NEWS BY CABLE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XX, Issue 6246, 3 May 1895, Page 1

NEWS BY CABLE.

(By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. ) -> . . HOME AND FOREIGN NEWS. (per touted press association.) Received May 2, at 8 p.m., London, May 1. At the : wool sales to-day a fair catalogue was offered, and the bidding was ; more spiritedvtijtening pricfes being fairly ihaintained. _ . .. orr ;.. . The sumniing up of Justice Sir Arthur Charles was in favor of the prisoners, Wilde and Taylor, and his honor emphasised th(B ; fact .that several of the witnesses for the prosecution were undoubtedly blackmailed.. . The advance in wheat and barley is maintained. Rogers has instituted proceedings for divorce against his wife, Minnie Palmer, the well-known actress. The cause of the action is her alleged adultery with Jarrad, the manager of "My Sweetheart " Company. Received May 3, at 1 a.m. London, May 2. May Day passed off quietly on the Continent. New York, May 2. The British have arrested the Nicaraguan officials for attempting to prevent supplies being sent to the fleet. The marines have destroyed the railway lines, thus isolating Corinto, and hampering the advance of local troops, which is a possible contingency. Advices .from Ottawa state that it is impossible to.secure a cable station at the Hawaiian Islands. Capetown, May 2. The annexation of the Übegesa country deprives the Transvaal of an outlet to the sea, and there is much,indignation in the Republic, where England is accused of a breach of faith. AUSTRALIAN NEWS. (per united press.association.) Received May 2, at 7 p.m.] , Sydney, May 2. The report to be presented to the annual meeting of the Australian Mutual Provident Society on the 10th April shows that the new business was represented by 10,023 policies, assuring L 2,810,919, and yielding an annual revenue of L 94,796. Claims amounting to L 498,343 have arisen under 991 policies, by the death of 848 members, and 275 endowment assurances have matured, amounting to L 113,941. An exhaustive investigation has been made into the condition of the mortgage securities, as a result of which, and to provide against any possible depreciation of values, the directors have decided to set apart L 225,168 out of the surplus of the year, in augmentation of the revenue for depreciation of securities, which now stands at L 414.349. The value of office' premises has also been, written, down by L 14,000. The stringency of method by which liabilities under policy contracts are' valued is increased by assuming the rate' of 3f per cent interest instead of 4 per cent, as hitherto, and the sum of L 25,000 has been reserved to assist in passing to a valuation, on the basis of 3f per cent, interest at the earliest opportunity. The ; large reserves set aside for depeciation. have reduced the surplus available for division by the sum of L 239,632, but the actuary is enabled/to recommend that L 428,020 in cash, which will yield reversionary bonuses amounting, to, about L 850,000 be divided, amongst members. The rate pf expenses at which business is conducted has been reduced 10s per cent, and the rate of interest realised: on the mean funds has fallen Is 8d per cent. The report as a whole indicates careful management and extreme caution in the treacment of securities.

Received May 2, at 10.30 p.m. Sydney, May 8. Surgeon Lea has made a lengthy statement in defence, and said that in placing Captain Johnson on the sick list he was actuated by a conscientious; sense- of duty, and acted in accordance with the customs of the service. If he had not done so it would have been ; a grave dereliction of duty. His; attention, was directed to the .captain's manner while on the fore bridge, where he was pacing up.,- and idown making grimaces, and gesticulating, in an excited' manner. He considered Captain Johnson unfit to command the ship. H e was of. a strange temperament, and he seemed to. suffer from morbid depression of spirits. The surgeon gave instances of eccentricity on the part of the captain. He said he possessed a strange peculiarity "for playing imaginary golf on the vessel's deck. His eyes wouid become dilated, and after making an imaginary stroke he. would look as if observing its effect. When: the ship went on to a reef a sliort time ago at the New' Hebrides the, captain's; behavior was eccentric, aud lie repeatedly swore at the men while they were working as hard as they possibly could. -,Qii another.occasion he started fishing from a porthole. The prisoner wished to call evidence as to the health of Captain Johnson, but the Court refused to hear it, ' Owing to this decision Lea was unable to call some thirty witnesses he had arranged to have examined. The Court found Lea guilty ot the charges made against him, and ordered him to be dismissed the service. Received May 3, at 1 a.m. Sydney, May 2. Lea's counsel intends to forward the papers in the court martial to the Admiralty. . Consequent on the abandonment of the Local Government Bill the Budget . .will not be brought down until Thursday next.