YESTERDAY’S CABLES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2068, 20 December 1907, Page 4

YESTERDAY’S CABLES.

United Press Association —Cop/right The AdmirnJlty conduct aboard tlio battleship Colossus tests iii connection with explosions of modern magazines on battleships. • With the view of preserving Crosby Hall tho Board of Trndo offer to become tenants of the London County Council who will purchase and convert it into offices. Lord Elgin endorses the Transvaal’s policy of requiring officials in country districts to spea'k .Dutch. Lord Vivian has divorced his wife on the ground of adultery with Frederick Curphow and another. The Daily News, commenting on the large demonstration in Queen’s Hall in favor of women’s suffrage, urges the Liberal party to boldly concede a demand which is an elementary act of justice to women. One hundred and thirty-six exDuma. deputies, 37 belonging to the Constitutional Democrats, will shortly bo tried at St. Petersburg. The editors and two staffs of two St. Petersburg newspapers, numbering tOO altogether, have been arrested on suspicion of belonging;to revolutionary organisations. it is estimated that twenty wero killed by a mine explosion at Yolande. Tenders will shortly he called by the Commonwealth Government for the installation of wireless telegraphy. The first station will be Port York to Moresby range A distance of at least 350 nautical miles is required. A reserve of 75,000 acres has been set apart at Wilson’s Promontory, Victoria, for the protection of native fauna. Wharf laborers handling cargo between Melbourne and Geelong have struck for higher wages. Mr. Dealcin denies persistent rumors that he intends to accept the High Commissionersliip. Ho adds that he has no intention of leaving Australia. A boilermaker, John Kelly, belonging to Melbourne, and his wife retired to rest, but the family wore awakened in the middle of the night by screams. The son found his father had cut his mother’s throat. Kelly rftshed at the son, shouting, "I’m mad.” When tho son returned with assistance he found that Kelly had cut his own throat, both ho and his wife being dead. Kelly had been drinking lately. Tho Premier of New South Wales has announced that the Lithgow ironworks will be in full working order early in tho new year. Tho firm of C. and Z. Hoskins take Mr. Sandford’s place, and will bo possessed of sufficient capital and enterprise to ma'ke the industry an assured success. Provision of a. very liberal character was being made for Mr. Sandford, who thoroughly appreciated tho arrangements. Mr. Wade gives details to-day. The hot fly is prevalent in Bathurst district, New South "Wales. It is now attacking birds. Mr. Humphrey Brryley, who recently purchased Fanning Island for £25,000, is visiting Sydney. Being interviewed, he said: "The nominal purchaser. Father Rougier, is an intimate friend of mine. In fact, ho acted for me. The purchase has no ■religious or political significance whatever. I was originallly half-ow-ner of the island. Both Washington and Fanning Island are included in the purchase, and I wanted to determine the proprietorship of either by partition or sale. The Court decreed that the sale of the island does not change its flag. I am an Englishman, and the cable station will always be Government property. The islands have never had any population for 1500. years—there are evidences of that—the only inhabitants to-dav being 137 South Sea Islanders and between 20 and 30 cable operators. The registrar to the High Commissioner has given a certificate that the revenue from copra in the island is £BOOO a year, exclusive of phosphate of lime. The New South Wales Assembly passed to third reading a Bill to amend the Liquor Act so as to make clear the intention of Parliament that the votes cast for no-license should bo added to the votes cast for reduction. _ Tho proposal met with much opposition on the grounds that the Act had not been declared defective, and that those interested in the liquor trade had gone to much expense in preparing to fight the matter in the law courts, and should not be prevented from having a. run for their money by the passage of what was little more than panic legislation. Eventually a proviso was inserted that tho Bill shall not affect litigation pending in. tho Supreme Court up to the 17tli inst. During a gale at Dapta, New South Wales, a large shed, upon which a man was working, was blown bodily over into the lake. The man escaped. Cattle and horses were blown into the water, and some drowned. A woman and two boys were carried against a shed by the force of the wind and bruised. Many premises were unroofed and otherwise damaged. The New South Wales Assembly passed tho Estimates, amounting to £3,971,000, including one and a half millions £or the repayment of loans, and a million for railway stock and buildings. Tho last Sydney wool sale for the year closed with brisk competition. Prices for good sorts wero firm at late levels. The first salo in the new year is fixed for January 21st. The New South Wales Government agent in South Africa reports that Australian products arc becoming mere popular. A movement is afoot to secure an extension of Sir Harry Eawson’s term of Governor of New South Wales.

The slump in load is proving a serious blow to Broken Hill 1. Fifteen hundred dim have been dismissed in various mines.