News and Notes.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 42, 13 January 1894, Page 10

News and Notes.

At Spalding-, on 21st November, jx man named diaries Mitchell, in the employ of the Spalding- Gasworks, committed suicide by hanging himself. He was to have attended before the Spalding magistrates on a charge of stealing a rabbit, and was out on bail; but rather than face the charge he took his life. For a working man he was in a fairly good position, having -saveda. considerable sum of money. Onehunga, of which Mrs Yates has been selected civic ruler, has a population of 2866 persons, contains about 620 houses, and lias a property valuation of <£250,684. Five swift torpedo-catchers have been commissioned by the Government from Clyde firms. An attempt is being made by women trades unionists to form a Scottish National Federation of Women "Workers. A lady named Miss Agnes M’Kie, aged forty-eight years, residing in Dumfries, while suffering from a severe attack of influenza, rushed out of the house and drowned herself in the River Nith. With the lighting of the Glasgow streets by electricity a new danger to pedestrians has arisen. In Bath Street of that city about fifty yards -of the pavement was suddenly shot into the air owing to the ignition of a quantity of escaped gas_ by a spark from one the wires used in i electric lighting of the city. A similar explosion has also taken place in another part of the city. The inquest touching the death of Wm. Mndge, stabbed at South Dunedin on Christmas Eve, was concluded on Wednesday, the jury finding that the wound from which he died was inflicted by either Richard Dobson or Eberhardt Kufner, whom they found guilty of wilful murder. The accused were committed for trial. Mrs. Knorr, convicted of child murder, and who has confessed to a number of other crimes, is to be executed on Monday. Jones the Victorian hangman, has committed suicide, preferring this to hanging a woman.

Xiachlan Eobinson received the ®xenplary sentence of three months’ imprisonment for using foul language on a ferry steamer at Auckland. A few sentences like this would have a good effect. The offence in question is far too common.

From the Southern Standard (Gore) we learn that the Gore Meatpreserving Co., whose works are situated at Croydon Siding, have entered into a contract with the Southland Frozen Meat Co. to receive all the -tongues from sheep slaughtered at -the Company’s freezing depots at Mataura and Bluff. This will keep the Croydon works in operation the whole of the- year-.

’'he well-known shiji Jessie Readman, homeward bound with wool, was stranded on the Chatham Islands on December 23, during- thick, dirty weather. No lives were lost. Without any borrowing, too. The Colonial Treasurer hopes to be able to announce a surplus of £IOO,OOO at the end of the financial year. There are 350 New Zealand Roan and Mercantile Agency ®o. shareholders in New Zealand, holding- 52,422 shares, which, at £5 10s each, will represent £228,321 to bo paid in 11 months. There are only 5,796 shares held in Australia. The arrivals in the colony last month were 2,980 and the departures 944, showing a gain of 2,036. During last year the excess of immigration over emigration was 10,522, against 4,958 in 1892. For two years the Scottish Burial Reform and Cremation Society has been endeavouring to raise £3OOO to erect a crematorium. Close upon £2OOO has been subscribed in £lO shares, and it is now proposed to proceed with the erection of a crematorium in the Maryhill district of Glasgow. There is to be a chapel where a burial service may take place, and the coffin will be lowered from a catafalque in the centre of the floor into a vault beneath, and from there passed on into the incinerating chamber, which is to be so constructed that the flames will not in any way touch the bod 3-, which will be reduced within the space of an hour to a handful of white glistening ashes, while the harmless gases into which the body will he resolved will pass into the air through an ornamental tower. It is estimated that the charge for cremating a body will range from £2 2s to £5 ss. The statement that a man and dog fight recently took place in Wellington is now denied. The citizens of Gore have decided in favour of having the town lighted by electricity. It is hoped that the plant will arrive in time to be of service during the coming winter. At Fillis’s Circus Christchurch, on Wednesday, Cox, the animal trainer, was putting the Bengal tiger through her usual performance and had placed his head in the animal’s mouth when she suddenly closed her jaws, inflictingpainful wounds on Cox’s face. He retained his presence of mind and released himself without receiving further injury. The wounds are not of a serious nature. Cox went through, another performance with the tiger at night. A young woman was to have entered the lion’s cage but the police prohibited her doing so.