GENERAL CABLES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2188, 18 September 1907, Page 3

GENERAL CABLES.

United Press Association—Copyright PARIS, Sept. 16. President Falliere’s action, occurring at a moment of great increase in crimes of violence, causes general alarm. Tlio jury at the Seine assizes and many elsewhere petitioned for the maintainance of law and capital punishment. CAPETOWN, Sopt 16. Tho deadlock in Parliament continues. The Council rejected Mr. Graaf’s amendment offering to pass Supply provided tho Ministry resigned or dissolved Parliament in 1907. SUVA, Sept. 17. Arthur Roy Ashton, charged with the murder of a New Hebrides native, has been acquitted. Accused, while superintending an estate, discovered oho of his laborers stealing pineapples. The laborer became impertinent, and Ashton struck him with a whip. The native seized tho whip and belabored i Ashton in an unmerciful fashion.

Ashton, to savo himself, drow a revolver, and shot his antagonist in the leg. This infuriated tho laborer, and Ashton, to save his own life, shot tho laboror dead through tho heart. SYDNEY, Sept. 17.

The estimated damage by tho Murwillmnbah fire ranges up to £150,000. The greater part of the business centre of the town is a mass of ruins. The whole of tho destruction wns wrought in four hours. But for the precaution of pulling down buildings in the track of the conflagration, proIbably the whole of tho town would have been swept out of existence. Loads of furniture and goods of all descriptions, saved from the disaster, 1 strewn along the north side of tho I main street when the fire occurred, I helped to spread the conflagration, 1 s; arks soon igniting the goods. AVith •• view to checking the flames and I pre ••tilting them spreading to Sol il mon and Co.’s big store, tho Commercial Bank premises wore demolished. The experiment was successful, otherwise it would have been impossible to save a number of buildings in ttho side streets •which escaped. Meanwhile tlio flames crossed tho street and swept a large block on tho other side. The Post Office caught seven times. Heroic efforts saved tho building. Had it gone, a dozen must have followed. Pationts from a private hospital wore removed and tended to in the streets. It is estimated 250 people have been rendered homeless. Scores took tlieir bods and slept in the open for the remainder of the night. Others were accommodated in churches and schools. So far as is known no lives wore lost. Several

accidents occurred, none being of a serious character. During the progress of the fire there was a considerable amount of looting. On the main side of tho town only two hotels, a store and butcher’s shop remain. Many places were insured, but the insurances were small compared with tho losses. Amongst the lines mentioned is tho New Zealand Company, £4710. NEAYCASTLE. Sept. 17. The steamer Oceana has arrived from British Columbia. A fire amongst the coal in the port bunkers had been smouldering since August 10. The bunkers were kept battened down, and the fire was extinguished on arrival.