BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

Feilding Star, Volume IV, Issue 1125, 4 March 1910, Page 3

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

f>Y ELEOTBIO TELKGBAPH —OOPYBICHT. PER PBESS ASSOCIATION. THE KING GOES ABROAD AGAIN London, March H. King Edward starts for the Continent on Monday. . He will spend two days in Paris and thence goes to Biarritz. THE WAR OFFICE AND ITS MEAT The War Office is inviting tenders until Jγ 1 4 for 412,500 12oz. tins and 68,700 240z. tins of preserved meat, also a special : contract for 75,000 12oz. and 62,500 240z. ains, all for delivery in October and November. The latter contract contains a a'eplacenient clause.

THE CANADIAN NAVY. Ottawa, March 3. The Hon. Mr Whitney, Premier of Ontario, has promised to earnestly consider an influential deputation's request to take action, in the Assembly to induce Sir Wilfrid Laurier to add to the naval proposals two or three Dreadnoughts to be provided in the first instance in order to cement the formation of the fleet's units. The deputaiton is similarly approaching all provincial legislatures. THE TAFT TARIFF. New York, March 3. President Taft, in a proclamation, has announced that the following, amoag others, are entitled to the minimum tariff: British and German New Guinea, ofchor possessions in the jl acific, Santo Domingo, Costa Rica, Gibraltar, St. Helena, Ascension, the Falkland Islands, Ceylon, Mauritius, British East Affrica, British North Borneo.

(Received March 4, 10 a.m.) LIGHTWEIGHTS IN THE AIR. London, March 3. Sir Hiram Maxim, addressing the ferial League, predicted .that the weight of 150 engines for militaz-y flying machines would not exceed 30Olbs.

SIR GEORGE REID HONOURED BY THE KING.

The King cordially received Sir George Reid, conferred the order of Knighthood upon him, and granted him a special audience of twenty minutes. His Majesty showed a greatinterest in the affairs of the Commonwealth. Sir George will also dine with the Kins on Saturday. PRACTICAL SYMPATHY.

' The Mansion House fund for the relief of sufferers in the recent floods in France amounted to £64,000.

THE ASTOR DIVORCE.

The Daily Mail states that Mrs J. J. Astor, of New York, "will obtain her decree absolute on Friday. Mr Astor has agreed upon an allowance to Mrs Astor of £800,000 a year. [Before her marriage, Mrs Astor was a Miss Ava Willing, of Philadelphia.] BARNADO EMIGRANTS.

Lord Mountstephen has placed the sum of £60,000 in trust to encourage sending boys and girls from the Barnado Homes to Canada. IN DANGER OF COLLAPSE. The Milan, correspondent oi the Daily Chronicle states that King Em-■"""•-manuel's International Institute of Agriculture is in danger of collapse, owing to internal feuds on the part of its managers. 'Moreover, the high salaries paid compel the acquisition of ruling prices by post to avoid telegraphic expense, thus weakening the value of the information. BRITISH RIFLES ONLY.

Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Canadian Premier, speaking in the Dominion House House of Commons, expressed himself impressed with' Mr Hughes' argument against sending a team to Bisley ■Tinless 'the . new rule was withdrawn which declares that no service arm other than Britain's can be used unless ji.is in. th"* of the British ivifle Association three months in advance. Mr Hughes suggested that private companies had instigated the α-ule in order to discredit the Ross rifle. "FINANCIAL SHARKS." The Hon. W. H. Cuehing, Minister of Public Works for the Province of Alberta, has resigned. He considers that his colleagues have been beaten by Pierpont Morgan's company, which purchased Alberta's great waterways and railway bonds, valued at a cost of £1,500,000. Mr Gushing states they have not consulted the Legislature, and have been victimised by t; financial sharks." FOR IRRIGATION. New York, March 3. The Senate has passed a Bill authorising the issue of certificates of indebtedness amounting to £6,000,000 to finish the irrigation projects recommended by President Taft. PRESIDENT OF BRAZIL. General Marshall Serines Fonsica has been elected President of Brazil by a majority of 50,000. [Dr. Affonso Penna, who was elected President by universal suffrage in the twenty federated States to serve froni .1906-to 1910, died of influenza in 1909. The Vice-president, Dr. Pecanha, thereupon assumed the Presidency, pending the election just held.]