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Lyttelton Times, Volume XIII, Issue 763, 29 February 1860, Page 5

POSTAGE ON NEWSPAPEBS TO AUSTKALIA. The re-publication, within the last day or two, of the subjoined Post-office notice, indicates that the authorities persevere in their determination to increase the postage of newspapers sent via Southampton to Australia :• ~ ' . "Newspapjses addressed to the East Indies, MatJeititjs, Ceylon,,Atjstbalia, ob China.— The public are reminded' that notice was given in March laet, that in order to pay the cost of transit through Egypt (a cost which has been largely increased, owing, in part, to an important improvement in the service), newspapers sent via Southampton and Suez addressed to the East Indies, Ceylon, Mauritius, Hong Kong, China, Australia, or,any other country or,place eastward of Suez, will, on the Ist of January next and thenceforward, be subject to an additional charge of Id., making the rates as follows: Upon a newspaper addressed to the East Indies, 2d.; when not exceeding four ounces in weight, 3d.; when above four ounces and not eight ounces in weight, 4d.; Id. being added for every: additional four ounces or fractional part of four ounces. Upon newspapers • addressed to anyof the other countries or places referred to,2d. for each newspaper, of whatever weight:" no alteration will be made in the postage of book packets sent by this route, as they already pay a transit rate; nor will any change be made in the postage of newspapers sent via Marseilles, the present charge on such newspapers being sufficient to cover the cost of transit through Egypt. No alteration, moreover, will be .made in the postage, of any newspaper which may be directed to go "by private ship." The charge on. these newspapers will remain as at present, Id. each. The public are further reminded, that, as the exclusive privilege of the Postmaster-General extends only to letters, it is not compulsory en any one to send newspapers through the post, and that they may be forwarded by other channels. By command of the Postmaster-General, Rowland Hill, Secretary, General Post-Office, Dec. 1." :

A deputation from the General. Association for the Australian Colonies.had an interview with the Duke of Newcastle on the 15th Dec. at the Colonial Office, on the subject of the proposed increase on the rate of postage on newspapers to the Australian colonies via Southampton.. The .deputation consisted of the following gentlemen :—-Mr. S. A. Donaldson, Chairman of the Association, Lord A. Churchill, M.P., Mr. George M'Leay, Mr. J. Leslie Poster, Mr. Edward Wilson, Captain Eldred, and Mr. J. A- You], hon. secretary. The deputation was received, by the Duke of Newcastle with the greatest courtesy, but his Grace informed it that the decision rested entirely with the Treasury and the 'Post Office authorities. He had sent in a remonstrance when the proposed increase was first declared, and; the reply from the Treasury, which he read to the deputation, showed that the penny postage did not- cover the expense of the transmission of newspapers by the overland route, and so far entailed a charge upon the country. It is hoped that the matter will be further agitated with the Treasury, and it 1 is > proposed as soon as Parliament meets to send an influential deputation to Lord Palmerston,— English Maily The San Juan QuESTiON.-Presidentßuchanan's Message, which is now expected. eVery hour, will give usofficial and authentic information about the

relationsi between Great "Bntain !:ahU^the" Uiiited States. In, the meanwhile-, the lust news from Washington on thia subject is/clearer and moro ' definite than any yet received, and by! far more satisfactory,' for it .'appears that Genorai "Scotf-wtts instructed to withdraw tlie, force from San Juan Island, which had taken possession, nnd to propose joint occupation on the part -of the two Governments until the questions of right were settled in a proper way. This is all that England would, have desired, and there is no doubt that Governor Douglass has by this time been authorized to agree to the proposal of tlie United States. The fact that Governor Douglass ordered' the. British force to retire'is evidence that General Scott's mission was a just and pacific one. The Eoyal Agricultural. Society held its annual general meeting on the 9th December. It has now between 5,000 and 6,000 members, with funded stock amounting to £20,000, Canterbury; is the place for the next Bhow of the society, which' is stated to be.in a most satisfactory and improving state. . • .... - ■■■■:' ' '■■■."■::-'' ■' ■;:;";. ■'

On the morning of. the 6th December, between one and two, a fire broke out on the premises of :Mr. Lewis Jacobs, lligh-streHt,Whitechapel; ;; The fire was discovered by a policeman, who instantly raised an alarm. The escape promptly arrived, though, not too soon, for the inhabitants of the house, eleven in number, had collected in,the front room on the 'second .floor, and,were shrieking for help. Conductor "Wood ascended into the burning building, and assisted;theiia all tp,escape. Engine's had arrived while this was going on, and the flames were ultimately extinguished.: :'. An inquest has been held at .Kingsland, on the body of William Eaton, who died from /having eaten some poisoned sausages. - On Friday, the sth of November, a pound and a half- of beef sausages' were bought at a shop in High-street, Kingsland. The deceased atefour of them, and his wife and four of the children .ate the rest; In the night they were all taken violently 'ill j but all, with the exception of Mr. Eaton, have recovered. A surgeon had since made apost-mortem examination of the body which was quite healthy, and there was nothing.to account for death except exhaustion. Between forty and fifty persons have been ill from haying eaten the sausages bought at the same shop. The jury returned a verdict to the effect that, the deceased died from irritation of the bowels after, eating certain sausages; but there was not sufficient evidence to. show by what the ;irritation was caused: and the jury were of opinion, further, that there ought to be a greater number of inspectors of meat in the markets of the metropolis.

Prince de Joinville, moved,thereto by Mr. Koebuck's attack upoir him' (as one who enfoys our protection and yet schemes an invasion of England), has written a letter, in good taste, denying that he ever meditated an invasion or submitted any plan for one to anybody. His Eoyal Highness adds that, though'a son of Prance, he-has no desire that the principles which now prevail there should cross the Channel. ; ; . „ ■ On the 7th December a conference of " those who are in favour of areal and/honest measure of Parliamentary Eeform" was:held at Guildhall Coffee house, London. ; The meeting was convened by the Parliamentary Eeform.Committee;. arid as 'the gatheririg was simply summoned for deliberation and counsel, it was limited to those who had received invitations. ■; The. chair was taken by Mr. William Hargreaves. ■ Amongst the gentlemen present were Lord Teynham ; Mr. Bright, M.P,; Mr. A. K. Bristow, M.P. • Mi-. Kershaw, M.P.; Mr. J. Clay, M.P.; Mr. Scholefield, M.P. ; and several gentlemen from the .Provinces'. •■■/..."■ Mr. Edwin James lias .put in circulation a draft of a bill proposing thatevery member of Parliament should, on taking hiss<eat,; make.'a solemn declaration that lie has gained his-seat neither by bribery nor intimidationin any foiin^diiptly or indirectly. The form of the declaration-'i3:,embo.died in the bill, and is very sweeping and stringent in its terms. The Whitby contest Jhas resulted in the election of the Liberal candidate;by a majority of 39 over his Conservative opponent. The numbers were— Thompson, 229; Chapman, 190. :\ This decision is remarkable on account of Mr.: Thomson's declararation at the.: Hustings, that he could' not promise to help the shipowners in their distress, and couldnot hold, out any prospect of the reversal of "freetrade principles.v. ■• , , ' ' •- The adjourned enquiry into the corrupt practices at the late Gloucester elections was resumed on the. 24th November, in' ■&>] committee-room of the House of Commons. Sir. R;; W. Carclen and. .Sir W, G. Hayter were recalled and subjected to severe exramin'ation. They still'persisted in denying any acquaintance with" corrupt courses, and the large sums of money which- Sir E. Carden gave was to have been, in his estimation, applied to purposes purely and. entirely legitimate. The alderman however acknowledged that his ignorance was the result of being determined riot to have knowledge communicated to his mind; ; : . The Gloucester Electibri:Commission held another sitting in London on the sth December, when Mr. Eose, the well known Parliamentary agent, declared that he had not taken any part whatever in bribing the electors. Two witnesses acknowledged having received moriey fro'ni a person named Monk at the election of 1857 for the purposes of bribery, and. that they had bribed Liberal voters with it. A list was handed to the Commissioners showing that 260 voters had been bribed,; of whbm 723 were freemen. s

A serious case of alleged corruption: has been under investigation at Norwich. At the recent election of aldermen, there; being ; twenty-eight Liberals and twenty-eight Conservatives in the Town Council, it became a matter of great party importance to .secure the 'majority; and a charge has now, been laid against Mr. Albert J. Collins, a solicitor, of conspiring with Mr. Henry Croxford, a leading member of the Conservative party, to bribe Mr. Fox, a Liberal^ to vote for the Conservative candidates. It is alleged that* Fox was offered £500 to vote for the eight Conservative candidates; and an appointment was made at Croxford's house, which Fox, after consulting with a friend, punctually kept; the halves of three £100 notes were then given him, and he was told the other, halves and four £50 notes were lying at Mr. Collins's. The halves he immediately took, to the Townhall and publicly exhibited, voting for the Liberal candidates, who were duly elected. The magistrates adjourned the inquiry, admitting Mr. Collins to bail in twb sureties' of £250 each, and himself in £500. Mr. Croxford, it is stated, has left Norwich. It is sirice*said tliat measures have been taken to stop the inquiry. ; '. .' / : Several meetings, have been held in different parts of the country, atwhichthe(principal topics for comment., have been the Peiho disaster,: the opium question, and Reform. At some of these meetings/great dissatisfaction has been expressed at the virtual exclusion of tlie-^ working classes from the volunteer rifle corps movement. Sir A. C. Magennis.K.C.B., now- her Majesty's Envoy, Extraordinary arid Minister Plenipotentiary at Stockholm,' is appointed Envoy Extraordinary and-Minister Plenipotehtiary at Lisbon, : The Hon. G. S. S. Jernihghami how her Majesty's Minister at Stuttgardt, is appointed Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at Stockhblm. Mr. G. J. R.: Gordon,'now^ her: Majesty's Minister at Hanover, is appoirited Minister at .Sfcuttga'rdt. Mr; H. F. Howard^ now her Majesty's Minister at Lisbon, is appointed Minister at Hanover. The Queen lias approved of Mr. JohnP; O'Sullivan as Consul at Singapore for the United States of America; and r of Mr. C. Broderson as Consul at Hoh^-Konp: for the King of Hanoyeiv , •

.^Thie^Korthern Reform Union, is proceeding with) its wirftei'ftgittttion. Four public meetings have recently been held under its' aunpi"ces, at which resolutions and petitions were adopted in favour of manhood suffrage and vote by ballot. The Union ard making arrangements for holding thirty similar meetings before Christmns, in thenorthern counties. The exiled sovereigns of Italy, independent of the help they will receive from the Austrian ambas-; sador at the Congress, will plead their own cause, by notes and memorials. The present chiefs of the Governments of Central Italy will follow the same course. , .■■•■■;... ..

Lord Palmersfcon .is not to proceed to Paris as" the plenipotentiary of England. This decision has' been arrived at, says the ' Times/ after a full discussion by. the Cabinet. Important business, it appears, will be brought forward immediately on the assembling of Parliament, on the 24th January, and it is alleged that the Government felt that they could not, under the circumstances, dispense with the presence of their chief. Lord Cpwlev, our am-; bassador at the French Court, and Lord Wodehouse will attend, the meetiugs, but it is declared that the object of the British Government is to make our , adhesion to the Congress as little conspicuous as possible. ■.-.■■':■■/: - The great Builders' Strike has failed; The conference of the building trades, finding, from the feeling which pervaded a meeting of the delegates held at Shaftesbury Hall, on the 15th Nov.,°that the other trade were disposed to support them; in opposition to the " document" or declaration as required byjthe employers, but did not look with much'regard'upon the demand made by them for the reduction of the time of labour to nine hours a day, came on the 18th Nov., after two days' deliberation, to the resolution to. abandon their claims in that respect, but, still to hold out against signing the document/ The strike at Messrs. ; Trollope's was accordingly abandoned, and the men employed by those gentlemen waited on; them on the 18th to announce: their willingness to return to work; on the same terms as formerly. They were favourably received, but the Messrs. Trollope declined to accept their labour until they had consulted tlie committee of master builders I upon the subject. The Society of the Amalgamated Engineers generously voted- a second thousand pounds for the benefit of the lock-outs. On the 29th November, at a meeting of the Metropolitan Trades' Delegates, the rep"qrt delivered by the secretary, Mr. Potter, was a very melancholy ') one. Mr. Potter said there was little change in J the position of affairs, but what change there was, j was of an unfavourable character. Some of the men had given in, and it was no wonder, the speaker added, "seeing that most of them had been out of work for sixteen weeks." The conference also had loosened the bond by which the men were tied, and gave them liberty to accept the document when it , was not presented individually. It was with regret, too, the secretary was forced to add , that an attack had been made on the delegates by some laborers, and the money in possession of the delegates had1 actually .been carried off by force. It is a sad. moral to be drawn from the strike, and the secretary did not improve it when he told the delegates that the dividend that week was reduced to 3s. 6d. for skilled artisans and 2s. 6d. for labourers. : , A disgraceful Sunday traffic, which has for years1 past been carried on at Somers4ownj having all the, features of a regular fair, has been put down by the1 local authorities, without difficulty. \ -> Traitor's Gate, at the Tower of London, is gradually ceasing to bo a: substantial historical reminiscence, suggestive of Cranmer and the Prin- ' cess Elizabeth. It is in process of being converted into an engine-house. The tower moat, now dry, has become a drill-ground, and the Lord Mayor's barge, long sheltered there, has been broken up,and a water-engine, to supply the; garrison with water, takes its place. Sic transit /.■••. ;

A new drinking-fountairi. the gift of Mr. Samuel Gurney, M.P., erected at the Regent-circus, Oxford street, has been unveiled. v ; , The conference has since discontinued the dividend to labourers altogether. The returns from the Central Association of master builders state that 19,000 men are at work,, of whom 15,000 have; accepted thei declaration, while:the remaining 4,000. have entered under a shop rule embodying its spirit. At a meeting of members of the executive, committee of the Central Association of Master Builders; held on the-6th Dec. it was .determined (by a very large majority) that the 'declaration' should not be withdrawn, seeing that 15,000 hands had resumed work under its conditions. ,; On the 19th. November a numerous meeting of bakers agitatating for twelve hours' work, was held at the King's Arms Tavern, Fieidgate-street, White-chapel-road. A large number of German journeymen were present. The chairman gave a detailed account of the progress the movement had made since the organisation'of the association, from which it appeared that every week brought afresh accession of members, and many masters had adopted the' principle by abolishing, nightwork in their establishments, and which was found to operate with advantage equally to the employers and the operatives. Mr. Bennett, a journeyman baker, explained that he and his fellow-bakers had to work twenty and sometimes twenty-four hours at a stretch and that they were utter strangers to the joys of a home. The men have pledged themselves not to rest until their object has been fully accomplished. : The Smithneld Club Cattle Show was held at the Baker-street Bazaar on the 6th, 7th, Bth, and 9th. of December. The show excited quite as much interest as usual. The sales of the prize cattle were nearly all concluded up to the night of the Bth. We extract the follwing from the 'Times':— The cattle classes are not, as a whole, superior to those of former years. The Devbns show in considerable numbers, and constitute a good show of the breed.- Thes Herefords are exceedingly good, and some specimens deserve especial notice—Mr. Shirley's steer, Mr. Heath's ox, and Lady Foley's and Mr. Naylbr's cows. The short horn classes are well filled and in exceeding good character; ColonelTowneley's cow transcending all her predecessors.The Marquis of Exeter's ox is a fine specimen of the breed; indeed, many fine animals are exhibited in these classes. The Sussex, Norfolk, and long-horned breeds were not very attractive, but. the Scots, with their dun and shaggy coats and extended up-turned horns, obtained great notice. The polled breeds are good.. There are some excellent Welch cattle and ■ heifer's,-.and the. cross and mixed breeds show well The extra cattle class is commendable. ;"Sheepe," says old Fitzherbert, "is the most profytablest cattell a man can have;" and to this day the farmer gains more from the flock that yields him fleece and flesh than from the heavy ox or gormandizing swine. Such have been the refinements, however, upon the original breeds, .that, pure bred sheep, while indispensable for maintaining a true stock, are no longer considered, the most profitable for grazing. The delicate arid comely Down is not altogether the most prolific'bf meat and wool, and the rage is now evidently for a more business-like sheep—a: cross-bred, carrying mutton of all the delicacy of flavour and tenderness of fibre of the Southdown upon the robust and noble frame of a Cotswold, and clothed with wool not deteriorated in fineness of staple, though lengthened .and augmented, in weight by the Leicester and improved Lincoln breeds. „-•■.," '• -■>.:•,'••■'•■.. -'...■•■.■:■.■■ The Downs cannot well l)e more beautiful or appear in better, character Vthan they Ao. on the present occasion; but they are certainly eclipsed by the immense size and -ponderous proportions of the cross-breeds. The Leicesters and; Longwools show well, and .the'former in ■;'singular variety; there are a, fe.w splendid specimens of the breed. Wool, however, such an important part'of -the animal, is of less /account here than at a si^niiner rsUow; of tireedingStocl?; ;.:.-;' ;;"'.', '■;■.-.'■. :'"■■'■ V,;:;: '/ /.Y/'-'V ■•■..'-■ :'