NEWS BY CABLE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 2295, 29 August 1889, Page 2

NEWS BY CABLE.

BNGUSH. London, August 27, Tho coal porters at the London depots are out on striko, demanding higher wages, In consequence tho seaborne coal trade is almost at a standstill, Tho total number of men now on strike is 100,000, but, except in cases of dock laborers aud stevedores, none are directed by Union and Labor Councils, Tho assistance ren. dorcd by tho public to the strikers is spasmodic, and is unlikely to last, Parleying is proceeding, but tho dock companies hesitate to yield certain points. Bums, the Socialist, is acting as mouthpiece for the strikers, Thousands of tons of New Zealand mutton are rotting in the ships' hold, and prices are consequently doubling, The regular dockuien only number 3000. Tho remainder of the men on striko are riverside woikmen, and they aro said to number 80,000, Their committee has forbidden irregular strikes,

Mr aladstoue writes to the Daily News enclosing a loug list of horrors committed in America, and demands that a searcliiu" enquiry should be made.

Telegraphic. The fair ones have agreed. Dunemn, Thursday. An agrpoment has been come to between the tailoressesand tho manufacturers,'a hoard being appointed to settle further disputes, Supreme Court, Blenheim, Thursday, The criminal calendar is finished, The Grand Jury ignored the Bills against Lucas for arson, and Ganger Stuart for obtaining a life policy by means of false pretonces, Morrison, with several aliases, was found guil'y of obtaining money by fidse pretonces, and remanded for sentence. Joseph Earushaw, charged with larceny as a bailee, was acquitted, An old offendor named William Watson pleaded guilty to larceny from a dwelliug, and sentence was deferred. Henry Hambltog was found guilty of forgery, with a recommendation to morcy; sontence ulso deferred,

Trade Dispute'

(hijusTciiuiicii, August 28,

The Belfast Freezing Works have a registered brand, which tboy attach to each sheep sent from them, notifyiug it conies from thd Canterbury freezing works. The new company called the Christclmrch Meat Freezing Company brand theirs '• North Canterbury Freezing Works,". The former are moving to tako action against 'lie lattor for using the woid Canterbury. The latter intend resisting tho inforniation, with a view to testing the former's solo right to use the word Canterbury, Another Dividend. 1 DuNEiiiN, Thursday. The Standard lusurauco Company , declared, at the usual half-yearly meoting, a dividend of H per cent. New Zealand University. Donedin, August 28, Tho ceremony of presenting diplomas of degrees obtained from the New Zealand Tlniveraity took place this evening, Dr Fitchett, M.H.E., pressing. The students wore given

control of tho proceedings, and a regular programme wnß arranged. 3ui)<;B wero given, and an orchestra was provided. There was very littlo interruption.' Sir Robert Stout had to submit to two verses being sung in the middle of his speech, us also did the Eev J)r Watt, At the conclusion Dr Stuart congratulated the chairman on tho order maintained, hut lie disclaimed all credit, as it was entirely due to the students, All the professors except Dr Saluiond absented themselves owing to the personal nature cf (he songs, hut the chairs which were set apart for them were left vacant with a placard on, Scarlet Fever on the Coptic.

Dosboix, August 28. The fi.lt.iS! Coptic, Captain Burton, from Plymouth, via the Cape and Hobart, was berthed along side the pier this afternoon, hut as there is a case of scarlet fever on board, the pier was barricaded, and no communication is allowed; so that no passenger list is available.;: It appears thut two deaths occurred on the voyage—ono infant, and- four days later its mother, aged 20. The sickness is a case of relapsed scarlatina, which is isolated, Tho hospital has been fumigated and tho bedding destroyed, and the passengers, who number seventy-five, will''be removed to the quarantine island.

The Perjury Cases.

Tho evidence of James Gibson was taken, after wo went to press yesterday, in reference to lending Chemis a shot pouch; also that of Ebenezer Bound on the same subject. . .

Mrs Ohemis was recalled aud said she never at any tiraosaw any second shot pouch at her husband's placo, Gibson used to take her husband's sliot flask, anil gun and use them, Novor saw the pouch produced at her husbandV house or in his possession. •

By Mr Bell: Witness novor saw in her husband's house any other shot pouch than that talton away by tho police. Did not think there could have been one there without her knowledge. The sheath knife produced was in use in her house for some years—at auyrate it had been used by her for over a year. Her husband bought tho kuife and brought it homo. Never saw another in the house of tho same kind. It was used for cutting up meat and such things, and her husband usually stuck pigs with it, There never was a knife in her house sharpened on both sides. Novor know her husband to take a knife with him when going out pig hunting. John Dowd, recalled, said ho never saw any other shot pouch in Ohemis' house thau tho ono taken by the police. All the articles of that kind wero kept in a drawor in tho bedroom. Did not think another pouch could be there without his knowing it. Had seen a butchers' knifo with wooden handle in Chomis' house, but no other knife of that description, There was no knife sharpened on both sides.

Wellington, Thursday. Tho perjury cases were resumed this morning. Ellis Low, who found the shot pouch and knifo on Sunday last was examined. He said ho found tho articles in tho creek leading in the direction of Hawkings' liouso from the main creek. They were partly covered with leaves which he thought had fallen from the growth overhead, and had not been placed there. 'The sheath was also found close to tho knifo. Ho identified the pouch, sheath and knife produced as tho articles found by him, Ho took the articles to Mr Jollicoo's liouso. Cross examined: He said he did not think a plant had been sot for him. He was quite confident it was a genuine find, He had scarohed tho hills beforo but found nothing.

Be examined:-He said lie had been bothored with a dream from the first night Chomis was committed for trial. Ho had not found tho articles whor°. tho dream indicated.

RABBIT PROSECUTIONS.

Public Feeling at Carterton.

(By Our Special Correspondent.)

Tho Babbit Department's prosecutions are causing much comment in Carterton, unci it is extremely probable that a public meeting will shortly bo called to discuss tho question in all its bearings. The general opinion, our Carterton correspondent informs us, is that the Department in its sudden zeal and anxiety to make an oxumplo of someone has, in at least two instances mado a very unwise and—for itself—troublosomo selection. The settlors in those two cases havo been most systematic in their ondeavors to keep down tho pest, In one case regular and continued poisoning, "dogging," shooting and ferreting had all beon followed to the utmost extent, and independent witnesses proved than an actual search from one mid of tho rim to the other had only unearthed six rabbits, although a whole day was spoilt in the expedition. Notwithstanding these worthy endeavors to fight the runholders' pest, the Inspector thought fit to take proceedings, and the laud owner was on the previous Court day fined £5. On Tuosday this lino was reduced to £B, Practically tho remission of a portion of the fine admittod tho defendants evidence as being correct, and stamped tho complaint as unfounded, for if there had been negligence a five pound line was not too much, and if there had not been, as tho evidence distinctly showed, then there should have been no prosecution and no fine at all.

In tho other instance tho proporty owner had acquired an ertato at a period when it was positively overrun with rabbits, He had not only oaused enormous reductions in tho numbers, but had maintained a steady warfare, against the troublesome pest with unusual activity. Yet ho was the subject of prosecution.

The ill-judged steps taken by the Rabbit Dopprtment are causing a feeling of irritation and opposition, and a determination to resist persecution is being promulgated with popularity by not one but many of! the farmers and runholdors in the neighborhood, ]t is considered that the. Miction of a fino (for which the presont Resident Jlagistratosoenisunnecessarily to choose £5 as his minimum) upon the mero opinion of the Inspector, who sometimes does not personally inspect the property, is arbitrary in the extreme. It is thought that appeal, and the presentation of rebutting evidence should bo allowed, and that as things at presont are, there is too much power in the hands of one man, who is at least liable to err under the most favorable oircumstances. It • is , regarded as a palpable last thai wlieu

tho present proceedings were instituted there were runs existent in tho North where tho rabbits are vastly in excess of the numbers hero, where ten would he seen here, a thousand would bo met there. If two of the four defendants in Tuesday's court cases deserved proceedings taken against thorn, then it is admitted on all hands thaj the Inspector might as well save himself the tronblo of obtaining ut report in future, and institute a prosecution against everyone in the district, for few could wossibly do more to keep down the rabbit post than the two land ownors in question—and most do far less, As the Department is now constituted there cannot possibly be a proper inspection of runs. Thove are not the men to make it. ; , There, are two sub-inspectors when'there oughtto' bo four, and these two have as little rest and bad about as pleasant a life as tho unhappy Wandering Jew, Their districts are so'long and extensive that they could not, under any circnmstauces, possibly do them justice ; The choice of victims in the present instance is the least to say of it .indiscreet and unjustifiable, and it is a publicly expressed opinion that they will hardly be found as submissive Department expects ita visited ones to he. Motives have on somo bands been ascribod for the Department's activity, and personal instigation has been suggested. It is umiecessiiry to at all touoh surmiso in this direction. Apart from the objection of doing so, the cases are such that they can bo openly discussed oil their merits, and only actual facts considered, On these, it is' contended that, the "Department has acted in an'unwarrantable and' ill-advised manner, and it will bo hard for this contention to be refuted,