GENERAL SUMMARY.

Auckland Star, Volume I, Issue 137, 17 June 1870, Page 2

GENERAL SUMMARY.

London, April 23rd,

Wodehouse's speech before the Cape Parliament, counselling the colony not to aoeept responsible government, since that would involve ultimate separation from the mother country. is attracting much attention. Canada and New Zealand are cited as examples of what would happen at the Cape. Explanations have been demanded in the Imperial Parliament, but were deferred till the debate: on Torreri's motion takes place. . • ' A sale of Australian meat has taken place at the Hop Exchange, Borough, the result is encouraging. The Post Office authorities have resolved to make four ounces the weight ofnewspapers for the colonies, and to reduce the weight of parcels to forty-eight ounces. Loud complaints are made against the new regulations. At a meeting of the Geographical Society, Sir J. Nicholson read the report of Torrens' explorations in Western Australia. ; During subsequent discussions the Imperial Government condemned the assigning the' Northern Territory to South Australia.

Commander Palmer's conduct in connexion with the recent kidnapping in the South Seas has been'rewarded" by promotion. Emigration is increasing; excellent build-, ings in Plymouth have been prepared for the reception of emigrants for Victoria, and provision has been made for 1000 people.

The Admiralty ha>e telegraphed to Commodore Lambert to search the Auckland Islands: for supposed castaways from the missing Bhip Matoaka.

The Irish Peace Preservation Act has produced salutary effects. The national journals are moi-o cautious in their tone j and agrarian outrages have diminished. The House of Commons is working hard in: committee upon the Irish Land Bill. Newdegate's motion for a select committee of inquiry into tbe conventual institutions of Great. Britain has passed. Catholics ai'e loudly protesting. A second motion by Newdwgate for an : international inspection of convents was negatived. ■ '

Mr. Gladstone's attitude towards the Bo man Catholics is disapproved of.

The Government have consented to repeall the Irish Party Processions Act. . j j

Rutherford AlcocVs Chinese conventionhas not been ratified.. .....

A bill' for disfranchising Bridgewater and Beverley has been promised by the AttorneyGeneral. . , ~ t . Hardment, the Norfolk bribery agent,^ hW been sentenced to 6 months' imprisonment under the Bribery Act. , , Mr. Gladstone has moved for a select committtee to inquire into corrupt practices of members of the House of Commons!

Colonel Ponsonby succeeds General Charles ' G-rey as Queen's Private Secretary. Both the Prince of Wales and Prinoe Chm- ; tian presided over the conferences held for or-; gauising the forthcoming series of internanatiorial exhibitions. Lord Minto succeeds the Marquis of Ailsa' as Knight of the ■ Thistle.

Francis Ronald, the original inventor of the electric telegraph, has'been knighted. Sir Stafford. Northcote has gone to Canada on a mission, believed to be connected with Red River.

The personality of Lord Derby has been sworn to under £250,000.

" Prince Christian presided over the amrivertary festival of the Royal Society of Musicians.

It is rumoured that a ma^riageisarT~~~i between the Prince of Orange and the"? • cess Louise. . m" The Bishop of London has resolved to force legal regulations amongst the rlttialistf"

Two agrarian murders have been commin^ iv Ireland. One assassin, who was cantu *a has confessed. i* wed, .A. thousand colliers in Honda Valley \\ striiplf for an-'advancc of 10 per cent on I]* rate of wnges. 'tin

Wool Sales—Schwartz's Circular of April 2n report's thab sales opened firmly, and a 1 number of .home and foreign buyers attend^ 6 An.; animate^; pompetition took*])!iice. So kiiids fetched1 a half-penny and some a neJn' dearer thmi at the last dates, while all nri stand, if-not higher, ut least on a par with t^* highest quotations of the la t series.

London, May 13 c- The wooLaales.-clo3edhoavily^atßeb^' prices. Two thirds, were taken to thq (W n;entY '; J . '/ j fA^/ ; The Liverpool sale of Australian meat» satisfactory.,^.,.; ,-- - ——- r r ■«—!«!._ ~ ' % The Tasmanian loan was successful] ■negotiated. . £10Q;r 76 and upwards.-r 1 •ik Torren's ruction fop a committee on tL Colonial relations... was lost by 43 vo^. Grind stone defended Earl.-GtoanvuV* policy ' JVtorpeth and Kingston h>ve beehkiiigtalj The. scheme for,the reeonst^uctfLbn'ofi'fte Albert Assurance Company has been approy^) by the policy holders. »• , ~ 4 ' The British Australian cable, fro^i India''to Singapore will be shipped in August.' •The immigration westward hag1 assumed vaster proportions. An influential memorial was presented to the Postmaster-General in favor of the firiadisi mail route. ■'-■< ■■>,'. >-{ rafnv - ;

The Atlantic yacht race between the English yacht Cambria and the American yacht Sappho waggon easily by the; Cambria. Walters has been returned member for .Marlo.yv. .. i; ,, •-,') .... . ..;■,..;■! rffuJ«»ir Mace has been declared chajxipicin, pf 'America after fighting ten rounds. . t Vp The Red River insurgents and-: the Radian Groveruinent haVje agreed to terms. The rebellion is at an end. Judgment has been given in the Bridgewater bribery prosecution." Fentelly was sentenced to 12 mouths' imprisonment and i a fine of £1000. Dr. Eanglake was fined £200. Hardement, sentenced to six months' additional imprisonment. Hiiline, fihe.df£l6lD. y ,'~, The <Japanese railway loan for £100,000 lias been issued. , : ' . - . .j-,u The petition against, the xetiirn of Bernal Osborne was dismissed. The CEcumeniea.l Opuncil, has adopted the Constitution He Fide. . The Itope refused to communicate the IFriehch dispatch to the Council. ■■' ■ ■•-■'■'■ '•';•' > r'-[r:: ' lii! ■ ""•";' The House of Commons niftd a second time the bill removing the' electoral disabilities of wamen. Oardinal Oullen has published a letter urging the clergy to support the Q-ladstone cabinet. •", ....!■'■. L'l , 'iT, " YftlifloH An awful catastrophe occurred at Eich mond, America/ Tlie floor: of tlienCourfc af Appeal fell through into the House of B^pMsentativcs, killing 59 persons, 20 being deputies ; 135 injured.,, ~ >~ . . Congress has decided to refer io the Committee on Foreign Affairs resolutions demanding the immediate settlement' oifjlhe Alabama question. . .> Eight counties in Ireland have been placed under the Peace Preservation Act,' Feniatf^tempts being apprehended. ■ . '• - ■■irt;'i In London several rendezvous ibr Fenians have been discovered. Railway parcels from Sheffield-and Birmingham are searched for arms. * Strikes amongst trades in France. The trencii . pleOescitescpmmatiiei attention in Europe during the month, Legitimists and Left strenbnSly; bpjjosed ' but was carried by 7,257 ayes to 1,539,909 noes. In Paris thore - was" & > majority of 2,00j000 against Q-overnment.