CABLE NEWS.

Hastings Standard, Issue 189, 5 December 1896, Page 4

CABLE NEWS.

(/'<r /Vi'.v Axs»rit<t!«n.- —< 'optirit/ftt.) Loxddn", Dec. 3. In the course of a speech before the British Empire League tin; Duke of Devonshire said the Government attached the highest importance to a renewal of the naval agreement with Australia a.s 'wing a step towards general Imperial defence. He hoped a Conference would be held in London shortly to discuss the whole question, when the colonies should not hesitate to undertake to have a very moderate share allotted them. Zanzibar, Dec. 3. In the engagement between the Italians and Somalis, in which the former made a heroic defence, and lost 14 of their men and the Somalis 18. Caiko, Dec. 3. Lord Cromer has informed the Khedive that Great Britain will advance half a million towards the cost of the Soudan expedition. Adelaide, Dec. 4. At the hospital inquiry with reference to Dr. C'orbin's statement that he hoped Dr. Leith Napier would kill a patient and so dam himself, Dr. Corbin subsequently explained to the committee that he never once had thought of allowing the patient to died so that Dr. Napier might dam himself. Since the time the operation referred to was performed it had occurred to him that the greatest good to the greatest number would have been achieved by Dr. Napier killing the patient-on the operating table, and that Enught was perhaps in his mind when he made the remark after a long and tiring crossexamination. Sv'Nky, Dec. -1. The work of exhiunLig Preston's body began this morning. It lay on its back with the head turned to the left side, the legs drawn up out of shape, the left arm cm bed under the side, and the riglu arm pressed behind the back. The general appearance showed that the gr.-./e was too small, and the abdomen had been pressed by a weight, probably of a body, so as to cram it into the space. The body was fearfully crushed and much decomposed, but a friend of Preston completely established identify tijn. The whole surroundings were most pitiful. The body was placed in a coffin and taken to Penrith fur an inquest. The punt iimrti in showed that death was due to a gunshot wound in the brain, in addition to which were two fractures of the skull. A man said to resemble Butler has been arrested at Port Macquarie.