BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

Otago Witness, Issue 1583, 25 March 1882, Page 10

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

(Rboter's Special.) London, March 14th.

Consols. 100 ft

New Zealand securities :— Five per cent, 10-40 loan, 103J, ex div. ; 5 per cent. 1889 loan, 104 ; 4$ per cent.' 1879-1904 loan, 102. Colonial breadstuffs dull at unchanged quotations, viz. : — Adelaide wheat (ex warehouse), 53s ; New Zealand wheat, 495. Adelaide flour (ex store), 38b. ' Australian tallow is dull, at 40s for best beef and 55b for best mutton. ' ■

Best Scotch pig iron, No.' 1 (free on board in the Clyde), quoted at 50s— an advance of Is. At to-day's wool« auction there was an active demand for most descriptions ; 8600 bales were catalogued. The leaders of the Radical party in the House of Commons and outside are agitating with the object of inducing the Government to order some mitigation of the prison treatment of "suspects" who are in custody in' the various gaols' in Ireland.

March 15th.

Further intelligence to' hand from Costa Rica, regarding the earthquake which has been experienced there, shows that the accounts first received were greatly overdrawn. Tho loss of life and property has been much less than was then reported. Mr Kellen, one of the Land Leaguers, who has been in custody for some time past, has been released.

In the House of Commons to-day a bill introduced by Mr Findlater, the Liberal member for Monaghan, providing for certain amendments of the Irish Land Act, came up for consideration. In the course of the debate Mr Forster, the Irish Chief Secretary, made a speeoh in which he admitted that the Government felt it might be necessary to suggest some revision of the Act if the present block of cases before the Law Courts continued and the pressure of work could not be cleared off. Several other members addressed the House on the measure, but the debate was at length adjourned. At the wool sale to-day 9900 bales were catalogued, making a total of 137,900 offered since the commencement of the series. A firm and active demand was again experienced for the lots offered.

March 16th. The total reserve in notes and bullion in the Bank of England is £14,250,000. The markets for Colonial breadstuffs and tallow are unchanged. There is a fair demand for hides. All kinds are at unchanged prices. At the wool sale to-day 12,500 bales wore offered. There was less demand, and prices were occasionally easier. Six thousand /two hundred bales have besn withdrawn fronn sale out of a total 145,900 offered since the opening series.

The Queen has arrived safely at Mentone. It is announced that Mr Forster, Chief Secretary for Ireland, has arranged that the imprisoned "suspects" shall receive an additional two hours' recreation daily. The President of the Northampton Radicals has applied to the Queen's Bench for a mandamus to compel Mr Bradlaugh to perform his parliamentary duties. The Radical electors demand that he should have a hearing at the bar.

At a meeting of the Conservative members of Parliament to-day it was unanimously resolved to give the fullest support to the leaders of the party, and to strenuously ojjpose the cloture proposals of the Government. It was further resolved to act with caution in dealing with the Irish question. In the House of Commons to-day Mr Courtney, Under-secretary for the Colonies, in reply to a question, stated that the Queensland Government had not asked for permission to introduce Indian coolies into the, Colony,

JMarchl7th. Consols have advanced to 101 J. New Zealand securities remain at the following quotations :— Five per cent. 10-40 loan, 103 i • five per cent. 1887 loan, 104J ; ionc and a-half per cent. 1879-1904 loan, 102. Adelaide wheat, ex warehouse, is unchanged at 535; New Zealand do at 495. Adelaide flour, ex store, 375. The total quantity of wheat afloat for Great Britain is 2,780,000 quarters. Australian Tallow.— Beat beef has declined o 39s per cwt., and best mutton to 44s per wt. , , Scotch pig iron has advanced Is per torn not f ,o.b. in the Clyde, and is now quoted at 51s. Best Sydney copra has advanced to £21 6s Pe At°the""wool sale to-day 11,800 bales were catalogued. Prices were steady, but the demand was not so active.' The present series of Colonial wool auctions will close on the rflst inßfc< March 18th. St. Patrick's Day passed off quietly in Ireland, no disturbance of any note having occurred in any part of the country. Consols have declined to 101$. New Zealand securities : Fiye per cent. 10-40 loan advanced to 104. The 5 per cent. 1889 loan remains at 104£. The 4£ per cent. 18791904 loan has advanced to 103. Australian tallow and breadstuffs are un- ° Teifthousand six hundred bales were offered at to-day's wool auction, and a fair demand was experienced. The House of Commons have passed a resolution approving of the charter granted by the Government to the North Borneo Trading Company. < ' , Jt 7 March 20th. "'Pne'w ironclad was launched to-day from the Pembroke Dockyard. The ceremony was performed by the Duke of Edinburgh, and the vessel was christened the Edinburgh.

London, March 20th. A store shed at the Albert Docks, Liverpool, was destroyed by fire last night. The origin of the fire is at present unknown, but it is believed to have been the work of Fenians, whose object it was to plunder the Volunteer armoury, which stands in the vicinity of the The steamer Protos has arrived from Melbourne, via Suez, with a cargo consisting of 3000 carcasses of sheep and 2787 packages butter. The mutton is reported to be m fair condition, but the state of the butter is understood to be rather doubtful. Consols remain at 101&.

New Zealand securities are unchanged at the following quotations -.—Five per cent. 10-40 loan, 104 ; 6 per cent; 1889 loan, 104£ ; 4£ per cent. 1879-1904 loan, 103. The market rate of discount has declined to 31 per cent, j the bank rate is 4 per cent. Adelaide wheat (ex store) remains at 535, and New Zealand ditto at 495. Adelaide flour (ex warehouse), 375. Australian tallow— best beef, 395; best

mutton, 445. - At the wool sale to-day 9500 bales were catalogued, making a total of 177,800 offered Bince' the commencement of the series. The bidding was steady, but the demand for the lots offered was not active. In the House of Commons this afternoon Mr Gladstone moved the adjournment of, the House from April '4th to April 17<ih for the usual Easter recess. The adjourned debate upon the Premier's motion for the introduction of the cldture was resumed this afternoon, and is now proceeding. Accounts to hand from the disturbed districts of Ireland are causing grave apprehension. Agrarian outrages' are again on the increase, and fresh cases of attacks with firearms , and maiming cattle are daily reported to the police. ' Sir Henry Parkes, Premier of New South Wales, arrived here to-day from New York. Pams, March 18th. The French Press generally urge that negotiations should be reopened between England and France for the conclusion of a fresh commercial treaty^

Pabis, March 20th. Telegrams to hand from Tunis report that relations between the French and Italian residents in that country have assumed a decidedly hostile phase, and that constant affrays are taking place in the city of Tunis and other towns between the two classes.

Amsterdam, March 20th.

It is announced that an Exhibition will be held at the Hague next year, chiefly for the display of colonial exhibits. All European States have decided to exhibit, and have appointed Committees to carry out their representations at the Exhibition. BERiiiNy March 18th. During the visit which he paid to the Berlin Academy to-day, the Emperor slipped as he was descending the staircase and fell heavily. His Majesty was somewhat severely bruised, and is now confined to his room.

wiw"t Berlin, March 20th. In the course of conversation to-day, Prince Bismarck stated that his energies would be wholly devoted to the maintenance of peace in Europe.

Vienna, March 18th. It is announced that the Emperor and Empress of Austria will proceed to Turin at Easter on a visit to the King: of Italy. Capetown, March 15th. Telegrams to hand from Bloemfontein report that the question of the bestowal of the Cross of St. Michael and St. George upon President Brand has again been under consideration in the Volksraad, and that that _ Chamber has now passed a resolution authorising the President's acceptance of the honour of knighthood.

March 17th.

The Cape Parliament was opened' to-day by Governor Sir Hercules Robinson. In his speech his Excellency announced that it was intended to maintain a moderate force of Colonial troops in Basutoland for the present, in order to ensure due observance of the law by the Natives, and to prevent any outbreak among'them,

March 19th.

Intelligence is to hand from the Transvaal reporting that much disorder prevails in tho South-west owing to the relations between the Boers and Natives.

Washington, March 14th. The bill providing for the abolition of polygamy in the United States has been finally passed by Congress.

March 20th.

Congress has adjourned the bill providing for greater expedition in the overland transit of the homeward and outward Australian mails via San Francisco.

New York, March 18th. The floods in the Mississippi River and the tributaries continue, and an enormous extent of country is inundated. Further serious destruction has resulted to life and property, and it is estimated that fully 85,000 persons have been rendered homeless and destitute.

Rio Janeiro, March 18fch.

Disastrous floods have been experienced in the province owing to au overflow of the Parahiba River. A large tract of country is wider water, a,nd three towns havo been almost

completely swept away. Many persons have been drowned, and serious loss of property has been caused by the floods.