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Manawatu Herald, 9 November 1899, Page 2

During the hearing at the case of David Wilkie against his brothers, John and Adam, in the Supreme Court at Wanganui, it was disclosed that the profits on the railway to Coolgardie and Kalgorlie were £150,000 to £i 60-,--000, which the two last named brothers shared.

At the Christehtfrch meeting Seat' horse, the property of Major F. N. George, won the New Zealand Cup of the value of 1500 soys; Malatua was second, and Etfpldsidn third.

Two military contributors to both the Chrtetchurch papers discuss the "me reinforcements daii get to Ladymith. One is of the opinion that it will be the 14th of this month at the earliest, the other that they might get to Estcourt on the way to Ladysmith by the 14th, and considers that unless General White can maintain his position until the 17th or 18th unaided, his position is very grave.

The unusual spectacle of a woman calmly walking along the street with her hat on fire was witnessed on the Quay the other afternoon, says the Wanganui Herald. The girl was accompanied by. a male companion, who was smoking, and it is probable a spark from his pipe was blown into the trimming of the girl's hat. The astonishment of the wearer may be imagined when a passer-by drew her attention to the state of her head-gear, <vbich she hurriedly removed, just as it was bursting into flames, and quickly tore the burning trimming from it just in time to save her hair from destruc-

tion.

The following will probably be the polling-places for the Manawatu electorate :— Borough Council Chambers, Marton (principal), Courthouses Foxton, Turakina, Bulls, Schoolhouses Sanson, Shannon, Rongotea, Awahuri, Carnarvon, Moutoa, Oroua Bridge, Tokomaru, Kereru, Parawantil, and Greatford* The schoothouse, Taiu>rea, has also been suggested as a polling-place. — Advocate.

The German Emperor has struck a number of medals from the metal of captured guns to commemorate the birthday of his grandfather, Emperor William. These medals are now being distributed to veterans residing in the colony by the German Consuls.

There was a remarkable storm on Tuesday at Wilcannia, N.S. Wales. Hailstones as large as goose eggs fell ; iron roofs were pertorated, windows and skylights broken wholesale, and people bruised by the lumps of ice. A cyclonic storm is also reported from the Newcastle district. Houses were blown down and unroofed, and the new grandstand on the racecourse was damaged. Great injury was done to crops, and the vineyards suffered severely. At Adamstown the Roman Catholic School collapsed. One child was killed, and another seriously injured.

» It is quite evident," says the Spectator, "that the rumours of a projected alliance between Japan and China which have been so angrily denied, rest upon a solid foundation. The Russian Government does not act upon rumour, and M. de Giers, the Foreign Minister, has addressed a Jjspatch to the Tsuug-li-Yamea, stat- ' ig that such an alliance would give >jreat oftence to Russia, and that the consequences for China would be most serious. This despatch was probably written to frighten the EmpressDowager, and strengthen the old Manchu party, which dreads Japan ; but there are reports that it comes too late, and that the treaty, which is to be kept secret, has been signed.

An extraordinary hailstorm is reported from Horsham, the centre of an agricultural district two hundred miles W.N.W. of Melbourne. It was preceded by the bursting, with a loud report, of a big ball of fire, which filled the air with sulphurous fumes. The hail is described as falling fn lumps as large as cricket balls. By the combined efforts of hail and gale windows were broken, houses unroofed, chimneys blown down, and building and machinery damaged in all directions.

Major E3terhazy, who gained a world-wide notoriety through his connection with the Dreyfus case recently before the French "Courts, has been sentenced to three months' imprisonment for swindling his cousin, and ordered to repay 33,0006:.

A musterer writing to the Otago Daily Times and Hakataramea on the subject of keas killing sheep, says ;—I may say that I have seen the kea, or mountain parrot, actually tackle live sheep often. In particular on one occasion, whilst mustering on Longslip station, in the Upper Waitaki, a tew years since my fellow musterers and I saw a small flock of keas attack a weak merino wether, one of a mob caught at the camp for mutton purposes. On examining the animal shortly afterwards, we found that they (the keas) had opened the loins and extracted all the kidney fat and the paunch was visible through the opening. Strange to say, the wether still kept its feet. Of course, it was killed afterwards. Confirmation of this I can furnish from at least 10 others, who witnessed the occurrence.

The gale at Auckland on Saturday blew a house belonging to Mr Jockney, beyond Onehunga, oft the blocks, after which it rolled down a cliff and was broken to pieces.

Mr R. C. Bruce will address the electors on Monday night at the Public Hall.

The Militia, including Permanent Staff and Militia Reserve are set down as numbering, for last year, 132i493 men, and 35,000 of these have lately been called out. The regular army at Home and in the Colonies is placed at 171,374 men, and in India at 73,168 »nen. The Army reserve, nrst-cliss, number 83 000. There are still 'he volunteers who are numbered at 263,---9-

A woman named Elizabeth McDonald has been committed for trial at Wellington for wilfully illtreating her three and a half-year old illigitimate child.

Yesterday Messrs Hickson and Reeve were unfortunate in losing one Of their draught horses. A son of Mr Hickson Was in charge of a horse and dray and when giving it a drink at the river by the mill, the horse and diay went over the ledge in the bank into deep water, and before it could be rescued the horse was drowned. The lad had a narrow escape.

The Bishop of Wellington held a confirmation at All Saints'. Chilrch on Tuesday night* and addressed the candidates very clearly and fully upon the duties and responsibilities they had undertaken; The service was Well attended. The Bishop accepted the Mayor's hospitality, and left with the Rev; H. Leaco yesterday afternoon for Levins . . . Mr Northcroft in the £ahiatua court to counsel "for the defence : — " I will not allow you to insult a witness in the box. A witness does not stand in the box to be insulted." Counsel— 41 1 did not insult the witness. I only said ' It was a good job for my client that you (witness) are not trying the case.' " His Worship — " I consider that remark an insult. You have no right to say to a witness in that box what you would be afraid to say to either him or myself in the passage if we were alone. If you made uae of such a remark to me when we were alone you know where you would be." Collapse of counsel. — Herald.

This morning a large number availed themselves of the opportunity of taking a trip on the river.

A woman was fined £1 yesterday for being drunk in the Main street on Tuesday afternoon. A lunatic woman was also brought up from Shannon and remanded to Palmerston and then to Wellington asylum.