The Lyttelton Times. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19 1901.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12429, 19 February 1901, Page 4

The Lyttelton Times. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19 1901.

The Duke and Duchess of York have accepted the arrangement of their Australian programme suggested by Lord Hopetoun. The, Imperial troops returned to Auckland from Rotorua last evening. The soldiers were delighted with their visit to the hot springs. The Indian troops will leave Auckland on Tuesday, -and make their first call at Glisborne. -Six -thousand horses have ‘been commandeered for the purpose of mounting the British irregulars in South Africa. The troopship Cornwall, with the 'Sixth New Zealand Contingent, sailed from Albany for Cape Town on Saturday. The proposal to solve the difficulties between the rival cables by establishing a (l joint purse” seems to be finding favour with the colonies interested.

The prize money paid in connection with the Canterbury Jockey Club’s Summer Meeting amounted to £2020. Of this sum Mr G. G. Stead received £ll6O, -Air James Al’Kerrow, of the Land Purchase Department, and Air John Graham, M.H.R., have been appointed to succeed Air Back and Air Morrison on the Midland Railway Commission. 'Sir Robert Stout, though still un-well, has gone to Auckland, io attend a meeting of Hie University Senate there. The Supreme Court civil sessions commenced yesterday, before Mr Justice Denninston. The ilargaville Hole! was burned to -the ground on -3aturelay, and an old a-ge pensioner, named James Carmody, perished in the flames. The Federation Commission commenced its Christchurch sittings in It ho Provincial Council Chambers yesterday, and examined a- number of witnesses. A quarter of a million sterling has been subscribed in Calcutta towards the fund that is being raised to creot a statue to Queen Victoria-. One thousand native labourers employed at the Cape Town Docks have struck, fearing -the plague. The proclamation of the King has been delayed in Adelaide pending the arrival of the Imperial troops from New Zealand. Commissioner Thiol, of the Berlin police, has been sentenced to three years penal servitude on a charge of bribery, in connection with the infamous -Sternberg case. •At -the annual meeting of the Timaru Gas 'Company, held yesterday, a dividend of 8 per cent was declared. , . , -p • Details of the engagement between the British and -Boers at Houtkraal -show that Do Wet’s force was seriously crippled, and; that the rernmania v/cro put to flight. . The si>: r v-it-Vf minovJi iuijinrpiucl rn ‘ftc burning mine m British Columbia were euffocated. , ' . General French is reported to be -still driv-,

ing Botha’s force before him. Li commando that broke through to the westward has since become disorganised. Tire dates for the Federal elections have now been definitely fixed. Those for South Australia and Queensland will take .place on March 30, .and those for the other States on March 29. The Busso-Ohinese Bank is undertaking the construction of additional railways for the Chinese Government. Miss Chapman and Miss "Way, members of the China Inland Mission, who were supposed to have been massacred, have' arrived at Hankow, under a Chinese escort.