MELBOURNE.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 24, 9 January 1878, Page 2

MELBOURNE.

December 29. Haughton, a man who was living with a young woman named Eggerton, stands charged with beating her to death with a sapling. Both were drunk. Mary Ryan has been arrested on suspicion of kidnapping Mr. Pott's child. Bloodstained child's clothes were found m her possession. Some larrikins blocked the Oollingwood police, and assaulted the officers while arresting tlie ringleaders. . All Government departments have been ordered to cut down expenditure to the utmost. The salmon experiment is successful. Thirty-two thousand miles of road have been declared open. The Government intend to mitigate the sentence of penal servitude for all life sentenced prisoners to a lesser penalty. Flour £12 10s.; wheat 55.9 d. January 4. It is the general opinion that war between England and Russia is imminent. Colonel Anderson, commander of the land forces, and Captain Manderville, of the Cerberus, were consulted at a Cabinet meeting as to the defence of the colony. Both officers are to report immediately. Hugh George was presented with a silver service by the employes of the " Argus" on his severing his connection with that paper to occupy a position on the "Sydney Morning Herald. " Mr. George has been connected with the „ Argus " for the last twenty years.