LATEST GENERAL CABLES.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXX, Issue 3784, 5 July 1899, Page 6

LATEST GENERAL CABLES.

RUSSIA AND CABUL. ST. PETERSBURG. Tuesday. The newspaper “Novoe Vremya” (the New Time) urges that a Russian agent should be appointed for Cabul, the capital of Afghanistan. PURCHASE OF NIGERIA. LONDON, Tuesday. The House of Commons, by ‘-’23 votes against 101, has passed a vote of £86,000 for the purchase of Nigeria from the Roval Niger Company. Sir Michael Hicks-Bcach, Chancellor of the Exchequer, praised the company, but stated, nevertheless that Anglo-r rench relations in West Africa were in 1897 more strained than the public had appreciated. • The free hand which the company had possessed had threatened to be the cause of a terrible war. SEDITION IN INDIA. BOMBAY, Tuesday. The sub-editor of a native newspaper has been sentenced to six months’ imprisonnient for writing seditious articles in the Marathi language. WOOL SALES. LONDON, Tuesday. At the current wool sales the Ngatapa clip sold at 6pi, and the Glenburn at Ofd per lb. (Received July 4, 11 p.m.) SYDNEY, Tuesday. At the sheep sales to-day the champion merino ram Premier realised 500 gs. Eleven stud merino rams offered on account of Mr Anderson, Kereru, near Wellington, New Zealand, averaged £4 is. Nino Lincoln rams on account of Air R. Hall, New Zealand, averaged £2 2s. (Received July 5, 0.55 a.m.) A PERILOUS VOYAGE. SYDNEY, Tuesday. The passage of H.M.S. Goldfinch across the Tasman Sea from Auckland was of a perilous character. She 'encountered* heavy gales, and had several of her boats damaged. The cabin and wardroom were, flooded, and sails wore blown to ribbons. The vessel a ! so sprang an old leak. Several of tbo crow were injured by seas which came on board.

PEACE CONFERENCE. AMSTERDAM, Tuesday. A committee of the Peace Conference now sitting at The Hague has adopted a proposal put forward lay the French representatives that it shall be the duty of neutral nations in time of war to remind disputing nations on the eve of a conflict of the existence of the Permanent Court of Arbitration for the settlement of international disputes. DUKE OF COBURG . BERLIN, Tuesday. With reference to the succession to the Duchy of Coburg, the Duke of SaveCoburg (Duke of Edinburgh), whose only son died recently, has settled that in the event of the Duke of Albany’s family becoming extinct, the Duke of Connaught’s descendants shall rank next m succession, with ’the Prince of- Wales's descendants to come afterwards. THE CZAR AND FINLAND. > ST. PETERSBURG, Tuesday. The Czar has declined to grant an audience to the representatives of a thousand European notabilities in the he*ds of art and science who are petitioning in favour of . tho people of Finland. JAMAICA AND AMERICA. NBAV YORK, Monday. A reciprocal commercial treaty lias been concluded between .Jamaica and the United States. ‘ : TAX RIOTS IN SPAIN. MADRID, Monday) Further particulars oft the rioting at Barcelona show that four persons were killed and twenty wounded in the street fighting. The ■ cause of the outbreak was the exasperation of the populace at being saddled withi extra taxation for the support of the army. FEDERATION POLL IN VICTORIA. MELBOURNE, Tuesday. It has been decided that tho referendum in Victoria under tho Federal Enabling Bill shall be taken’on tho 27th inst. REPORT ON NEW ZEALAND. MELBOURNE, Tuesday. The Hon R. W. Best, Minister of Lauds, and Mr W. A. Tremvith, Leader of the Labour party, who lately visited New Zealand under a commission, have presented a report to the Premier of Victoria embodying tho result of their inquiries into New Zealand’s treatment of the unemployed and other questions. No recommendations are made for the enactment of similar legislation by Victoria, but the opinion is expressed that in the colonies where a Department of Labour has been established excellent results have followed. The operation of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act is warmly commended. The Commissioners also say that there appeared to be a general concensus of opinion that tho Old Ago Pensions Act was a good and worthy one. It appeared, however, inevitable that further experience of its working would suggest the necessity of amendment in certain directions. MR RHODES SAILS FOR CAPETOWN. LONDON, Monday. The Right Hon Cecil Rhodes has left London for Capetown PHILIPPINE PREDICAMENT. MANILA. Monday. There are 4000 United States trpoos in hospital in the Philippine Islands. The soldiers are discouraged and overworked, and they complain that they have been badly handled in the operations against the Filipinos. There is a general outcry against Mr Alger, American Secretary for War, for his conduit of the affairs of the War Department.