THE BENALLA'S FIRE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 456, 27 July 1915, Page 10

THE BENALLA'S FIRE.

SOME CARGO BADLY DAMAGED. It;/ Cable.. — I'i ch.i A nsociution. —o'ow/rij}tf. (Received July 27,10.15 a.m.) LONDON, July 2G. Lloyd's Durban correspondent states that all the Benalla's cargo in the second hold was very seriously damaged by fire and water, but little damage was done to that in the first and third holds.

per facilities for sick and wounded upon landing at Melbourne, and the train journey northwards, regarding which many complaints were made in the Press. MANUFACTURE OF SHELLS. AN IMMEDIATE START. MELBOURNE, July 27. The Imperial Government has now supplied plans for the manufacture of high explosive eighteen-pounder shells, and these will be immediately distributed, enabling a start to be made. BRIGADIER-GENERAL WOUNDED. THE AUSTRALIAN V.C. HERO. (Received July 27, lLfif) a.m.) SYDNEY, July 27. A cable has been received stating that Brigadier General McCay, commanding the Second Australian Infantry Brigade at the Dardanelles, has been wounded for the second time. The. nature of his wounds is not slated. MELBOURNE, July 27. The Hon. G. A. Pcarcc has cabled to Lance-Corporal Jacfca, congratulating him on being the first Australian to win the Victoria Cross. Lance-Corporal Jacka's commanding officer, in a letter detailing the incident says: "Jaeka rushed to one end of a trench while I and a party were engaging the enemy at the other end, and shot seven Turks, who had forced fa section of the trench. • Jack a and four others, had previously tried a bayonet rush but were repulsed with two casualties. 1 recommended Jacka for a medal."

a regular rectangular redoubt perched on the edge of a ravine down which they had placed concealed machine guns. At 4 o'clock in the afternoon every gun was turned 011 the Turkish trenches and redoubt.. The high explosive threw up great masses of earth, sand bags, and wooden beams to an immense height. Meanwhile not a Britisher or a Frenchman was visible. At 5 o'clock the artillery lengthened their fuses, and concentrated their lire 011 dead ground where the enemy was massing reserves. At the same moment the Britishers leapt out of the trenches and surged forward to the great redoubt and network of trenches. The scene resembled a picture from the Inferno and our guns shelling the works at the rear made a background of earth and smoke. The ground resembled a gigantic steaming cauldron. The gallant brigade poured into the thick vapours without hesitating or looking backward. Individuals were soon swallowed in the mist and it was only possible to discern black dots, rushing about with bayonets Hashing in the shrouded suit. There was a continuous roar of musketry, the Turks resisting valiantly. When the smoke lifted, our men were everywhere in possession of the enemy's trenches. For a few minutes il looked as if the redoubt would give trouble, but the Scots never gave the Turks any chances. They swarmed lip the escarpment on all sides and jumping in on top settled the argument with the bayonet. Parties.of Turks held out for an hour and a-half and there was continuous and furious lighting, but our artillery made such a curtain of shrapnel that counter-attacks were impossible.

position. These remarks were made to intending purchasers. The result was that, although y the auctioneer fully explained the conditions and agreement for sale, and assured his hearers that Robinson could carry out. his share, there was not a single bid for any one of the sections. Corbett's statements also interfered with the subsequent private sale' of sections. Robert Boswell, farmers, living at ..Hornby, gave evidence that some time in 191*1 he was renting 1G acres of land from Corbett, for a potato crop. In March last he and his partner, Earnshaw, intended to lease 70 or 80 acres from Robinson at £3 an acre. They understood that Robinson was then the owner of the farm, and they made arrangements with him. After witness had spoken to Hobinsoh, in Cashcl Street, Corbett, who had passed while witness was speaking to Robinson, came up to witness and asked if he was going to take the lease from Robinson. Witness replied in the afllnnative, and Corbett then said that Robinson had several thousands of pounds to find next September, and that he had 110 chance of doing that. Witness remarked that in that case it would hardly be safe to take a lease. Corbett replied: "Well, please yourself, but where you put your money you must look for 'it." Corbett also said he might be back when the crop was up, witness understanding by that that Corbett might be back on the farm. Witness then went to Robinson and said he and his partner had given up the idea of taking a lease of the farm. At a later date, however, they took that lease, after they had been shown Robinson's agreement with' Corbe.tt. In reply to Mr Beswick, witness said he believed what Corbett told him. Alfred J. Earnshaw, farmer,

driver, Christchurch, said that some time ago he thought of buying a portion of the riverbed part of the farm in question in this case, lie wanted an area of from four to seven acres, to keep a threshing plant on. He inspected the land with Mangin, who asked £3O an acre for that part of the farm. Witness saw Corbett, whom he heard was the former owner of the land, in Tattersall's Horse Bazaar, and asked him what would he the best portion of the riverbed to pick. Corbett replied that he would be very foolish to buy any portion of that estate, as he would be practically throwing his money away, through not being able to get any title. Corbett also said that Robinson had to find £!)000 in six months, and he could not possibly do it. Corbett also said thai there was a Miss Brown to whom a portion of the land had been sold, and she had been robbed. In consequence of what Corbett had said, witness saw Mangin and told him it was no good trying to sell him (witness) land to which he could not get a title. He had since made other i arrangements for his threshing plant! and did not now require thai par-' ticular land. ! To Mr Beswick: He was practically a stranger in the Hornby district at that time. The reason for his enquiry as to the quality of the riverbed land, and which would be the best portion to pick, was that he kept a horse or two with the thresh-, ing plant, and he wanted to grow j some feed for them. Ceorge Frederick Hobinson, plaintill" in the action, said that speculations in land had been the chief source of his income in the past live years. He was worth between £SOOO and £(>000, which he could lay his hands on pretty readily. If he had to lind £BBOO next September to pay Corbett he couid find it eas-.

ilv. Two years ago Corb eft**placed the farm in his hands for sale, at £SO an acre. After about six months lie bought the place himself, and took possession on September 29, 1913. Corbett took witness's house at £I2OO, and the balance of the purchase money was allowed to stand for live years at live per cent. That contract was varied slightly before it was reduced to writing. Witness learned from.Mr Beswick, Corbett's solicitor, that Corbett's mortgage was collateral over other properties. Su it was then arranged that witness should hold under a sale and purchase agreement until September 29, 1915, when he would get a title, or the title would be given to whoever bought the land from witness. (Proceeding). *