Monday.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XII, Issue 41, 30 January 1885, Page 9

Monday.

The first harvesting in the district (says the Tuapeha Times), was done the other day by Mr. Allan Mitchell, who cut a crop of oats in Gabriels Gully, The oats were of the long Tartar'an variety, and the crop was very heavy, being over sft. in height, but the birds had done great damage to the grain. The grain which xipens first in the district is sure to suffer most from the ravages of the small birds,, and these destructive pests impose no small tax upon the farmers, whose returns are trifling enough as it is. The first annual report of the Wellington Meat-preserving and Refrigerating Company states the Company's operations ' have resulted in a profit of 10 per cent. The directors recommend that the amount to the credit of the profit and loss account be dealt with as follows, viz.: To pay a dividend at the rate of 5 per cent, per annum, £739 11s 8d ; to commencement of a reserve fund, £600 ; to be carried forward, £238 H6s 2d ;— total, £1478 7s lOd

The Hanhes Bay Herald's correspondent at Makatoku telegraphs that large bush fires are raging in that district. Parsons and Small'? sawmills, with their houses and a large stock of timber, were entirely destroyed. The insurance is believed to be £1,600 in the National Office, but probably this is partly reinsured. Several other mills were threatened when the dispatch left. At midnight on Friday a fire broke out in Elliot street, Auckland, on the upper floor of a two-storey block of buildings leased by M'lnlay, sign writer, from David Kean, residing at Wellington. The ground floor in the northern division was used by- M'lnlay a* a-work-shop, and ths upper floor was partly used by Davis, a saddler, as a workshop, and also used as a workshop by Mr. J. H. Holm en, scenic artist of the Opera-house, who slept in .the front room. The Fire Brigade soon extinguished the flames. As Holmes was known to sleep in the upper storey, and had not been seen about, search was made upstairs, when his nude body was found lying on its back, the skin having peeled off in sections, though the body was not scorched or burnt. An examination of the premises by Detectives Hughes and Walker went to show that Holmes had probably been reading in

bed and bad fallen asleep leaving a candle lighted. Some charred magazines were found near the pillow, and when roused by fire he had evidently made his way to the back room instead of the staircase, with his trousers in his hand (as they were found in his clenched grasp), when he was overcome with smoke and suffocation. At the inquest on Holmes 1 body a verdict of " Accidental death " was returned. There was no evidence to show how the fire originated. In'enee excitement has bean caused by the discovery of daring and well-planned attempts to damage the Houses of Parliament and Tower of Londou by dynamite explosious. Early on Saturday afternoon the first explosion occurred, the dynamite having been lodged in the first crypt UDder Westminster Hall. The windows of the Hall were smashed by the concussion, and a large bole made in tne floor. Two policemen and a visitor who were present were seriously injured. A few minutes later a second explosion occurred, in a spot under the Strangers' Gallery in the House of Commons. The western end of the Chamber was completely wrecked by the force of the explosion. One person who is suspected of having caused the explosion was arreßted on the spot. A third explosion occurred about the same time, the scene being the White Tower of the Tower of London. Numerous visitors were present at the time, and four persons were severely injured. Windows in the neighbourhood were broken, and the buildings sustained considerable damage, The Austrian authorities are inquiring into the advisability of establishing a trans-oceanic penal settlement. After further consideration the Cabinet has decided to accept the French counter proposals on the basis of the parleying which has been proceeding thereon. The Cabinet offers to guarantee the required loan for Egypt, but rejects the principle of multiple control of the Powers in that country. An arrangement has been arrived at by which Turkish troops will occupy Souakim, to which place the British forces return after relieving Khartoum. Sir Saul Samuel, Agent-general for New South Wale 3, has joined the league which is being formed in opposition to the Imperial federation movement. The principal object of the league is to disseminate information amongst members of Parliament and others, and show that the system of Imperial federation is impracticable. Sir Saul Samuel, in the course of some remarks at the Empire Cluo last night, said that the Australian Colonies were thoroughly loyal but that they would never submit to Imperial taxation. ~ '