BRITISH AND FOREIGN

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIII, Issue 10598, 6 March 1895, Page 5

BRITISH AND FOREIGN

fJ?r ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH— COPYRIGHT,! [Special to Peers Association/] THE AUSTRALIAN CUSTOMS BILL. LONDON, March 4. Mr Buxton, Under-Secretary for the colonies, will introduce the Australian Customs Bill in the House of Commons. THE LONDON COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTION. The final result of the polling for the County of London shows that the Moderate vote has by five thousand, while the Progressives have lost twenty-seven thousand. The Radical newspapers soundly rate the desertion of the Party by the working classes after all that has been done for them by it. March 5. The Progressives and Moderates each total 59 in tho London County Council. Nine Progressive aldermen retire, and six remain, besides two Moderates. LORD BRASSEY. Lord Braseey’s staff includes the Earl of Shaftesbury, Lord Richard Nevill, Lord and Lady Settrington and a son 'of the Earl o£ March, Mr and Mrs Ereeman, and Mr Thomas Brassey’s son-in-law. IRISH LAND BILL. In the House of Commons the Irish Secretary introduced the Irish Land Bill, which is to a large extent based on the recommendations of last year’s committee. All improvements since 1850 are regarded as the tenants’ unless otherwise provided, and the measure vests absolutely tenants’ ownership over improvements, on which no rent is chargeable. It fixes the duration of. judicial rents at ten years, and repeals the landlords’ right of pre-emption. Only two years’ arrears of rent are recoverable under the Bill. It includes the voluntary principle with regard to land* lords and evicted tenants, and enables evicted tenants to purchase holdings bv means of Government loans. The Bill was read a first time. The M’Carthyite section of the Irish party favours the - measure, but the Opposition withholds the line of action it will take up. The Times has a hostile criticism. THE HAWAIIAN CABLE. WASHINGTON, March 4.^ The Hawaiian cable project is finally killed. INSURRECTION IN COLUMBIA. NEW YORK, March 4. News has been received that the insurgents in Columbia, South America, defeated the Government troops near the city of Oucutta, and followed up their victory by capturing the city. The Government troops lost eight hundred men in the engagement. CANADA AND CAPE COLONY. OTTAWA, March 4. The Canadian Government proposes to send a delegate to Cape Colony to negotiate for a commercial treaty. Freetrade has already been virtually agreed on between the two countries, but the final action will depend on tho view which Lord Ripon takes of existing treaties. THE INFLUENZA. VIENNA, March 4. There are thirty-five thousand cases of influenza in the city. CHARGE OP TREASON. ST PETERSBURG, March 4. Twenty-six persona in Poland, mostly students, have been placed on trial for treason in forming a secret society to regain independence. GERMAN NEW GUINEA. BERLIN, March 4. News has been received that the Governor of German New Guinea has died at Batavia. FRENCH COLONIES, PARIS, March 4. In the Chamber of Deputies M. do Villera advocated to grant the colonies economic freedom similar to the system of British colonies, to which tbe British Empire owes its prosperity. M. Chantemps declared that France intended a policy of peaceful expansion; but, speaking with regard to the Soudan, he said that France could not abandon one morsel of territory held there without substituting military action.