NEWS BY CABLE.

Opunake Times, Volume V, Issue 199, 31 July 1896, Page 2

NEWS BY CABLE.

CRETAN AFFAIRS. Constantinople, July 29. The Porte is sending further reinforcements to Crete. A band of armed Greeks from Thessally entered Niaonsta, in Macedonia, where harvesting is proceeding, and killed 80 peasants. London, July 29. Severs fighting is reported at Retimo, wh ro a body of 1500 Christians defeated the Turks. The Greeks crossed the Turkish frontier at Larissa. A secret' committee has provided extensive funds for the promotion of agitation in Macedonia. The Greek Government has promised to stop the movement.

THE QUEEN'S REIGN. London, July 29.

In the Lords, the Premier said the Government declined to proclaim a holiday on September 28rd to celebrate the fact of the Queen's reign exceeding that of George the Third.

He also said there were many practical objections to increasing the number of bank holidays. JUDGE AND PRISONER. MELrovaNE, July 29. Butler, the rotorious criminal who pleaded guilty to a charge of breaking and entering was sentenced to fifteen years' imprisonment. When leaving the dock prisoner remarked " that is a brutal sentence," whereupon His Honor ordered prisoner to be again placed in the dock, and said that no insult he could offer would induce the court to add another hour to his sentence, but he advised Butler never to again offend the dignity of the court After Butler had been removed hewas again re-called and the judge explained that he had made a mistake reading the sentence; the sentence, he said, should have been ten, not fifteen years.

DR JAMESON'S RAID. London, July 29.

At Dr Jameson's trial, Mr Russell urged that the main question was : Were the • defendants engaged in a military expedition against the Transvaal ?

The jury found accused guilty on all counts, but added a rider that the excited state of Johannesburg at the time presented great provocation. Dr Jameson was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment; Willoughby to ten months; Major White seven months; and Grey, White, and Coventry to five months. None'of the sentences carry with them hard labor.

A DISASTROUS PIEE. London, July 28. Harland and Wolffes' workshops at Belfast have been burned. -

Several large vessels were injured, and the adjacent engine works destroyed. The fire has thrown 4000 men out of work. The estimated damage is £200,000.

MATABELE WAR.

Capetown, July 29.

The Matabele are extremely confident, and jeer at the whites, calling them cowards.

The majority of the pioneers are leaving Buluwayo in the belief that the war is likely to be protracted. The position of the whites at Gwelo is reported to be critical, and famine prices rule.

Calcutta, July 28. By a railway collision at Delhi, 80 persons were killed and 20 injured.