Local and General News.

Mt Benger Mail, Volume V, Issue 230, 10 May 1884, Page 2

Local and General News.

The nominations for auditors of the Borough of Roxburgh muft be made by Friday next, at noon.

Basstian's stable on Dqnrobin station which was burned down Wednesday, night, was insured for £260 in the South British office. (

In the House of Commons the Bill to legalise cremation of dead bodies was rejected.

Mr S. M. Dalgleish, Clerk of Court at Cromwell, is about to leave the Service. The local ' Argus' states that he had to choose between the acceptance of a subordinate office, at about half his present salary, oi quitting the Service on compensation; and he chose the latter course.

Telegrams from Havana, the capital of Cuba, state that a terrible catastrophe occurred there. The powder magaaine at the arsenal exploded, and the shock also caused a gasometer in the neighborhood to blow up. Immense damage was done to the adjoining buildings, and a number of persons in the vicinity lost their lives.

The French Government have definitely notified have acceptance of the proposal that a conference on the state of affairs in Egypt should be held, but without waiving their demand that the whole Egyptian question shall be open for discussion.

The Presbyterian gift auction takes place on Tuesday next in the Roxburgh Athenaeum. Those intending to contribute to this object should lose no time in doing so at once.

Says a Hokitika telegram—A strong feeling of dissatisfaction is being expressed throughout this district at the lengthened delay in Donnoghue's case, who was tried and sentenced to death about two months ago. A large requisition is being signed asking the Mayor to call a public meeting to give an expression of opinion on the subject.

The marriage of Prince Louis of Battenburg with the Princess Victoria of Hesse-Darmstadt, was celebrated on 30th April at Darmstadt with great ceremony. Queen Victoria, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and the Crowri Prince and Princess of Germany were present. The Queen did not attend the banquet which followed, on account of the recent death of the Duke of Albany.

The four Chinese arrested at Tapanui for gambling, were brought before Messrs Berbert and M'Kellar, J.P's. on Wednesday, 30th ult. Two of the defendants were charged with being the occupiers or managers of a certain gaming-house, and two with being found there without lawful excuse, Mr Finn (Invercargill), and Mr Sinclair (Tapanui), appeared for the defence. The principal offender was 6ned £5 ss, one £2 2s, and the other two £1 each. The Bench refused to make an order for the forfeiture of the moneys and jewellery found on the men. Writing trom Sydney, a correspondent of the 'Argus' draws a melancholy picture of the effects of the drought. He says : —" The tidings that come down from day to day are dreary in the extreme. On some runs four-fifths of the stock are dead already. Some squatters are selling their sheep at half-a-crown apiece ; others are cutting the throats of the wethers to save the ewes. Even if rain should come now, the mortality would not cease, as thousands of the impoverished stock would die of cold. Never before have we had so severe a blow to our pastoral interest, and it will take us fully four years of good seasons to recover." An old man named Alfred Hawley was found early on the morning of Mondaylast in the railway station at Woodside, Wairarapa, in an unconscious state. On examination it was found that one of his wrists was severely cut, and he was also stabbed on the left side. On regaining consciousness, Hawley said he had committed the deed himself with a sheath knife lying at his side. No reason for the act is assigned. Mr Preece, the electrician, in the course of a lecture before the Society of Arts, pronounced electric lighting a practical success. What had proved a disastrous failure was electric company mongering and electric lightning finance. People would pay a reasonable price for the electric light, whatever might be the price of gas. At present it is a luxury, but the day was not far distant when the electric light will be demanded as a necessity. At the last meeting of the Lodge if ope ofKoxburgh, LO.G.T., held on the 3rd instant, the following were installed as officers for the current term-viz., P.W.C.T., Brother George H. Hill; W.C.T., Brother Gerald Morris ; R.H.S., Brother H. A. Tamblyn; L H.S„ Sister S. dinger; W.V.T., Brother J. Smith; W.S., Brother Mercer; W.A.S., Brother W. Cockburn; W.F.S., Brother R wringer; W.T., Brother H. Baillie; W.C., Biother Mackie; W.M., Brother H. Byron; W.D.M., Brother M.Hill; W 1.G., Brother B. S. Manuel; W.0.G,, Brother Ralph. The installation was conducted by Brother Stringer, L. D., assisted by Brother Coop as G.W.M. The reports presented show an increase of 7members for the quarter; the total membership being 54. A very remarkable scene was witnessed at Birmingham on March 5. George Ball, who has been released from Pentonville Prison, after twenty years penal servitude for wife murder, was met at the railway station by thousands of people, amongst whom intense excitement prevailed, Hull was received with remarkable demonstrations of welcome, the crowd thronging the station and its precincts, a detachment of police having

to be called in to preserve order. When Hall alighted from the train vociferous cheers were given, and were continued until he had driven off in a cab with his relatives. Hall was sentenced to death in March, 1864, tor the murder oi his wife, whom he shot because he discovered that she had been unfaithful to him, but he was respited on the eve of execution, and the sentence commuted to penal servitude for life. An agitation in favor of his release was begun recently, and*esulted in his release from prison on March 4.

Winter appears to be now fairly upon us During the past two or three days it has been very cold, and the surrounding hills have assumed a wintry aspect, being freely covered with snow. On the low lands there have been a few showers of sleet, but in the back«country the snow which has fallen is likely to remain for some time, and will probably be augmented on many occasions before long. Communication with the Pomahaka and these places is therefore likely to be out off very shortly.

The sum of LI reward is offered for the recovery (or information as will lead to such) of a coH, which strayed from the Beaumont station a few months ago. This township is still improving in some respects, for the Oorpuratieu ex* pect soon to have lamps erected in the Borough. This is a step in the right direction, and it will be a great improvement in many respects. On a dark night it is difficult, unless one is well acquainted with the place, to find your way roundbut when these lamps are erected in the places where most required it will be a source of comfort to pedestrians, besides being an ornament to the town—for what looks better than a place wel l -lighted. It lends additional charms to any borough —and will do so to this.—Gradually, but surely, we are advancing in the paths of progress.

Mr F. W. Millis (.he monarch of veatriloquisra) is to perform in the Roxburgh Athenaeum on Monday evening next, The Press generally speak highly of his performances, which we believe will be sufficient to ensure for him a good house here.

Despatches from Gordon Pasha charge the Government with indelible disgrace in not assisting the garrison under his command, and say that the refusals to himself crown the climax of meanness. He advises that King Leopold should occupy the equatorial provinces. A report has reached London that the Grand Duke Ludwig of Hesse, the widower of the late Princess Alice, of Great Britain, has married the divorced wife of a former Secretary to the Russian Legation at Darmstadt.