News from the East.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3752, 12 March 1891, Page 2

News from the East.

Pirates and thoir Pualshmoat, Melbourne, March i. ' The s.a. suth»i<?, frpni Hongkpng, brings the following iipws ;—"" *■' An exhaustive enquiry boon held at Hongkong iuto tl|o cifomq

stances connected with the attack by pirates on the steamer Namoi, and a verdict of Wilful Murder has been returned. Two men connected with the piracy have been arrested at Swatow by the Chinese authorities, and will be brought to Canton for execution. The men did not take an active part in the attack on board the ship, but belonged to one of the junks which carried off the boat. Jt is that the men have confessed the name of their leader, and it is said it corresponds with that of a man whose photo was picked out by several witnesses during the recent enquiry by the magistracy. # During the winter patrol ot the N gunboats belonging to the Chee-Kiang province, they discovered five pirates' boats surrounding and attacking a merchant junk, which was laden with cargo from Shanghai for Hanchow. The boats closed in and the pirates offered a determined resistance. The gunboats and piratical fleet being equal in number, and armed alike, a severe engagement ensued. After fighting for some time two of the pirates boats were sunk, and the rest then took to flight. Four pirates were killed and beheaded, and two werecjftred. The four heads of those killed were stuck upon poles on the seashore. The recently erected Japanese House of Parliament has been totally destroyed by fire, and the Tosln, or Liberals, of Tokio are accused of causing the conflagration.