YESTERDAY’S CABLES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2126, 27 February 1908, Page 4

YESTERDAY’S CABLES.

Mr McKenna, in the Commons, appealing lor sy mpa thy ro tins abandonmont of partisanship, introduced a Bill giving rate aid exclusively to the council type of schools, having teachers appointed without religious tests; no citato aid to lie given to voluntary schools. Parents objecting to these may choose the local authority school. Tim exchequer to grant ■lis per child to voluntary and council schools for some standard secular instruction. In the event, of the trustees being unable to continue they must transfer the school to the local authority, which will facilitate denominational instruction outside school imurs Air Hal four derided the idea that the Bill would bring peace, tie said it inflicted injustice on parents in country areas, ill-treatment of voluntary managers, and as regards the towns, destroyed the groat work commenced in 1903. Mr Asquith said that' no other solution was possible. Voluntary schools recover tile right to charge fees. Nonconformist members of 1 110 House of Commons accorded the Education Bill a somewhat lukewarm reception, Air Perks suggesting reconsideration of the urban clause. Nationalists are strenuously non-committal on tho measure. In the House of Commons AllChurchill stated that the average mortality of Chinese on the Hand was 1G nor thousand. Tho mortality of Nyassaland natives employed in the Premier mine was 100 per thousand. , • In the debate in tho House ol Lords Lord Eitzmauriee declared that the Congo Government’s attitude was more uncompromising than before. Lord Lansdowne commented on tho serious announcement. The London Standard deplores the reduction of flic regular forces oy 500. “Tho reasons inducing Air Haldane to form a territorial army, it states, “furnish an unanswerably argument against reducing tlic garrison of artillery by a thousand, llio Times says that although the navy estimates'exhibit a normal incroaseor £900,000, they represent a real increase of under £l-1,000, tho rest being automatic and inevitable, iho Times implies that the Government reduced the original estimates hall a million below' the point the-Admir-alty considered advisable. All newspapers realise that the naval Programme is temporary, and anticipate a great increase m 1909. Lord Tweedmouth’s navy . memorandum states that the Admiralty possesses abundant war plans and elaborate strategical operations. It declaics that a sound knowledge of long-range shooting is thoroughly permeating tho The London Times says that tho English sense of justice will resent the obvious attempt to cripple tho church and rural schools unless they accept tho proposed limited facilities ot denominational teaching. . Air Bent anouuced in tho Victorian Senate that the Imperial Government has agreed to allow the Commonwealth to coin its own silver. Mr Deakin’s invitation to Admiral Evans and fleet to visit Australia he urged, would bo a further token of the close alliance of interest and sympathy already existing between America and Australia, aiul might- complete the acceptance of the invitation, which would he received with great gratification by the Commonwealth. A man named Ellison, a shopkeeper at Port Adelaide, South Australia, was suspected of opium smuggling. The police searched the shop and private residence fruitlessly. While about to leave the residence they observed disturbed earthy in tho garden. Investigation revealed a plant of opium. Ellison has now confessed that he was the Adelaide and Broken Hill agent of a gigantic smuggling company, which had establishments at Port Darwin, Sydney, Brisbane, Alelbourne, and o.ther ports of Australia. The opium- unearthed came from Sydney. A cyclone, accompanied by a heavyrain, swept Kalgoorlie, levelled several dwellings, and did damage to the extent of £2OOO to tho town hall in course of erection. It demoralised the electric light and tram services in town for several hours. There was darkness at the hospital, and some patients were washed out of their beds. “Aliss” Robinson, in her confession, alleges that in 1906 a man calling himself Druce, whom Hollamby Druce afterwards declared to bo his brother William, visited -Robinson at Christchurch, and offered her £4OOO, firstly to write an attractive book as to all she knew about the Duke, and he tried to induce her to say that the Druce of the bazaar was identical with the Duke. The object of the book was to raise money for legal expenses. The visitor urged her to say that she came from America- She received pamphlets which she believed came from Hollamby Druce. She concocted a diary, received £250, and came to England. Air Kimber met her on landing and inquired for the diarv. He urged her to stick to the tale; to stick to her guns. Air Kimber endeavored to compel her to mako statements based on the diary. She never came to England to swear falsely; only to raise money on the diary. Air Coburn wanted her to swear about- the lead coffin, but -she refused. The loss of the diary was true. She had no letters froni the Duke, but two from Dickens, which she had lost. Air Kimber and Georgo Hollamby Druce tried to dissuade her from making a confession, saying she would get seven years. There is a net saving in the British Army Estimates of £301,000. with 185,000 men. Air Haldano is withdrawing from the South cavalry regiments four battalions of infantry. The net naval estimate amounts to £32,319,000. Lord Tweedmouth’s memorandum shows that the increases are due to dearer coal, food, and material. New construction accounts for £7,545,202, and provides one improved Dreadnought, one largo armored cruiser, six fast protected cruisers, 16 destroyers, and some submarines. It is intended to proceed with the construction of a naval base at Rosytli. The Government aver their intention to maintain the standard hitherto deemed necessary for safeguarding national and imperial interests. Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman is progressing, though slowly. Air Keir Hardio addressed a crowded meeting in Bloemfontein town hall, where lie was cordially received. The Ship Subsidy Bill introduced into the United States. Senate by Senator Gallinger, authorises tho payment of 16s per mile for the out>ward voyage to second-class vessels running to Australasia and Philippines, virtually the same rate at present being applicable to first-class vessels. Signor Nasi, former Italian Alinister, was found guilty of misappropriation with extenuating circumstances. He was sentenced to 350 days and barred for 50 months from holding public office. He was fined 200 lire*and costs. Lombardo, his official secretary, was acquitted on tho ground of' insufficiency of evidence. N.S.AV. Parliament meets on Alarch 10 for a short session. The chief business will be an Arbitration Bill. The Rev.. Air Banks lias boon elected president of the Methodist Conference in N.S.W. A girl has died at Kempsey, N.S.W. ; it is suspected of plague. The annual report of the Benevolent- -Society indicates a decrease of poverty in Sydney. The floods in the Northern rivers of New South Wales are receding, and work is being resumed in the mines that were flooded.