SUMMARY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 6749, 22 February 1909, Page 1

SUMMARY.

King Edward, who has been suffering from a cold, has gone to Brighton for benefit of hifl health, i’uhlio accounts just issued show that the King’s coronation cost JjlJo9,ooo. , The Opposition’s official amendment to the Address-in-Reply way defeated in the House of Commons after two days’ debite. No definite proposals were made by Lhn Opposition speakers, save Mr WymlhfiDi's suggestion to lax meat, wool and wheat. Mr Balfour demanded consideration for the producer as well as the consumer, ami declared he did not believe that fiscal reform would solve* the wbolo problem of unemployment. Ho urged Unit they must abandon tho idea that a country placing a protective duty upon one particular commodity would necessarily be at a disadvantage in neutral markets. It would, ho said, be disastrous if tho colonies gave preference to other couutries? ;us against Great Britain. The speech of Mr Winston Churchill in closing tho debate was chiefly notable for his disapproval of tho allegations that capital wad leaving tho country in unusual volume. In tho House of Commons a Government Bill was read a brat time providing for a maximum penalty of six months* imprisonment for disorderly conduct by strangers in the House of Commons or tho House of Lords. In delivering his presidential address ; to the London Chamber of Commerce, j Mr Brightmau declared, that the state j of British shipping during the t past year I had been tho worst over experienced. j Official correspondence respecting the; formation of an Imperial General Staff! has just been published in London. It shows that only Canada has as yet replied, giving’ a general acceptance to the scheme. j Tho recruits for tho London establish- , ment of tho Territorial Army now numebr 9000. , In connection with Che coming Imperial Press Conference, a committee has just boon appointed to arrange the subjects for discussion. Captain Young, of the barque _ which was recently towed to Falmouth, with the crew' mutinous, has been acquitted of charges made against him by tho" mate. He has now' made counter-charges against tho mate, whom he accuses of conspiracy, and also of drugging him. Tho Berlin correspondent of tho "Standard" that tho Argentine is buying .£750,000 worth of artillery at Krupp's and £1150,000 worth of rifles. Belgian anarchists state that tho bomb outrage meditated by Beeliger was organised by agents provacatours- whoso orders were designed to give an excuse for Belgium to drive refugees back into tho hands of the Russian police. Five : more outrages on "Jack the Ripper’*. line«t have occurred in'Berlin, Fifty person# were arrested ou suspicion, but’ later all wore discharged. ■ Tho police ascribe tho outrages to a gang of criminals who are acting for "sport," in .mockery of tho authorities. A Bill has passed the Reichstag providing for an increase in the subsidy to the North-Gorman-Lloyd Company by £113,500. ... Tho morose is to bo conditional on the freight charged not exceeding 20 marks (IfiS 8d) per ton. for tho services to New' Guinea, Australia, Hongkong,

An unconfirmed report has boon rewaved in Paris stating that Austria hag presented an ultimatum to Sorvia, and 'hat the-Russian press and people arc growing bellicose coving to the Austrian action. ■ The 'Nationalists at Kashi state that the kidnapped brother of the Shah is a-willing captive. 'An advance guard of tlie Nationalist forces uas reached a spot «i>ty miles from the Persian/ capital - Repeated bomb outrages have caused the Indian Government to station a punitive police force in the villages along the Barrackpur railways In addition to the regular police patrolling the lino. It is reported that the predominant foeling in the Inoiaii Civil, Service is that foiDQ of the reform provisions are dangerously unwise. Coadonvration is expressed of Lord Morloy'a frantic hasto to make a’ paradise for the Hindu middle-classes, it being statcu that the mass of the'cultivators will have less protection than hitherto. The Capetown branch of the Bund carried a resolution by Mr ITofmeycr expressing regret that South Africa was to be unified instead of federated. The British South Africa Company's report, shows that there has been remarkable improvement in every department of trade and industry in Rhodesia during the last year. Mr W. Taft, in referring to the expected deficit of 100,000,000 dollars, said that maty business undertakings were ouly awaiting a revision of the tariff before pushing ahead. . . Ho believed tint the normal increase resulting from a settlement of the tariff would b© sufficient to meet the deficit. It is stated that a Bill has been introduced- into the Cuban House of Representatives with the object of prohibiting foreigners from owning /property n the island. It provides that transactions now in progress must bo susprncrecp. American** have '£30,000,000 -invested* there, and much British capital is sunk in the railways. A Socialist named Holland was arrested at Broken Hill for using seditious lang iage.. The Government is offering £2OO reward for the discovery of tnc authors of the explosions at Broken Hill during the past six weeks Owing to the protracted arbitration proceedings, the workless miners are feeling the pinch, and an increase of the strike funds is urged. Business on the Barrier is at a standstill. The Fedomil Govemrnpmt has intimated that in the present state of finance it will bo unable to concur in the proposal for a subsidy to the proposed "all-rod" mail route. It is added that when the financial limitations imposed by the constitution have-been remove] the Government wils be m iv better position to den! with the subject. The discovery of valuable deposits of wolfram and asbestos is reported' from cbo JUthgow district in New South Wales.