TOWN EDITION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 10528, 1 December 1905, Page 3

TOWN EDITION.

The Patea Press sayts that Mr Seddon's special traiu took 26 minutes to cover tlie 18 miles between Hawera and Patea, tho last eight miles being done m nine minutes. The express takes 47 minutes to do the 18 miles. Professor Pickering, the well-known American astronomer, of Harvard University, has promulgated m a lecture the theory that the. moon was originally thrown from the earth, and that the space thus vacated has formed the bed of the Puciiic Ocean. Labor conditions appear lo be steadily improviug m the United Kingdom. The 270 trades unions, wliich make returns monthly to the Board of Trade, showed ab the end of September that the proportion of unemployed was 6.3 per cent., as compared with 5.4 pea* cent, ut the end of August, and with 6.8 per cent, m September, 1904. Speaking at Hamilton, Bishop Neligun, referring to the Maori Mission, suiu it was scandalous that the diocese of Auckland, whicli contained half the Maoris of New Zealand, gave such a paltry amount m aid of it. Re the Mclaiiesian Mission, the Bishop said tlie Anglican Church had not evangelised tho whole 50 Pacific Islands, us had, been undertaken on its behalf by Bishop Selwyn, uud ho urged all to wipe out the stain on the Church of the province by supporting the mission liberally. Nul rnerelv Australia (says Melbourne Punch), but- the "wliolo ot the civilised musical world, will hear with regret and regard as! a national calamity tno newe tuati Madame Mclba-Vs glorious voice may ntver again be heard m public. Although to all who have heard the gitted diva sing, und g;ized upon tier seemingly robust physique, her health appeared perlect, it seeuis that certain lung troubles have developed, following on a cold ciiught during ncr recent American tour, Her medical advisers say -tluit one lung is affected, und whilst there need be no alarm felt us to her heulth generally, she must abandon public singing, if not permanently, ut any rate lor v very long while.

A man who gives hit; name as James : Skillion, and wno claims to have been connected with the Kelly gang m Victoria 27 years ago, gave some of his experiences at a meeting of the Lithgow (N.S.W.) brunch of the Salvation Army a iuw uight_ ago. He stated that his brother, William Skillion, hud married Maggie Kelly, the eldest sister of Ned, and ulso that ho (James Skillion) hud m many ways proved useful to the gang. He said that the beginning of the Kelly, gang came when certain mounted con-btubh-s went to Mrs Kelly _ to arrest her son Dun, who was away at the time, on a charge of horse-stealing. ' The eoub'luble, said Skillion, attempted familiarity with Kate Kelly, but Mrs Kelly, William Skillion and a hiau numecfWilliamson handled tlie policeman very roughly. On the day following several constables from Benalla arrcutcd Mrs Kelly, William Skillion and Williamson on a charge of assaulting the constable ; the two men got six years, and- Airs Kelly got three years. Ned aud Dan Kelly came home, and found their mother had'becu arrested, and Ned made the remark: "We will give the polico something to do." Skillion told the Lithgow audience that that was the start of tue gang. In his capacity as "telegraph" for the gang, he ussuiiied, he said, various dieguises, sometimes currying a swag, ut other times wearing a" beiltopper and sometimes dreaied m Kate Kelly s.elothes. Skillion talked freely of his escapades, and showed tho murk of a bullet wound m the fleshy* pail of liis log. He stated that afte"r the bank at Euroa was stuck up and robbed lhe proceeds were shared bolw'cen about 100 -sympatl-dsors. Skillion added further that from the proceeds of the rob. bcries he received £3000, und spent it m travelling through America and Great Britain with Kafo Kolly and Kate Byrnes, Joe Byrues's eister. Skillion is now a member of tho local brunch of tho (Salvation Army, and is working m ono of the local industries. He speaks freoly of his- connection with the gang, and except that for some reason he declines, to give the name of mini who made Ned Kelly's armor, he is willing to give all other particulars, including, dates and places.