THE WAX IN TUNIS. ATROCITIES BY THE ARAB INSURGENTS. ENGLISHMEN BURNED ALIVE. MR. GLADSTONE AND FREE TRADE. AN ASSISTANT HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR THE WESTERN PACIFIC. [SPECIAL TO THE MELBOURNE ARGUS ] London, 4th October.

Evening Post, Volume XXII, 17 October 1881, Page 2

THE WAX IN TUNIS. ATROCITIES BY THE ARAB INSURGENTS. ENGLISHMEN BURNED ALIVE. MR. GLADSTONE AND FREE TRADE. AN ASSISTANT HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR THE WESTERN PACIFIC. [SPECIAL TO THE MELBOURNE ARGUS ] London, 4th October.

Sir Stafford Northcote, in the course of an address he delivered at Hull, made some vague reference to the policy of the newlyestablished National Fair Trade League, and expressed the opinion that the syrt^m of Free Trade which the late Mr. Cooden and Mr. John Bright had advocated, neglected the interests of the Home trade, while it stimulated the foreign market. Th 9 pre3ent state of the Home trado demanded consideration, as it was capable of immense development. He deprecated the extension of the Land agitation in England. The new crop of cotton is coming forward which has relieved the tension of the market to such an ext»nt that the cotton mills of Lancashire, which had stopped work for some time owing te the short supply available, are resuming operations. The insurgents have defeated the army which the Bey of Tunis despatched to enppress them. They subsequently wrecked the railway at Onadgergha, and burned 12 of the employes alive. Several Englishmen wero amongst those who perished Mr. Parnell is engaged ia organising the Irish farm labourers as a distinct sectiou-of the National Land League, whose efforts have hitherto baen principally directed to the amelioration of the condition of the tenantry. In connection with the Liberal demonstrations at Leeds, a pablh meeting was held today for the purpose of hearing a speech from the Premier. Mr. Gladstone, in a lengthy address dealing with many subjects, attributed the depression cf trade throughout Great Britain to a decrease in the purchasing power of the people, in consequence of a series of bad harvests, and not to a contraction of the exports from the cjuntry. With regard to the land laws, Mr. Gladstone acknowledged reform was required. The i farmers, he thougnt, should be in a position to secure an interest in their holdings and obtain compensation for improvements, but he_ would never consent to an application of the Irish Land Act in England. Adverting to the question of Free Trade v. Protection, Mr. Gladstone declared hia oonviotion that the English Government would never pledge itself to restore protective duties. As well might the Governmeent attempt to abolish trial by jury. .

The Standard has been given to understand that the Government will probably appoint an assistant High Commissioner of the Western Pacific.