General Cable News.

Woodville Examiner, Volume XVII, Issue 2946, 17 April 1899, Page 4

General Cable News.

E. T. Hooley, the millionaire bankrupt, has applied to Mr Justice Wright to hear his application for discharge from bankruptcy, instead of having it heard by the Registrar. Mr Justice Wright said that, while he could not accept the request as an allegation against the Registrar, he would transfer the case because it involved questions which could best be decided by a higher court. The Evicted Tenants' Compulsory Reinstatement Bill, which was introduced by Mr Wm. O'Malley, the member for Connemara, has been rejected by 197 to 69. The Right Hon. Gerald W. Balfour, Secretary for Ireland, in speaking to the Bill, declared that the proposed measure was but an attempt to whitewash the Plan of Campaign. As a result of the drought in New South Wales, it is anticipated that the supply of fat cattle "will be short for the next few months.

There is much speculative inquiry for merino wools iu England. A few lots have been sold at advanced prices in anticipation of a rise at the May sales. A syndicate is seeking to obtain a monopoly of the use of Signor Marconi's system nf wireless telegraphy in England and Africa. Earl Beauchamp, the new Governor of New South Wales, was given a banquet by the members of the House of Commons prior to his departure for Sydney. A number of ! leading colonial representatives were present. Earl Selboume, in proposing the health of the guest, said ihe authors of Australian Federation had earned the gratitude of future generations. Earl Beauchamp, in replying, said he was glad that the prosperity of New South Wales was increasing. British investors had no reason to doubt that they would receive ample return for the capital which they had expended on public works in the colony. All public questions would fade before that of Federation, which would conduce to the prosperity of Australia and to the better binding of the colonies with the Motherland. A revolution has been proceeding for some time pagfc in the South American Republic of Bolivia. JJews has just been received of a battle between the revolutionary forces, u;>der their leader (Colonel Paiuio), ana the Government forces under the President (Senor Fernnndo The engagement ie&uiud in the defeat of the Government army with the loss of 200 men.

In reply to a question in the House of "Commons on Friday, the Right Hod. W. St. John Brodrick, Uuder-Becretary for Foreign Affairs, staled that Great Britain was not proposing to guarantee the independence of Tonga.

Viscount Peel has now resigned his membership of the Eoyal Commission of enquiring into the British liquor laws in consequence of the representatives of the Moderate party amongst his colleagues wishing to re-open settled points which recognised vested interests in connection with the question of .compensation. Sir Thomas Grattan Esmonde, M.F. for West Kerry, intends to ask the Irish County Councils to send each two delegates to a conference in Dublin —forming practically a People's Parliament—for the discussion of national questions. It is announced that the Eight Hon. H. J. Gladstone, M.P. for Leeds, has been chosen to succeed the late Mr T. E. Ellis. The trial of Gunner Pollock, of the Victorian Artillery, who shot one of bis comrades, Gunner Briner, at the Queenscliff Barracks on the 10th February, took place on Thursday. The tragedy took place in a barrack room at Queenscliff, one of the fortified points at the entrance to Port Philip, situated some thirty miles fro a Melbourne. A number of soldiers had retired to bed, while the others were standing about preparing to retire, when Briner remarked to Pollock, after what appeared to be a cheerful conversation, " Oh, you go to bed." Pollock then reached for his carbine from the rack at the head of the bed and said, " I'll shoot you." He presented the weapon and fired, the bullet striking Briner in the right breast, passing clean through his body and embedding itself in a brick wall. Briner died from the wound two or three days later. It was understood that there was no ill-will between the two men. The jury found Pollock guilty of manslaughter, and the judge sentenced him to ten years' imprisonment. Claude Vautin, mining director and metallurgist, of Loudon, formerly of Australia, who in November last absconded to America, where he was subsequently arrested on a charge of defrauding London stockbrokers to the extent of £20,000 and sent back to England, has just been tried for the frauds, found guilty, and sentenced to six months' imprisonment. President Kruger has refused to allow out-door meetings of Outlanders at Johannesburg, being apprehensive of serious consequences from such demonstrations.