NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10320, 21 December 1896, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Wk have news to-day of one of the mosb shocking accidents in its circumstances which we have had to record for some time. Mr. Cooper, of tho firm of Cooper and Abbott, went to bathe yesterday morning off tho beach at Napier, and in the very sight of his friends, who had gone to bathe with him, he was seized by a large shark. He was only out about 25 yards from the Bhore when ho was attacked. His friends, when they firsb saw the shark, naturally made their way to tho land, bub on seeing Mr. Cooper's body floating away they, wifch commendable courage, went out for it, running the risk of being also seized by the same monster or others of its kind. Mr. Cooper was mangled so horribly that he died within a minute or two of being brought on shore. Accidents of this nature are not common on our coasts, notwithstanding that many parts of our seaboard are extensively used for bathing in the summer time, From the conformation of the shore at Napier probably sharks will be induced to come closer in there than at most parts where the beaches are used for bathing.

The lowa Legislature passed a law, which went into effect a few months ago, which prohibited absolutely the manufacture or sale of cigarettes within the State, or their importation into the State. One McGregor was arrested for importing cigarettes and selling them in the original packages, and an application for a wrib of habeas corpus was made to Judge Sanborn, of the United States Circuit Court, at St. Paul. The attorneys for the petitioner rested their arguments on the decision of the Supremo Court of the United States iu the famous prohibition case that went up from the same State some years ago, after the prohibition law was enacted there, which decision was to the effect that the federal constitution, having delegated to Congress the power to regulate commerce between the several States, the Legislature has no power to prohibittheimportationofliquorsintotheStat?. or their salo in the original packages by tho importer. The lowa attorney-general argued that the Legislature bad power to prohibit the importation and sale of cigarettes, bub Judge Sanborn, following the decision of the Supreme Court, granted tho writ, holding tho lowa law unconstitutional.

The Cuban difficulty has taken a more serious turn. The Foreign Committee of the United States Senate have passed a resolution recognising the autonomy of tho island and urging that America should negotiate with Spain for peace. New York Btocka have dropped in consequence, but it is expected that President Cleveland will veto the resolution. The troubles in the Philippine Islands are growing decidedly worse, and matters are looking so serious that two British warships have been ordered to Manila to protect British interests. The Spaniards are resorting to the most extreme measures to pub down the rerolt, and are said to be using the rack and the thumbscrew on prisoners. Forty-nine captives were placed in a pit and smothered. Reinforcements have been sanb to the islands. Several exiled Turkish pashas have died under suspicious circumstances. They are supposed to have been poisoned, and 45 of the Sultan's wives have been arrested in connection with the matter. The Armenian question has taken a more hopeful turn, and negotiations are proceeding between tho Patriarchate and the Turkish Governmsnb for a general amnesty to Armenian prisoners. The Kaiser is stated to be pleased with the resistance the Hamburg workers are offering to what he calls the uojusb demands of the employers. The attitude of some of the Matabele natives is causing anxiety, and further trouble is feared.