REUTER'S SUMMARY FOR AUSTRALIA.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 13, Issue 1081, 7 September 1869, Page 2

REUTER'S SUMMARY FOR AUSTRALIA.

London, August 4. After a long and animated discussion in the House of Lords on the preamble to the Irish Church Disestablishment Bill, a division took place, on July 20, when the peers maintained the amendments which they had already made. The numbers were — 173 for certain amendments ; 95 against. Seeing the strength of the opposition, Lord Granville (representing the Government) immediately obtained an adjournment of the debate, in order. to give him an opportunity of consulting his colleagues. The result of this was that a compromise was subsequently effected between the Government and the Opposition. The Bill was passed and has since received the royal assent. An animated debate took place in the House of Commons on the 23rd of July, concerning the state of affairs in New Zealand. Mr. Monsell spoke on behalf of. the Government, attributing the present alarming position of the colony to the neglect of the colonists to provide for their own defence, and their self-will in interfering with the Imperial troops. He entirely deprecated any interference on the part of the Imperial Government. Mr. Adderlej followed in very much the same strain. \ A dreadful colliery explosion has occurred at Wigan, Lancashire, by which 48 persons were killed. A bill has been introduced into Parliament providing for the erection of a lighthouse on the great Bass Rock, on the coast of Ceylon. The estimated cost of the work is £65,000, to be defrayed, it is proposed, in course of time by an increased toll on shipping of one halfpenny per ton. A. Dowell, Esq., barrister-at-law, has been appointed Judge Advocate General. The Bishop of Salisbury is dead. A Bill placing all English telegraph lines under the control of the British Government has been passed by the Legislature. The Lords of the Treasury have decided to withdraw the postage privileges granted, in 1867, to officers of the Indian Army and officers serving in the colonies. Mr. Warburton, the High Sheriff of Queen's County, Ireland, has been shot. It i? supposed that this was because of the part he took in bringing to justice parties concerned in the agrarian outrages which have of late been so frequent. It is said that Her Majesty the Queen intends to vkit lrelandnexiryearr