NEWS BY CABLE

Southland Times, Issue 13671, 5 February 1897, Page 2

NEWS BY CABLE

British and Foreign

HOW BUTLER WAS CAPTURED : - PQOR EXPLANATIONS. GERMAN WAR STORES FOR THE TRANSVAAL. z MR CHAMBERLAIN IN A HURRY. " THE FREE RAILWAY PASS ABUSE. GREAT DAY.AMONG WOOL. WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE IN ENGLAND. (United Press Association— By Electric Telegraph—Copybight. ) LONDON, Feb. 3. When the tug was sent to tow in the Swanhilda she signalled that Butler was actually on board. Six detectiveß and a number of newspaper reporters put off in a Government revenue cutter and met the vessel at Port Point, the right entrance to the Golden Gate, on the previous evening. When the pilot cutter appeared Butler asked Captain Fraser to slow the vessel down as he expected an important letter from Australia. When the cutter got alongside Butler called out to the pilot “ Is it so —yes or no ?" but the pilot did not understand the question. Upon boarding the vessel the pilot informed Captain Fraser that the police wished to quietly secure a man who had shipped under the name of Weller. Previous to this the captain had po suspicion who Butler actually was. The pilot had been informed by the police of the plan to be adopted for effecting Butler’s arrest, and he conveyed to the captain the part the police wished him to play in order to capture their man without disturbance.When the boat with the warrant officers came alongside the Swanhilda there was on board a detachment of plain clothes police and Detectives Roche and .McHattie, and Constable Conroy, of Sydney. According to prearrangement the captain of the Swanhilda, when the crew were mustered for medical inspection, indicated Butler by standing in front of him. The sergeant of the local police at once covered Butler with a revolver and ordered him to throw up his hands, which he immediately did. McHattie and Conroy having identified Butler he was pinioned, handcuffed, and taken ashore.

Butler insisted that he was innocent. Although considerably taken aback when arrested he maintained his composure and treated the whole matter with remarkable coolness. Butler admitted he was obliged to leavs Australia,and later on inadvertently remarked that he knew Lee Weller very well. Butler was carefully searched, and several packages containing strychnine powder were found in his possession. Train loads of arms and war material are being sent to the Transvaal via Delagoa by the Germans. This material is reported to be arriving by every steamer. Mr Chamberlain has expressed surprise that the Premiers of the colonies have not replied, bo, far, to the invitation to attend the Queen’s reign celebration in England. He had formed a great hope that the- Premiers would be present at the commemoration of the record reign. A German company has been formed to construct piers and docks at Catombia, opposite Lorenzo Marques, in Portuguese East Africa. A concession has been obtained from the Portuguese Government to enable the operations to be carried out. Count Muravieff, Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs, had interviews with Prince Hohenlohe, German Chancellor, and Emperor William. The quantity of wheat and flour afloat for the United Kingdom is equal to 2,820,000 quarters, and for the Continent 480,000. The American visible supply is 68,100,000 bushels.

The best of the New Zealand crossbreds will be offered at to-day’s wool sales. Tallow is unchanged. Received 4th, 5.10 p.m.

A scrap of paper found in Butler’s valise stated that Weller’s will was in possession of Donaldson, a solicitor in London. Mr Donaldson says that he has Weller’s will, made in 1880. Weller’s last letter to Donaldson was dated October 26th, 1896, and in it he said : “ I leave Sydney with a man to-morrow to prospect for gold, first at Glenbrook, then at Lithgow and Bathurst.”

It appears that a vessel warned Captain Fraser of Butler’s character, but he did not think it necessary to place him in irons, although he had been closely watched. Feb. 4. Received sth, 12.50 a.m. At yesterday’s wool sales a superior selection of the best Geelongs was offered. The highest rates of the (series were maintained to-day, American buyers taking all the lots sold.

[The N.Z. L. and M.A. Company have received the following cable from London : —The wool sales gain firmness as they progress. Since opening of sales greasy merino super, washed merino super, scoured merino super, fine greasy crossbred, fine washed crossbred, fine scoured crossbred, medium greasy crossbred, medium washed crossbred, medium scoured crossbred /-coarse greasy crossbred, greasy merino lambs super, are |d per pound higher. Greasy merino medium and inferior, and scoured merino medium and inferior are par to Jd per pound higher; other descriptions unchanged. The total quantity catalogued to date is 151,000 bales; the withdrawals amount to 15,000 bales.] After Constable Conroy identified Butler the hearing of the application for his extradition was. adjourned till the Bth inst. Butler has assumed an air of bravado, and has posed to newspaper artists. He declines to give his true name, but admits that he advertised for a partner to go on a mining expedition under the name of Harwood, and that several persons answered the advertisement and went with him prospecting. In explanation of his possession of Weller’s effects he says Weller, himself, and another man went prospecting together. Weller and the other man left Butlei at a camp. The other returned alone and said Weller had shot himself by accident and Butler and the other divided Weller’s effects.

The House of Commons passed a motion by 325 votes to 10, permitting the introduction of the Voluntary Schools Bill. Mr Faithfull Begg, member for St. Rollox, has introduced a bill extending the franchise to women, which was read a second time by 228 to 157. Messrs Balbour, Gorst, Ritchie, Findlay, and Courtney voted for the bill, Sir W. W. Harcourt, Messrs Goschen, Asquith, Ridley, and Lord Geo. Hamilton against it. Mr S. Woods (Radical) has been elected for Walthamstowe in place of Mr Byrne, who recently succeeded Justice Chitty. He defeated Mr Dewar (Tory) by 279 votes. Australian, HOBART, Feb. 4. The suggestion of Melbourne and Sydney manufacturers that New Zealand should remove the tax on foreign commercial travellers, was brought under the notice of Mr Seddon, who promised to bring the matter before the Cabinet, but gave little hope that Parliament would abolish the impost. The Premiers’ Conference, in discussing Mr Chamberlain’s Imperial Union scheme, would not entertain the idea of international freetrade. It was decided to write to Mr Chamberlain, asking for further details in connection with the proposal with regard to the colonies joining in with Britain in the Japanese commercial treaty. The Conference decided that it was undesirable to take any steps in that direction, on grounds previously advanced —that the colonies should remain in a position to proteet themselves from cheap labour. Received 4th, 7 p.m.

At the Premiers’ Conference the question of granting free passes over intercolonial railways to families of members of Parliament in the neighbouring colonies was considered, and it was decided that members only should be allowed to travel free. The Conference agreed that there should be uniformity of legislation in regard to merchandisc marks.

At the Premiers’ Conference itwas determined to carry out the recommendation of the Minister of Agriculture that similar laws be passed by the respective colonies providing for the inspection and branding of exportable produce. A proposal that an officer of the Royal Engineers be appointed as inspector of fortifications for all the colonies at a salary of LlOOO was adopted. Received sth, 12.50 a.m. The race for the Hobart Cup was won by Benedict, Honiton 2, Sunbeam 3. Fourteen started. ■ Won by.two lengths in 2 min. 42J secs. MELBOURNE, Feb. 5. Received sth, 12.50 p.m. Crane Junior, playing in the Warrnambool Chess Congress, won the championship of Australia. Armstrong, the "steward arrested in connection with the Oceana gold (robbery, has been discharged. PERTH, Feb. 4. Received 4th, 7 p.m. A man named Freeman his perished of thirst between Lake Way and Cue. His mate, named Francis, was discovered by prospectors. He had stabbed himself in the wrist and sucked the blood to quench his thirst and was mad when found.

SYDNEY, Feb. 5.

Received 12th, 12.50 n.m.

Sir John Thurston was a passenger by the Miowera. His health is again somewhat precarious, and he is proceeding to Melbourne for medical advice and rest.