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Star (Christchurch), Issue 6065, 31 December 1897, Page 2

The record of Crimea and disasters is a very light one for the past twelve months, but it nevertheless contains some memorable items. The two great fires that took place in the month of November, in London and Melbourne respectively, were more than usually disastrous in their results. They involved a monetary loss of between two and three millions sterling, and they produced a large amount of hardship by temporarily throwing some thousands of people out of employment. In both cases, too, there appears to have been some fault or lapse on the part of the fire brigades — in the matter of an inadequate alarm system in Melbourne, and with regard to readiness and equipment of the brigade in London —which argues the nee 3 of more efficient organisation. Several very destructive fires also took place in New Zealand, the more serious being those at Auckland and Gore. Two cases of shipwreck on the east coast of this country — those of the ship Zuleika and the steamer Tasmania — were responsible for the loss of twenty-two lives. The terrible disaster at Paris, in connection with a charity, bazaar held in that gay capital, eclipsed all other events of alike character. By a sudden outbreak of lire, the building in -which the bazaar was being held was enveloped in flames, and 140 persons — most of them women, and many of them individuals of wealth and rank — were suffocated or burned to death. Among crimes, the most striking was the assassination of Senor Cauovas* Premier of Spain, and the death by the hand of an assassin of Mr Edward Terriss, the London actor, was also an event to impress the popular imagination. The year was also remarkable, in criminal matters, for the discovery of the Glenbrook murders in New South Wales, the pursuit and arrest of the murderer, and his trial and execution after full proof of his guilt had been adduced. The natural catastrophes and ■ phenomena of the jear have included minor earthquakes in various parts of the world, a destructive cyclone in Victoria early in November, and a disastrous gale on the south-east coast of "England towards the end of the.came month. On April 1(5 — the very .day that was being observed atf one of public humiliation and prayer for rain- in New South Walesa— there were devastating floods in the Hawke's Bay district of New Zealand, the result of heavy rains in the region where the rivers have their sources. A vast amount of loss was inflicted, which fell partly on the colony and partly on private individuals ; and public vsubscriptions and special legislation were required to enable the settlers to get over the effects of the floods. The prolonged drought which caused loss to many Australian settlers has also been felt to a large extent in Cauterbury, where a phenomenally dry and mild winter and spring were experienced.