GENERAL CABLES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1726, 29 March 1905, Page 30

GENERAL CABLES.

LONDON, March 24. No mails by any rout© will b© despatched next week for Australia. Commenting on the speech made by the Kaiser, when unveiling the Emperor Frederick’s monument at Bremen. "The Times” bespeaks the full and cordial sympathy of the other countries with the Kaiser’s declarations of peace, but commends the remark of the Radical German journal, the “Deutsche Freie Press©.” that only by a genuine, tranquil, and .unfluctuating policy can Germany win the steady confidence of the nations. LONDON, March 24. A serious outbreak of Mohammedans

against Russians has occurred at Meshed, and has resulted in great destruction of property. The authorities were powerless to cope with the riot. The Russians took refuge at the Consulate. LONDON. March 25. An explanation has been made public in connection with the question asked in the House of Commons concerning the supply to the troops in South Africa of jam in fins containing 12oz instead of 16oz. Mr Taverner, Agent-General for Victoria, has now informed Mr Arnold Forster, Secretary of State for War, that the tender by Peacock’s (Melbourne) for the supply of jam was completed in May. 1002. In the following January the War Office accg/»ted Peacock’s explanation that the tender was carried out in accordance with custom in Victoria. The alleged shortage wa-s due to the inclusion of the weight of tin. Mr Taverner states that the Government agents inspected the shipments for quality, not for quantity. Only two Australian firms tendered for net weights. LONDON, March 25. The death is .announced of M. Jules Verne, at the age of seventysix. Mr Alfred Beit has increased to £25,000 his donation of £SOOO to the funds of the Institute of Medical Science, established in connection with the University of London. LONDON, March 26. “The Times” congratulates Lord Stanley (the Postmaster-General) and the Australian Commonwealth on the reduction on British-Australian postage raters, which it characterises as “another solid step towards unifying the Empire.” A large debt of public gratitude is due to Mr Henniker ITeaton. The reduction is doubtless partly due to Mr Austen Chamberlain’s enlightened enthusiasm for the consolidation of the Empire. j-ne House of Lords, in deciding in favour of the retail dealers, held that Ogdens Limited (tobacco manufacturers) were liable for the distribution of the promised bonus to retail tobacconists of £200,000 per annum For four years. • The scheme for raising the Assuan, dam has been suspended owing to British professors of applied mathematics and mechanics declaring that the wall is unable to bear a further strain. LONDON, March 27. Although well disposed towards the British mission, the Ameer desires to postpone certain decisions because lie resents interference in some matters. ST. PETERSBURG, March 24. The outbreak of trouble in Northern Persia is causing apprehension in St. Petersburg lest there should be a general rising of Asiatic tribes against Russia. PARIS, March 25. The French Minister of Marine has by way of courtesy instructed the navy not to use ethergraphs lest they should interfere with any messages the Kaiser might wish to send when passing Cape Ushant on his voyage to Morocco. NEW YORK, March 25. The United States lias refused to allow Australasian butter to enter the country, on the ground that it contains boracic acid. Last month’s consignments have accordingly been reshipped to Liverpool. PRETORIA, March 24. Lord Milner, who is retiring from the High Commissionership of South Africa, speaking at a banquet given to him at Pretoria, reviewed the colony’s immense progress, and appealed to all to take a loyal part in serving the State. He added —“Now the time has come for a larger local government.” The Boer leaders were not present at the gathering. SYDNEY, March 26. The British Post Office has cabled to the Commonwealth Government proposing to establish penny postage to Australia without stipulating a date when the Commonwealth should reciprocate. It is laid down as a condition, however, that the Commonwealth should reduce postage from 2ld to 2d. The Federal Cabinet has agreed to the proposal. Tho Postmaster-General states that it is hoped to soon reduce the homeward rates to a penny, but the Government’s finances preclude this being done immediately. The new rate comes into operation ou April Ist. SYDNEY, March 27. Nearly ten thousand horses for Japan have been purchased in Queensland and New South Wales. Replying to a deputation from the Chamber of Commerce with regard to the prohibition placed on trade at-the Marshall Islands by Germany, the Federal Premier (Mr G. H. Reid) said if no redress was forthcoming the Commonwealth Government would probably find itself compelled to retaliate in a^va y that might possibly operate adversely to German trading interests in Australia. Tho Postmaster-General estimates the loss by taking the halfpenny off English letters at £7400 per annum, butregards this as infinitesimal compared with the advantages that would accrue from the reduction. Two cases of plague are reported at Newcastle. MELBOURNE, March 25. The only definite proposition be lor© Cabinet regarding the mail service was

an offer by the Orient Company to provide a service for £120,000. Mr Reid, the Federal Premier, states that no decision was arrived at in the matter, further consideration being postponed for a week. No reason is given for the delay. MELBOURNE, March 25. As the result of the representations of a recent deputation, it has been decided to grant a margin of one-eighth of an inch on certain timber imported for doors, instead of charging by rough measurement. BRISBANE, March 25. The man Munday, who was stuck-up on the Toowong road and shot, died in the hospital.