GENERAL SUMMARY.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 12, Issue 946, 26 May 1868, Page 2

GENERAL SUMMARY.

London, March 24. The Queen is at Windsor, in good health. She has resumed holding drawing rooms. Presentations and levees to the Prince of Wales are, during the Queen's pleasure, to be considered equivalent to presentations to her Majesty. The Duke of Cambridge has appointed General Carey, on his return from commanding the troops in Australia, to the command of a brigade at Aldershott. The Queen has visited Aldershott, and is going more into public than formerly. She intends visiting Germany this autumn. Parliament resumed its sittings after the Ministerial change, on the sth instant. Me. Disraeli, on taking his place as Premier in the House of Commons, was loudly cheered. It is thought, however, that the position will not last long. He faces the hostile compact of the opposition, which is led by Mr. Gladstone, with great courage. A trial of strength is expected to take place on the Irish Church question, Mr. Gladstone having given notice of three resolutions to the following effect : — Ist. That the Church of Ireland should cease to exist as an establishment ; due regard being paid to vested rights. 2nd. That new personal iuterests shall not be created by the exercise of public patronage. 3rd. That the Queen shall be asked to place at the disposal of Parliament her interest in the temporalities of the Irish sees and other dignities. The debate on these resolutions is expected to be one of the most important and significant that ever took place in the House of Common?. Incidental allusion to the state of the Irish Church has already been made by several leading opposition speakers, including Mr. Lowe, Mr. Miller, Mr. Horsman, Mr. Bright, and Mr. Fortescue, who have expressed their belief that the establishment must be abolished. Mr. Gladstone, in a preliminary debate, declared the time for disestablishing the Church of Ireland had come. His action and language produced a strange excitement ; and the clergy are beginning to arouse themselves. Mr. Disraeli's cry is that the Church of England and its rights and property are in danger. It is expected that all those members supposed to possess Liberal sentiments will vote with Mr. Gladstone. Should the resolutions be carried, Mr. Disraeli will dissolve Parliament. The Bishop of London has declared his opinion in the House of Lords that no danger can ensue to the religious character of the Universities from the admission of persons who dissent from the Established Church to the governing body and to the professorship. The leadership of the House of Lords devolves upon Lord Malmsbury. A brilliant reception is being prepared for the Prince of Wales in Ireland. The Princess of Wales will probably accompany him. They will sail in their yacht the Enchantress. A desire to place restrictions on the sale of liquor is gradually making way. The movement is supported by a large number of the working classes. A bill on the subject has been read a second time in the House of Commons, and referred to a Select Committee. Great complaints have been made as to the new Australian postal arrangements. A memorial to the Postmaster-General from bankers, merchants, &c, praying for a change, is in course of signature. The correspondence between tbe Manager of the Bank of South Australia and the Post-master-General of that colony, has been published. The latter declares that arrangements were made after mature deliberation and consultation with the largest Australian Banking Institutions. In the House of Commons, Mr. Sclater Booth stated that it was impossible to make any alterations without great expense and considerable inconvenience to Victoria and New South Wales. St. Patrick's Day passed off quietly in Dublin. There was not the slightest excitement of any kind. Fenianism appears to be quite extinct. The Lord Mayor and Corporation of London went in state to Windsor, to present to the Queen the loyal address passed by the Common Council hi reference to the Fenian outrages. A friend of popular improvement has offered a sum of £100,000 to be devoted to the purpose of promoting technical education. Mr. Dickens' sojourn in America has been successful beyond anticipation. The receipts of four nights readings at Washington were over 10,000 dollovs ; and for eight readings at Philadelphia, over 19,000 dollars. Mr. Dickens would return to England in the middle of April. The dowager Lady Tichbourne has died suddenly, and an inquest has been held. The Australian claimant of the title and estates stated that £1000 has been offered to his servant to procure his death. The verdict attributed death to natural causes. A discreditable scene took place at the funeral, at which the Australian claimant figured prominently, caiTying off her Ladyship's body from the other relatives. One of the most atvocious tragedies ever committed in England has taken place at Todmorden, exceeding even that committed some years ago by Rush. A weaver named Weatherhill being denied permission to visit his sweetheart, a servant at the Rev. Mr. Plow's, conceived the horrible idea of murdering the rev. gentleman and his household, and succeeded in killing one servant and Mr. Plow himself, and fearfully beating Mrs. Plow and an infant. The latter has since died. The lobby of their house is said to have been like a slnughter-house, being so marked with blood. Weatherhill has been tried, convicted, and sentenced to death. Mr. Justice Lush, who tried the prisoner, characterised the atrocity of the offence as being almost without parallel in the annals of crime. The Queen wrote a letter of condolence to Mrs. Plow. The capital sentence passed on Thompson and Mullane, the Manchester Fenian convicts, has been commuted to penal servitude for life. The will of the late Mr. Walter Powell, of Melbourne, has been proved in the Lon-

don Probate Court. Tbe personalty in England alone is estimated at £25,000. Australian securities maintain their price. The Oriental Bank have declared a dividend for the half-year of 6 per cent. The London wool sales have been spirited in all descriptions, which has caused a rise of 1-^d per lb. The Conway Castle, from Glasgow to Melbourne, with general cargo, valued at £40,000, ran ashore on Blackwater Bank, but was got off. <