(Special to press Association ) GENERAL NEWS. London, March 17.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8756, 19 March 1890, Page 2

(Special to press Association ) GENERAL NEWS. London, March 17.

(licceived March 18, at 11.15 a.m.) A convention of the Clan-na-Gacl has been summoned. Statistics show that the Knglish wheat crop for ISS'J amounted to 09,000,000 bushels. The Aorfa mine, in Wales, is being flooded. Forty-three bodies have been recovered. Lord Churchill has published the original , of his protest against the appointment of The Times-Parnell Commission. The pro- ! motors of the commission ho declares to bo i the real traitors, not the Liberal Unionists M. Ilibon takes the portfolio of Foreign i Affairs in the French Cabinet. D < M. Pasteur complains of tho " perfidy " of i the New South Wales Government in with- 1 holding the reward duo to him for his dis- ' covery of a means of exterminating the rabbit pest merely because he is a foreigner. - The Due d'Orleans deprecates the'promo- I tion of a petition to President Cainot asking for his pardon. ° Russian troops are being massed on tho h Roumanian frontier. The Bavarian Government have declined fi to recognise the Old Catholic members ef a the church. „ The Knglish delegates at the Berlin Labour Conference will abstain Jroni dis- I 1 enssing the eight hours question. " b' Prince Bismarck ban had an interview with fil Herr Windhorst with a view to ne"-otiaUn<> for tho union of tho Cartel (Ministerial) md Clerical parties, in order to secure a working n majority in the Reichstag. °

papers of New South Wales, which are delivered freo throughout the colonies, the PosfcmastorTgeneral lias invited I'ostrnasterfjeneral O'Connor to a conference on the whole subjectof newspaper postage. 'MIS CABLE RATES.; • iliocelved jinroh 10, at 9.15 p.m.) Tho Premiers of. the .Australian colonies are negotiating with the Eastc-rn Extension Cable Company for a. substantial reduction in tho English cable rates. The company have submitted a scheme for a through tariff of 4s per word, conditionally that the colonies guarantee annual receipts based on an average of the revenue for the last three years; also, a continuous service and freedom from competition for 11 jeara, the guarantee to be continued only one month in tho event of communication being totally interrupted. Under this proposal the maximum liabilities of the colonies, even if there is no increase of trafEc, will bo £18,000 annually, exclusive of existing subsidies. Tho Victorian Government is not favourably disposed towards the scheme, as they consider the terms too favourable to the company. POSTAL CONFERENCE. Sydney, March 18. (Hecelved March 18, at 12.7 p.m.) The report of the Postal Conference is voluminous and technical. It recommends the adoption of intercolonial postal cards at the rate of 2d; a parcels post at the rate of 8d for the first pound, and Gd for every additional pound ; an increase of the limit of the amount of money orders from £10 to £20; and the compulsory registration of all letters containing either money or valuables. In the telegraphic branch it is recommended that a charge bo in future made for names and addresses. MURKAY WATER RIGHTS. (Eecelvod March 18; at 9.15 p.m.) The Victorian Government has given permission to a number of irrigation trusts to draw water from the Murray river. Sir Henry Parkes, Premier, is protesting against its being allowed on the grounds that it is a breach of intercolonial obligations. PROMOTING MINING SCHOOLS. (Received March 19, at 1.20 a.m.) The Government have decided to spend the sum of £25,000 in establishing mining schools throughout the colony and £50,000 in the erection of a technical college in the same interest. A DARING ROBBERY. During daylight to-day a robbery of the Hurstville branch of the Bank of Australia took place. The manager of the bank had placed £141 in a bag for the purpose of bringing it into town, and after locking the door of the bank was standing outside waiting for a tram, when he was attacked by a stranger from behind, who aimed a desperate blow at him, at the same time snatching the bag and making off. As soon as the manager recovered from the effects of the blow, he gave chase after the robber, and succeeded in securing him with the money in his possession. The man was given into the custody of the police. FLOOD RELIEF FUND. Brisbane, March 17. (Hecclved March' 18, at 12.7 p.m.) A meeting was held here last night for the purpose of devising measures for the relief of the sufferers by the flood. It was decided to raise a fund for tho purpose, and £1000 was subscribed in the room. A MESSAGE FROM THE SEA. Brisbane, March IS. (Received March 19. at 1.20 a.m.) A bottle has been washed ashore containing a letter dated October last, and stating that the barque Enderby, Captain Mitchell, with a cargo of coal, was in a waterlogged condition, and that the cargo was on fire. EXTRAORDINARY LAND SLIPS., Extraordinary land slips have occurred at Rosewood a station on the southern and Western railway 35 miles south-west of here. Largo areas of land moved bodily, and numerous houses were destroyed. Several farms have been ruined. Fissures from 10 feet to 20 feet deep were rent in the earth. The residents of the towship fled in terror, but no fatalities arc reported. PASSSENGERS FOR NEW ZEALAND. Albany, March 18. s(Received March 18, p.t 9.15 p.m.) I The Coromandel has arrived from Ply-i I mouth, Passengers for New Zealand Mr and I Mrs Congreve, Bishop Selwyn, wife and infant, Mr Meddow.