ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4866, 3 February 1894, Page 4

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

[VSOM OUB IiONDON COBBBBPONDENT."] London, Deo. 16. THB AEDI.AMONT CASK.

Sinoe that eventful week in the summer o? 1889, when Mrs Maybrick stood in the dook at St George's Hall, Liverpool, charged with the cruel and treacherous murder of her too-confiding husband, no | alleged crime has so aroused publio feeling as the catastrophe being investigated at Edinburgh this week. Ardlamont, and nothing but Ardlamont, is the topic of the hour. On 'buses, in trams, in trains, and at our clubs we talk the case to death. Of course, this in a great measure arises from j the fact that the evidence comeß perfectly fresh to ua, there having, according to Scotch custom, been no Coroner's inquest, nor even a magisterial enquiry. BCOTCH TBIALB. I Scotch methods are Bpeedy, and, though I the witnesses in this Ardlamont case are numerous it ia not anticipated tbat the trial will occupy many days. The Edinburgh Thug, Burke, waa, en Dec. 24, 1826, I condemned to death after the Court had sat ten hours. Nine days— finishing July 9, 1857 — were taken up with the trial of Madeleine Smith for the alleged poisoning of her sweetheart. The jury found the case "not proven," and Misß Smith married a parson. He still lives, and so does she, though several papers recently announced her death in Australia. As a matter of fact ehe resides in London, and was, a few years ago, a shining light of the defunct Social Democratic Club. Tbe trial of the notorious poisoner, Dr Pritchard, occupied five days only; and Jessie M'Lachlan was condemned for the murder of a woman named M'Fherson in four. There was a great clamour concerning the latter case. Just before the judge pronounced sentence the accused made a statement which fixed the blame on Fleming, an old man of eighty-seven. Thia story Press and public inclined to believe, and in response to great pressure the woman M'Lachlan was reprieved. This seemed to throw the guilt on Fleming, and he demanded to bo tried. The Home Secretary had, however, no doubts himself in the matter, and declined to move. THE PABIS BOMB O-TBAGE. It is pointed out by a Paris correspondent that it was a singularly easy business for Yaillant to obtain access to the gallery of the French Chamber, from which he dropped his home-made bomb. Not only is no pasß required, but practically no surveillance is exercised over those frequenting the galleries. So lax, indeed, have the authorities been in this matter that it is said to have been the habit for Eome time past for homeless persons to quit their usual quarters in the Bois de Boulogne I in dirty weather and sleep in the gallery during the sittings of the Chamber. A man carrying a parcel would not become the object of any suspicion, as visitors ! were in the habit of taking food into the gallery, and holding a eort of picnic I amongst themselves. Such a state of I things is a marvellous contrast to the rules and regulations in force at our own House of Commons; and, indeed, at any other legislative building. IN TBAFALQA- SQUABE.

Tho anarchists who, in the face of Saturday's explosion, ventured to assemble in Trafalgar Square last Sunday, had every reason to be thankful for the pouring rain. Had the afternoon been fine and the bourgeoisie turned out in their usual strength, 'Arry and 'Arriet would have given Mr Nichoil and his co-mates " what for " with a vengeance. Even as things were, it took a Btrong guard of police to prevent the absurd little editor of the Commonweal from being ducked in the fountain. The spectacle presented by Nioholl — who stands about four feet high, and has a huge head covered with stiff bristleß— as. he capered about behind a cordon of police, breathing bombs, murder and sudden death, waß sufficiently ridiculous. Any other time the crowd would have roared with laughter, but on Sunday the recollection of the previous l day's attempted holocaust roused them to fury. Ultimately tho police ran Nichoil off at double-quick up St Martin's Lane, whilst several other spouters were hunted briskly towards Westminster, and the square cleared. A limp and bedraggled woman tried vainly to Bell copies of the Commonweal in the Bquare early in the afternoon. Two respectable mon at last bought out her stock and tore the papers up. She smiled. " l"on may do that and welcome. I don't care a f arden now. I've got 'is nex' week's meals in my pocket." This was the revolutionary Nicholl's wife. CB-MATIONS.

The Dowager Duchess of St Albans, whose remains were cremated at Woking last Saturday, is by no means the first of the upper ten urn-buried. The lato Baron Huddleston ordered his corpse to bo burnt, and his wisheß were carried out. Other notable latter-day cremations have been those of the Duke of Bedford, who died in 1891 ; Lord and Lady Bramwell (dying within three months of each other); Mr A. W. Kinglake, the historian; M. Emil Behuke, the voice specialist ; and the Earl of Southosk. The annual cremations at Woking now run up to between thirty and forty, and are Bteadily increasing. BEAUTIES OF 1893.

The Society beauties of 1892 are, most of them, reigning Btill. The young Duches3 of Sutherland (not Duchess Blair), Georgina, Lady Dudley, Lady Brook (now Lady Warwick), Lady Powis, and Lady Fitzgerald all hold their own well against newcomers. Of these the youngest is Princees Henry of Pleas (ndc Miss Cornwalliß West), and the loveliest the Princees Heione d'Orleans. The latter is the lady whom poor Prince "Eddie" is credited with having desired to marry. Unfortunately there were insurmountable difficulties in the way. It was aftor bis disappointment on her account that the young man sowed the verj mild crop of wild oats which, according to report, culminated in a scrape with a Gaiety chorister. I believe there is no doubt whatever the poor fellow was devotedly attached to Princess Helene.