LATE CABLE NEWS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1196, 1 February 1895, Page 27

LATE CABLE NEWS.

London, January 29,

It is reported that Sir Roland V. Williams will resign the Judgeship, and will publish letters received from high personages condemning his action with respect to tlio direction of the Now Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, unless tlio proposal to remove him from the Bankruptcy Division of the High Court of Justice is cancelled. The shareholders of the Now Zealand and Rivor Plato Land and Mortgage Agency Company havo confirmed the resolution deciding on the reduction of the capital of the Company.

London, January 30. Lord Lansdowno, ox-Vicoroy of India, is addressing Conservative audiences in opposition to Home Rule. London, January 30. The Pall Mall Gazette declares that the First Lord of the Admiralty proposes this year to build four first-class cruisers, four of the second-class, and two of tlio thirdclass, 20 torpedo boats and 20 torpedo destroyers.

Tlio cost of these works is estimated at G£ million pounds. The paper adds that a loan of at least five million sterling will bo requested for coaling stations. St. Petersburg, January 29. The Czar and Czarina are to be the guests of Queen Victoria in England in June.

The Czar, addressing a deputation of the nobility, referred to the absurd dream that the Zemstvos should take part in the affairs of State, and said ho was firmly resolved to uphold the Autocracy. The Zemstvos are tlio district and provincial assemblies, composed of representatives elected by the peasantry, the householders in the towns, and the landed proprietors. These assemblies administer the economical affairs of the districts and provinces, and the Czar is evidently unwilling that their power should be extended beyond those restricted limits. Washington, January 30. Tlio President’s policy is unlikely to be accepted by the Senate unless provision is made for the unlimited coinage of silver. Ottawa, January 30. The Canadian Government has asked the views of the Australian colonies relative to the construction of the Pacific cable at the cost of the States interested in the enterprise, and has also forwarded a tender offering to lay tlio cable more quickly and cheaply than anything previously pro* posed.

Berlin, January 30. The training ship Stein, supposed to havo foundered in the Mediterranean, is safo.

Capetown, January 29. President Kruger, of the South African Republic, in the course of a speech at a banquet tendered to him at Pretoria, said it was necessary to form the closest union with Germany. Ho compared the Transvaal to a child creeping between the Powers. If one kicked it, it would seek the h)lp of others.

Shanghai, January 29. The Chinese claim that on two occasions during the last few days they repulsed the attacks of the Japaneso on Weiliaiwei—one of the attacks being by land and the other by sea. The Japanese wished to attack Chefoo by sea, but foreign warships prevented the proposal being carried into effect. Melbourne, January 30. February 20 is the day fixed by the Government for the simultaneous destruction of rabbits throughout the colony. Another supposed case of small-pox on board the Cloncurry has been removed to the hosjiital. Tlio ship is being disinfected. Sydney, January 30. Brolcon Hill silvermine shares have made a sharp rise. Proprietary shares are quoted at 3s higher ; the others in proportion. The schooner Sonta, from New Britain, reports that the mate and two of the crew wero murdered by the natives of New Ireland while recruiting. They also report that another desperate encounter took place at Garnet Island. A large body of natives attacked the boats, but wero repulsed. One was killed, and several wounded.

Some of the boat’s crew wero slightly wounded.

Tho Huddart - Parker Company’s new service to Now Zealand will be inaugurated as a fortnightly one on February 27th. The Anglian will leave Melbourne for Dunedin direct on February 7, and will take up the service along tho east coast of tho Middle and North Islands, via Auckland, to Sydney, and will thence make alternate trips with the Tasmania, connecting at Sydney with the Company’s steamers for Melbourne and Tasmania.

Hobart, January 30. At tho Conference of Premiers, in order to tost the attitude of all present, a formal resolution was discussed that Federation be regarded as tho greatest and most pressing question in Australian politics. All tho delegates warmly supported the motion, and carried a proposal to pave the way for a Federal Convention, the latter to be elected by the people, and its suggestions to bo submitted to a referendum.

Tho Conference discussed an objection raised that it incurred the risk of the adoption of an ill-considered constitution which deprived tho Legislatures of a voice in determining the Federal Constitution, and that it was necossary to have some check

upon the work of the Convention, such as having it considered by a second Convention or by the Parliaments. The Premiers also discussed a second proposal, that there should be a State Convention to frame proposals for the Constitution, and that each colony elect delegates to a Federal Convention which should frame a Constitution to be submitted to the people. It was pointed out that this also ignored the Parliaments, and unanimity was not likely amongst the colonies in regard to the decision of the Convention.

Against these objections it was urged that the Parliaments had shown, in dealing with the Commonwealth Bill, that they were ill adapted to consider the Federation question, and a Convention elected by the people would carry as much weight as the Parliaments.

The feeling of the Premiers was favourable to the election of the Convention by the people. No definite scheme was formulated, but Mr Reid, of New South Wales, officially announced that good progress had been made, and an agreement arrived at on the main point. The Conference adjourned till Thursday. Perth, January 30.

A 104 oz nugget has been found in Hogan’s Gully, within a mile of Coolgardie, and a great rush has set in to the spot. Good alluvial gold is being got south of Menzie’s find, and several hundred men are on the ground.