Received October 1, 9.54 a.m. MELBOURNE, October 1. Information has been received that three members of the Fifth Victorian ■Contingent in South Africa have- been sentenced to be shot for inciting mu tiny. Lord Kitchener has commuted the chief offender's sentence -to ten years' penal servitude, and the other two to a year's imprisonment. Previously two other members of the

Contingent had been sentenced to two years' imprisonment for improperly surrendering.
The Christmas Hampers for the New Zealanders.
(Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, October 1. Considerable contributions in goods and cash have been received for the proposed Christmas hampers for the men at ( .the front, and these will -be sent in ■ two lots for tho Sixth and Seventh Contingents.
The members of the Wanganui "Rifles are notified that owing to th© Drill Hall being otherwise engaged, there will be no parade to-night.
John Reuben has been executed at Brisbane for the murder of Fanny Hardwork at Rockhampton in June last. Death was instantaneous. In connection with the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall to Can ada, two thousand Redskins held a pow-pnw at Calghory in war paint. The Duke and Duchess were delighted, and promised twelve chiefs medals.
Mr Choate, American Ambassador in London, handed the King and Queen a lettsr, expressing America's and Mrs McKinley's grateful thanks for <heir constant sympathy in the darkest hour of distress and bereavement.
A breach of the Machinery Act was decided at New Plymouth yesterday. when a man holding a sccond-clii&> certificate was fined 5s and costs for driving an engine for which a first class certificate was necessary. The em ployer was fined similarly.
