EASTERN NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9582, 6 August 1894, Page 6

EASTERN NEWS.

The steamer Airlie has arrived at Sydney from China, and from papers to hand it is learned that the exodus of . Chinese, added to the closing of the pest houses, has been telling favourably upon the returns of sickness in Hongkong. Owing to the plague, says a late report, " hardly an office in the colony has its full complement of Chinese clerks and coolies ; hardly a house has all its,' boys' and other servants.. There have been rumours that all the European mercantile firms in Hongkong were proposing to close their doors for a fortnight's holiday, on''account' of the general stagnation, but things have nob yet quite reached that pass. Still, it is a fact that steamers are avoiding the place as much as possible; the mail boats are merely fulfilling their contracts to I carry mails, bub are refusing goods or passengers ; the outside vessels are trying their best) to keep away entirely. Toe last 'Ben'- liner, , for instance, coaled at Nagasaki for. Singapore direct, and the other home lines'are making efforts in the same direction." A message has reached Hongkong to the effect that the natives of the Caroline Islands have been giving much trouble of late, and a Spanish warship has been ordered off to punish them. One of the most disastrous fires of recent years at Yokohama broke out in a public bath-house, called Taninoyu. The high south wind quickly carried the flames over to the adjoining block, and in a few seconds this was devoured. : Leaping along from roof to roof, the fire swept block after block away, carrying overwhelming disaster all along its path. One thousand' and sixty-four dwellings .were totally destroyed, three godowns, five telephone posts, and four electric light posts' consumed,- and one man burned to death Four men were also severely injured, three of whom are firemen.