NEWS OF THE WORLD.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 601, 30 April 1891, Page 2

NEWS OF THE WORLD.

[BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL TO STANDARD.] BRITISH AND FOREIGN. Fifteen thousand miners have struck for shorter hours in Westphalia, and the movement is extending. Two hundred of the crew of the Chilian rebel cruiser Blanco Escalada perished when that vessel went down. Lord Salisbury has issued an ultimatum to Portugal, stating that unless she immediately gives facilities to British traders for free trade through Mashonaland England will resort to forcible measures. The Courts have refused to interfere with Messrs Dillon and O’Brien’s bail. Four artillerymen who mutinied at Gosport last week have been sentenced by court martial to two years’ hard labor. Mr Henniker Heaton is seriously ill with influenza. Mr M. Davitt is resigning the editorship of the Labor World, and leaves shortly for California. The further hearing of the charge against Captain Verney has been adjourned till Thursday. Soldiers forced the gaol at Wallawalla, in Washington territory, U.S., and lynched a man who had murdered his comrade. Influenza is raging at Stockport, Pontefort, and Lincoln, and a large number of deaths are reported. Money is tightening in price, and it is expected that the Bank rate of interest will be raised on Thursday. Three months’ bills have risen a quarter per cent.

The third series of the wool sales will be opened on June 9, and the catalogue will be limited to 400,000 bales. The date of the opening of the fourth series has been fixed for September Bth, and that for the fifth series for Nov. 24. The Emperor visited the mortuary chamber, and publicly stated that Count Von Moltke’s loss is greater than the loss of an army. He has summoned all the Princes and Kings of Germany to attend the funeral. In the billiard match, spot-barred, between the two well-known professionals Taylor and McNeil, the former made the wonderful break of 1467, which is more than double the number recorded by any other player on the championship table. At Thurles, Tipperary, a party of Parnellites attacked a procession composed of anti-Parnellites, which was on its way to Archbishop Croke, and a sharp fight ensued. Both sides made use of sticks and stones, and many of the participants were injured, especially about the head. Details of the sinking of the rebel warship Blanco Escalada, off Antofagasta, show that she was attacked by a torpedo fleet while she was lying at anchor, and the vessel was destroyed by the Almirante Lynch, a torpedo cruiser recently built in England for the Chilian Government, which fired two Whitehead torpedoes. The number of persons on board the Blanco Escalada was 400, half of whom were drowned. The ironclad Huasca was also struck by a torpedo. The warship Florence has gone over to the rebels. President Balmaceda, fearing an attempt to poison him, has all his meals prepared by his mother.

N.Z.L. and M.A. Co. London market cablegram, dated 28th April The wool sales closed this day at the level of last sales, with the exception of superior greasy merino, superior scoured merino, and fine greasy crossbred, all of which have advanced Jld per lb. Greasy crossbred has advanced Jjd per lb since close of last sales. Inferior greasy merino and faulty scoured have declined per lb. The total quantity sold during the past sales is 274,000 bales, of which 146,000 bales have been taken for the Continent, and 9,000 for America. It is estimated that 9,000 bales have been held over for future disposal.

NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS.

AUCKLAND. Last night. An opan verdict was [returned at the inquest on the body of Joseph Greenwood, who shot himself on Monday. The mace Escalade, bought by MrPhilson at the Canterbury sale, has passed into Mr Gollan'e hands. Pastor and Miss Birch left for Sydney last evening. The pastor expected to return in three months to take charge of the new Church which the seceders from the Tabernacle are forming. Wm. Wernham died suddenly at Birkenhead last night; it is believed from heart disease. Sir Walter Buller having completed his tour of the Te Arolia electoral district has definitely decided to contest the seat. The feeling in the district is strongly in favor of a local man, although a great many would like Sir M, O Rorke to stand. SOUTHERN NEWS. Last night. Final arrangements ware made last night for winter classes at the Napier Athenomm, in drawing, shorthand, German, French, Latin, bookkeeping, o’c. The matter is being well taken up, and ie likely to prove successfu>. James Wilkie, a well-known bookseller, has died of pneumonia. Harry Sands has been kilted by a tall ot earth at Reefton. B. Murphy, formerly purser ot the Takapuna, died suddenly at Christchurch, The condition ot Mr W. A. Blair is such as to cause great anxiety tq his family and friends. Mr C, Y. O’Connor, Chief Marine Engineer for the colony, has either just tendered, or ie about to tender, hie resignation, having received the offer of a better appointment in Western Australia. Sir R. Stout ie of opinion that a land tax without an income tax will not raise funds sufficient tq meet the requirements of Government, and mentions that he said so at Napier. He wishes it, however, to be understood that he made no recommendation whatever to Government on the subject. An old Maori woman named Pira Koroutu, 87 years old, mother of Mr James Wallace, butcher, of Otaki, was accidentally burned to death, She slept near a fire, and it is supposed that tho bedclothes caught, No one else was in the whare at the time.

At Oamaru Prohibitionists were elected on the understanding tfiat they rensw all licenses in the town for one year, and thereafter no lidepses bo granted, A miner named J. MoArthy was found dead near Ross, Westland. He fell into a sludge, face downwards, in a fit, and was suffocated, Mr Seth Smith, Chief Judge of the Native Rand Court, is at present in Wellington conferring with the Native Minister as to the proposed legislation relating fo native matters. Tho Minister of Public Works has authorised the letting of another section of Catlin’s river railway, Otago, for the unemployed. Ho intends to visit Dunedin in two or three weeks. An old man named Ulimeli committed suicide at Hokitika yesterday. He had put a dynamite Cartridge to tho side of his head, and blew his left hand and nearly tho whole of his head off. With the view of assuring thoroughly trained men in the police force Mr Sodden has (tailed that no man is to bo taken into

the force unless he has been three years in the permanent artillery. It is understood that the Commissioners have taken over the Olago Central Railway to Middlemarcb, but are delaying its opening until the Minister of Public Works is able to attend. At a meeting of the Temperance party at Dunedin it was determined to form a permanent association to take an active part in municipal and party affaire, and keep Prohibition before the public. The census return for the Borough of New Plymouth is 2,343, an increase of 260 in five years. The Minister of Defence proposes to make an important alteration in regard to the appointment of officers in a tho volunteer force. He proposes that election by volunteer companies should be abolished. The manager at New Plymouth petroleum works intends to case down the well to its bottom so as to shut off all water, and then pump out any oil that accumulates during the day. The oil so far comes off the surface water. Samples of the petroleum have been tested by a local chemist and declared to be exceedingly good. It is expected that the Native Commission will submit its report to Government in a fortnight. The concensus of opinion of Maoris and Europeans met by the Commissioners is in favor of returning to the principle of tribal dealing in force before the Native Land Act of 1865. It is said that the Maoris are perfectly prepared, as soon as their reserves are made, to open the whole balance of their lands. The Gwernment have received a communication from the Agent-General in London, with reference to tbe fall in New Zealand stocks. The Agent-General states that this decline cannot be attributed to New Zealand alone, as all Colonial stocks are more or less disturbed from the follow, ing causes — State of finances in the Argentine Republic, increase of resetve held by Bank of England, uncertainty of Baring Bros, securities, failure of the Victorian loan, and collapse of the syndicate system. At Wellington very little interest was taken !in the Licensing Oommittee election. There were six candidates, all ot whom were Moderates. The pell resulted as follows; F. H. Waser 501, O. E. Welstone 487, A. W. Brown (Mayor) 481, J. E. Face 481, J. |H. Heaton 357, and R Young 843, The first five were declared elected.

Tbe New Zealand experts for the past financial year amount to £9,799,140 as against £9,704,788 for the previous year, an increase ot £93.352. The imports for the past financial year amount to £6,293,143, as against £6,250,630, an increase ot £BB 413. The export totals returned from tbe chief centres of trade are: Lyttelton £2,018,460, Wellington £1,460.900, Auckland £1,322,150, Napier £1.174,287, Dunedin £1,143,587. The eng'ne of the express train from Napier to Woodville last night ran off the line about a mile in the Gorge from the Woodville end. It ran about eight pbalus before being stopped, the front portion being supported by the cowcatcher sliding along the rails. The front wheels ran off before orossing an iron bridge, and knocked against the Bleepers at a distance of an inch clear of the rails, the cowcatcher alone preventing the engine from being carried over the precipice.