CABLE NEWS.

Feilding Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 119, 16 November 1901, Page 4

CABLE NEWS.

• ■ ♦ Sydney, November 14. The British Cor sal at Noumea cables at the request of the French Government :—" To tbe best of my knowledge there has been no plague here since October Ist." The explosion in the Burwood Colliery is confined to a small area, and the ' damage to the property is slight. Over three hundred men in other parts of the mine have been for a time withdrawn, work being stopped pending examination by a Government inspector. The manager is unable to account for the accident. The place was examined every few hours. No traces of gas had ever been found and every precaution was observed. An official enquiry has been ordered. The preliminary reports as to the prospects of the wheat crop received by the Government Statistician indicate a bountiful harvest. ! The Daily Telegraph ventures an : estimate of 134 bushels an acre, and ; that the harvest will yield 20,000,000 bushels. Melboubne, November 14. In the Federal House of Representatives the Opposition, failing to obtain a satisfactory explanation of the Government's proposed amendment of the tariff, moved the adjournment of the House ; but Ministers, beyond an assurance that j the Government was investigating the ; matter with the object of placing a wclldigested tariff before the country, and that it would not attempt to take any advantage of the House, refused to disclose their liand. Consideration of the tariff in detail has been resumed. Attempts to reduce the duties on beer and spirits were negatived. London, November 14. It is reported that Queen Wilhelmina, of the Netherlands, lias been prematurely Confined, but her condition is satisfactory. The London County Council has de cided to adopt shallow underground tramways in the main streets. The steamer Cato, frem Hull, struck the ship. Loch Vennachar, from Melbourne (13th August) while the latter was at anchor ten miles below Gra resend. The ship sank. The crew were ! saved, though one of the men was critically injured. Much satisfaction is expressed in China over the reasonable claims of the : Protestant missions in connection with the Boxer troubles. The heavy claims of the .Etonian Catholic missions are unfavourably contrasted. [ The Post Office authorities deny that they, contemplate the use of the San ; Francisco route for the carriage of Aus- \ tralian mails. They state that they ■ would gladly adopt it if it offered an advantage'in point of time. Constantinople, November 13. The Porte has agreed to the Austrian claims in connection with the recent troubles in the Turkish provinces, including losses by Austrians in the Armenian massacres.