News of the Week.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XI, Issue 43, 22 February 1884, Page 9

News of the Week.

Friday.

The second bore of the Southern Cross Oil Company, Gisborner is down over 500 ft. no pipes being necessary, aa the stratum is good» and 30ft a day is sunk. A large supply of pipes arrived by the mail steamer for the first bore. Edwards was brought up at the Resident Magistrate's Court at Ormondville yesterday, and committed for trial on the charge of murdering his wife and family. On Wednesday he made the following statement in the presence of the HeraWs reporter ("the crowd" referred to are, of course, creations of his diseased imagination) :— " I had very little sleep for four nights before the murder. I was all right on Sunday, but towards evening I got strange fancies in my head. I fancied I heard a crowd of people outside the house threatening to burn me and my family alive. I then got the piece of firewood, and got it ready to defend myself and family. I waited some time for them to come. My wife wanted to go for the constable, and asked me to go myself, as she was sure that he would stop with us for the night if asked to do so ; but I was afraid of going myself or of letting her go on account of the tancies in my head and the voices I had heard outside previously. I got better, and told her that I thought I would be all right. I put the piece of wood in the fire. But 1 heard them coming again, and took it off and put it beside me, and watched the door. My wife went in and out of the bedroom different times, and lay down with exhaustion, as she had very little sleep for five nights. All at once I heard a whole crowd outside singing out that they were going to burn us all alive. I jumped up, and went into the bedroom and knocked my wife senseless with the, piece of wood, and then the children. I did this that they should not feel the pain when I was cutting their throats. I could not stand to see them burned alive. I then cut my own throat, but the knife being blunt I could not finish it, as I heard them coming, and I crawled under the big bed out of their road. I lay there some time. I then heard them on the back of the house. I got out in the garden, and hid behind a tree ; but they would not leave me. I then ran across the paddock towards Plank's, but they followed me. X left there and went to Pyke's, but I heard them again and hid under the bridge, a 9 I thought they would not follow me there. When I told Plank I would not be taken, I did not think of you (Constable Schultz) or the police. I was speaking of the crowd round me. I believe I will be hung for it. I deserve it. I hope they won't keep me long. I want to meet my wife and family. I think I will go to the same place as they have, as they will forgive me.'" The anti- Christian riots hare been continued in Tonquin, and 50 more Christians have been massacred near Hue. It has transpired that under the instructions of bis Government Mr. Murray Smith, Agent-general for Victoria, has offered to place at the disposal of the Imperial authorities, for service in the Red Sea in the present crisis, the Victoria gun boats Victoria, Albert, and Childers, now bound for Melbourne. The report of Earl Granville's speech on Lord Salisbury's motion in the House of Lords was incorrect as telegraphed, so far as it referred to the British representative at Cairo. His Lordship did not say that it was intended to appoint a diplomatic agent of the first rank, but stated that such an official had been appointed, meaning Major Sir Evelyn Baring, the present Agent, Consul-general, and Minister Plenipotentiary in Egypt, News is to hand from Berber that Major-general Gordon is proceeding from that place on his journey to Khartoum. He is travelling slowly, and takes every opportunity of having interviews with the Arab chiefs, with a view of pacifying the various tribes with whom he comes in contact. Telegrams have been received from Souakim stating that a message had been sent from that town to the beleaguered garrison at Tokar, urging it to withstand the siege as long as possible, and promising speedy relief. The Ist Battalion of the Royal Highlanders (42nd Foot—" Black Watch "), Ist Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps (60th Foot — " Canadians "), Ist Battalion Gordon Highlanders (75th Foot), and the 19th Hussars, now stationed in Cairo have been ordered to proceed forthwith to Souakim ; and the British regiments now at Alexandria will take the place of those corps. The troops from Alexandria will be replaced by strong detachments of sailors from the vessels of the Mediterranean squadron. The despatch of a brigade of Egyptian troops which were under orders to proceed to Assoon, with the view of checking any advance of the rebels into Egypt proper, has been abandoned. The latest intelligence from Souakim states that five of the garrison who lately evacuated Sinkat after the destruction of the forts by Commander Tewfik Bey, have arrived at Souakim, accompanied by several women. Their statements fully confirm the account of the fall of Sinkat as previously reported.

Monday.

A strong feeling is manifested at Napier over the action of the Government under the Crown Native Lands Rating Act. Under the impression that Native lands would contribute rates, the local bodies have incurred heavy liabilities for works chiefly benefiting such lands. By a late Gazette, however, tbe Governor exempts from rates all Native iands in this Provincial District of any real value, only a few outlying blocks of hill country being left. This will seriously disturb the finances of the local bodies. The Government lands are also disgracefully undervalued. Mr. J. A. Chapman, Dunedin, supplies the following gold returns for tbe week : — Welcome Company : 4640z. of amalgam from about 90 tons of quartz. Fiery Cross Company : 2320z. of amalgam for the week. Keep-it-Dark Company : The repairs to water-race nearly completed ; it is expected that crushing will commence this week. The Tiuupeka Times relates tbe following accident which bast occurred to a Mrs. Walker at Wetheretoues :— " She and a couple of"

Tuesday.

Wednesday.

Thubbday.

her grandchildren named Russell, had gone out in search of some cows, and one of the children (a little girl) fell into a 6haft containing about 7ft. of water. Mrs. Walker lushed in and got hold of the child, getting one knee into a niche formerly made for climbing by, and clutching a piece of scrub at the fame time, by which she held on, with the little girl to support besides, until assistance airived from Wethc-rstones, to which place the little girl left on the bank ran and gave the alarm, about an hour having elapsed before the assistance arrived. Betwixt the exhaustion and tbe shock to the nervous system, caused by the thought of the daDgeious position for such a length of time, Mrs. Walker was so prcstiated that medical assistance had to be called in ; but she is now considered out of donger. The Imperial Government have informed the Egyptian Government that they cannot allow the Egyptian troops now at Souakin to co-operate with the British troops which are to be despatched to the relief of Tokar, and which go to Suez, where transports are now waiting. The ships will proceed without delay, and it is expected that they will land the whole force at Sonakin on Tuesday next, the 19th inst. The several tribes throughout the districts which Colonel Gordon passed on his way to Berber, have received him with great cordiality. In a speech in the House of Commons, Mr. Forster expressed the opinion that the English Government were responsible for the Sinkat disaster. Lord Carlingford, Lord President of the Council and Lord Privy Seal, has introduced in the House of Lords, a Government Bill providing for exclusion from the United Kingdom of cattle arriving from countries where disease is believed to be in existence. In the House of Commons tbe Chancellor of the Exchequer has given notice of motion for a credit of £2,000,000, to be devoted to defences at home and abroad, The Otago Land Board began their inquiry on Friday into the alleged dummyism at Strath-Taieri. The Clutha Leader says :— Wheat is good all over, although rather heavy upon Borne of the richest low lands. With the present seasonable weather it is filling rapidly, and the return is likely to be considerably above the average. Harvest will be from two to three weeks later than usual, and will be protracted. Fears were recently entertained that rust might set in, but these have been dispelled by the late dry and warm weather, and especially by the gales of wu d that have occurred. Oats will also be above the average all over, especially upon the ridges. Patches of autumn-sown oats are now being cut. These in many places have suffered pretty severely from the ravages of the small birds. Harvest will not be general for a few weeks. In the case of both wheat and oats the harvest will still depend largely upon the weather to be experienced during tbe next few weeks. Should it prove favourable, the harvest in both cereals will undoubtedly be abundant. Turnips will be good upon the ridges bnt in consequence of the wet have not thiiven well upon the low flat lands. Potatoes will not be an average either upon high or low lands. Grass in the paddocks still continues very abundant. By Order-in-Council dogs are brought under the operation of the Diseased Cattle Act, and it is declared that rabies canina is considered a disease to which dogs are liaDle. General regulations respecting diseased cattle are also gazetted. Captain Robb. of the Alexa, ju^t arrived at Wellington from Mauritius, repoits : "On the 14th and 15th January we were in company with a large French transport ship. We tried to exchange signals, but the transport being to leaward, and her flags being end on, they could not be distinguL-hed. We endeavoured to get nearer to her, but as we kept ofi so did she also. I think from her appearance the vessel had convicts on board, as a great display of rags of clothing was strung all over her rigging. She looked to he a vessel of 2000 tons, painted black, with red bottom. She looked a tplendid vessel. Her rig was that of a man-of-war— full rig, only she had a double topsail yard. She was steering E. by S.W. when last seen." It is conjectured that the vessel was bound for New Caledonia. A number of workmen employed by the Auckland City Council contractor have struck because a Maori was employed on the same work. New Zealand wheat has advanced at Sydney 2d during the week, and is now quoted at 3s 6d. New Zealand oats have risen to 3s. Maize remains at 4s per bushel, and Sugar Company's No. 1 pieces at £34 per ton. The catalogue of Wednesday's wool sale comprised 8900 bales. A fair demand was experienced for the lots submitted at tbe wool sales on Thursday. 12.000 bales were offered, making a total of 30,100 bales catalogued since the opening of the series. Prices generally were akd lower than at the close of last auctions. The withdrawals amount to 4000 bales. Telegrams are to hand from Souakin stating that the rebels who have been encamped in the neighbourhood are now dispersing. It is generally believed in official circles that Lord Derby is disappointed that the Australian Colonies have not stated the amount which they are prepared to contribute towards strengthening the British squadron and extending the authority of the Crown in the Pacific. A vote of ten million francs has beeD placed upon the French Estimates for giving effect to the provisions of the Recidiviste Bill. Lord Derby has expressed himself much gratified at the offer made by the Victorian Government of their gunboats for service in connection with Egyptian affairs. The matter has been referred to the^admiralty.

. Mr. Skeet and a party of svu\<yors went on Saturday last towards the store depot situated at l ongahakau, and then within two miles of it met the man in charge, who reported that a number of natives bad told him to clear out or he would be shot. Tbe Natives then at once took possesionof the store and commenced to help themsplves to the provisions. They told the man if he returned they would shoot him, and if any of the surveyors came they would be dealt with in a similar manner. The man was consequently compelled to leave the store, and on telling his story to Mr. Skeet and party they deemed it prudent not to proceed further. The obstructing Natives

were Timata, an Upper Wanganui chief and three of his followers, who were all armed. It is evident, however, that this chief is the only opponent that the Government have to deal with, as all the other Natives appear favourable to the survey being made. Spencer and party, who have been surveying the Native boundary line", have ai rived at Ohura unmolested. Mr. Skeet intends going out again at once to resume exploration, when it is intended to remove the depot nearer the coast-. The shipment sof Australian wheat to the United kingdom have averaged 43s ; to London direct, from 41s to 41s 6-i. Five cargoes have been sold during the week. Ihe recent shipments from New Zealand have been placed at satisfactory prices. A great struggle Las taken place between the adherents of Sir Stafford Northcote and the followers of Lord Randolph Churchill for the presidecy of the Central Tory Union, which means the control of the whole electoral machinery of the party. The result was the election of Lord Randolph Churchill as President. Major-General Gordon has arrived at Shoudy, an important caravan station in Nubia, and within 100 miles of Khartoum. Telegrams from Souakin state that the rebels are massing in the neighbourhood of Tokar, and it is fully expected that an attempt will be made to capture the town before the British forces which have been dispatched to its assistance can arrive there. Increased activity is being manifested among the followers of El Mahdi in the south-east, and Kissiala, an important town near the frontier of Abyss' nia, has been invested by them. From inquiries whicb have been made into the circumstances attending the fall of Sinkat it has been ascertained that, besides the garrison of the town and its male inhabitants, 200 women and the same number of children were massacred by the rebel fanatics. It is considered probable that the Admiralty will accept the temporary services of the Victorian gunboats on the Egyptian coast. A number of mutinous soldiers claiming to represent the Egyptain army have pretested against being called upon to serve in the Soudan, and have petitioned the Khedive to dismiss all British officf rs. The Arab Notables have been summoned to meet Gordon Pasha at Khartoum. It is generally believed that ths extent of the transports indicates that the British intend sending an expedition to Berber. Smallpox is raging at Khartoum. At the Christchurch Land Board yesterday a special meeting was held to inquire into the alleged dummyism. The evidence showed that in 1880 John M'Lean, of Redcastle, near Oamaru, purchased on deferred-payments two sections on behalf of two of his men servants. He had not been authorised by either to do so, and received no money from tbem, but fenced and cropped the land with the understanding that the proceeds, after deducting charges, were were to be credited to the owners, who had both been a long time in his service, and one of whom was connected with him. Though a Justice of the Peace, he was unaware of the provision of the Act requiring personal residence, bui erected a two-roomed cottage on each section to comply with what he thought was required. The land is now fully cropped with wheat and well fenced. The Board considered that George Helms and George M'Lean, the respective licensees bad both failed to fulfil the conditions and declared all their rights to be forfeited. " They could not refrain from expressing their astonishment at the manner in which the declaration made by Mr. George M'Lean , purporting to have been declared before Mr. Jihn M'Lean, of Redcastle, Oamaru, a Justice of the Peace in the Colony of New Zealand, was taken and forwarded to the Commissioners of Crown Lands at the time of the 6ale, as a true and proper declaration as required by the sixty-second of the Land Act." The defendants were allowed time to reap the growing crops. The iV. O. Times says : — Harvest is becoming pretty general all over the district. In several parts of the district harvesting hasbegun with tho straw a little on the green side. In taking this course farmers have been guided by the fact that the growth this season has been a most luxurious one, land that before the straw could become thoroughly ripe the head might stand a chance of being shaken out by the wind. The grain will therefore have to stand a little longer in the stock, but with the fine dry weather we are now experiencing the straw should not take long to become fit for stacking. A man named James Cook was drowned in the breakers opposite the town of Oamaru on Sunday afternoon. He was under the influence of liquor, and went in to bathe with a portion of his clothes on. A breaker knocked him down and be was drowned. An inquest was held to-day, at which the verdict was " Accidentally drowned," the jury adding a rider that the police should proceed against the the owners of sly-grog shops, as the deceased had evidently been supplied with drink at these places.

The Rev. Father Le'Menant has collected nearly £500 ia the Blenheim district in aid of the new Catholic college to be erected at Wellington. It is reported (says the Press) that some very encouraging mineral discoveries have recently been made near Christchnrch, which are likely to turn out something very good indeed. At present the locality and the details of the discovery have rot been made known, but as steps have been taken to still further prove the extent, no doubt more will be soon heard of it. Captain Lundfors, who has been deaf for 15 years, has been completely cured by a bath at Rotorua. Twelve sperm wales have been caught at Wahia. The Cheviot and Waipara districts have suffered from a waterspout. It was seen to rise in the sea, travelling rapidly inland to the boatshed where the Hon. W. Robinson loads his wool. A team of bullocks with a dray were being driven by, and just as they reached a bridge over a gully the deluge descended. In a few minutes the approach to the bridge was swept away. The leading bullock fell into the gully, his chain was snapped, and he disappeared under a mass of earth, dislodged from the banks, and was carried out to pea. The Blip is estimated at 2000 tons. The water spout traversed nearly the whole of the district with terrible effect?. I'here was no thunder . lightning, or wind.

At a meeting of the Napier Education Board yesterday it was etated that the overdraft practically absorbed the whole of the buildings grant. Many schools were disgracefully overcrowded. While the Board sat, a telegram came that 250 children were in a school calculated for 170, and three had already been carried out fainting that morning. The inspector stated the average attendance in the schools of the Education district was 116 for every 100 places provided. Mr. Ormond (the chairman) remarked that the Board could not fulfil its functions owing to the want of building funds, and advocated local rating powers if Parliament could not vote sufficient funds. An attempt was made yesterday to wreck the train by which his Majesty King Humbert was travelling to Cosmeta, a town 12 miles north of Civita Vecchia, by dynamite.. The projected outrage was, however, a failure. Gordon Pasha arrived on Saturday at Khartoum, and was well received by the populace. He has issued a proclamation, and caused it to be publicly posted throughout the district. iThe document recognises Mahdi as Sultan of Kordofan, announces a remission of half the taxes now levied, and that free traffic in slaves will be permitted. TheJ British expedition to Souakim will be confined to the relief of Tokar, and will not operate fmther against the rebels. Spies have arrived at Souakim etatmg that the Arabs are mustering in force near Tokar. The roads are carefully watched by them, and the spies themselves were hotly pursued. The Standard says that it has been virtually decided to disband the Egyptian army. The rebels are now bombarding Tokar with Krupp guns, and an attack on Souakim is imminent. Lord Randolph Churchhill advocates the establishm.ent of a British protectorate over Egypt.

The decision given yesterday by the Otago Land Board in the alleged cases of dummyism at Silver Peak, was in favour of Messrs. Bortbwick and Hertslet, Mr. Stout moved in both instances to have the case submitted to the Supreme Court Judge, and Messrs. Duncan and Brad aha w voted with him. The motions were, however, opposed by Messrs. Maitland, Clarke, and Green, and lost by the casting vote of the Chief Commissioner. In the House of Commons the Premier, replying to a question. Baid that he doubted whether the proclamation issued bj MajorGeneral Gordon at Khartoum announced that no impediment would be offered to free traffic in slaves in Soudan. He believed that the abstract of a proclamation received by telegram was incorrect. Telegrams from Souakim state that troops composing the British expedition for the relief of Tokar ara now arriving there, and it is understood that shortly a forward movement will be made by Colonel Graham. Intelligence has reached Souakim to the effect that a sortie was recently made by 200 men of the garrison of Tokar. The movement was effected successfully, and a quantity of provisions, which the garrison was in need of, was obtained. Several rebel Arabs were killed and wounded, and a number of cattle and camels captured. It is expected that the garrison will be able to hold out until the siege is rai3sd by the British troops. 0-ordon Pasha has been received by the Arabs with the greatest enthusiasm, thousands pressing forward to kiss his hands and feet.