ARRIVAL OF THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2532, 3 May 1881, Page 2

ARRIVAL OF THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL.

[By Telegraph.] [Per City of New York at Auckland.] Auckland, May 3. The City of New York on her arrival signalled for the health officer, Dr Philson, wno boarded her. The captain reported that small-pox was prevailing in San Francisco and Honolulu, but in the latter part only among the natives. There had been four cases of measles amongst the children, of whom there were twelve on board, but up to the present only two of these were convalescent. The first broke out on the I2th and the last on 25th April. One death occurred on the passage, that of the Rev Mr Cruden, who died from dysentry and general debility and was buried on the following day. Dr Philson id accordance with the regulations but contrary to bis wish decided that the vessel must be quarantined. The mails were fumigated accordingly and the vessel steamed away towards dusk to Moutihi. The customs launch went down to assistin lauding and fumigating the mails, but owing to the roughness of the weather nothing could be done during the night.

GREAT BRITAIN, April 10. Powell the conservative member for Wigan has been unseated for bribery. Miss Semari, fiancee of Herbert Reeves, tenor, perished in the fire at the Nice Opera House. Herr Moat, editor of the “ Free Heit" (Freedom), of Loudon, was arrested and his paper suppressed because it justified the killing of the Czar in a strong leading article, the page being surrounded by a blood-red border. The Court said the proceedings were not taken by the State, but simply a police prosecution. Gladstone was loudly cheered when he rose to make his budget statement. It showed the gross revenue to be £40,041,000, or an increase of £1,341,000 over tbe estimates. The total from increase of taxation was only £878,000. Violent squalls were experienced in London on April 23. Many small boats filled with pleasure seekers were capsized, and 16 lives were lost. In the Lawson-Labouchere case, Justice Coleridge, the judge, condemned severely Lawson’s conduct relative to a personal fracas. The question was not whether Lawson was a coward in refusing! to fight a duel, which he had a perfect right to decline, but whether, having acted as he had, he could reasonably complain very much of the subsequent publication of the libel. He (Coleridge) conld not help thinking that if Lawson refused to fight he should have abstained from the subsequent gross and outrageous insult contained in tbe message to Labouchere that “ he had thrashed him like a dog and would, under certaia conditions, do so again.” The Court pointed out that the account of tho fracas that appeared in “ Truth. ** in the form of a letter from Lawson was a quite sufficient ground of indictment, for libel, even if it had nut beeu published in the newspapers. It was, however, published after an account emanating from the office of the “ Telegraph ” which appeared in

the “Manchester Guardian.” He (Lord Coleridge) implied that the letter was written in braggadocio. Labouchere was unable by the nature of the proceedings to give his account in court. He strongly stigmatised some of the “ Telegraph’s” personal attacks, particularly on Beaconsfield, which Labouchere had adduced to justify his assertion, Lawson, he said, was a disgrace to journalism.

ITALY. The Pope has. ordered a strict inquiry into the sacriligeous traffic in spurious relics. Entire anatomical specimens, purporting to be the remains of the early Christian martyrs, freshly dug from the catacombs of Rome, have been shipped to America. The Opera-house at Nice was destroyed by fire on the night of March 23. A gas explosion caused the fire which com menced soon after the curtain had risen for the performance of “ Lucia.” The tenor, De Villers, Miller, basso, Carlon, baritone, and a number of chorus singers were burned. Mdlle. Donadia, prima donna, made her way out safely, Staunoch, the impressaaio, was injured. The victims number over 100. SPAIN. Serious floods have happened in Seville. Many houses have given way before the force of .the water. All the valley in the country beyond seems an immense lake. The tops of trees, churches, and roofs, just appear above the water which sweeps cattle and crops before it. The river is five miles broad before it enters Seville, and is rushing over gardens, quays, and entering the palace. On the 6th the Minister of Public Works left for the scene with 8 Government engineers. The King placed his private purse at the disposal of the authorities for the relief of the sufferers. The estimated loss is about 1,000,000 dolls. AMERICA. San Fbancisco, April. 10. After a trial lasting forty seven days Eelloch was acquitted of the murder of De Young proprietor of the “ Chronicle.” The verdict was hailed with delight by the “ Sandlot ” boys. Half a million European immigrants are expected in New York this Year. Father Gavazzi, the Italian reformed priest, is preaching in San Francisco to raise funds to assist the anti-Chinese movement in his own country. A buried town with paved streets, stone steps, and magnificent carvings, baa been found in Mexico.

Hanlon challenges the world to row for 1000 dollars.

The wife of a wealthy Chicago physician has been arrested for stealing 10,000 dollars worth of diamonds in New York. It is a case of kleptomania. Edison’s electric light company have received permission to lay wires to light up New York. The system is a perfect success. ■ Moody and Santey retire from ’Frisco disgusted at the number of their converts. The President intimates that he is determined to stamp out Mormonism and polygamy. Z. Salt Lake City is lighted by elec tricity. Ghili has demanded that Peru must pay the cost of the war and cede three provinces.