MISCELLANEOUS.

Inangahua Times, Volume IX, Issue 1454, 8 October 1884, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS.

» The Pall Mall Gazette of July 8 writes: — "Good news and welcome was that which Mr Ashley announced last night in reply to the Lord Mayor as to the future of New Guinea. In reply to a proposal from Lord Derby, the Australian Colonies agree to provide the sum of £15,000 needed to pay a deputy commissioner, with large powers of independent action, who will be stationed on or near the eastern coast of New Guinea, -with a steamship and a staff sufficient to enable him to exorcise protection in the name of the Queen over those shores. The Government, therefore, will without delay make the necessary appointment, and thus one more step lias been taken in the direction of the consolidation and unification of our Empire. Common action for common ends, although begun in small tilings will extend to great, nor will it end until the English beyond the. sea and the English at home take an eqiial share in the government of the English realm."

On July G and 7, in England and Scotland, there were heavy rains and violent storms of thunder and lightning in various parr.s of the. conntrv. A staUe on the farm of Sir Brook Bridges, at Good nts Lone, was set on fire by lightning, and three valuable horses were burnt to death. At Cambridge a women was killed and t.v/o or three buildings set on fire by ihe lightning. At Lough borough two tWmers named James and William Tuck wood, working in a Iniy field, were sti-uck by lightning and. killed. At Fort William a young man was killer] by lightning. Walson Breck Church, in the suburbs of Liverpool, was struck by lightning just as the collect for the day had been read. A panic ensued.' Tlie minister and curate and choir ,an/!i' for the doov-s. the congregation fbilf:-,vi;r*. while women and children screamed hi i.er<ot\ The church wu,h einpi/ied in a faw minutes. The storm was very destructive to sheep on some Scotch farms. Twelve were killed at Dumfries, and near Lockerbie 19 perished out of a flock of a hundred. Most of the flock had taken shelter beb ii id a dyke, and the 16 were leaving the Held in single file to join the rest, whe.i a flash struck the foreniosj, and the wool aci-ing as conductor the. lightniog w.i alone the whole li"c.