News by the Mail.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XIX, Issue 5953, 24 May 1894, Page 4

News by the Mail.

# (BY TELEGRAPH FROM ACCKXASD.) GESTURAL SUMMARY. (Dates to May 2.) The largest audience which the London Lyceum Theatre ever had assembled on the night of April loth to welcome Mr Henry Irving and his company on their reappearance after their American tour. The play was " Faust," and as Mr Irving and Miss Terry appeared they received a tremendous welcome. The will of the late Baron Tweed mouth (Sir Dudley Coutts Majoribanks) was made public on April Ist. The Hon. Coatta Majoribanks, his second son, is left the cattle ranches and machinery in Dakota, and his interest in the Rocking Horse ranche, as well as 500 shares in the Hudson Bay Company, of which he advises the legatee to become a director. The British steamer Nessmire (Captain Hargreaves), from Boston, arrived at Gravesend on May 2nd, having on board the crew of the German ship Cleopatra (Meisseraeyer), from Bremen. March 21st, bound for New York. The Cleopatra was abandoned on April 22nd in lat. 41deg. north, long. BOdeg. west. The Cleopatra, when sighted, was enveloped in flames. The Nessmire bore down upon her, and when within three miles of her a terrible explosion was heard. At dawn the crew of the steamer discovered a small dingy which contained 25 of the crew of the Cleopatra. They were rescued. The captain of the Cleopatra said that there was an explosion of 80 cases of dynamite on board. The lifeboats were burned before they could be Launched, and the crew barely escaped. Lord Rosebery spoke at Manchester on May 2nd. expressing his opinion that the Liberal Party would soon carry the opinion of the English people in favor of Home Rule. He was not sanguine that the various measures which had already been presented would pass Parliament during the present session. This was because of the abuse of procedure in the House of Commons, in the farm of obstruction. He believed that the time was not far distant when the people would protest against this abuse, and demand a ■trict account of all transactions by Parliament. The Times of April 12th, discussing the question of the increased expense entailed on the country hy the support of the military and naval forces necessary for the protection of the growing communication of the Empire, points to the proposed Pacific mail and cable routes, and says that the pressure cannot develop indefinitely without some radical reconsideration of the question of Imperial defence. The Times reviews the ideas recently expressed in its columns by an eminent resident of the colonies, and suggests that the Ottawa Conference be followed by holding a conference in London for the purpose of ascertaining the views of the colonies in relation to the question of united defence. In the House of Commons, on May 2nd »he Church Patronage Bill passed its •econd reading. The Bill stops the sate of next presentations to church livings, places restrictions upon all sales of livings, and empowers bishop* to prevent improper persons from being instituted on benefits. The Radicals opposed the Bill as aiding a scandal instead of preventing it. They claim that the proper remedy would be the disestablishment _of the Church of England. Sir W. VernonHarcourt regarded tho Bill as a step in the right direction. The London Times, in its financial article of May Ist, says that the reply of Collis P. Huntington, President of the Central Pacific Railroad Company, to the representatives of English shareholders is conciliatory, bat vague, and does not justify any relaxation of the efforts to protect English interests. It says that these representatives have written to Mr Huntington to the effect that no further antagonistic action will be taken until it, is found that negotiations can lead to no- useful or practical result. The Prince and Princess of Wales opened the Royal College of Music at Kensington on May 2nd. Among tho important personages who attended the ceremonies were the Duke and Duchess of York, tho Princesses Victoria and Maud of Wales, and manyother members of tho Royal Family. Mr Henry Irving was present in the robes of the Dublin University. The Untted States Ambassador Bayard took his seat among the diplomatic correspondents. At Bow street Police Court, on April 28, Howell Thomas, an ex-solicitor, was charged with obtaining, by false pretences, 14100 from Colonel "J. E. Jaques, the American claimant of the C. H. Townley estates. Counsel for plaintiff said that prisoner's defence—that Colonel Jaqaes was an American adventurer- was matter which another tribunal wwald have to pass judgment up hi. Thomas was remanded, bail being refused. At a festival dinner given at Middlesex Hospital the Prince of Wales referred to the "defenders of the Empire" and said that he rejoiced to think that the Government had decided to increase the navy, and added r " God forbid that it should imply any threat to other countries. It is just the reverse ; for in order to be at peace we must be strong. Therefore, it » the beat policy to strengthen the first line of defence—the navy. I hope the motto of which our volunteers are s» proud, that of ' defence not defiance' may ever be retained by the navy." The bankruptcy proceedings at the instance of the Hon. Geo. Fitzclarenee. son of the Earl of Munster, and natural great-grandson of William IV., were settled on April 12, at Brighton, England. His- liabilities were L7O-t and his assets consisted of a gold ring. He agreed to pay his creditors 7s fid in the £ out of an annuity of LuGO allowed him by his lather. The London Times of April 7th said that it understood that at a meeting of the Cabinet, on the night previous, the discussion was devote! to an anxious consideration regarding the political outlook. After the events of the week Ministers could no longer conceal from themselves the fact that disaster may overtake them at any moment. The Radicals, feeling that a dissolution cannot Eons be delayed. will insist upon a definite statement as to the Government policy in regard to the House of Lords.. The London Chronicle of April 14 says that ex-Queen Lrliuokalani has been convinced of the hopelessness of her trying to be reinstated, and is willing to have the island annexed to< the United States, with a view to obtaining a pension. President Harrison is advised that a petiiom to that effect is being prepared for submission to President Cleveland. Miss Owens Blackburn, the well-known Irish authoress, died from the effects of burns received through the bursting of a lamp. Srar Geo. Trevetyans bill providing fori the appointment of a committee of 87 members of the House of Commons, including Scotch members, to consider 1 measures relative to Scotland, came up again on 17th April. Mr Goschen asked whether a similar committee would be appointed to consider Irish measures. The btH, he declared, wa3 a sop to Scotchmen, as the Evicted Tenants Bill was a ■op thrown out to secure their support for the Budget. Mr Henry Campbell Bannorman. replying, admitted that the BSlwiw »n innovation but said that if it waa found suitable for Scotch business it would be extended to Ireland. He acctised the conservative* of opposing measures simply U* withold from the Government {he credit of any bills. He % B»w no reason why Ireland and Wales •braid not have ■similar bills if they wished j them. Mr Balfour introduced an amend-'

ment declaring to sanction the proposition. The amendment was rejected by 252 to George William Thomas BrugenellBrnce. fourth Marquis of Ailesbury, died on April 10. He was a lineal descendant of Robert Bruce of Scotland. The title falls to Lord Henry Augustus Brugenell Bruce. The deceased led a most dissipated life, and died owing 1*250,000. He is described as having been a coarse man of degraded tastes ; in fact, a savage, untameable blackguard. He married a music hall singer calling herself Dolly Tester, the daughter of a tradesman in a suburb of Brighton, named Hasely. Dorothy Hasely was the woman's family name. The Ailesbury estates are entailed, and, therefore, the uncle, who inherits the title, also comes into the estates, including Savernafce Forest. It is stated in a despatch that Sam Lewis, the money lender, loses heavily by the death of the Marquis, although he holds policies for L 50.000 on the life of deceased. Ailesbury was known by the nick-name of "Ducks."

The marriage of the Prince of Hesse and the eldest daughter of the Duke of Edinburgh (now Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha) was celebrated on April 10. at Coburg, according to the arrangement. The grandmother of the bride is Queen Victoria. The ceremony took place at noon precisely, in the private chapel of the Ducal Schloss, with full state, in the Lutheran style. The General Superintendent of the Lutheran Church (Pastor Mueller) officiated, assisted by the Court Chaplain of the Grand Duchy of Hesse and five local clergymen. Queen Victoria was accompanied to the chapel by the Duke of Edinburgh, and was escorted to an ami chair in the front row of distinguished guests, next to the Emperor William of Germany. She wore a broad blue ribbon of the Order of the Garter, and upon her head sparkled a magnificent crown of diamonds. Nearly all the monarchs of Europe or their immediate representatives were present. THE BUDGET. Die Budget a« presented to the House of Commons and agreed to on the 28th, after a long debate of the Commons on April 16. provides for an increase of Id in the £ on the Income Tax. Sir William Vernon-Harcourt, Chancellor, estimated the total expenditure at L 95.451,000, and the total revenue at L 00.456,000. He said that the deficit of about 1*4,500,000 would not be met by borrowing, nor by abandoning the fixed reduction of the national debt. The extra penny in the £ on the Income Tax would yield about L2,150,0Q0. He, however, intended to wise the limit of exemption from Ll2O to LlfiO, and also to relieve incomes between L4GO and LSOO by an abatement of LIOO. These abaterosnta would mean a yearly loss* of L 1,450,000. reducing the net gain on the extra penny to L 430.000 In order to meet the remaining 1*1,000,000 of deficit he proposed to add Id per gallon to the duty on spirits, and 6d per barrel on beer. Hie spirit tax is regarded as the crux of the situation. The Parnellites will resist this tax, especially as they consider that Ireland is heavily overtaxed in this respect already in comparison with England. The Scotch members of the House do not radically oppose the spirit tax. The Times, commenting editorially on the Budget, says that it is only fair to say that, allowing for the difficulty and pressure the Chancellor of the Exchequer had to contend with, the Budget is much less objectionable than the public had reason t»> infer that it would be from the prediction of the Otadstonians. The Radicals received a rebuff by Sir WilliamYVernonHarcourt s recognition of the fact that when a national emergency demands a sudden increase in the revenue the working classes are bound to contribute their portion in the form of indirect taxation. The Standard says that the proposals seem to have been framed in a sincere spirit. The Daily News says that Sir W. Vernon-Harcourt should himself be of the highest rank among the financiers of the country. There is not a man living who could" have framed this Budget or delivered such a speech as that spoken by the Chancellor in presenting it to the Commons. The Chronicle calls it a notable Budget CANADA. Conferences were held in Ottawa on the 10th April among the army otlicers (Colonels Tumbuli and Otter and General Herbert) concerning the wholesale desertions which have taken pi ice lately. The majority of the deserters are French Canadians who enlisted in Quebec, and who do not like living among the EngThe Dominion Government has decided not to ask Parliament to grant a subsidy of 500.000 dollars a year to establish a steamphip line between France and Canada. In the negotiations of a commercial treaty between Canada and France the French Commissioners endeavored to have such a clause inserted tn the Treaty, but Sir Charles Tupper. High Commissioner of Canada, successfully objected. The Canadian Government has sent a powerful Government ram—the Petrel — to Like Erie to prevent the United States fishermen from placing their nets m Canadian waters. The Petrel is capable of linking the average fishing boat by ramming. She can steam 17 miles an hour. A Canadian Coxey's Army is seriously proposed by the Knights of Labor in the Dominion. At the last regular meeting of Assemblies General the position was broached to send a similar band to Ottawa to demand the abolition of the protective tariff. Recruits are promised from all parts of the Dominion. The Government has been notified of the proposed movement, and will take measures accordingly. FIN ASCI A LLYRELUCTAST. - Something akin to a sensation has been created by "the report of the Dominion Artillery Association, read at the annual meeting at Ottawa, \ Jntario, on April 6th. It contains a paragraph stating that silver cups promised by the Earl of Derby, had not been received by the winning team for 1802. It has always been customary for theOovernor-Gencral to give the cups. He also promised cups for 1803 and they have not been yet received eithei. It has also leaked out that 500 dollars which the Earl of Derby pmmi.icd the Dominion Rifle Association for what is known as Governor-General's prize for 1803 has not been paid The Association makes no reference to it m its report published on the 6tb, but, instead, borrowed money from the Bank. It is understood that the Earl of Aberdeen will foot the bill in the latter case if the money is n«t forthcoming. The secretary of the Dominion Rifle Association wrote to the Earl of Derby several times about the matter, and, it is said, got no reply. INSURANCE MATTERS. Hugh Craig, representative in San Francisco of insurance interests in New ZeaUnd. is just now a conspicuous figure in a wrangle going on among the members of the Pacific Insurance Union in the firstnamed place. The trouble is in regard to the proposed constitutional amendments to the compensation of agents aud other matters. Craig proposes to do away with all these amendments as cumbrous and to substitute one very much shorter, and to his idea, much more to the point. At a meeting on May Ist, a rather breezy one, by the way, Craig, after making a long speech on the subject, sat down, apparently well satisfied with himself. He bad scarcely been seated when a quiet member arose and stated that be had been an attentive listener afc

the meetings of the Pacific Insurance Union for eight years, and knew well that the meeting could do nothing unless the gentleman from New Zealand was allowed to talk half the time. He then proposed, in order to get a constitution with which Craig would be in line, that Craig be invited to draw one up. This remark was received with a burst of laughter from members of the Union, in which Craig himself joined heartily.