BRITISH AND FOREIGN

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXXI, Issue 10273, 15 February 1894, Page 5

BRITISH AND FOREIGN

ST ELECTBIO TMLEGSAeB.—OOPTEIBET.] FSpecial to Press Association.] THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE. LONDON, Feb. 13. Mr J. H. Geddes, manager of the Pastoral and Finance Association of New South Wales, is forming a company to ship meat direct from Australia to Manchester and Liverpool. Mr Bruce, of Sydney, states that Manchester is the best centre. The steamers of the new company will be fitted up especially for the frozen meat trade, and will call at the Gape on the voyage out. Mr Bruce advises New South Wales to send home only the best meat, in order to successfully compete with the American article. THREATENING- THE QUEEN. Wyndham* Garter, who was for gome time confined in a lunatic asylum, was charged at Bow Street yesterday with having threatened to kill the Queen unless hia claim to an earldom was recognised. He was remanded for medical examination. THE PARISH COUNCILS BILL The Liberal members demand that Government shall re-insert in the Parish Councils Bill the clauses rejected in the House of Lords. ME REID’S MISSION. Mr R. Eeid has arranged an interview with Sir W. V. Harcourt with regard to the coinage, and with Mr Morlej with reference to the Pacific cable.

THE HOUSE OP LORDS, j Feb. 14. j In response to a great meeting o£ the National Liberal Federation, held at Portsmouth, for the purpose of dealing with the attitude of the House of Lords regarding the Parish Councils Bill, Liberal members, Eadieal Societies ahd newspapers have started an active crusade against the Upper Chamber. PARISH COUNCILS BILL. The House of Lords has passed the I Parish Councils Bill. EMPLOYEES’ LIABILITY, j The House of Commons, by a majority of two, agreed to Mr Cobb’s amendment limiting the Earl of Dudley’s amendment relative to the contracting out clause in the Employers’ Liability Bill to three years. Messrs Balfour and Chamberlain protest that tho compromise is useless |nd absurd. There were several defections among the Liberals and members of the Irish Party. The Times asserts that the Lords will adhere to their position, even if the Bill is withdrawn. COLONIAL ACTS. The Colonial Acts Confirmation Bill, chiefly validating the New South Wales Redistribution of Seats Bill, which the Crown law officers qdviaed ought to have been reserved for the Royal approval, has passed in the House of Lords. Lord KAutsford suggested that the time had arrived to abolish the power of reservation in the case of small alterations in the Constitution of tho colonies. THE SILVER QUESTION. Sir W. Y. Harcourc, Chancellor of tho Exchequer, announced in the House of Commons to-day that the G-overnment had no intention to reopen the Indian mints for the free coinage of silver, or to return to a minijaum rate for the sale of Council

bills. It was, he said, not intended to tax imported silver, or to change the present poU^ ITBARy BERLIN, Feb. 13. The death is announced of Hans von Billow, the eminent pianist, in his sixty-fifth year.' [Hans von Billow, who was born at Dresden in January, 1830, began hia musical education ander Frederick Wieck, the father of Madame Schumann. Ho was sent to the Leipzig University to study jurisprudence, but, iu 1850, he threw aside his law studies, went to Zurich, and placed himself under the guidance of Wagner. Afterwards he became a pupil of Liszt, and in 1853 made bis first concert tour. From 1855 to 1864 he was principal master of pianoforte-playing at the Conservatorium of Professors Stern and Mars, at Berlin. In June, 1888, he gave a series of Beethoven recitals at St James’s Hall, London.] HANGED FOE TREASON. ST PETERSBURG, Feb. 13. A Russian officer has been hanged at Odessa for divulging army secrets to a foreign Power. THE INDIAN CURRENCY. CALCUTTA, Feb. 13. Indian merchants are urging that the minimum for the sale of Council bills should be re-fixed, and the disposal thereof be entrusted to special agents. The Finance Minister of India is prohibiting the private importation of silver.