OUR NEWS LETTER.

Wairoa Bell, Volume V, Issue 227, 8 December 1893, Page 6

OUR NEWS LETTER.

ITEMS FROM ABROAD. Glassort, the Carcoar murderer, was executed at Bathurst goal, death being-instant-aneous. He spoke on the scaffold and declared his innocence, saying the line of defence adopted by his counsel had been taken against his will. He did not blame anyone but ho felt sure if certain evidence had been brought forward he would have got off. In his lasr words he sent his love to his wife, and said bis hope was in God. In the: South Australian Legislative Assembly, a motion requiring the Government to call upon the Colonial Treasurer to arrange intercolonial freetrade with any or all of the colonies was carried by 31 to 8. The minority consisted of the labour party, wno considered the time inoppot tune. A heavy thunderstorm has been expei-ienc eel in Bathurst, New South Wales . * After a day of excessive heat hail fell, accompanied by rain, for a time. This was followed by. a hailstorm of unprecedented violence, which lasted half-an-hour. Blocks of ice, measuring in some instances ten, eight- and seven inches in circumference, and weighing up to three ounces, fell. The roofs of houses were riddled, the iron being perforated, aucl windows iu every direction were broken. Mi on sands of pounds worth of property being destroyed. It is impossible at present to estimate the full extout of the damage. Skylights were smashed in, and tenements flooded, great damage being-done to the content--. The Russian Government ordered the closing of a Roman Catholic Church in Koono, the capital of the Govern meal; of the same name in European Russia, on the Baltic. The Catholics resented this interference, and occupied the church. Troops were summoned to expel them, and in doing so killed 20. and ruined 100. The remainder fled, and were pursued by Cossacks. Mauv lost their lives in attempting to cross the River Niernen, Immense profits were made by the Durham coal owners, whose men did not join the strike, and thus enabled them to com maud the market. The Marquis of Londerry is said to have netted a quarter of a million. The accounts of the Tyser line for 1892 show a debit balance of £58,000, including £20,000 loss on completed voyages to New Zealand. OUR OWN DOINGS. Mrs Yates has ascend d the mayoral throne of Onehunga at a critical moment. There are signs of dissension, nay dissolute n, in Onehunga. Its affairs are evidently out of joint, and Mrs Yat s has been set there by fortune to set them right. The members of the Onehunga Fire Brig ade have given two month’s notice of their intention to resign. But it is not merely among the Fire Brigade that things do not seem to be progressing m smoothly as they ought. The Public Library is in difficulties, through want of funds, and the trustees of toe institution are asking the Council to take it over. Ti en in the Coutu.i' itself, no less than four Councillors, Messrs .Rowe, Hill, Court, and Sutherland, have tendered their lesignat’ons, and the I’own Clerk has sent in a similar notificatiou, ' the first case under the Now Licensing Act came before the Bench at Wellington. The licensee of the Albion hotel was charged with supplying liquor <o a child under 13. Counsel said there was a general impression in the trade that the Act did nor, come into force till Marjh, (The j

Magistrate did not enter n eon vie' ion, but said defendant must pay costs, and the trade could take this as a warning.

Onehunga has elected the first lady Mayor under the British flag.—Mrs Elizabeth Yates, the wife of Captain Yates—who was formerly Mayor*of the same borough—polled 120 votes, or 13 more than the other candidate for municipal honours. Mrs Yates has been well-known as a keen debater in the Parliamentary Union of Auckland, and in Onehunga is known as a lady who has always taken gnat interest in the welfare of the borough. Mr F. G. Clayton has been elected Mayer of Newmarket. The only other candidate was Mr Edgerly who secured 63 votes against Mr Clayton’s 67. Mr Clay ton has in several previous years stood for this position but without success. His persistence is now rewarded. Judge Connolly speaking from the Supreme Court Bench last week said—” He must dissent from the argument in palliation of the offence used by the Counsel that this was the result of drink. If a man chose to give way to drink and commit an offence that was rather an aggravation than an excus Mr Jackson Palmer’s friends at Wark worth enteitaiuecl him at a supper and dance after the election. Quite in his line. Mr Fish. ex-M. 11. R,, has been elected Mayor of Dunedin by a substantial majority. His friends there are going to pay all his expenses in connection with the late general election. Lucky man. The Auckland Women’s Franchise Leao-ue is now to be dissolved as the object for winch it was formed has been achieved. A new Society is to bo formed to take its place, and in the meantime is to be called the Women’s Political League. A public meeting is to be called to further the matter. Dr. Talma go, the well-known divine, Jias accepted' Air R. S. Smythe’s offer fJF a lecturing tour in. Australia, and leaves®San Francisco at the end of May. The Auckland Harbour. Board’s Dredge No. 121 has returned to Auckland after throe years work in Meibourne Harbour, under contract to the Yictorian Board of Trade. The return voyage occupied just eleven days. The dredge will it is thought be next, used in Lyttleiou Harbour. _ Among the applicants to the Wellington Benevolent Trustees for [relief was a naturalised Chinaman of 67. who had been 43 years in Ne w Zealand. He had losyjaste with other Chinamen by cutting his hair, and had a wife and one daughter dependent on him. The Trustees gave him rations for a month, and the man said if lie had not got work by then he would go up country for it. The arrivals in this colony during November totalled 2,439, and the departures 607. In the corresponding month of ’92, the arrivals were 2.01 i, and departures 906. At the Christchurch Police Court a youth named Geo, Oaklv was charged with bavin**posted a letter bearing a postage stamp which had been previously used and defaced Ho was fined £3 arid costs, the amount altogether being £4 18s. POLITICAL, Ministers intend to commence at once preparing Bills for the coming session in l abour legislation, r \ lie premier position will ho given to the four rejected Bills of last session, viz , Shipping and Seamen, Conspiracy Act Amendment, Conciliation, and Shop Assistants Bills, The Shipping Bih is to hy carefully :eeonsidc;e-J, but it ■will be substantialiy the same as that revised by the Labour Bills Committee The Shop Bill will be varied somewhat, but will contain a compulsory half holiday, with an option leaving local bodies to fix the day. Ihe ‘ Times ’ gives 4-± now members as direct ve foists, and quotes Sir Robert Stout’s opinion that the new Liberal partv is distinctly pledged to the 1 direct veto/ that a decided majority- has pronounced against the Liquor Control Act, and that the principle of direct veto must be accepted, or the minority face the alternative of coalition with Opposition. A scrutiny of the votes recorded in the Masterton election reveals no less than twenty-two cases of plural voting and impersonation. It. Monk 1685, Palmer 1446. Majority for Monk 239 is the official declaration of the poll for Wsitemata. The Premier wires to Mr Gerald Peacocke —‘ The pleasure of the great Liberal victory is to some extent discounted owing to the defeat of yourself and the one or two other good men I should very much like to have had by my side iu fighting the battle next session. However, considering the forces you had against you, you have fought a good battle and have no reason to feel downcast or disheartened. Best wishes.” Numbers of these complimentary meaningless telegrams have been sent to defeated candidates by the Premier, and will not it is thouo-ht add to that gentleman’s popularity, for each one reads very much like a slap at electors who failed to elect his nominees. The Minister of Education will introduce early next session a Truancy Bill, to ensure better attendance at the public schools,