NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1152, 15 March 1884, Page 1

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

The New England Ereetliinkers’ Convention have formed an Association with by-laws demanding that churches be not exempt from taxation, that the judical oath be abolished, and also all laws enforcing observance of the Sabbath and Christian morality, and that the Bible be removed from public schools, and Government aid refused to sectarian education.

The second Imperial ball at the Winter Palace, St. Petersburg, on February 2nd was remarkable for the absence, inside and around the buildings, of the usual police guards. The Czarina opened the ball with the Danish Minister, and the Czar circulated freely among the guests. The Apache Indians ot Arizona gave the United States Government a substantial pledge of peace by sending fiftyfive of their children to the Carlisle Training School, in Pennsylvania, all females.

A revolution broke out in San Juan, in the Argentine Republic, on February 7th. The Governor was killed and several persons wounded. Senator Gomez was found murdered in a bush. The troops with some difficulty quelled the disturbance*

An American spiritualist named Bastion gave a seance at the Imperial Palace on February 12th, at the invitation of the Grown Prince Rudolph and Archduke John. Bastion summoned the spirits from a room adjoining the exhibition hall, whereupon a tall figure in mourning appeared before the stricken spectators. Suddenly the Grown Prince pulled a string closing a secret door to the entrance, when the spirit, who was Bastion himself, made a frantic but vain attempt to escape, amid the laughter of the audience. Bastion was expelled from the city. A Committee of the Chamber of Deputies considered, on the 13th February, the construction of an elevated railway from France to England. The Minister of Marine opposed the project, saying such a work would be dangerous to shippmg; and any way it was necessary to obtain England’s consent. The Municipal Council, Paris, voted 60,000 francs for the relief of the homeless workmen, and requests the National Legislature to grant a million of francs for the further relief of the poor. A strong effort is being made to ‘ boom ’ General W. A, Sherman for the next Presidency. The General has just been relieved of the Command-in Chief in the United States army, and placed on the retired list, having reached the age limit of sixty-eight years. A scandal has occurred in Paris connected vyith ‘Le Petit Cercle ’ Club, where it is now shown marked cards were habitually used in the card-rooms. Money and securities to the amount of one million of francs have been reclaimed by the victims.

The fight between the fencemen and the free grass men in Texas is daily becoming more and more bitter. On February Ist, State Senator Erric received an anonymous letter which threatened that if free grass was interfered with by the Legislature, all waters in the State of Texas enclosed for pasture would be poisoned. The letter created a sensation view of the mysterious disease sweeping off a number of cattle in certain sections of the State.

A railway is about to be constructed from the Ray of Truscillo, Honduras, to the river Rowar, or Agra, through the valley of Olanchite to Arenal.

A joint resolution in favor of making Alaska a penal colony was advocated in the New Jersey Legislature. Senator Carpenter, the introducer, glowingly described the advantage of that land and its value, and the project of bringing it under civilisation, after the ir-anuer”of‘ Australia.

The late Colonel Suadiken obtained hia lengthy report on the Nihilists’ organisation by enticing away a Nihilists’ wife. One manuscript prize left by the great detective has led to several arrests of importance, and hitherto unsuspected person*.

The London Observer, commenting on the last Greely Arctic expedition, says it is quite possible, considering the chronic mutiny which seems the regulation life on hoard Amer'ctn Arctic adventurers, like those of Kane and Hall, that the men have murdeied their comrades.

The Trench journals are tearing Queen Victoria’s book to pieces. One audacious writer, remarking on the prominence of John Brown therein, declares ‘Her Majesty takes her second widowhood to heart as much as her first.’ The book had been subject to careful revision, but it deals with Beaconsfield’s career and character in such a way that it must necessarily raise much controversy.

A wedding party while crossing the river Theiss, on Frebruary lltb, broke through the ice, and 35 persons were drowned. The party occupied ssven carnages, and the vehicles followed each other so closely that their accumulated weight was too much for the strength of the ice.