Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, OCT. 12, 1899.

Manawatu Herald, 12 October 1899, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, OCT. 12, 1899.

A large portable engine is on the wharf for Mr Mclntyre's flaxmill. The flaxmill plant advertised in our last issue is sold.

According to Russian accounts, Abdur Rahman Khan, Ameer of Afghanistan, is insane, and has been guilty of horrible cruelties.

Lord Kitchener, Sirdar of the Soudan, is concentrating 6,000 Egyptian troops at Kaka, on the White Nile, whence he will march early in November to attack the Khalifa.

The latest London cable quotes Hemp in strong demand. Good Wellington is quoted at £30 per ton.

The Otaki Mail will be published three times a week at the price of one penny from the ist November next.

A somewhat comical escapade of an insane woman is reported by Dalziel's Agency, under date New York, August 10. A woman escaped from the Belle Vue Insane Asylum late on Wednesday night. While wandering about she stole from *a building under repair a pail of green paint and a longhandled brush. Armed with these she mounted the stairs of the nearest station of the elevated railway, and before the ticket- seller had time to realise her intention she had thickly painted his head and face a bright green. He was inside the small ticket stand, all parts of which the woman could easily reach with her brush, and every time he moved she gave his head a fresh daub of paint, and wiped the brush about his clothes. At last he managed to telegraph to the next station, "Am being murdered; help, quick." The police were called, and with a number ot railway men, went to the rescue, and overcame the woman, notwithstanding her vigorous resistance with the brush and pail.

An ex-member of the Intelligence Department, South Africa, has reviewed the prospects of war in an article in the Christchurch Press, which he concludes as follows : — That General Buller is keeping an eye on the Cape Ministry every Britain must know who knows anything of South African affairs, and all can.rest assured that on the slightest indication of treason he will declare martial law, and make an object lesson of rebels for the education of the masses of the Cape Dutch and such native allies as may be desirous of throwing in their lot with their former masters."

Captain Barnett, of the steamer Asloun, says that he had some hesitation in taking the Waikato in tow for several reasons. In the first place the Waikato was nearly twice the size of the Asloun ; then, as the Waikato's bottom was foul, after her long drift, only very slow progress could be made ; and further, the nearest port was 2600 miles away, over almost unfrequented waters. If, therefore, the tow rope had fouled the Asloun's propeller, she would have become as helpless as the Waikato. The towing steamer had a very rough time. On one occasion a sea swept over her, washing away everything movable and flooding the cabins.

Notice is given by advertisement of a bazaar to be held in the Public Hall on the 2nd and 3rd of November in aid of All Saints' Church enlargement.

Mr Bruce one of the candidates for the representation of this district in parliament paid a visit to town last night and met some of his supporters at Stansell's hotel. He had been during the day at Levin.

The Returning Officer notifies an extraordinary vacancy in the Borough Council. Nominations must be in by the 20th inst and the election, if any, on 31st instant.

At the Otaki races yesterday Mr Wanklyn's horse Myra won the Maiden race and secured a divident of £17 ros. Mr T. Scott secured the hurdles with Hutana, and Mr D. Scott the big money with Worry.

Mis Harris, the wife of Mr Harris (Paterson are Co.) and children are now staying in Foxton for the benefit of their health. She paid a visit with her husband to the town a few weeks ago and found so much benefit from the change that this visit was then decided on.

A shearer who comes over from Australia every year to shear at Heaton Park, has sent a letter to Mr R Wilson, which reports the serious troubles the Queensland pastoralists ate enduring, The following is an extract from the letter : — " Owing to the drought, the shearing is very bad over hefe, and I have been shearing with a plant in the paddocks fos the last two months. The sheep were too weak to muster to bring to the shed. Things will be at a very bad pass up here (Darf River Station, Longreach, Queensland) if rain does not come soon, as there is hardly any grass and very little water left, and stock are dying in this north central of Queensland, in hundreds daily. They have had good rains on the New Southr Wales border, but none up here,"

In a recent letter to the Standard and Diggers' News, General Joubert, or " Old Piety," as he is affectionately called by the burghers, said : — " Let us not glorify weapons . . . the horrible murder weapons, the undesirable invention of sinful people. My enemies, whoever they are, boast of their might and murderous weapons. I regret to have to be prepared." Prepared he undoubtedly will be, though not to the extent of a plan of campaign such as was imagined by a burgher whose warlike appetite had got the better of his discernment. The story is told by Mr Fuller, a wellknown South African. The burgher in question said to him that in case of war the Boers would capture Cape Town and then take England. " But," said Mr Fuller, "it is a long way to England by sea, and you have no ships." " What of that ? Cannot the Lord make a passage for us as He did for the Israelites across the Red Sea ?" "Of course, of course. I hope it will be a wide one, or else you might get a broadside from the British fleet."