GENERAL NEWS.

Star (Christchurch), 23 May 1895, Page 4

GENERAL NEWS.

I ME DAYITT. ! A cablegram from Mr Michael Davitt received in Wellington, states that he , expects to reach New Zealand on October 1, and that he will stay a month before leaving for San Francisco. BANK OF NEW ZEALAND. The Post says :— "lt is .stated that the ' Directors of the Bank of New Zealand : have decided on a general reduction of ten per cent in all salaries of over £200 per annum, to commence from June 1." QUEENSLAND CATTLE. The Cabinet haß decided to permit Queensland cattle ships to come to and coal in New Zealand watere, but to keep them in quarantine while here to prevent their coming alongside any wharf or taking any cattle from New Zealand. FIRE INSURANCE. At a representative meeting of fire insurance officers, held at Wellington, it was resolved, in reply to a letter from the Insurers' Protection Association asking for a conference relative to a reduction of fire rates, "That the Association be in- ! formed that a meeting of all offices will be j held at Melbourne at an early date for the purpose of establishing the principles and general basis of rating for the whole colony. The Association is asked to forward a statement of their views with regard to the special features of Wellington, which will be placed before the meeting." A PECULIAR INCIDENT. The TimaruHerald says that, at about 7.30 on Tuesday night, a hone, owner unknown, bolted into the dwelling-house of a resident of Kensington while the inmates were sitting at the fire. In entering it broke two tables and then rushed into the bedroom, broke the toilet stand and ware, then got between a large double bed and the wall, and there got pinned. It subsequently rolled on to the bed, kicked the wall, breaking the plaster, and smashed the iron bedstead to pieces. It then plunged until it got out of the bed, and kicked and smashed the remainder of the furniture in the room; then got into a paesage, smashed all round, breaking pictures, &c, and finally, getting out, galloped away. It is doubtful whether it can be identified or not, as the night was very dark and the people left it sole occupant while it was in. The damage is calculated to be £12. SEA TROUT. Some time ago the President of the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society forwarded a fish to Dr Gunther, of London, and a letter, asking him if the fish was a salmon. The fish, was caught in the Opihi River, and was thought by several anglera to be a true specimen of the aalmon. At the meeting of the Acclimatisation Society yesterday, the following letter was read from Dr Gunther : — British Museum (natural history), Commercial Road, London, S.W., April 2, 1895. Dear Sir,— The fish mentioned in your letter of Jan. 23 reached me to-day. Although the ice was thawed when I opened the caae, the specimen was in perfect condition for examination. It is without question a gennine sea trout. The short tail,, the small scales of the tail, the teeth on" the palate, the number 06 pyloric appendages (forty-nine) and the form of the preopercujum are all as . generally found in the most typical specimen of British sea trout. The specimen has none of the specific characteristics of the Bsloion. It is certainly as silvery as a fresh-run salmon, but so are many sea trout when freßh from the sea. The specimen is a female with the ova well developed, which ■ aright have been ready for spawning in three or four weeks. It is of great beauty and fatter 'than I have ever seen a sea trout or salmon, showing it must have had abundance of food, and grown up under the moßt favourable conditions. It has been Btated (erroneously as is my opinion) that salmonoirs change their specific characteristics when transplanted from the northern to the southern hemisphere. The specimen Bent by you is strong evidence that no such change has taken plaoe in your New Zealand salmonoirs. — Believe me, yours truly, A. Gujsthkb. THE VOLUNTEERS. Owing to representations which have been made with regard to the military observance of the Queen's Birthday it has been decided by the Defence Department to leave it optional with officers commanding districts'as to holding parades. Wherever there is a battery the usual royal salute will be fired. A MOTHER'S PITIFUL CRIME. At the Central Criminal Court yesterday (says the London Daily News of recent date) a woman was convicted of infanticide, and sentenced to death. The details are inexpressibly shocking. The prisoner was separated from her husband ; she had been confined in a workhouse, and she and her child were sent forth to fare as best they could. She had failed to get work, and, at last, as the generosity of the few friends she had in her poverty-stricken condition was exhausted, she had failed to get food, or even shelter. The end of it was that, in the bitter weather of last month, the child was found strangled in a ditch near Richmond Park. The wretched creature told all this to the Court yesterday amid heartrending sobs, and ended by saying, probably with perfect ttuth, that, as to the darkest part of it, she did not know what she was doing. The jury strongly recommended her to mercy, and the Judge promised to forward the recommendation without delay to the proper quarter. But, for the moment, this most miserable of human' beings stands condemned to die by the hangman's hand. SAD CASE OF DESTITUTION. The Wellington Post says:— Constable Whelan, who is in charge of the Botanical Gardens, reported on Friday last to. his superior officer that he had found a woman about twenty-five years of age, with her child aged three, camped in the scrub in the gardens, under a shelter made with some old sacks. The police informed Mr A. G. Johnson, relieving officer, who caused the removal of the mother and infant to the Benevolent Home. Their condition was deplorable. The woman's only coverings were one outer garment and a chemiße, whilst the infant was still less protected against the weather. Both were terribly emaciated, and were covered with vermin. The history of their case is not yet unravelled, but it appears that the woman came originally from Timaru, and was sent here a few weeks ago by a friend at Lyttelton. Since her arrival in Wellington she has, it is stated, begged through the Thorndon end of the city for her daily sustenance. For some reason the police have kept the matter to themselves. Football. — ■ — ♦ The inter-clnb match between the Kaikorai (Dunedin) and Linwood (Christehurch) Clubs will be played at Lancaster Park on Saturday afternoon. The following team will represent Kaikorai :—Fullback, T. King 1-ldt 61b;. three-quarters, A. Armit list, T. Cunningham lOst 61b, T. Wood 103t 71b; half-backs, W. Sinclair list 21b, J. Duncan (captain) 12et 61b, D. Torrance 12st 13ib; forwards, J. Torrance 14st, J. Hill 12st 51b, J. Kinvig 12at, S. Ballantyne lOat 41b, W. Kelley list, H. Wilkinson 12at, W. Wilkinson 12st, H. Davie list 61b. The match will start at three o'clock sharp. The members of the Christchurch Football Club'a team leave for Dunedin by the Flora this afternoon, and will play their annual match with the Pirates Club there to-morrow afternoon. They will return from Dunedin on Saturday by the Mararoa. The following will play for St Albana Second v. Kaiapoi Fourth, at Kaiapoi, on Queen's Birthday (drag leaves Square at 12.30) :— Rush, H. Carter, Mason, Burleigh, H. Ritchie, Pobar, Gerard, W. Carter, Pearce, Smith, Wallbnrton, Leater, Genett, Rogers and N. Ritchie; emergencies— 1 !. Smith, Dixey, Rolton and Pearce.