RUSSIA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13860, 25 March 1907, Page 5

RUSSIA.

THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE' DUMA, A PROPOUND BRXSAITON. PrcS3 Association—Bj Telegrap'c—Copyright. s:t. imcte&suurg. March 23. (Received March 24. at 1.32 p.m.) M. Stolypin (the Russian J J i lino Minister) urersiei( the prmonndfst seu.saiion in tho Duma, by accepting n resolution moved by M. Eddilyliefl', u Constitutional Democrat, asking for Iho appointment of a committee to investigate and audit the faininii fund. Tliis motion was adopted by a largo majority. as against a Social hemoeratii; amendment. The latter proposed to send delegates to Ihe villages to take charge uf tlid administration of relief; l)iit the general opinion eremed to be that Mio veal intention of the Social DonincraU was that these delegates should foment agitation against the tiovernment. LONDON, March 23. (Received March 24, at 4.54 p.m.) A Renter cablegram ammnnce.s that M, Slolypin lias informed the Powers that he ;is determined lo co-operate with tho Duma to secure peace. Tin's led to i-lio resumption of the negotiations with Britain which: wwe interrupted in October. The reactionaries, who form a majority of--Ihe Council of tho Umpire, are organising systematic opposition to the Ciovewmciil.

The administration of the Famine Fund has, iima to titno, met with very severe criticism. On January 19 Iho report of the commission appointed to invesl.i»ale the Gourlio-liidwp.il scandal in connect ion will- famine relief was iiublifhod. Tho result has been the complete vindication of flio graver charges brought, by the Retch jiml oilier ncwspupcis against If. Kourko. Tho. investigation leaves nniouciied many unsavoury aspects of the srand.il. The cominission, in its report lo tlm Kmpornr. distinctly absolves M. Donrko of peculation, ascribing liis misdeeds merely to "overweening self-confidence." The newspapers. in commenting on thn report remark that tbn absence of unworthy motives would only servo to display more clearly the iiftc'r niifitne-w of the bureaucracy to deal with great adminislrativo questions like fumino relief. lOvon within the narrow confines of tho investigation the facts elicited and recorded in ihe report of the Imperial Commission reveal an almost inconceivable abuse of official jimrer. M. fiourko deposed that lie met 11. Didwall for the first time at the beginning of September. On September 18 negotiations began between them. M. fiourko was struck with the "Imsincss-liko American demeanour" of M. Lidwall, and. after obtaining scanty references from the Governors of Nijni-Novßorod and Penza, on the following day concluded with him a contract for the delivery of 10.000,000 poods of grain by the end cf December. On September 21 M. (lourko. in defiance of M. Stolypin's instructions that local governors should buy the grain for famine relief, telegraphed to the local authorities not. to do so, as lio had concentrated tiro business in bis own hands, and the fame- day advanced 31. Lidwall £80,000. On September 29 another £100,000 was paid into M. Lidwall's account, although the latter bad not furnished a single pood. Tho contract- was concluded without." proper reference to tho departmental committee, and contained an illegal provision practically granting M. Lidwall a monopoly. When the prcis campaign against the contract opened in November, M. Oourko began making .purchases of grain throunh other sources. It was, however, too late to regain the time lost. M. Gonrk'o asserts that he acted for Iho best interest of (lie Slate. Tho newspanels ask if those interests .ire reconcilable with Hit! starvation of tho peasants, and what, puarantce is forthcoming that the abuses shall not bo repeated.