NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1806, 23 October 1888, Page 4

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

GENERAL SUMMARY.

Electricity as applied to street surface pars was put into practical operation for the first time in New York on September 17 hby the Fourth Avenue line. It wu emminently successful. Mrs Margaret fox Kane, widow of Kane, tho American Arctic explorer, and one of the famous Fox sisters, who originated spiritualism many years aga by the Rochester knockings, declared formally and explicitly, in an Interview on September 23'd, at Bear House in Now York, tha* the whole system was a deception, and she proposed to lay it bare to its very foundation. " I know,"she added, " that every effect at the ae'inces is produced by wholesale fraud.

Charles A. Peroy went -through the rapids in the Niagara river on September 16th in a boat of his own construction, and for advertising purposes. He escaped with his life, but had a terrible experience. The boat struck a rock, throwing Peroy out, and he swam to Lewiston, where he was picked up, almost exhausted, by some fishermen. , He had no bones broken, but was bad y strained., The boat disappeared, A fccare was caused in ihe War Department; Washington, on September sth by "the information that a British officer had penetrated \ the secret of; the; operations of'the Amiricatt torpedoes, on'which chief rdiaaoe, is placed for coast defence, and harl forwarded a complete drawing to London, n -j ... The Premier, Mr Merrier, has caused a sensation by saying, in a recent speech on the., independence" of the province of Quebec, that Quebec darej Downing street or ' OVtawa to .interfere' further in ■ bar legislation.. He alio denounced the vetoes of the Dominion Government st inspired by, English Protestant' hatred of Roman Catholics. , TKe Pramier's special orgao, the Electeur, open "threatens the secession "of Quebec from the Canadian union, and a ne ( w and powerful pirty has been formed .with the ultimate object of annexation to to the United States. ; THE PARNELL COMMISSION. The Special Judical Commission for the investigation of the Times charges against Parnell and other leader* of the Irish party, mat on September 17th in Loedoo. Sir James Hannen presided. The sraallmd gloomy ; Court room w >s 1 crowded to suffocation, and there were upwards of 200 reporters present. Sir Jamas Haßnen announced thnt the inquiry would be confined to the persons Recused and the charges »3d. allegations mad* in the 6'DorJnell "trial. It.'was decided that the letters should open the proceedings. The gist 6f'the journal's case is given in a conversation wjth Mr Graham, one of the counsel, and the President. "Do you .propose," asked tb» Judge,j"to substantiate any of the charges!" We prop'oße,"' answered the lawyer, " to give you all the information we can." The Judge repeated the same question and got the same answer. He asked it a third time, and Mr Graham said, " 1 propose to lay [before you all the informttion we have, which we believe will lead to substantiate the charges and allegations that have bees made." Sir J. Hannen—'•Which charges f" Mr Graham—''That 1 cannot tell. I am not in a position to tell your lordship, but I shall lay b»fore you such evidence as we can. We :do not make charges against any particular person, but we say the entire Irish organisation has bsen acting in thia way.'V Sir Charles Runsell, who acted for ifr Parnell, made application for pi oographs of letters alleged to have been written by his client, and it was granted. Sir C: Russell fuither asked the Ciommisßioners to send a Commission to Arnerioa te taka evidence. He net* requested Mr Dillon's release, that he might be enabled to pr-pare ( hjif evidence. Referring to the documents said to be in the hands of the Times, ha said he par'ieulaily desired to see the letter/ winch he pronounced a forgery. The Time's attorneys said they were willing to produce all letters in their possession, but objeoted to an order for discovery of documents. Sir C.Russell uuisted that the case should not proceed until the Commission decided the ques-

tion as to the production of all documents in possession of the Times. The, President saked, assuming the Commission thought that they had jurisdiction to order the discovery of the documents, what restrictions Sir 0. Russell would claim. Sir CharUs stated he wanted to know if the Times charged Farnell or his aasoctntsß with complicity in the Phoenix Park murders. Mr Graham replied that the Times would produce evidence to substantiate all the charges made in the articles on " Parnellism l and Crime." The order of discovery asked for by Sir C. Russell was granted, The Court thought that the detail* against (he persons accused by the Times ought to be giveD. The inquiry bythe Court would he thorough, and followed to the end. Sir C. Russell's application for a commission to examine Patrick Egan in the United States was refused; but if be tesified in Englard he would receive a certificate of indemnity. Dillon whs released on September 18th, but .will no! appear at the publio sitting of the Court. An order was given for the inspection of the bankers' books belonging to the National League, after which the Cbmmiflsiion decided to adjourn till October 22nd. The Irish parly profess much satisfaciion with the situation. The Commission "is dm do up of Judges Hannen, Smith, and Day. Startling evidence is ezpeoted before the Commission. Several conspirators undergoing imprisonment .in . England have offered to make disclosures with the hope of obtaining remission : of sentences. These disclosures will relate to the dynamite comspiracy in America. It is believed these , witnesses will be oalled in Parnell's action against The Times,