LATE WIRES.

Waipukurau Press, Issue 4, 5 January 1906, Page 3

LATE WIRES.

RIOTS IN RUSSIA. When a number of Dragoons were gooming horses at Riga three hundred workmem suddenly attacked them with revolvers ’and swords. Eleven of the soldiers were killed and fourteen wounded. Eight workmen were killed, and the rest then withdrew. The Dragoons were reinforced, and pursued and surrounded the workmen. Revolutionists are shooting drivers of trains in Poland. Three bridges have been destroyed. The insurgents have destroyed Government buildings in ten communes in the Kielce district. All the workmen in the Warsaw factories have struck work. A Reuter’s message states that many hours’ fierce fighting took place on Saturday at Bakhmut, 125 miles east of Ekaterinoslav, in Southern Russia, between Cossacks and rebels. The latterwere caught between two fires and finally routed. About 300 rebels were killed, and the troops lost seven men. Anarchy prevails along the Siberian railway. All the stations have been pillaged. Military trains, in charge of unqualified engineers, follow one another indiscriminately. GENERAL. Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture offers the Lord Mayor of London to settle 30,000 London poor on farms in Virginia. Admiral Rozjestvenski, in a letter to the Novoe Vremya, declares that the British fleet were concentrated at Weihaiwei on the eve of the battle of Tsushima, expecting to receive orders to annihilate the Russian fleet if Admiral Togo failed.

In view of the near approach of the English genera] elections considerable activity is being manifested by the various parties. The Liberals will contest every sear except the Universities and a few constituencies where it is undesirable to oppose Unionist Free-traders. It is expected that ninety Labour candidates will stand. Christchurch boot manufacturers state that in cousequence of the rise in the price of leather, due to the scarcity of hides, the price of boots will have to be raised.

At the Caledouian grounds, Dunedin, yesterday, a competition was held for a gold medal, to enable Frank Ford, of Invercargill, to attempt to break the record of 100 ft 9in of A. Cameron for throwing the 221 b hammer. Ford succeeded at the second attempt in throwing the hammer 100 ft lOjin, thus establishing a fresh record, which was duly certified to. Steamer Sonoma arrived at Auckland yesterday from San Francisco. She wasde ayed until the night of December 15th, owing to the mails being late through heavy weather ou the Atlamic 1 The barat Golden Gate being impassable, the, Sonoma did not get out until the morning of the 16th. She then met a heavy gale, lasting 36 hours, her speed having to be reduced, which caused a loss of 9 hours on the passage to Honolulu. She was detained at that port for 15| hours, landing a large cargo, and she was also detained at Pagopago for hours from the same cause. The Waipukurau portion of the inward San Francisco mail will arrive by train to-morrow. No answer has yet been received by Mr C. M. Grey, M.H.R., to his letter to the Premier regarding the post-office clerks. It is understood that the whole matter will be dealt with at the first Cabinet meeting after the holidays. At the inquest on Janet Watt Robertson, who fell off a train at Willowbridge, Timaru, on Wednesday, the jury found a verdict of accidental death. A fire at Gisborne destroyed a residence owned by Mr Corkill and occupied by Mr Nicol. It was insured for £3OO in the Royal Exchange office* and for £lOO in the Imperial. Nathan and Co’s dried milk facto ry at Bannythorpe was totally desi royed by fire yesterday, together with the dried milk plant and two separators; the place was insured.