INDIA AND THE EAST.

Auckland Star, Volume V, Issue 1492, 21 November 1874, Page 6 (Supplement)

INDIA AND THE EAST.

Colombo, October 24. Governor Gregory opened the Legislative Council at Ceylon, October 14. The revenue for the past year was the largest ever known, amounting to £1,300,000. New navigation I works are to be extensively carried out; also railways and road extensions to support the i coffee planting enterprise, are to be carried out. Education is progressing. The Government and aided schools number 839, with j 47,000 scholars. ! The District Judge of Colombo, Mr. Berwicky, issued a rule for the editor of the Ceylon Observer to appear before him. in consequence of the publication of a letter auimadverting on the conduct of the business !*of his Court, on his inattention and discourtesy to the bar and to suitors. The editor appeared and asked, through his counsel, for time to prove the charges. One week was granted by the Judge to answer his interrogatories. Meantime counsel ha 3 applied to the Supreme Court for a writ of injunction prohibiting tha District Jii'lge from trying tbe editor for the alleged contempt, which was not committed in the face of the Court, nor did it consist of remarks upon any particular case before Courb. I'he Ju'lge appeared by counsel. Judgment w;i3 reserved till next week. The editor's counsel relies on a rec mt cisc decided by Ciief Jus'ice Cockburn, showing that the County Courts of England have no power to try cases of contempt arising before the Court, as only the Queen's Court, or Courts created by the Sovereign, had this power. Judgment is likely to be given in favour of the editor, but the case will probably be remitted to the Queen in Council The British India Steam Company has announced the running of steamers weekly round the coast towns between Calcutta and Bombay. Coffee continues to rule very high in price. Sir Hayne, an ex-Tndian official, is the new Governor of Mauritius. He is very highly spoken of. There is a rumour that Lord Wharncliff is to suceed Lord Northbrook as Viceroy [next I year. It is not believed in India. The j Viceroy has recovered from his attack of feaver. Mr. Grant Duff is shortly expected in India. The prospects of the crop are very good ; 'the famine is at an end, and relief operations close at the end of October. . Floods have occurrred in some districts. Sir K. Temple is still travelling. Only 29 deaths altogether are attributed to ! the famine in Bombay. , October 12. | The Hydrabad State railway was opened on Thursday last with grand festivities. On the 10th a grand Durbar was held. The Resident, accompanied by the guests on ] twenty-seven elephants, was escorted through the city to the Nizam's palace. A grand dinner was given on the 10th by the Nizam's uncle. Splendid fireworks followed. There were large crowds below. A rocket mortar burst, and three natives were killed and five severely wounded. Major Bell, judicial commission of Berar, was wounded. Several amputations among the natives were neces- ! sary. One native's head was blown clean j off. Captain Dobbl and some ladies escaped miraculously. . ,; STRAITS AND CHINA. Sir A. Clark's Government is bent upon . developing the great resources of the Malayan Peninsula. . ; 3500 disciplined Chinese troops under ■ General Tong arrived in eight steamers at Formosa. 3000 more are to follow. A great typhoon at Hongong and Macao caused great loss of property and life. I A Bevere earthquake has occured in Japan. !