GENERAL.

Clutha Leader, Volume XVI, Issue 831, 20 June 1890, Page 6

GENERAL.

Terrible fires attended with serious loss of life and great destruction to property, have occurred in the Ural district. One thousand houses were burned, 40 persons perished in the flames, and 18,000 have been rendered homeless.

Quotations for frozen mutton (June 12) ax*e unchanged; New Zealand lamb. s|d ; Queensland beef, 3-|d.

• Mr James Monro, C.8., Chief Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, has resigned owing to friction with Mr H. Mathews, Home Secretary.

Mr O'Brien, M.P., was married in London on June 12. Mr Dillon acted as best man, and the ceremony Was performed by the Archbishop of Cashel. Mr Parnell and other members were present.

A commission agent named Alfred Jones, who mysteriously disappeared from Melbourne in March last, and who was thought to have been drowned, has been arrested in London on a charge of fraudulent bankruptcy.

An Egyptian conversion preferential 3£ per cent loan of L 29,000,000 has been issued. The minimum is fixed at .91.

A train was wrecked and plundered bj' highwaymen in Arkansas.

Irish-American capitalists propose to establish factories in Ireland at which tenants who are evicted from holdings will be employed.

France has agreed formally to recognise the Brazil Republic.

Wheat (June 13) Adelaide, 38s (market weaker) ; New Zealand longberried, 36s 6d (market weaker).

Reports Of a serious nature concerning the famine in the Soudan continue to reach Cairo, and natives are said to be suffering terrible privations. Their only hope is in an expedition being sent to their aid.

The Czarewitch and the Grand Duke George will leave on a visit to the Australian colonies in October next.

H. M. Stanley has been engaged to give 50 lectui'es in the United States. He will be paid L 13,000 for the tour.

Mr W. S. Came, M.P., the Unionist whip, is obtaining signatures to an address to Lord Hartington, protesting against the payment of compensation to publicans.

Sir Redvers Bailer has been appointed to succeed Lord Wolseley as adj v taut-general.

Mr Anderson, representative of the British East African Company, has started for Berlin to resume negotiations for the delimitation of the British and German boundaries.

Emm Pasha has been forbidden to visit Uganda pending negotiations for the settlement of English and German spheres in. East Africa.

Another Englishman is missing in Canada.

The English wheat market (June 15) shews a general decline ; the Continental is dull 5 the American is also declining. New Zealand wheat (on passage), 34s 6d.

At the present time 200,000 carcases of New Zealand mutton are stored in London. .

The Independence Beige (Brussels) states that Stanley has accepted the Governorship of the Congo Free State.

In the House of Commons, Mr Dillon asked that the practice of ' shadowing ' might be put a stop to. Mr Balfour said it would be done, provided Mr Dillon promised to abstain from intimidation. Mr Dillon said it was a brutal outrage, and if bloodshed occurred he would not be responsible. Mr Balfour retorted that it would be well if Mr Parnell did not repent the crime, upon which a stormy scene ensued. Eventually Mr Balfour withdrew the word ' crime,' and substituted ' boycotting and intimidation. 7

Mr Acland's amendment to the effect that the surplus be expended on education instead of granting compensation to publican was rejected by a majority of 31 votes.

' Messrs Dillon, O'Brien, and John Redmond go on a tour through America in August.

It is stated that Mr Mattlaews, Homo Secretary, is about to resign.

The Prince of Wales opposes the idea of holding an International Exhi-bit-ion in London, and the project will probably be abandoned.

The statement is confirmed that Mr Buchanan, the British Consul in tho Shire district, " shot two Sepoys and burned the Portuguese flags.

The Government have accepted Mr Heneage's amendment declaring that the payment of compensation shall not create a vested interest in licenses.

The Standard states that the New Zealand Government will assist the Bank of New Zealand to weather its difficulties, and that it is probable the unproductive assets will be transferred to a company strong enough to hold and nurse them.

The Standard says that the Government propose to carry the Irish Land Purchase Bill over to next session.

Lord Salisbury at a meeting of the Tory party, said the Government would stand by their main measures, prorogue Parliament, and call an early session next year. The Conservatives prefer to have- an autumn session.