YESTERDAY’S CABLES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2089, 15 January 1908, Page 4

YESTERDAY’S CABLES.

An acuto rate culling war has begun. The White Star and other members of the Piorpont Morgan Shipping Combine, including tho Mamburg-American and Nord-Duo-tsober Lloyd, refused to increaso rates for tho Cimnrd liners Lusitania and Maurotania. Tho Nord Doutselier .Lloyd lino has .induced tho Nippon Yusen Kaisha to abandon competition at the ports of Singapore, Bangkok, llong Kong, Sr.en v, and Hoihou.

The London Daily Graphic states that the recognising of the South African claims are in a different category to tho Burns, Philp grievances. Germany has withdrawn her demand for indentical treatment, and is now willing to have arbitration in tho Marshall Islands dispnto by itself. It is bolioved a final and friendly understanding will soon bo reached.

A dramatic rescue by firemen was a fenturo of the fire which destroyed the thirteen storey sky-scraper, known ■is Parker’s Building, Now York. .Firemen were unable to throw wator above tho eighth storey. A number climbed tho roof and woro unablo to descend. Comrades from tho eighth storey of a neighboring hotel shot life lines, which tho firemen caught, attached to a ehimnoy, and descended hand over hand amid tho cheers of some 20,000 people on tho street. Mr. Tal't, Seerotary of 'War lor IT. S. A., on being interrogated strongly opposed Government control of mines and railways. Mr. W. J. Byran favors Government ownership, though ho claims that tho issuo does not concern tho prosont campaign. Siguor Zunini, Italian consul at Perth, has left for Romo. Ho will submit to tho Agent-General for Best Australia notifications in draft of an agreement for taking immigrants to Western Australia. If tho agreement is ncceptod bv tho Commonwealth, a colonv of 100 families will be graduallv founded in 190 S. If tins settlement proves satisfactory 500 families will follow. A working agreement has boon arranged between the Hamburg and Nord-Duotschcr Lloyd lines, virtually amalgamating 1,052,430 tons of slnp--1 There is a sovero epidemic of cholera in Arabia ,ancl 2200 deaths have occurred at Heiay since Dccoinbor 14. Five deaths aro also roported at Constantinople. _ Tho Svdnov Morning Herald, cliscussing the loss of the San Francisco and the threatened loss ot tho \ aneouver mail service, after rofornng to tho value of these lines, says: ■‘However, both Canada and tho United States are establishing more adodunto communication with us than wo with thorn, as though Australia should do what is reasonable to keep up both services slio filiould undertake increased respqnsibhties. Captain Rawson, visiting Svdney, declares that, the new Anglo-French convention in connection with tno New Hebrides will work wonders, tor while formerly everything was in a state of chaos, in future there will lie law and order. Matters arc most peaceful and quiet under the new order of tilings, and will probably remain so, and we aro unlikely to hear of any moro trouble. Tho barque Big Bonanza, which loft Newcastle on December 2!) coal laden, for Sail Francisco, has returned to Sydney in distress, After tier departure from Newcastle she encountered gales and sprang a leak in the vicinity of New Caledonia. Rough weather prevented the vessel making Noumea, aiul she headed for Sydney. Tho crew wore constantly at tie puinpsA and managed to keep the water down. . . Tho position in regard to the wharf laborers strike is still u* ( hanged. Both at Sydney and Newcastle work is being done by non-unionists. 4 farmer at Maitland in New South Wales, was atneked by anthrax, after skinning a cow, and died in great agonv. Heavy rains, with floods, continue in the ‘north of Queensland. Portions of the Avr-Bowen lines are •pepuedsns st 03511.14 pun ‘.10411.11 .lopun