LATE CABLE NEWS

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 8274, 3 January 1888, Page 4

LATE CABLE NEWS

By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright, (per press association.) (Received January 1, 5.50.) GOVERNMENT OPPOSITION. Sydney, December 31. The Government oppose the proposal to exterminate rabbits by inoculating the animals with a virulent disease, and will taka steps to impose heavy penalties on anyone introducing rabbits so inoculated to the Colony. (Received January 1, 6 p.m.) COMMERCIAL. London, December 31. The wheat market has firmly maintained its closing prices. The English and foreign sorts show an advance of 6d per quarter. Californian cargoes in transit are quoted at 355. Indian sorts are scarce. Russian and American are quoted at slightly over the current rates. Australian, consignments on the spot are quoted at 355. One cargo in an iron ship for prompt shipment has been sold for 34s 9d per quarter. The flour market is hardening, but there is very little of Australian sorts in hand. AN ENTERPRISING MONARCH. Zanzibar, December 30. Seyyid Bargash Bin Said, the Sultan of Zanzibar, has coded to the British and East African Association for 51> years the sovereign rights of 200 miles of the coast line, in order to facilitate the opening of trade to the interior of Africa. THE NEW HEBRIDES. Paris, December 31. In the Chamber of Deputies to-day the New Hebrides question was discussed, when the Deputy from St Etienne expressed an opinion that the equal division of the island between England and Prance was the only logical solution of the difficulty. (Received January 2, 1.30' a.m.) MORE EXPLOSIONS IN CHINA. Hong Kong, December 30. Intelligence has been received from Amoy of a disastrous explosion of a magazine in that city. Several hundred lives were lost, and a quarter of the town destroyed.

THE EAILWAX STRIKE. Philadelphia, December 31. The Knights of Labor Society have ordered the resumption of the strike on the Philadelphia-Reading Railway, but on I, y a few are complying with the order. (Received January &, 0.55 a.m.) THE WEATHER. Sydney, January 2. Faina have damaged the hay cropsTHE PAPAITjUBILEE. Sydney, January 2. The Papal Jubilee was celebrated here and at Melbourne by special Cathedral services yesterday. NEW GUINEA DISCOVERIES. Sydney, January 2. Mr Bevan, who has recently returned from exploring New Guinea, found a system of deep inland waterways well connected with the ocean and navigable for a hundred miles. Mr Bevan has postponed hia return to New Guinea for two months. MELBOURNE EXHIBITION. Mhlbohune, January 2. Entries for the Centennial Exhibition have closed, with the exception of those from French exhibitors, to whoman extension of time was granted. The total amount of apace applied for will be announced during the week. The A ictoriau Court will comprise 15,000 exhibits, exclusive of wool and wine exhibits.

VICTORIAN REVENUE. Melbourne, January 2. Tbs revenue for the year is £7,054,000, being an increase of £393,000. The principal increases are—Customs, £105,000: territorial revenue, £7000; public works* £312,000 ; stamps* £59,000 ; miscellaneous, £IO,OOO. The excise duties, decreased by £SOOO. SOUTH AUSTRALIAN REVENUE. A belaide, January 2. Revenue returns for half year amounted i0L973,000, being L 102.000 below the Treasurer's estimate. Land revenue shows a deficiency. Railways show par increase of LSI,OOO. SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. Adelaide, January 2. Arrived —Barque Smarago, from New Zealand; Orient Company’s steamship Orizaba, from Plymouth. , The steamer Conroy, with a cargo of

flour and timber, has been wrecked at Port Willunga, 60 miles south of this city. Hobart, January 2. The barque Helen, Captain Boon, which was reported to have foundered in the Bay of Biscay (a tin case containing information to that effect having been found on the Cornish ■coast), has safely arrived here. Sydney, January 2. Arrived —Yolande, from Kaipara ; Eotomahana, from Auckland. Sailed —Barqne Knox, for Mongonui, in ballast. (Received January 3, 1,45 a.m.)

DISASTERS AND ACCIDENTS, Sydney, January 2.

A boat capsized on the Hawkesbury River yesterday, and one of the occupants, a joung lady named Miss -Cockroft, was drowned, despite the desperate attempts made by Charles Coleman, her fiancee to save her. Coleman reached the shore in an exhausted condition. By the explosion of a lamp during a circus performance at Grafton, a panic ensued, many of the audience fainting. The company succeeded in subduing the fire and pacifying the audience before anyone was seriously injured. The Rotomahana on her voyage from Auckland struck a shark and carried it 38 miles before it was noticed. (Received January 3, 2.10 a.m.) RAILWAY PROGRESS, Sydney, January 2. Railway communication with Brisbane will be established on the loth, with the exception that trains cannot come right on to Sydney until the Hawkesbury bridge is completed.

FOOTBALL AND DRAUGHTS. Melbourne, January 2. Victoria won the draughts tournament from South Australia. The Football Associations intend to re-meet to reconsider their determination as to the visit ot an English team, but it is not likely that their previous decision will be altered, the various Clubs being entirely opposed to any other course than that previously adopted by the Association. Lillywhite has determined to bring out the team with fewer men than originally intended.

SPECIAL. (PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.) (Received January 3, 1.45 a.tn.) London, January 2. In the course of his speech Lord Salisbury said he hoped diplomacy on the part of Great Powers would be successful in averting war. He declared that Lord E. Churchill’s visit to St. Petersburg was purely of a private character, and in no way recognised by the Government. Eeferring to the reduction in the rentals recommended by the Irish Land Commission, he said it would have the effect of alienating the landlord, A quantity of jewellery found on a man named Taylor arrested at .Birmingham is identified as being a portion of that stolen from the premises of Gourley, of Melbourne. Taylor was employed by White, of Melbourne, and after the robbery eloped with his employer’s wife. An English team of footballers will sail for the colonies in March next. Eome, January 2. It is not expected that any Koyal personages will attend the Papal Jubilee. Madrid, January 1. A deputation of Legitimists waited upon Don Carlos and urged him to assert his rights to the French throne, but be refused, declaring that he would never abandon his claims to the Throne of Spain. Paris, January I. Mr Gladstone,who is on a visit to this city, stated in the course of an interview that he would retire from politics if it were not that he felt that, so long as the liberties of Ireland were at stake, it was his duty to assist the cause to the utmost. Eeferring to the New Hebrides difficulty he said theoretically the settlement seemed satis factory, but to a logical mind the plan proposed appeared to be utterly unworkable. Buenos Ayres, December 31. The meat bounties imposed by the Argentine Eepublic operate from today, and 400,000d01s will thus be distributed annually for three years to the largest exporters of sheep and cattle.