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Manawatu Herald, 20 May 1899, Page 2

Active preparations are now being made to crush the Khalifa, who is posted at Sherkeilah, situated midway between the White Nile and El Obeid. It is expected that the attack will be made in September on the position of the Khalifa, whose forces are reported to have been weakened by recent desertions of his Dervishes. We have received a letter from Gisborne dated the nth May, which informs us that a well-known business man lately ot Foxton, had a very narrow escape from a nasty accident on that day. He left Gisborne in the early morning for Wairoa, in Ja buggy and pair horses, and when about twenty miles out the king-bolt fell out and the occupant was thrown on to the metalled road. The horses, of course, ran away with the fore-carri-age but after travelling some miles, were stoped. The occupant was fortunately not much hurt, feeling only a little stiff, and he was lucky in getting back to Gisborne by the coach which soon arrived after the mishap. The buggy was very little damaged. Our late resident could not help comparing roads and from his experience asserts that the roads up north are harder than around this town. He must visit us when we have got our loan. In the match with the Surrey Cricket Club the Australains gained their first victory at Home. H.M.S. Pylades, which is on her way to join the Australain Station, struck a reef near to Thursday Island. Two tugs have been sent to her assistance. The body of Mr D. Kilpatrick, of Dunedin, the missing passenger of the Loch Sloy, has been found a miie and a half inland. He must have tried to follow his companions, dying evidently shortly after they had left him. He was lying with his face downwards, apparently having stumbled as he walked. The Union Shipping Company are having a run of bad lnck. Their steamer the Tekapo got wrecked on the Australian coast and has been abandoned, and the Orowaiti ran on a sand bank at Strahan harbour. The ladies of the Guild of All Saints Church are arranging a tea and concert in their schoolroom for Wednesday week, the proceeds of which will be used in reducing the debt on the building. The Queen paid a visit of inspection to Kensington Palace, which is about to be dedicated to the use of the public. Her Majesty spent about an hour inspecting the building, and expressed extreme satisfaction with everything she saw. Signor Crispi, ex- Premier of Italy, has declared that the invitation to America to participate in the Peace Conference to be held at the Hague, sets up a precedent for her intervention in all European questions. Prime fat wethers and lambs fit for freezing advanced still further in price at Addington on Saturday, lambs reaching 16s 4d and one pen 17s gd, while freezing wethers went as high as 2 is, and extra heavy prime wethers to 23s 6d. At the Palmerston Court on Wednesday morning, before Mr Greenfield, S.M., George Grant was charged with distributing certain printed paper in which the name and place of abode of the printer thereof were not printed. A plea of not guilty was recorded, but it was admitted an envelope on which was certain printed matter had been sent to the Commissioner, and that therein lay no offence. In addressing the Court, Mr Grant contended that the offence appeared not to be in using the envelope complained of, but in addressing one to the Commissioner. No steps had been taken by the Department to suppress the envelopes until one had been sent to the Commissioner. He was quite unaware that he was violating any Act by distributing the envelopes. Mr Grant contended that the strict appiicatien of the law in this case would almost amount to injustice. He pointed out the Court had power to dismiss the information as a trivial one. The willingness of those interested to conform to the law was shown by the fact that the first reprint of the envelopes had been done in accordance with the requirements of the Act, and in addition, envelopes already current were being returned to him. Mr Grant addressed the Court at some length, after which the S.M. decided that, taking all the circumstances into consideration, he would be justified in convicting the defendant and discharg • ing him on payment of costs of witness £■2, os Bd. Sergt-Major Ramsay prose cuted.— Daily Times.