LOCAL & GENERAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1749, 30 May 1885, Page 9

LOCAL & GENE RAL.

The Defence Department have just received a 64-pounder gun from Home, via Australia, which will be mounted at the Kaiwarra batterj', The gun was originaliy a abip'a 68-pounder, and has been converted into iv present calibre by boring it sufficiently to admit of the insertion of a mild steel rifled tuba of a thickness of 2^'n. The gun pasted the usual ordeal by the Ordnance Department before it was sent out.

The only case which came before the District Court on Tuii'SJaywas an action against the New Zealand Shipping Company, for damages claimed by a passenger in the Kaikoura on account of his leg having bean injured by tho steerage ladder (which it was alleged was not properly secured) falling and striking him. Tho jury awarded the plaintiff £100 damages — one-half the amount ciaitned in the action.

Captain Gardiner, of the Wakari JEtifla--, was presented last week with a fine silver mounted inkstand by the team from his company who won the tug-of-war contest at the Easter Volunteer encampment. The presentation was made by Lieutenant Haigh. The present was inscribed as follows : — "Presented to Captain Gardiner by the Wakari Rifles champion tug of war team as a mark of respect and esteem. Easter Rtwiew, 1885,"

As a result of Mr R. T. Booth's lectures in Dunedin, which commenced on the 2ad, no less than 6296 blue ribbons have been taken by those who have attended his lectures. The number of pledges taken dining this period is set dowa at 4214.

An Auckland Press Association telegram informs us that now 3 from Samoa by the Fleetwing states that King Malietoa has declared war against the rebel chief Tame&eae, and intends to make a, nortie against the latter at Fort Albatross, Mr Churchward has been appointed consul. D. H. M'Kenzie and Co., ot Auckland, are establishing large premises at Samoa.

Liverpool has icoently been ot jih on tha occasion of an official suvvey and transit of the Mersey tunnel, and a colossal undertakings which has scarcely an equal in the annals of engineering enterprise, has been practically accomplished. Ail tho dHfiouli-ies of tha task — and their name in legion — have been successfully overcome ; find from the euginort-'H point of view the tunnel id complotiul from oae hank to the otber s and there remtvina only to bo done the minor and incidental work of bitlkijting the line. This accomplished, the meanrf ot communication by railway botween Liverpool and Biikunhoad under the Mersey will bo comptutad, and tho raiasing; link wilj he biipplwd iv tho railway aorvico of thin \\\xportant difctviot. The Mayor of Liverpool - an J the Mayor of Birkenhoad, ap^oachinc severally from tha opposite B,itf*; a ut 19 ri *" met midway ■ underground \YI\ Yl tbo tuaae , fco and to testify to, the achievement of this gigantic work, and to shake hands together A platform was erected for their accommodation a cord being drawn across the platform BißecliEf? it, the Mayor of Liverpool staudine on the one side and the Mayor of Birkenhead on tHe other. Not ovea tho St. Gothard Tunnel, which is the world's wonder, equals it as a triumph of engineering skill. The appointment of Assistant locomotive superintendent in tha Victorian R*ilwav Department conferred upon Mr A. D. Smith, of Chriatchurch, New Sealand, has caused a great doal of dissatio^action among the Victorian employ-^ oH . the department, who assert that ti\QW alauiis to preferment have baea needlessly passed over in favour o| a straager from another colony, and that the Ccramissionera in making the selection practically proceeded on the principle "No "Victorian noed apply." The Commissioner veply that Me Smith had special quali£,oations, and that they were jußtifiaci ia selecting the best man available for the posfc. The Cabinet has endorsed tb,eir action.

Dr M'Gregor believes the natives of Fiji are dying from three causes. The first is bad bouses; the second, insufficient food; and the third, the unclean condition of the towns and bad water, and the neglect of women and children.

One of the prisoners who some time ago was convicted of a series of offeucea against tho Prison Regulations, was broufjhi; before the Police Courfe-'on Friday fo^ sentence upon one of the charges, prisoner, Laurence White, b.^-:, & appears, been thoroughly insubcri!u\f»£a, and has made use of the most offensive and disgusting language. When before the Court yesterday he asserted that he was compelled to -go up to his waist in wate? at the time he was suffering from rhepiuatlsm, and that when he complained <p the doctor, the doctor merely said *2iat he (SVhite) would get used to it. TJiq prisoner believed that he would not l,r<° oat the time for which he was .seutoac&ci, and he asked that he should be kj&nsferred to another gaol. Mr Logan, wb,o was one of the presiding Justices, said that an application for removal to another gaol was the Very thing that the authorities were »urq to set their faces against, aj, if^such applications were. granted discipline in Uia gaols would become impossible. Ese atyongly recommended the prisoner to submit to prison discipline, to reawmbasr that be was undergoing punishment,

and that iiiitoonduct could only bring more severe punishment upon him. The prisoner, on en o of the four convictions recorded against him, wan sontouced to 14 days' solitary connnenient. Dr Buller, F.R.S,, author of the celebrated " Birds of New Zealand," contributes a charming article on the migration of paroquets, ifc'j , lo the science column of the Evening Fcsm this evoniag (telegraphs our Wellington corroso indent). Dr Bullor maintains that thß popular notion that these eruptions of hordes of birds indicate a hard season is in the main correct, though the train of causes may not ba property understood, This Is the first of a nories of articles on natural history and papular Hcieoee from eminent pons that are to appear j in the Evening P-^e, Mr John Sheehan has been elected ioc the Tauranpfa seat in the House of Representatives by a majority of 15 over Mr Kelly, The first eurolment of the Irish Volunteer corps took place at the Odd-Fellows' Hall on Friday night, when 79 men were sworn in by Measrd C. S. R°eves, J. Paterson, and J. Hazlett, J.P's. One of the dangers of modern warfare is thus referred to in the columns of Vanity Fair of March 28 : — " There can, I fear, be no doubt that the greater number of our men who were killed and wounded at the fight nearSuakin were shot by their own comrades. The Times correspondent tells us that the Arabs had scarcely a gun among them, and were almost entirely armed with spears. And as most of our men's wounds were gunshot wounds the inference is obvious, that it was from Knglieh and not from Arab guns that the buiiets came. The authorities are well aware of the danger of being shot by comrades which arises from the confusion caused by tho new syateni of fighting in a lump, instead of in a line. /When Colonel Fred Burnaby presented limsolf at the Horse Guards last year, after being wounded in the arm, the Duke of Cambridge asked him if he thought he had been shot by one of our own men." According to the Fiji correspondent of the Melbourne Argus at Suva, there has recently been a fresh outbreak of a class of offence which it was hoped had been suppressed. Some 12 months ago I had occasion to refer to the number of c^ses of attempted assaults on white women by Fijians who prowled round dwelling-houses and attempted to effect an entrance in the absence of the men of the household, when it was held that the absurd lanity of the law encouraged these miscreants, and it was hotly demanded that inora stringent legislation Eihould take its place. This was done. An ordinance was pasbed subjecting a man to six months' hard labour and flogging who was found on premises with an unlawful intent, and almost immediately complaints of this character ceased. Now they are again frequent at Suva. Not long npro a very bad case occurred, and more reenntly the Colonial postmaster wrot6 to the local paper describing a flagrant iastanco which had taken place at his residence in his absence. The tone of tho newspaper on thß subject is very significant. It states that women who have to go anywhere beyond the frequented and well-lit portion of the main thoroughfare are now carrying hiearms for their own protection, and it plainly declares that if the law is powerless to stamp out this evil it will be shot out oi' existence by husbands and fathers whose care for the surety of their near and dear ones rises superior to tho law. -The possibilities that surround this class of offence are horrible to contemplate, and ifc is most singular that while thi'sa attempts are common at Suva they are unheard of at Levuka. The Lunacy Commission in Victoria, in the course oi an interim report to the Government, retcr as follows to tho question of private lunatic neylumB ;~ " At this stage of our inquiry we think it necessary to say that it is desirable the Government: should make it generally understood that, tho Slate will not, in future, sanction tho establishment of private lunatic asylums, Tho existence of such establishments sb contrary to a sound system of public policy. That the liberty of the subject should be entrusted to persons who. malr^ profit by the incarceration of ota**",, :: H J Je iwelf an anomaly sufficientiv ■ , ? Pflntm-v ti™ Jl. a iafco tb e nineteenth Umnllv t3 of Woldon v - Window, ' ";', feW -v nowapaper readers, is a glaring ftVni" ot tho evila of a system so Hable to HOX ,d. The Earl of Shaftesbury, than whom no greater authority exists on this subject, has expressed a very strong opinion in favour of the abolition of private asylums. Your ComniiasiQn are unanimous in recommending that private asylums shall not be in any way extended, and at a future date we shall be prepared to make a suggestion as to the proper mode of providing accommodation for paying patients. The somewhat unusual phenomenon of a maa on fire wes witnessed at Carterton (says tho Wairaraya Star). A rider proceeding along thu mam road was astonished to see a man in front of him partly wreathed in smoke. Riding up hastily, he accosted the man and asked him the causß. Somewhat astonished, the latter proceeded to examine bim.Relf, and noticing that tho pocket of his coat was on fire, divested himself of that article, excitedly exclaiming, " Good heavens, and I've £70 m cheques there ; what the deuce will I do ?" ■fortunately, though the envelope containing the cheques was charred, the cheques were found to be intact 1 , but the pocket and lining of the coat were almost completely destroyed, i The Bmoker had incautiously stuffed his Pipe into his pocket without extinguishing it. The following are the returns of the Dunedin Hospital for the past week :— Remaining from previous week . . 123 Admitted .. .. ..16 Discharged .. 11 Death (Julia Eodgere) .. .. l ; Toial remaining . . „ „ 128 The French authorities htive stopped recruit- ' ing in the New Hebrides Group, pending the decision of the French Government, who, it is j said, intend to take the labour traffic into their j own hands. It would seem the natives are 1 getting very ehy oi going away from their i homes at all, b,s 4wo vessels which were recruit- ] ing when the Undine was there (one for Samoa j aijd ihe other for Honolulu) had been unable ( to get a single recruit. • • f Wm. Barnes, tho murdarar of Joseph^ Braggo Slack, waa executed in the Melbourne Gaol laßt Friday morning. Barnes secretod himself in Slack's house for the purpose of robbery, 1 and the old man waking, he strangled him in 1 bed, after which he cut his throat and left the 1 openraaor in his victim's left hand. The coroner's ( jury found that' Slack had committed suicide, i but some W6ekir afterwards Barnes, being in f gaol for another offence, confessed to the s murder.* The* -body being' exhumed, it' was" c found that the neck had been broken. Other t evidence was then collected which left no f doubt that Barnes was the murderer, and in a due course he wbb convicted and sentenced to t

death. He petitioned the Executive for- v reprieve, on the ground that without bis con* fession the crime would never -have been di 6» covered. The law, however^ was allowed to take its course, and rightly as everyone thinks,, for there were no extenuating 'circumstances io connection with the deed. Barnes was a bootmaker by trade, and was born at Chillingham, a small village near Chatham, England, He began his career of crime as a youth in London, and waa never long out of gaol either in Ecgland or Australia, to which latter p.lace ha-

was transported for burglary. ,H© says' he confessed the crime for. which he Buffered death because ha could no loggerlive with the murder on his conscience. ' Such tenderness in the case of criminals is bo rare that- for a long time tho authorities thought tv.B; man's mind had hopelessly given way, and that his confession was only the raving of a lunatic,

Sumo timo ago it was announced that the ' operation of the Arms Act of 1880 • bad been suspended so far as the Middle Island of the Colony is concerned. Tha effect of this is to do away with a number of restrictions which were previously imposed on dealers in arms and ammunition. It also does away with the necessity for taking 1 out licenses for the sale of these articles, which waa a heavy tax upon dealers, who were often unable to effect sufficient sales to pay the coat of tha lax. At St. Joseph's Church on Sunday Bishop Moraa took occasion to announce that the wing of the Cathedral now in course of con- ; struction would be opened in February next. He stated that he had invited the Archbishop of Sydney to attend on the occasion of the. opening, and he might be expected to do so, as well as several bishops from this and other Colonies. It is the intention of Mr J, Macandrew, M.H.R,, to address his constituents at Port Chalmers on Friday evening next. Mr R, T. Booth, the leader of the Blue Ribbon movement, left for Oamaru, where he ' is now conducting a mission, on Saturday afternoon. A very large number of people — several hundreds —assembled at the station to say good-bye and to show their esteem for him, and nearly all present wore the distinctive badge adopted by the Gospel Temperance organization. Mr Brunton was accompanied by a number of the members of his ' choir, and the "Sweet by -and -bye" wafe sang as a farewell hymn. Mr Booth' thanked his friends for the assistance they had given him, but his remarks were cut short by ' the moving of the train, which was also the signal for very hearty cheering. Prior to leav- ' ing Mr Booth was presented with a purse of £200 and Mrs Booth a purse of &13, the latter on behalf of the ladies working in connection with the movement. Evening classes are to be started at Mosgiel by Mr Macleod, head master of the school, and Mr Miller, designer of the Mosgiel Woollen Factory. Mr Macleod will teach drawing and arithmetic,, and Mr Miller will take magnetism and electricity. This Beason some of the necessary instruments have been obtained, and by their aid the students will be enabled to pass the winter evenings in a profitable manner. The carriages for the Wellington and Manawatu railway, in appe&vance and comfort, far outshine anything seen in New Zealand hitherto. They have been imported from America. . There is very lifetle difference between tho first and secoad class, and the latter are said to be superior to the ordinary first-class on the Government lines. Early in the ensuing session the Government will introduce a bill to aSord protection to inventors exhibiting their inventions at public industrial exhibitions in New Zealand The preamble (says the Wellington TJ-meVreoites that it is expedient to encQWWa the manufacture and exhibition of m^^ made in ihe. Colony, and that ge^bns may be induced to. exhibit such swfcoU.* if assure( j that anoh exhibition will not p re j ud i ce any r i g ht 8 which theinventors '^gut otherwise be entitled to under #i JV "..tent laws. The short title is "The > ablio Exhibition Inventors Protection Act 1885." The Government have decided to grant a year's salary to the widow of the lato Thomas Macifarlano, who recently died in Auckland from injuries received by being run into by a train. The gratuity (says the Post) has nothing whatever to do with the accident, the Govern- - ment accepting no liability in that respect, but is given to the widow as a recognition of the late Mr Macffarlane's long service as a public officer. An inquest was held on Saturday, before Mr I. N. "Watt and a jury, on the body of Margaret Jamieson, who has been an inmate of the Lunatic Asylum for 12 years. The deceased was a widow, 64 years of age. The. medical evidence was to the effect that death: resulted from apoplexy. O'Donovan Rossa held a public recepfeioa om Sunday evening, March 29. According to a> telegram in a Home paper, it was attended by 500 Irishmen, who applauded wildly tho incendiary speeches by Rossa, Meazeroff, and other dynamite advocates. A resolution was adopted declaring that if the Prince of Wales set fo6t on Irish soil he would be an alien invader, and would merit death under fch& laws of war, Rossa supported this motion,, saying that he believed every Englishman, going to Ireland merited death. A little boy named Frederick Alexander, an 1 inmate of the Industrial School, was found' dead in his bed on Sunday morning, He 'had! been suffering from croup. The rule nisi which had been granted Wi the New South Wales Supreme Court, callingon James M'Kay, Edward PritchawL, and George Craib tb show cause why leave snould not be given to Thomas Connor to file an information against them for conspiracy, ha» been discharged. A report of the judgment appears elsewhere. Frank Kinggate, carpenter, formerly of Timaru, has (writes our Melbourne correspondent) been found guilty by the jury at tho higher Court of the charge of bigamy preferred against him. It will be remembered that in Dunedin in 1882: he married a giiE named Nora Smith (or Schmidt), who wa^ housemaid at Armstrong's Union Hotel, vj\i ; Stafford street, afterwards in Melbourne cruelly "deserting her and marrying another' girl, who was also employed as a Servant in a - hotel. Sentence was not passp.d on Kinggate when the mail left. ! A young gentleman named Claude F^Debdy, - ! brother of a wealthy barrister in London, and himself stated to b3*heir to a fortune of £25,000,, has died under extremely painful circumstances" (writes our Melbourne correspondent).. He was travelling for his health,- and came on> from Sydney to Melbourne as a saloon passenger' in thet Lyeemoon on May. 14. He .1appears to have been searohing for some friends next day, and becoming exhausted, he fell in a faint on the steps of the General Post-office about 7 o'clock in the evening. A constable took him to the lockup, the keeper of which seeing

that the young gentleman waa dangerously ill ■enthim to the Melbourne Hospital. The superintendent of this institution refused to receive him for some reason. He was then sent on to the Gaol Hospital as a " vagrant." His acquaintances, when the facts were published, took him out, but he died shortly afterwards in the house of Mr Hunter, of Albert Park. There Beemß good grounds for believing that the shock to his system through being conveyed at night whilst seriously ill backwards and forwards to the various institutions, together with the shook to his mind consequent upon his being committed to the gaol as a vagrant, had much to do with Mb death. 3?he medical officer of the Hospital has been asked to report on the matter to the committee. A considerable Bum of money was lying in a Melbourne bank to the credit of Mr Dendy at the time of his deplorable death.

Profeßsor Tucker, of Auckland University, haa (says our Melbourne correspondent) been appointed to fill the chair of classics in the Melbourne University. His appointment waß warmly advocated by Bishop Moorhouse, who said of him : " Professor Tucker's testimonials disclose qualifications which, I think, are not likely to be equalled. I would specially point to the testimony of Professor Mayor, whose honesty I know, and whose high ability and attainments are known to all the world. I do not remember to have seen it said of any man, as he says of Professor Tucker, that the noteß appended to the paperß which he sent up in Mb examination might have been published in any edition of the authors to whose works they referred." It was also explained that Professor Tucker waa desirous of leaving New Zealand and coming to Melbourne, because he bad a laudable ambition for a higher and wider career, and also a desire to be near the great libraries of Melbourne, for he was now engaged in preparing an edition of " iEschylus" for the Clarendon press— a very high honour in itself —•and it was considered that a great honour would be conferred on the University if the coming Clarendon press edition of " iEschylus" waß issued under the editorship of one of its professors.

The Survey Department is about to issue books containing views of New Zealand ecenery. They will not be confined (says the New Zealand Times) to waterfalls, mountains, ferns, geysers, and such-like beautiful objects. Landscape views of settled districts will also be given, so as to enable people at Homo to form a better idea of what the Colony really is. One of the first will be a panoramic view of the Waimea Plains and Taßman Bay, with Mount Arthur and the Backbone Rangeß in i^he distance. It is finely got up, the colouring being very faithful. The first book will contain different views of Milford Sound, the Hot Lakes and geysers, Waikato River, Tongariro, Ruapehu, Huka Falls, suburbs of Auckland, the Upper Harbour and Octagon at Dunedin, the Otago Peninsula, Lake Hawea, Lake'Taupo, Mount Earnslaw, &c. The book will also contain portraits of well-known Maori chiefs, such as Rewi, Major Te Wheoro, Renata, and Kawepo, as well as portraits of some very good-looking Maori wahines. It is intended to isßue a series of these books, whioh will contain appropriate letterpress. They will be forwarded to tb"e Agent-general for distribution throughout Great Britain and the-Continent. The books ■will be a novel and attractive form of advertising, and will doubtless give a handsome return to the Colony for the expenditure. The pictuteß are got up by the photographic process, And there will be about two dozen in each book.

Dr Yon Haast had a long interview with the Cabinet on Monday (telegraphs our Wellington correnpondent), when everything was aatisfaotorily arranged for him to proceed immediately as commissioner to the London Exhibition. He is pratically to have carte blanche. Dt Buller's second article on the migration of New Zealand birds (telegraphs our Wellington correspondent) appeared in the Evening Preßß on Monday, and haß attracted a great deal of attention. It containa a most animated description of the habits of the New Zealand cuckoos, which Dr Buller says are not •indigenous at all, and also gives many exceedingly curious particulars about many birdn which are not to be found in any published work. In the same issue is an article under the head of art gossip by Mr Wakefield, " On the Year's Art, 1885."

It is calculated that at the present time in Auckland there are in process of erection or completion, in business premises or residences, buildings to the value of £100,000.

Mr and Mrs H. D. Bell and family will be passengers for England by tho Arawa. Mr Bell is going Home for the benefit of his health, and will be absent about six months.

A few weeks ago it was telegraphed from London that the Right Rev. Herbert Vaughan, Roman Catholic Bishop of Salford, and brother of the late Archbishop Vaughan, of Sydney i had left on a visit to Australia. It would seem, however, from an announcement in the London Catholic papers of April 11, that Rome was* Dr Vaughan's destination, and not Australia. In a circular addressed to the clergy of his diocese, Dr Vaughan flays : " I am about to proceed [to Rome to make tho usual quadrennial visit ad lirnina Apostolorum."

At the Melbourne District Court Charles Sykes, the well-known organist, was proceeded against by his wife, Caroline Sykes, for maintenance. Evidence was given that when defendant left Dunedin four years ago he had •agreed to pay £2 per week for the support of his wife and four children. It was reduced to 30s ia 1883, and he then got into arrears with that paymeufe. Defendant stated that he earned £3 a week 03 an average all the year round, The magistrate asked Sykes if anyone else was living with hk£, and on being answered in the Affirmative, be was ordered to stand down, and an order was mads for payment of 30a per week.

A sad case Of privation and death in the t>uah is reported from Palinergton, Northern 'Territory. In last September Louis Nash and T. M. Bayes left Amos Brothers' station, on the Macarthur River, for Port Darwin, and •were lost. They were found 14 days later, aud taken to Limmen's Bight station, where they jested for several days, and obtained rations. Hhey started again on the right track. On March 3 a skeleton was found on Sherwin Creek,, which is dry in the dry seasan, with the remains of a pouch containing a cheque for £60, and also a letter signed Bayes, who states that the horses were lost, and that he had got the fever and was unable to travel. He requested Nash to proceed himself and get water. Nash's remains were found within five miles of the Roper River. Both men are supposed to have relatives near Melbourne.

A telegram from Auckland recently announced the arrest of John Ayres, a jeweller, on a charge of breaking into and entering the premises of Messrs Hart and Levy, pawn brokers, on the 19th June, 1884, and stealing therefrom one necklace, eight silver watches, «oe silver jug, one diamond ring, one gold brooch, one gold watch and albert, value £125.

The perpetrator of tho burglary had remainad undiscovered since the above date, and not a single clue had been obtained, and it was conjectured tho jewellery had bsen melted down. On Monday evening an acquaintance of Mr Levy, while in conversation with that gentleman, incidentally pulled out his watch to see the time, and Mr Lavy at once recognised it as his own. To the inquiry as to where he purchased it, the possessor stated that he had purchased it from Mr Ayres. The police were made acquainted with the circumstances, and Mr Ayrea interviewed. He stated that he had purchased the watch over the counter, but did not know the name of the vendor, or where he was to be found.

The revised version of the Bible, whioh has been in course of preparation during the l»8t 15 years, has been completed by the publication of the Old Testament, which, according to our cablegrams, has been favourably received. In July 1870 the Bishops iv Couvocation recommended a revision of the authorised version, and in May of that year a committee was appointed, consisting of many of the most distinguished Oriental and Biblical scholars m England. The first meeting of the Committee was held in Westminster Abbey on ths 22nd June, and after 10 years — namely, on the llih November 1880— the revision of the New Testament was completed, the work being published on May 17, 1881. The London Chamber of Commerce has Bent to Lord Derby, Secretary for the Colonies, a petition in support of fcha scheme fo.r the federation of the Colonies. The petitioners declare their belief that " a very widespread feeling exists that it is to the advantage of Great Britain and her Colonies that the bonds of union between them should ba strengthened, and that the adoption of a well considered scheme of Imperial federation would largely contribute to this end." Further, they state that while they " would sincerely wish o sse the Colonies, as well as the Mother Country, perfectly free to adopt such fiscal systems as each may deem most suitable to its own circumstances, they believe it is possible to arrive at some method of combined federal action whereby the unity of the Empire may be assured, effectual safeguards provided lor the large interests involved, a leeliug of loyalty to each other and to the Throne preserved, a splendid future ensured for that 1 Greater Britain beyond the seas,' conjointly with the development of the resources of each Colony, and an extension of the commerce and industry of the Mother Country." In conclusion, they urge the Government of each Colony should be invited to express its views on the subject.

Considerable irritation is felt in Turkish circles (says a Home paper) at the action of the British Government in ths matter of an ultimatum to the effect that if within 48 hours the representative of Turkey had not signod the Egyptian Financial Convention, Egypt would cease to form an integral portiou of the Ottoman Empire in the sense of tha payment of tribute. At the Porte the news wus received with an outburst of indignation. In consequence of a decision arrived at at the Council of Ministers held at the Palace, tho Porte has sent instructions to Musurus Pasha, and Hassan Fehmi Pasha to sign the Daclaration and Convention with rsgaid to Egyptian finance, under certain reservations, which wore accepted by Lord Granville.

What is Lord Rosebery after now 1 (remarks the Pall Mall Gazette). "Tha other day tho First Commissioner of Works astonished everyone by inviting Count Herbert Bismarck - all off his own bat— to Lansdowne House, where the submission of Lord Granville was duly arranged, and shortly afterwards publicly notified to the House of Lords. Now the same inscrutable member of the Cabinet is off to Berlin, and rumour has it that he is going to arrange the Afghan difficulty with the ' honest broker,' as he arranged that difficulty in New Guinea and the Cameroons. , He might do worse." Lord Rosebery did not go to Berlin then, but our cablegrams yesterday announced his arrival there.

When Mr Service spoke at the Albury banquet twoyears ago (says the Argus) he remaiked that even the rabbits were fighting in their courses towards federation. Ho has beeu reminded of the circumstance by a letter from the acting Premier of New South Wales, dated the 7th of last month, in which it was suggested that New South Wales, South Australia, Queensland, Tasmania, New Zealand, and Victoria should each contribute £10,000 to be given as a bonus to the discoverer of a specific for ridding those Colonies of the pest, the offer to be published in Europe and America. In replying, he has mentioned that the difficulty, in the opinion of the Minister of Lands, iB being satisfactorily dealt with here, but haß offered to assist tho other Colonies whose Bystemß of local government are inferior to ours, if a reasonable tcheme can be arranged. To give £60,000 for the specific would, he thinks, be too much, although the money would be well spent if our lands were freed from the vermin. He has sought further information on the subject in a letter which has been sent to Sydney.

From "an absolutely trustworthy source" the Vienna correspondent of the Standard hears that the Austrian Government intend to propose in the autumn the formal annexation of Bosnia to the Herzegovina.' It is supposed at Vienna that this is due to the prospect of an Anglo-Russian War. That is a mistake. Tae annexation of Bosnia was agreed upon at Skiernevice, and at the same time it was decided to permit the unification of Bulgaria and Eastern Roumelia. If, therefore, Bosnia is annexed by Austria, Bulgaria will be unified at the same time, and as Prince Bismarok is a party to this arrangement, it will be carried out in due course.

The London correspondent of the Manchester Guardian says:— "The statement made not long ago that the King of Saxony had offered to the British Government the gem of his picture gallery at Dresden, the celebrated ' Madonna di San Sisto,' appears to be correot. The sum asked is £150,000. The Madonna is one of the most wonderful creations of Raphael's genius. According to Vasari it was executed for the princiDal altav of St, Sixtus at Piace za — at least it was there iv Vasari's time, and was only removed to Dresden in the last century. The Virgin appears as the Queen of Heaven, in a brilliant company of cherubim, standing in the clouds with the infant Son in her arms. St. Sixtus and another saint kneel at the sides. A curtain, drawn back, encloses the picture. On each side underneath is a light parapet, on which lean two baautiful angels. The work was executed about 1517-18."

No less than 600 volumes have, since January, bean added to the Athenasum library, and at a special meeting of the Committee held last evening the expenditure of a further sum of J3J.60 on the purchase of books was authorised. When the library is re-opened a fortnight hence, something like 1000 new books will be ready for issue. # The Library Committee were also authorised last evening to eend out a circular

c^llixiK aitGiitiou of oon BubucriberK to tho adv<tntaßOß offered by ilia Institution, There were present at yesterday's meeting —Dr Colquhouu (in tha chair), Messrs J. R Siucnair, F. R. Chapman, .1 Logan, Professor M'uuwarinp Brown, J. G. Moody, W. M'Adato, J. O. Movria (hon. treasurer), aud W. B. Hatlow (don: secretary).

The danger of playing with explosives has received yet. another exemplification. In Melbourne an ioquaHt was hold on the body of Thomas Groat, aged 1(3 years. The deceased and two other Ikds about ths same »<je were employed at the shop of Mr Charles Pinckey. On the 9th mat., while they were filling explosive railway fog-signals with gunpowder, one of the lads, named Elcock, threw some of the powder iuto tho fire s,\ which M'Donald, the other lad, waa heatiug his soldering irons, and M'Donakl then in fun throw some into ElcocVg firepot, whioh in exploding threw some of the burning coal*; amongst other fog-signals which had been filled but not covered. Theso exploded, and Cctus»t] tha stock of powder at which the deceased waR workmg to flare up. The clothes of deceased and Elcock took fn-e, and in terror they rushed dowa the lane, where they were stopped and the flames extinguished. Subsequently they wero takon to the hospital, where they were found to bo suffuring from burns about the face, arms, aud nock. Groat gradually sank, and died.

The St. James' Gazette publishes the following as a translation of part of a letter written by Arabi Pasha, at Colombo, on the 2ad of March :—": — " I grieve with a great Rrief over the decline of tbß star of England, caused by her misdeeds in Egypt and the Soudan. But God has heard the cry of the oppressed, aud the voice of ths blood which has been ehed, and the terrible cry of the widow and qf the young children ; aud surely He h»a taken His vengeance on the covetous. Vat, believe me, the people of Egypt used to believe good of the Jiuglish nation. It was they of all others that they trusted as the foremost among tho nations, and as the chief hope of those who sought to obtaiu their freedom, aud thay grieve now, seeing their bslief a deception, aad gfcheir trust a delusion. Aud what has England gained by her invasion of Egypt, and what iv the Soudan ? Rather Ist; us Hay what; haa she lost? For God knows she has gained nothing. She has lost her good name, the friendship of our lord the SulUu, and of all Moslems. She has lost, too, Gordon Pasha, through acting on false counsels, Stewart, and Hicks, and Earle, and how many other officers ; aud she has lost tho respact of all hearts by this w^r against free men in the Soudan. When will she cease to rush forward on hor course to send armies of revenge on men who are themselves avenging their Egyptian brothers ; on men defending Chair country, and who delight to dxiuk the cup of death rather than they should Bee an enemy left within ita borders. 1 tell you 15,000,000 of such as these occupy at this moment the Soudan country and Darfour ; and all of (hem are partisans of the Mahdi, having made a convention with him unto death, and in accordance with the precepts of our noble Koran. Thus the Mahdi increases in strength with th 1 1\ .^lish aggression."

A Gdun&u paper not commonly too friendly to KngUud could not refrain ths other day from admiriug wonder at the splondid coolness and inrtitforanoe of our men thousands of miles from home (remarks a Home paper.) It in a peculiar and admirable feature of the national chat-actor, and goes far to account for our wouderful success as soldiers and' as colonists at the ends of the earth. Frenchmen and Germans, however brave, sicken and pine for their distant homes. Our troops have county cricket matches in the Bayuda Desert, sing comic songs and act private theatricals by the waters of tha rivers of Egypt, and heliograph the winner of the Lincolnshire Handicap to tnoir comrades at the Tamai zareeba whilst Odman Digna's brave warriors are engaging the convoy on its way. The men that take a keen interest in Baadigo in the midst of an arduous campaign are of the right sort to go anywhere aud do anything.

The following medical students from New Zmland obtained prizes or certificates of merit m the Edinburgh School of Medicine — viz., Reginald Chothain Strode ; W. H. M'L9an, 8.A., medal in class of midwifery and diseases of women and children, and first prize in class of practice of medicine ; F. H. Jeffeot, E A.; F. G. Westeura, F. T. King, G. W. Makay, W. A. B'ieining, W. Allan. Strode, Fleming, M'Lean, Allan, and Jeft'cot were students at the University of Otago.

The Amsterdam firm of J. Metz is busy with the erection of a special workahop.^in which the cutting of the largest diamond of the world is shortly to be commenced. This diamond (Hays a Home paper), which has recently been found in South Africa, weighs 475 caratß, and is said to be greatly superior in colour and brilliancy to all the other famous diamonds of the world, the largest of which, the " Grand Mogul," is in the possession of tha Shah of Persia, weighing, after baiDg cut, 280 carats ; next in size tollows the " Orloff," of 195 carats, which adorns the point of the Emperor of Russia's sceptre ; the English "Kohinoor," origiually weighing 116 carats, but in ita present form reduced to 102£ carats. The "Regent," one of the French Crown jewels, weighs 136$ carats. The time spent in cutting this last jewel was two years, during which time diamond powder to the value of £850 was used. The " Star of the South," which has been cut at Amsterdam, weighs 125 7-16 carats. '

We learn from the PreßS that about 5 o'clock on Sunday afternoon an attempt at incendiarism was frustrated in East Btreet, Ashburton. Two men had occasion to go to the back door of Mr Salek's shop, when their attention (was attracted by a light appearing through the iron of the next building, a shop occupied by Mr Carson, and a close examination revealed a lighted candle between the iron siding and the lining of the building. The police were sent for, and on their arrival the officers found that the iron had been cut through and the candle apparently placed inside. Wrapped round the candle, and in another place near it, were pieces of bagging saturated with kerosene, and had not the discovery been made in time the dastardly attempt would have resulted in the destruction of a large blook of buildings and the loss of much valuable property. It iB needless 1o the police are making a searching inquiry, with & view of discovering the culprit or culprits. Mr Salek was away on a visit to Timaru, and Mr Carson was at his private residence, Borne distance from the Bhop.

The Russian explorer, Earon N. MiklouhoMaclay, has sent a long letter to the Novosti, in which he calls attention to the fact that Russia had a stronger claim than any other Power to the Maclay coast of New Guinea. Baron Maolay evidently doubts whether |the German administration in New Guinea will be marked by much humanity to the natives or regard for their rights. He now advocates that the Maclay coast should be placed under an international protectorate, the native administration being, however, retained. Snob a p*o>

ioctorale should be established by international consent of the I'owers interested in the fate of the South Sea Islands, and the strict observauco of the following principles maintained : — J. Strict respoot foe the rights of the natives. 2. Prohibition and repression of kidnapping and slavery in every form, 3, Equality of rights and claim to assistance of the missionaries of all nations and religions. 4. Equality of right of all traders of whatever nationality. A remarkable scene was witnessed in Constantinople recently, when an immense crowd of infuriated women surrounded the Ministry of "Finance, and, despite the efforts of the Guards to resist their entry, forcad their way into tho building. An advanced party burst yelling and gesticulating into the office of the Minister, and, to his great alarm, demanded with many threats the arrears of their husbands' pay. In the meanwhile the crowd of infuriated wives poured into the building, and the situation of Ih t Minister became every moment more critical, A large body of police were summoned, and soon afterwards made an attempt to clear the premises ; but their efforts were unavailing, and they were at last forced to retire, leaving the Amazons in possession of the iiold. The Minister managed, amidst the confu«ion, to make his escape by a back window, after having made plausible promises to the enraged women. Alexander Forsyth Anderson, the Liverpool Workhouse abaconder, who was arrested a; Otaki, Wellington, and taken Home, has been sentenced to two years' imprisonment. From the evidence adduced it was proved that the total amount embezzled was over £600. A meeting of polioy- holders in the Government Insurance Association was held at Invercargill on Tuesday evening to consider the proposal to establish local boards in Ghrktohurch, Auckland, and Dunedin. The following resolution was submitted : — "That this meeting is of opinion that the business of the Government Insurance Association can best be administered by one Central Board, both on the score of efficiency and economy, besides securing uniformity of administration ; and therefore disapproves of the proposal to establish local boards of directors, as being mischievous, extravagant, and unnecessary." It was objected that the motion was too sweeping in termß, and ultimately it was withdrawn in favour of tha following, which was carried unanimously : — " That in .the opinion of this meeting the proposal of the Central Board to create local boards in Auckland, Obristchurch, and Dunedin is premature; and further, that before local boards are established a vote of the policy-holders should be taken on the subject:" During the discussion it wati stated that the meeting had been called out of no spirit of antagonism to the Central Board, but merely to elicit the views of members on a matter regarding which there appeared to be a great diversity of opinion. We learn from the Auckland Herald that Mr W. A. Murray, late M.H.R. for Bruce, has beau in communication with the United States authorities in reference to his "automatic block and signal system," and has received the following report :— " Our office, I suppose you know, is influenced considerably by the considerations of usefulness and importance. It 18 not alone on novelty that patents are granted. There must be .triple qualities — novelty, usefulness, and importance. I use the word 'usefulness' here to mean that it shall ,be for a useful purpose, something not merely useful to the individual alone by making his goods look better than they are, so that they will sell better, but useful to the whole community considered as a unit — that is, for a useful purpose, not deleterious in its influence on society. Your device has all the above." — Since then, Mr Murray, by last 'Frisco mail, has heard that his invention has beeu approved by the United States authorities, and that he will obtain lettera patent for all he claims. We have to acknowledge the receipt of the Otago Rue by Football Union ' Annual (or 1885. We have received " Hluts on cures likely to bo benefited by treatment at the Thermal Springs, Rotorua," a description of the Tek&po bridge, Mackenzie Country, by t. W. Marchant, C.8., and a biography oJ Geuenl Gordon, with musical illustrations, by A. J. Foxwell.