GENERAL NEWS SUMMARY.

Tuapeka Times, Volume I, Issue 40, 14 November 1868, Page 3

GENERAL NEWS SUMMARY.

Donkeys hare become a feature of the bathing place, St. Kilda, Victoria. The crops in South. Australia promise well. Complaints are made in the ISew River district, Southland, of the -damage caused by rabbits. A promising seam of coal has been discovered at Moeraki. ' Some agitation is going on in Dunedin in reference to a public market. The Melbourne " Argus " aays the advalorem duties are unsatisfactory to every one. In Lucerno, as everywhere else, htv Majesty has made a most favourable impression by -her simple appearance and pleasant manners. Several anecdotes have found their way into tho papers For example, the Queen one day entered a cattle-shed, just a3 a peasant waa distributing fodder. The man wjis confused when he perceived who waa Ms visitor, but quickly recovering Himself, exclaimed, "Good day, Madame Queen." Tlio Queen laughed, and replied by asking various questions as to how the catfcla were managed. One poor woman another day was sent to summon J he Royal suite to return to the carriage. "You can go home now," said her Majesty, when all had taken their seats, and she had rewarded tho messenger, " No," answered the woman, " you go ; I am at home." An "Anglo-Indian" suggests through the " Sydney Morning Herald" an excellent way to fight the Maories after their own fashion. He -writes:— "The men calculated to reduce the Maorie3 to submission are the Ghoorkas, natives of th.9 mountain state of Nepaul. They have the activity of the monkey, and the pluck of men whn know not fear. Their tactici may bo described as 'close quarters.' Anne.l with a formidable weapon termed a hookcry, which is a short sword, or scimitar, they will 'rush' any enemy, wherever entrenched, or however armed. Familiar with jungles, they would find no difficulty in dealing with the Maories in thoir own fore3ta, and meeting them as they must be met, if New Zealand is to remain a British colony. There are many difficulties to be overcome — caste prejudices to be conciliated, dislike of the sea to be combated — ere a body of volunteers could be enrolled ; but still, as an old 'Indian,' I say it can be done." At Tamboff, in Russia, south-east of Moscow, a young man named Gorski, a pupil in tho college, and only eighteen years old. who had been convicted of assassinating a whole family of seven persons, was lately led out for execution. He was conveyed on a carfc, and guarded by a military escort. The gibbet— for the prisoner was to be hanged — was prepared, and a great crowd had assembled to ■witness the last act of the law. Tho judgment having been read, the prisoner waa clothed in a long white robs, the hood of which was placed over his hea 1 ; he was then placed on a high s*o«>l, which was to be withdrawn from under hi 3 feet as soon, aa the rope waa adjusted round his neck. But at that moment an official came forward and read an imperial decree commuting the penalty of death into one "of hard labour for life. The criminal wa» immediately clothed in a convict dres» and taken back to prison, whence he will shortly be sent to Siberia. The Assize Court of Limoges has just convicted a shoemaker's wife, named Baudinaud, of the murder of her husband. A quarrel had taken place, after which the husband went to bed. The wife followed, and while the man was sleeping she strangled him with a rope, and then cut his body to pieces with a carving knife. For four days successively she went out into tho woods, and lanes about Limoges scattering little bits of her husband's body in various directions far and wide. Every night she returned to her house^and lay down to sleep by tho side of what was left of the carcase. Six days after the murder she put on her best gown and danced at a village fete. It was some time before suspicion fell on her. Fragments of tho mangled remains wero found from time to time by various persons, and taken to tho police, who could find nothing in them to establish the identity of the deceived. At length part of a callous .hand was found, on which the mark of a tool used by shoemakers was discovered. The cobbler Baudinaud being missing, his vrife was arrested, and she confessed her crime with all the horrible circumstances above narrated. The jury giving her the benefit of " extenuating circumstances," sho was sentenced to penal servitude for lite. Sir Benjamin Guinness, the celebrated L-ish brewer, left £1,100,000 by will. It is said that ladies of a smuggling tendency are beginning to uae their chignons for the carriage of contraband goods.

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