ENGLISH.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 843, 27 April 1888, Page 25

ENGLISH.

(PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.) London, April IS. Wheat. —An Australian February shipmoiit of 7000 quarters has been sold at 33s 3d. 5000 quarters AprilMay shipment has realised 3d more. A steamer cargo, March shipment, has been sold at 32a 6d. At the wool sales to-day 14,000 bales were sold. Last quotations-were maintained. The Deceased Wife’s Sisters Bill has been read a second time, in the House of Commons by a majority of 57. It is reported that Sir Arthur Gordon has been raised to the Peerage. It is officially announced that the Porte declines to allow either the proposed British or French modifications in the Suez Canal Convention. April 19. Lord Hartington was to-day presented with the freedom of the City of London. In the course of his speech he declared that the, extension of local government to Ireland would be more useful than any uream of impossible independence or theautonomy of a subordinate province. Mr Octavius Morgan’s Colonial Marriage Bill has been withdrawn, owing to the satisfactory division, in the House of Commons on the motion for second reading of the Deceased Wife’s Sister’s Bill. Mr Goschen, speaking at Croydon, eulogised the readiness shown by the Australian colonies to bear their share of the cost of defending the Empire and to maintain an Australian navy. Mr Goschen expressed the opinion that the House of Commons would liberally and satisfactorily respond to the expectations of the colonies in the matter. London, April 19. The libel action Peters v. Bradlaugh has resulted in a verdict for the plaintiff, and £3OO damages have been awarded. Mr Bradlaugh has apologised for the statement he made that the Marquis of Salisbury had given cheques for the purpose of organising unemployed gatherings in Trafalgarsquare, and the proceedings instituted against him for libel have been abandoned. Arrived —Nelson, from Port Chalmer (24th January); Himalaya, from Lyttelton (13th January) ; Elizabeth Graham, from Lyttelton (19th January) ; Marlborough, from Oamaru (6th February). Tallow is quiet, though prices are steady. Mutton remains at from 26s to 26s 6d; beef, unchanged, at from 24s to 24s 6d. The present stock is 10,000 casks, being 1000 casks less than was in stock last week. Wheat is quiet; store remains steady at from 34s 6d to 355. Hides have advanced i}-d per lb, and are now quoted at from 3-g-d to 4d. Copper stock is 59,000 tons. Kauri gum is unchanged. The wool market is buoyant, and. at the sales to-day competition was brisk, especially for crossbreds. The tone of the market is improving all round. Father McFadden’s appeal against the sentence imposed upon him for inciting to resistance has been dismissed, and the term of the sentence increased by six months. The sugar market is fiat; best German beet has declined 3d, and is now quoted at 13s 9d. The weekly returns of the Bank of England, published to-day, show the reserve in notes and bullion to be L 13,562,000, and the proportion of reserves to liabilities 40£ per cent.

The quantity of wheat afloat for the United Kingdom is 224,000 quarters, and for the Continent 304,000 quarters. The American visible supply of wheat is 33,000,000 bushels. The tone of the money market shows a decline. London, April 20. The sentence passed on Mr Blane, M.P., which was appealed against, has been increased by six months. At tho wool sales to-day, 13,000 bales were Bold. Dr Arnold’s funeral took place today, and was attended by the leading literary and political personages of England. London, April 20. Jem Smith has accepted the challenge of Peter Jackson, of Sydney, to fight for £IOOO. Arrived —Ship Waipawa, from Port Chalmers, all well. The ships Orari, from Oamaru, and Waikato, from Napier, have arrived in the Channel.

At the wool auctions to-day 14,000 bales were sold. Arrived —Steamer Elderslie, from Port Chalmers (March 2). London, April 21.

In the House of Commons to-day the Local Government Bill was passed through its second reading on the voices. The compensation clauses, providing for compensating publicans whose licenses were refused, were freely debated. The frozen meat by the steamer Liguria from Melbourne is selling at 3;}d per lb. It is expected that the New South Wales loan will be over subscribed at 103.

Eeporhs received from the missionaries in Brazil allege that 4000 of the natives living in the outlying provinces there have been poisoned in order that possession of them land might be obtained, and they also assert that there is another scheme on foot to poison 5000 more.

An Australian cargo of 6000 quarters of wheat has been sold for shipment to the Continent at 33s 6d. The cargo by tho Triton has also been sold for shipment to the Continent at 34s 3d.

In consequence of the delay in allotting space for machinery exhibits at the Melbourne Exhibition, many of the intending exhibitors have withdrawn their applications for space in order to avoid tho heavy freight charges by steamers which would not have been necessary had sufficient time been given to permit of the exhibits being sent by sailing vessel. At the wool auctions to-day all good crossbreds, greasy, and scoured realised full prices, and in some instances there was an improvement on last quotations. Medium sorts maintain February closing rates, but inferior and faulty qualities are weak aud irregular. Professor Oimerod, to whom was forwarded specimens ot the insect which had attacked the wheat crops in the Rangitikei district, has identified them as the true Hessian fly. Lord Knutsford, Secretary of State for the Colonies, has written to the New South Wales Government to the effect that the proposal of the latter to exclude the immigration of Chinese into Australian territory for the period of 20 years presents serious difficulty. New Zealand butter ranges from 29s to 84s, and the market has a downward tendency. At the wool sales yesterday, 1300 bales were disposed of. Greasy combings were dearer, and' the prospects are improving. It is announced that 20 instrumentalists will accompany Mr Frederic Cowan, musical conductor at the Exhibition, to Melbourne. It has been suggested that Bishop Barry, of New South Wales, should succeed Bishop How as Bishop Sufragan for Ease London. London, April 22

Ihe Orient Steamship Company have not declared a dividend this year, but have increased the reserve fund by L 270,000 The reported poisooiug of Brazilian natives is officially denied. London, April 21.

Consols, 101. New Zealand 5 per cents, 104|; inscribed 4 per cents, 99. Wheat, ex warehouse, 35s ; ex ship, 34s 3d. American wheat reports are unfavorable. Tallow, mutton, 25s 9d; beef, 24s 6d. Chilian copper, £BO 10s. Pig iron, 43s 9d. Standard silver, 3s 6f d, with a downward tendency. London, April 22. Arrived—Barque Helen Denny (Port Chalmers, 4th February) ; ship Waipa (Port Chalmers, 31st January); barque Soukar (Wellington, 2nd January) ; ship Margaret Galbraith (Auckland, 12th January) ; barque Alcestis, (Bluff, 24th January); barque Asterion (Nelson, 17th December); ship. Waikato (Napier, 12th January). The Secretary of the Lixnaw Branch of the National Leagne has been sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for intimidating Norah Fitzmauriae, widow of James Fitzmaurice, who was murdered for taking up an evicted farm in County Kerry. The New South Wales loan was poorly supported by the syndicate. The average price was LI 03 13s. Tenders for the New South Wales loan were opened to-day. The floating of the loan is a great success. L 6,630,000 was subscribed. Tenderers at LlO3 10s receive 31 per cent; 470 tenders were received. London, April 23> At the wool auctions there was a fair demand. Prices are unchanged. 13,000 bales were sold. The frozen meat by the Ipnic and

ship Rangitikei is selling at from 4d to 4£d. The market is steady. A syndicate tendered for the New South Wales loan to the extent of two and half millions at LlO3 10s. The official statement gives the total amount tendered for as L 7,050,000, and the average at L10312s 2d. In the House of Commons last night Mr Gladstone tabled a motion to equalise the charges on real and personal property. Extra police protection has been afforded to Mr A. J. Balfour iu consequence of reports being received that the Invincibles were plotting against his life. • SPECIAL. (PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.) London, April 17. The New South Wales loan is quoted at a premium of 255. April 18. , The Standard considers the placing of the New South Wales loan an imprudent step, and states that oven if the Colony is prosperous it will increase her burden of debt and drain her resources. New South Wales 3 per cents have fallen 30s. Lord Knutsford, Secretary of State for the Colonies, has given his consent to the amendment suggested by the Queensland Government in the Constitution of New Guinea, and a proclamation giving effect to the amendment will shortly be gazetted. H.li.H. the Prince of Wales has written to the Melbourne committee who were collecting funds for the Imperial Institute, thanking them for the sum of L 5300 which had been forwarded to him. Many of the manufacturers of machinery who had intended to exhibit at the Melbourne Exhibition now threaten to withdraw, owing to the delay in allotting space for their exhibits, Lord Knutsford refers all applicants for land iu New Guinea to the Queensland Government. The American Government claim Christrdas Island, and protest against its annexation by Euglaud. The guns of H.M.S. Orlando, which relieves the Nelson as flagship on the Australian station, have undergone a thorough and successful test. It is positively asserted that Admiral Tryon will assume command of the Naval Reserve. London, April 19. Mr Goschen, speaking at Croydon, deprecated, in view of the warlike prospects, any reductions in the basis of taxation. He charged the Opposition with changing front in obstructing the passage of the County Government Bin. The Daily Chronicle states his Holiness the Pope has directed Archbishop Walsh, of Dublin, to prepare a report on the. principles of the Irish National League, and also to explain the charges preferred against it, and the outrages which recently taken place in Ireland. The report will be compared with that submitted by Mousignor Persico, the Papal Delegate to Ire laud. London, April 20. The sentence of three months’ imprisonment which was passed on Father Stephens for inciting resistance to the sheriff, lias on appeal been confirmed. The barque Deeapolis, which left Newcastle for London, on 16th January, ran ashore at Dungeness, but was floated off, apparently having sustained no injury. The cargo of the barque Abeona* on the voyage from Adelaide to London, took fire, and 60 bales of wool had to be jettisoned before the fi.re was suppressed. An explosion took place in one of the colleries at Workington, Cumberland, which resulted in the death of seven of the hands. Eight thousand emigrants embarked at Liverpool on Wednesday for Canada and New York.

The whole of the new capital of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company has been subscribed. Four boycotters who appealed, against the term of imprisonment for which they were sentenced have had the term doubled. The members, of the National League are greatly incensed at the increased imprisonment imposed by the Appeal Court iu the recent ease 3. Londojt, April 21. At a trial to-day of the Elswick factory wire gun a projectile weighing 3691bs was thrown a distance of 21,000 yards. The Peers and their heirs are almost unanimous in petitioning for a relorm of the House of j(jords.

London, April 22. Tbe Daily Chronicle states that his Holiness the Pope intends to prohibit Catholics from taking any part in the Plan ot Campaign in Ireland. London, April 23. Mr T. J. Condon, M.P. for Tipperary East, has been arrested on a charge of inciting Irish tenants to withhold the payment of rents. In the House of Commons, replying to a question from Mr Howard Yincent, Bir James Fergusson, Undersecretary for Foreign Affaire, said under the existing treaties even the colonies were prevented from conceding .British 'produce fiscal advantages over that from foreign countries, aud he considered that it would bo impolitic at present to hurriedly terminate such treaties.