News of the Week.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XII, Issue 37, 2 January 1885, Page 11

News of the Week.

Fbiday.

It ha 3 been ascertained that Sheeh n, the suspected murderer, has l>ad £365 to his credii. in the Bank of New Zealand since his arrival i« Auckland, and allowed it to remain on deposit till he purchased tbefaini.

Telegrams from Pretoria state that the Transvaal Government despatched an officer to the frontier in order to prevent the Boere, who formed parties with the object of raiding the adjoining native landp, from crossing the border. . The territory annexed in New Guinea by Germany will extend northward from Huon Gulf, on the eastern coast. The English Press Btrongly sympathise with Australia in reference to the annexation. The Democratic section in the United States Senate will not endorse the action of America in reference to the construction of a Nicaraguan canal. The Tasmanian Government have agreed to join in the proposed protest against the German annexation of Northern New Guinea. It is understood that New South Wales piefew to await further information thereon before joining in the protest. Great dissatisfaction is felt in Queensland. The feeling found expression in the Legislative Assembly from several members. Neil McNeill (lately second mate) and Bernard Williams (boatswain) of the labour schooner Hopeful, who are under sentence of death at Brisbane for the murder of islanders on the high seas, have been reprieved.

Satubday.

The Spanish African Society have acquired 15 square miles of the coast of the Gulf of Guinea, West African territory. It extends some distance inland from a point opposite Korisko. It is understood that the European Powers have shelved the proposal recently submitted by the English Cabinet for the settlement of the affairs of Egypt. The British protectorate in New Guinea will probably extend as far as Cape Nelson, on the east coast. It is expected that France will occupy the New Hebrides shortly.

The Queensland Government have agieed to Mr. Service's proposal to protest agaiust the action of Germany in the Pacific, bnt the Booth Australian Government decline to join for the present . The Victorian Press generally expresses great indignation at the hoisting of the German flag on the north coast of New Guinea. Mr. Service, Premier, has presented a memorandum to tho Governor expressing much surprise at the action of the German naval officers after the assurance of the Imperial Secretary of State for the Colonies. The memorandum further states that Ministers are greatly disappointed at the want of response displayed by the Imperial Government toward the aspirations of the Australasian Colonies. The Ministers also complain of the continued inaction which has been manifested by the Imperial Government, and demand that immediate steps should be taken to save for Australia such neighbouring islands as are still available.

An unsuccessful attempt was made yesterday on the life of Bishop Torreggiani, at the Roman Catholic Cathedral at Armidale. A man who, it has been ascertained, is a lunatic, fired at the Bishop while the latter was standing at the altar, but the shot did not take effect.

Mokday.

It transpires (saye the Tuapeka Times) that last wetk a man came to the island and. wanted to go fishing. He apparently knew that the litle island known as Green Island was a good place for that purpose, and be induced a young sailor, who had been collecting guano on the island, to go with him in a boat for the purpose of catching fish. Bill Mason, the young sailor somehow became suspicious^ that his companion was the ' wanted ' Fitzgerald, and he then laid his plans with considerable skill for trapping the man. The guano collectors have moorings laid down where their boat could lie with comparative safety in a moderately rough sea. There is a comfortable hut on the island, so that the two might have carried on fishing for long enough if Mason had not been suspicious of his man. They landed at Brighton, it appears, and laid in a good stock of provisions and clothing. They then returned to the island, ostensibly to fish, bat Mason, who knew the dangers well, instead of mooring the boat off, left her alongside the rocks, where she got smashed to pieces when a heavy sea set in. A small dingey, capable of carrying one man, but not large enough to carry two, is kept on the island, and in this Mason went ashore, as he told bis mate, to get another boat, but in reality to inform the police of his suspicions. Immediately two constables went to Brighton, but as the sea. was too rough they bad to wait till Christmas Day before Mason could go off to bring his mate ashore. There was no fear of the entrapped man getting away, however, as the little rocky isle is a couple of miles off shore. On Christmas Day, accordingly, Mason, if the original plan was carried out — but we have no means of verifying this as yet — went off to the island, brought his man ashore, and landed him, all unsuspecting, into the arms of the two constables, Power and Mackenzie, who took him to Dunedin, where ho was brought up and remanded. Mason, we presume, will get the reward, so that his little fishing experience will pay him better than collecting guano. Little Green Island, i.heady famous for castaway and shipwreck events, has also had another chapter added to its fame. The Lyttelton Times states that a lad of 15— Acland Wansey— a son of Mr. O. Wansey, of New Brighton, bravely saved a little boy from drowning on Sunday. The boy, a little fellow of seven, had slipped into the river near the Chester street Fire Brigade-station, and was floating down the stream towards Manchester street when young Wansey, who was on the New Brighton coach crossing the bridge at the time, caught sight of him drowning. He sprang from the coach, and was soon in the river swimming towards the boy,

whom he fortunately reached in time. The rescue came none too soon, as when brought to the bank the boy was unconscious. The New Zealand loan is not received with, favour in London. News has been received from the sea coast of Northern Znluland stating that the British flag has been hoisted there, and a proclamation issued announcing the assumption by Great Britain of the ownership of that district.

Prince Bismarck has urged that the question of Egyptian finance should be taken into consideration at the present Conference. An earthquake of a serious character has been experienced in Andalusia. The shock was felt over the greater part of the province, and caused immense damage to several towns and the death of a number of people, besides Berious injuries to many others. One hundred and fifty persons were killed at Albiqueros, and forty at Arenas del Hey.

Telegrams to hand from the front report that a detachment of ai-tillery haß reached Korti, and preparations are proceeding for the advance of all the troops that have arrived there on Meraweh, an important position on the Nile about 30 miles to the northward of Korti.

Tuesday.

Why Bhould not one or more associations be formed in Welling - ton ? (asks the Post in reference to association settlement). There is plenty of splendid land available in the Forty-mile Bush, and Wellington tradesmen and others, especially those who have sons growing up, could not find a better way of investing their earnings to a small extent than in such an association. Any number of persons, from 25 to 100, can take up an area of from 2600 to 10.000 acres on payment of the small sum of 2s an acre, and an annual payment thereafter of Is per acre until the who.c price of £1 per acre is paid. Two years' grace is given, and thereafter there mnst be residence on the land personally or by registered deputy for a period of years, until the Crown grant is earned by effecting improvements to a specified extent. It is impossible to conceive more liberal terms or conditions more conducive to the encouragement of bona fide settlement. To those of small means who have a vital interest in the question, " What shall we do with our boys ?" these associations furnish at least a partial answer of a highly satisfactory character, and even as an investment they offer every inducement. A shock of earthquake was felt at Kaikoura at 9.27 on Sunday night. The upheaval was followed by a wavelike motion from east to west. A slight shock was also felt at Wanganni at 11.15 p.m. Further shocks of earthquake of great sererity have been experienced in the southern districts of Spain and over several provinces during the past days, and especially in Malaga and Granada. Three hundred persons lost their lives at Alhama, and the town is in ruins. At Periana 30 persons were killed and many injured at Albunuelas. Several towns and villages have suffered severe damage, nnd the cathedrals at Granada and Seville are injured. A general panic prevails, and the inhabitants have left the towns, and are encamped in the open country. It is believed altogether fully a thousand persons have perished.

Wednesday.

At the Inangahua county elections on Monday Messrs. Brennan and Menteath were returned for Ueefton riding, the former with a majority of 46 votes. Ninety-six non-resident miners-right holders, principally from Boatman's riding, w.ere permitted to vote, and it is probable that a petition will be lodged demanding a scrutiny of votes and the alienation of the non-resident voters, in which case Mr. Menteath will have a majority of 30 or 40 votes. The election was most keenly contested, nearly 200 miners' rights having been taken out on the polling day, and a number of women having been furnished with miners' rights and voted thereon. Mr. Craig was returned for Murray riding, and Mr. Irving for Crashington riding. The amount of property tax paid from the Ist to the 29th December inclusive is £56,000.

Monsignor Luck, the Catholic bishop of Auckland, has arrived at Melbourne by Messageries Company's steamer Yarra, from Marseilles (November 19), en route to Auckland. The New Zealand Government are communicating with Mr. Service regarding the proposed protest againet German annexation in the Pacific. It is understood that the New Zealand Cabinet differ as to the character of the protest. The Daily Telegraph states that Commodore Erskine, commanding the Australian squadron, has been instructed to hoist the British flag on the Louisade Archipelago, Woodlark Islands, Long Island, and Rock Island if foreign warships threaten to annex in the vicinity of these groups.

Telegrams from Korti state that strong detachments of infantry under General Earle will shortly advance against the Arabs near Merawi to punish them for the murder of Colonel Stewart at Wady-ei-Homar. The expedition will advance towards Khartoum as soon as supplies reach Gakdul, but a stroDg garrison will remain at Korti. The German Press display an angry tone with regard to the annexation of St. Lucia by the British, the only ground for which was the purchase by a traveller of 100,000 acres of land there. It is expected that Germany will annex Samoa and Tonga. France is willing to exchange the island of Kapa for the New Hebrides Group. A British syndicate is projecting a company with a capital of £5,000,000 for the construction of cruisers.