CONTINENTAL.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1189, 14 December 1894, Page 34

CONTINENTAL.

Pajris, December 6. French marines are occupying Majunga, a town on the north-west coast of Madagascar, and the Hovas are withdrawing to the interior’. St. Petersburg, December 6. Owing to the unsettled state of Turkish Armenia, the Russian Government has decided to immediately reinforce the troops in the Caucasus by 20,000 men. Berlin, December 5. The Kaiser, in the Speech from the Throne, at the opening of the Reichstag, said Bills would be introduced to oppose the pernicious action of those who disturbed the Government in the fulfilment of its duty, to prevent abuses of Bourse operations, to counteract unfair competition, and to reform the tobacco taxation. Berlin, December 6. Prince Hohenlohe, the Chancellor, has at the instigation of the Emperor introduced in the Reichstag aAAnti-Socialist Bill providing for severe penalties on those proved to be connected with any revolutionary plot, or attack upon religion, the monarchy, marriage or property. Special provision is made to prevent the military joining in any such movement. Berlin, December 8. In the Reichstag, the leaders of the Agrarian Party largely supported a proposal for the State control of and purchase and sale of foreign cereals, also that the State should establish granaries and store one-third of the quantity annually imported, so that it would be in a position to regulate prices. Brussels, December 7. In the Belgian Chamber of Representatives the Socialists protested against the Civil List. ' The Premier thereupon demanded cheers for the King, but the Socialists cried, “Long live the people; down with the moneyed class!” Rome, December 9. In the Chamber of Deputies Baron Blanc, Foreign Minister, said the Italian troops had occupied Kassala on a similar footing to that held by tho British troops in Suakim, and the course adopted had solidified Italian relations with Great Britain regarding Egypt. He added that it was not intended to attack Khartoum. Buda Pesth, December 11. Dr Wekerle, the Premier, announced to the Hungarian Diet that tho Emperor Francis had assented to the Civil Marriage Act, and referred to tho decisive defeat of the Vatican Liberals. The Premier’s remarks were received with prolonged cheering, the scene being unequalled since the time of Kossuth. All the larger towns are brilliantly illuminated in honour of the occasion.