GENERAL NEWS.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 26 April 1901, Page 4

GENERAL NEWS.

Although the population of Gishorno has more than doubled during the past 15 years there have not been any addition's to the local police force during that period. The Herald urges that the force should he strengthened. The Minister for Lands stated afcGis* borne last week that he would recommend the Government to advance two-thirds of the capital required to start a cooperative dairy in Poverty Bay, the interest to be 5 per cent. Among recent deaths is that on 21s t February, of Professor George Francis Fitzgerald, of Pellow of Trinity College, Dublin, who was one of Lhe foremost exponents of physical science and a strenuous advocate of "reform" in University education. From July to December last the Russian look from the Chinese 283 guns, In addition tho inhabitant* gave up to the Russians 00 guns, and among these were live which had been taken from the Russians by the Chinese at Aibazin 211 years ago.

The English Court of Appeal, reverting a decision in the lower Court, lias decided that an agreement bstweon tho City of London and tho Brush Electrical Engineering Company is null and void because members of the Corporation were interested in tho contract. Four Berlin mechanics recently undertook a bicycle tour via Constantinople to China. Near Ispahan, in Persia, one of them was killed by brigands. The others have now reached Calcutta in safety. Between October, 1899, and 31st January, 1901, tho British Government imported from the United Statoi horses, mules, and other supp!io3 for South Africa to the valuo of five and a quarter millions sterling. The Northampton branch of tho Northamptonshire Licensed Trades Association decided, by 54 votes to 19, to expel from membership a publican who kept his house open during tho closing hours of the Queen's funeral. Seven persons in the French homo for aged men were on a recent Sunday morning found dead, having boon suffocated duing the night by the fumes of a cracked stove.

The Quebec City Council has, it is said, granted permission to tho Sons of the Revolution of Massachusetts to erect a tablet in memory of General Montgomery, who led the American forcea in the assault upon Quebec during the war ol independence against Great Britain. The death is announced of Captain J. A. Piekworth, Military Knight, of Windsor, who served in thelndian Mutiny and Crimea, and was one of the Balaclava Sis Hundred. The gigantic American Steel Trust in the United States has beeu formed with a capital of £229,1Gtk000. Eight large companies, includiug Carncgies, are included in the Trust. It is stated that in the parish of North Farnbridge (Ksses), the rates amount to 14s Id per CI, while another English village (Grays; claims to be paying only 3s per £1 less. The amount of London property in- I sured against fire just tops the thousand millions sterling. It is estimated that fully 20 per cent, of London insurances are effected with foreign companies, and that property to the value of many millions is not insured at all. A peculiar incident occurred during the criminal sittings of the Supreme Court at Bendigo, Victoria. Mr ,T. T. T. Smith, the Crown Prosecutor, during the progress of the case became greatly agitated, and explained to the Court that in looking through his brief bag he had come across a letter from his wife, who died quite recently. The presiding Judge considerately left tho bench for a few minutes. Mr Smith subsequently stated that his ago, and often his infirmities* prevented his pronerly conducting important cases, and that he intended short'y to resign. The Chief Justice of New South Wales nonsuited the plaintiff in a suit in which ono Elliot claimed £IOOO damnges from he Government for breaking into and pulling down portion of his premises in George street south during the plague. His Honor said that what had been complained of was an act of State by tho Government, and this was an action brought against the Executive for acts done in protection of human life, in respect of which a suit could not be brought in a court of law. Plaintiff might be entitled to some compensation, but he could not bring an action.