her care the children by his first marriage—John (aged 11), Mary (nine), and Isabella (five). Recently the immediate neighbors of Mr and Mrs Fleming entertained suspicions that the children received more whippings than they deserved, but it was not until the last few days back that they were made cognisant of the nature of the beatings. Facts have now come out which leave it a matter beyond all doubt that the children have been subjected to brutal ill-usage, and that with little or no provocation. Sergt. M‘Donnell proceeded with Constable Walton to Fleming’s house. The former at once took it upon himself to make an examination of the children, and he found marks of such severe whippings thathe took charge of them and jhad them examined by Dr Ferguson. A reporter of the Evening Star who saw the children says he was “ horrified by the sight of the marks, which could only be the result of whippings equal to the lashes prescribed for hardened criminals. From head to foot the unfortunate children were covered with exconations, and in many of the cuts there were signs of blood. Not a portion of the bodies, with the exception of the faces, had escaped stripes which must have caused intense agony. The children were bright, intelligent, anil good-looking. boy informed us that his injuries were caused by the beatings of his father and mother, the latter havin'* beaten him last evening and the former a few days ago. The girl Mary told a similar story, but the younger one would not state how she received the fearful cuts and bruises all over her It is stated that a carter’s whip was used for beating the children.” Fleming and his wife were brought up at the Police Court on Saturday before Messrs Fenwick and Gourley, J.P.’s, and Dr Ferguson in giving evidence said he had never seen children who were so cruelly tortuied before, and he hoped never to do so again. The charges were remanded till next Wednesday, the children meanwhile being placed in charge of an aunt, I'he Flemings got a warm reception from the neighbors on Saturday night, and their effigies were burnt. The cricket match in Melbourne between the Englishmen and a combined Australian. Eleven commenced on Saturday. The result of Saturday’s play is that the Australians have scored 164, and the Englishmen 44 without losing a wicket. Spofforth was highest scorer for the Australians with 50. The Australian team is a good deal weaker than that which beat the Englishmen so badly at ; yduey last week. At St. Paul’s yesterday three young men were ordained to tue Anglican priesthood, all three having formerly belonged to the Wesleyans. The* Rifle and Carbine Champions are to have an enthusiastic reception at Auckland on their return. - , ~ Mr William Routledge, theraajor commanding the Napier Volunteer District, died on Friday night from cerebral congestion. W. H. Trebolecock, a lad of 17, was drowned on Friday evening while bathing at, Sumner, near Christchurch. He was unable to swim and was carried away by the tide. A man named Hiscock made a gallant attempt to rescue him, and succeeded in getting him out, but life was extinct. Some good harvest yields are reported this morning. At Kaiapoi, in Canterbury, a paddock of Tuscan wheat threshed by W. Birnie yielded 93 bushels per acre, i At Oamaru, Messrs Falkner and Pratt of Otekaike have obtained 105 bushels of oats per acre from their crop. Au accident occurred on the Mary Hill extension of the Mornington tramway on Friday evening. There is a loop where the upward and downward cars cross half-way along the line, and it is believed some children bad been tampering with the points, which were obstructed by some means. When the car met the obstruction it stopped with a' violent jerk, and in consequence the passengers in front were thrown forward. One lady (Mrs Ash), was somewhat severely bruised about the face, and two or three male passengers were ;cut about the hands by the broken glass of the car. CABLE HB¥S. London, March 21. New Zealand frozen mutton of prime quality is now realising 6| per lb., being an advance of a farthing during the week. In connection with the annexation of Samoa it has beeu announced that the New Zealand Government have offered to bear the cost of governing that island. The St, Petersburg Press are triumphant at the agreement recently entered into between M. de Staar,; the.lmperial Ambassador in London, and Mr Gladstone, that no further advance of troops should take place on either side. General Graham telegraphs to the War Office from Suakia that he yesterday cleared the hills around Hasbeen of the rebels after severe fighting. The enemy numbered 4000 and suffered heavy loss. After the battle they retired to Tamai. General Graham further states that a “zareba” (temporary fortification) has been formed at Hasbeen with the Surrey Regiment and a battery of artillery with six guns as a garrison. The remainder of the troops returned to camp. Suakin. March 21. Accounts to hand of the battle which took place yesterday in the neighborhood of Hasbeen with the rebels under Osman Digna in which the British were victorious at all points gives the latter’s loss at 22 killed and 44 wounded.