News of the Week.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XI, Issue 26, 26 October 1883, Page 11

News of the Week.

Friday. < The amount subscribed at Wellington on behalf of the Irish National League was £300. Mr. J. E. Redmond did not arrive in time to deliver his lecture in Christchurch last evening, but his brother, Mr. W. Redmond, took his place, and addressed a large audencii in the Theatre Koyal. The Figaro states the French sailors have butchered hundreds of the Tcsidents of Hue, refusing quarter to all, and the wounded were bayonetted. General M'lvor, of the Servian Army, who for some time past has been actively engaged in organising a quasi-military expedition to New Guinea, stetes that the subscriptions towards defraying the cost of it amcunt to £20,600, and that a pplications from 500 persons who are willing to join have been received. The shipment of frozen meat by the Catalonia, from Lyttelton, has been found to be in good condition, and a portion of it placed on the market realised 6d per lb. The London meat market is at present glutted, and lower prices for all descriptions are ruling. Latest accounts from Anatolia, Asia Minor, the scene of the recent earthquake, show that the catastrophe was one of extreme severity. Several villages were completely wrecked by the repeated shocks, and it is reported on good authority that 1000 persons weie killed, and that fully 20,000 are homelesss and in great distress. The outbreak among the peasantry in the western provinces has been completly quelled, and a number of Republican agitators have been arrested by the troops who were despatched to the scene of the rising. A distressing accident took place yesterday morning on the farm of Mr. 'W. C. Moore, Waikiwi, about three miles from Invercargill. It appears that a widow named Shall, whose husband died two years ago, resided in a small hut, about three chains from Mr. Moor's with two girls aged five and three years. About 9 a.m. the mother went out to milk the cows, leaving the children in the house alone. She was not long absent, and on entering the house found the eldest child in the centre of the floor fearfully burnt. Her clothing was completely destroyed, and the child was quite dead. It is unknown how it happened, as the younger child cannot give any account further than her unfortunate sister cried, " Ma." No cries were heard at Mr. Moore's. Saturday. The Christchurch branch of the Irish National League waited upon Messrs. Redmond and Walshe yesterday, and presented them with an address of welcome and sympathy. Advices from Mr. Vesey Stewart and other sources by the last mail fully confirm the news of the Taurangra-Rotorua railway being successfully negotiated for in London. Negotiations are now on foot with the same parties in London forthe further extension of the railway line to Opotiki as well as to Rotorua, and with every prospect of the amount required being forthcoming if the requisite concessions are granted by the Government. The French Radicals are much incensed at the proposals to compensate Mr. Shaw for the treatment he received at the hands of the French authorities in Tamatave. Three men have been arrested at Halifax with dynamite in their possession. Supposed infernal machines, containing clockwork, weie also found upon them. The prisoners are suspected of being Fenians. The net proceeds of the Wellington Convent bazaar were £860. The chess tournament with living pieces proved a loss. Vague rumours are current that the Austrian Government are ■mediating with a view to bringing about more friendly relations between the Pope and Italy. Mr. J. E. Redmond lectured last evening at the Theatre Royal, Cihristchurch. He was well received, but the audience was not so large as last night. Baron Hiibner arrived in Christchurch last night, and was received by the Mayor. He leaves for Wellington to-day. Official estimates from the province of Anatolia, Asia Minor, give the number of lives lost as 200. The distress among the inhabitants is very great. By this San Francisco mail further letters re the supposed diamonds are to band from Mr. Kelsey. After reiterating that Alexander Bros., Klein, and others had declared the stones genuine. :tnd the Government Geologist (Mr. Pringle) declared them very deceptive, but undoubtedly doubly-terminated crystals of quartz and fragments of the same, he continues :—": — " Mr. Klein was astonished at the result, and maintained that he had never seen stones so nearly resembling diamonds. I also informed you last mail he had maintained that the stones were genuine, that he needed no test to satisfy himself, and that the quality was superior to the Kimberley stones, and nearly resembled Brazilian ones. Under these circumstances there is nothing further to be done." — A later letter dated August 25 is as follows : — I have the honour to report since writing you Mr. Cunningham, of the Grain Apency Company, acting on behalf of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, has cabled endorsing tbc the opinions I expressed in my letter and cables, and which were the result of the experiments of Mr. Pringle, the Government geologist. Mr. Wigram, one of the Grain Agency Company's diiectors on this side, and rnemb' rof i lie well-known firm of Money Wigram and Co., wrote me as enclosed. I accordingly submitted him the sample stones, and although he agreed that the doubleterminated stones were merely crystals, he felt convinced that the rose-coloured stones were genuine, and intimated his intention of obtaiuing shares in the concern, despite the Government geologist. I have left the stones in Mr. Wigram's charge, meantime. He is a member of the Koyal Geological Society, and intends bringing the

stones under the notice of that body. Mr. Wigram is doubtless a judge of diamonds of considerable ability, and I await with some concern his final report. He feai-3 that the stones that have been tested are those that lie condemns, and that the others showing cleavage have not had a fair test. I will wiite you further on rhe subject when I receive his reply."— The following is Mr. Wigram's letter referred to:— "I was yesterday looking at some of the New Zealand diamonds (?) recently sent over. If these have been ascertained to be valueless, would you mind letting me have a few ? 1 fancy myself to be enough of a mineralogist to be interested in such matters." Monday, Subscriptions to the Parnell Fund are still being received, and the total sum now in hand is estimated at £35,001). The amount subscribed will be presented to Mr. Parnell in December next. Mr. J. E. Redmond arrived at Tiooaru from Christchurch on Saturday, and was welcomed by a number of Irishmen. In the evening he delivered an address in the Theatre Koyal on the 1 National Land League," and was well received. The Wakatip Mail of Friday gives the following :— <• An earthquake shock was felt here at about 10 minutes to 1 o'clock on Monday afternoon, another at about a quarter to & on Tuesday morning, and a third one at about 20 minutes past 8 o'clock last night. These phenomena have been unusually frequent of late." A serious explosion has occurred in a coal-mine near Barnsley, in Yorkshire. According to the latest report 20 miners have been killed, and a number injured. The Eangiriri Hotel, Auckland, better known in the coaching days as the Shirley, was burnt down at 1 o'clock this morning. The owner is in town, and the man in charge was so much the worse for liquor that he could not carry a bucket of water to help to extinguish the flames. Messrs. Gerald and Pulforth, tlie adjacent storekeepers, worked hard, and, with the help of others, saved nearly every article of furniture. Some cottages also were saved. The insurances are believed to be £350 on the hotel building in the South British. Drinkwell, who was injured on the Oxford railway about a week ago, died this morning at the Hospital, from the effects of his injuries. Telegrams to hand from Gibraltar report that. four sharp shocks of earthquake have been experienced there. No damage was done to the British fortifications or to the town. John, Durham, a well-known boatman of Lyttelton, was found strangled in his house this morning. James Angus has been arrested on Buspicsion of murdering him. Deceased was an elderly man, whose wife and family left Lyttelton for Sydney about four months ago. He had been bachelorising with Angus, it is said, in Saul's Gully, off London street. He was of intemperate habits, and it id supposed that intemperance has occasioned the suspected murder. The Mottnt Ida Chronicle says :— A company is being formed for the purpose of testing the reef lately discovered by Mr. George B. Douglas at Blackstone Hill. A trial crushing will at once be taken out and sent to the Bough Ridge mill. When the result is known we expect to see shares at a premium ; at present they are being rapidly taken up. It is probable, if matters turn out all right in this case, a rush to the reef 3 will eventuate, and the country get a fair trial. Having repeatedly urged the public to take these steps, we are pleased to fiod our suggestion taking root, and hope the efforts about to be made will bear good fruit. Latest intelligence from Madagascar states that the parleying which has been proceeding between Admiral Galiba and the representatives of the native queen are now at a standstill, the latter evincing no desire to come to terms on the basis proposed by the French Admiral. A general exodus from Tamatave has taken place, as it is feared that the bombardment of the town may be renewed by the French. The amount raised by Messrs. Kedmond in Christchurch and neighbourhood is said to be £200, but some country returns are not yet in. It is stated that the use of the Oddfellows' Hall for their lectures was refused, though the lessors were assured that nothing objectionable would be said or doae, and guaranteed that any damage would be paid for. Mr. Redmond addressed a large meeting at Ashburton on Friday night, Father Coffey presiding. A resolution was carrie 1 approving of the principles of the Irish National Land League, and pledging to assist the movement as much as possible. The following amendment found a large number of supporters :—" That, although we agree with the principle of Home Rule as expounded by Mr. Redmond we cannot overlook the fact that the members of the Irish National Land League and Home Rule party in the English Parliament joirjed in the persecution and expulsion of the junior member for Northampton on account of his leligious views. This meeting are therefore, of opinion that the leaders of the Land League and Home Rule party, in refusing to others what they demand for themselves, are deserving of the reprobation of all who advocate liberty and justice." Mr. John Larabie, an influential landowner in the district, proposed this amendment. The Nojmb Ida Chronicle says, in connection, with the Goldfields statistics for ISB2 :— "On comparing tho average earnings of the miners, we find that, while in 1870 they earned £2 10s per week, in 1882 the average was only £1 4s (or a decrease in 12 years of £1 6s). Although there has been this considerable reduction in the earnings, there has been no reduction in the gold duty since 1870 when 6d an ounce was taken off. We mipht hoio point out that i n Victoria, New South Wales, and Tasmania the duty w.is abulish-<j years ago, and New Zealand remains the ouiy Colony which ketp s this exceptional tax upon an industtial class of tie community The gold duty is something like one-fortieth of the value of the' gold raised." . A boat accident, resulting in the death of three young men, and accompanied by unusually harrowing details, occured in the inner harbour, Napier, on Saturday evening. Six young men named James Stewart, Alexander Stewart, Arthur Dixon, William Meek, William Delanaye, and George Reardon,

borrowed a sailing-boat, which had not a "very good reputation, having previously capsisetf, to go for; sail. About 4 o'clock, when quarter of a mile from land, a squall struck the boat and and capsised her. James Stewart and Dixon swam ashore to seek assistance, the other four occupants getting safely on the keel of the overturned boat. Stewart and Dixon landed safely, and within a quarter of hour's walk from Poroaiti station : but unfortunately, they did not know the country, and started to skirt the shore. After nearly four hours' very rough travelling they reached Taradale, and a mounted constable came on to town and gave the alarm, when five boats set out to attempt a rescue. But by this time it was nearly 10 o'clock at night. For nearly five hours the search was kept up, the wind and tide having drifted the boat a long from the scene of the accident. At last they found her, right side up. but with three occupants only, and, sad to say, of these Meek' and Delanaye wore dead from exhaustion and exposure, while Stewart waa unconscious. Reardon, the fourth occupant, was not to be seen. Tuesday. The financial result of Mr. J. E. Redmond's lecture at Timaru on Saturday night is stated to have been over £100. A boy six years of age, son of Mr. David Cruikshauk, of Matakara, has been drowned. Jas. Angus was charged at the Lyttelton Police Court yesterday morning with the wilful murder of John Durham, but was remanded till Wednesday, as the police were not sufficiently prepared with the prosecution. The inquest on the body will be held at 11 a.m. tomorrow. Communication by cable between Port Darwin and Benjocwangie is interrupted. The Makara quartz brought to the Thames for crushing has yielded at the Herald battery 450z. of amalgam from 10 tons ot stone. One lot of 58 bags produced 43^0z., the other ll^oz. When retorted to-day the result was I6oz. lOdwt. The gold'is of richer colour than ordinary Thames gold. Wednesday. The Wanganui Chronicle writes as follows :— Mr. Rochefort, who in such a matter is perfectly disinterested, with little predisposition towards any creed, speaks very highly of the Catholic mission work amongst the Upper Wanganui Maoris. The party ol Kemp's men whom Mr. Rochefort took with him on the survey were all Roman Catholics, and he was astonished at the knowledge they apparently possessed of the services of their Church, and of its prayers and hymns. He is of opinion that the work now being carried on by Fathers Soulas and Moreau, and by the good Sisters who are established up the river, is directly and materially for good, and, apart from questions of creed or dogma, haß a real civilising influence. As to this, the wondetful decrease in drinking customs, and the spread of total abstinence amongst the Upper Wanganui Natives, speak for themselves. Some idea of the Wurk undei taken by the priests up the river, and of the attention given to it by the Maoris, may be inferred from the fact that five religious services are held every Sunday, and three every week day. Henry Brand, a lad, has been acciduntly shot at Waiuku by a settler named Anthony May. The boy is in a precarious state. Thursday. Mr. Hugh M'Blhone, of Auckland, has gone South to forward the interests of the Irish Land LeagHe. Mr. Michael Landers has been appointed delegate for Auckland aud the Thames at the Melbourne conference. The Tuapclia Tim-es sa^ys : — The quartz reefs discovered in the Old Man Range are situated on the north-western slope of Obelisk Creek, and are supposed to extend downwards from about two-thirds of the elevation of the range for a distance of nearly half-a-mile. The locality of the present rush is stated to be about three miles from the main road, and easily accessible to wheeled traffic. Hitherto the mode of working the quartz reefs has been by sluicing, and it is supposed that one-half of the gold contained in the quartz is lost by this means. One party made as much as 30s. a day out of the tailings from another claim, and a quantity of gold was also supposed to be lost in the second instance. Another party obtained 3oz. 18dwt. out of half a ton of quartz crushed at the Conroy Company's battery after the quartz had been passed through the cradle. A number of prospects washed from the reef have averaged from 6 to 12 grains. — In a report made by Dr. Hector on a specimen of copper pyrites and another of scheelite taken from Waipon district, and sent by Mr. J. C. Brown for analysis, the specimen of copper pyrites is reported to contain 13-61, being said to be a good return as compared with many of these pyrites worked for copper in Cornwall. Regarding the other specimen, scheelite (tingstate of lime), nearly pure, Dr. Hector says': " This mineral has been long known to occur in the Otago district, but this is, I think,'the first time it has been found near Waipori. It has not at preseit auy marketable value."