BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

Otago Witness, Issue 1795, 17 April 1886, Page 10

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

(Reuter's Telegrams.) London, April 6. At to-day's wool sale 11,900 bales were offered to a quiet market.

April 7. At to-day's Colonial wool sales a catalogue of 10,109 bales was submitted to auction. The tone of the market was flat.

April 8. It is currently stated that Lieut.-general Sir Charles Mitchell will probably succeed Sir George dcs Vceux as Governor of Fiji. At to-day's wool sales 10,400 bales were submitted to competition, no improvement being manifested in the tone of the market. Crossbred wool showed a weaker tendency. Merinos are steady, but without active demand. Scoured wools were quoted 1&d to 2d below last sale. Up to the present date 141,000 bales have been offered, of which 21,000 have been withdrawn from sale. The weekly returns of the Bank of England, published to-day, show the total reserve in notes and bullion to be £12,500,000, and the proportion of reserve to liabilities 41 per cent. The total quantity of wheat afloat for the United Kingdom is 1,750,000 quarters. Tallow.— Fair average Australian beef, 22s Gd; muitton, 23s 6d per cwt. New Zealand mutton, s|d to s^d. Wool. — 22,100 bales were catalogued yesterday and to-day. The demand continues dull and prices weak. It is announced that Mr Edward Heneage has resigned the portfolio of Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

London, April 9. At a funeral service in memory of the late Mr Forster, held at Westminster Abbey today, there was a large attendance, and the proceedings were characterised by great solemnity. The trial of the Socialist leaders Burns, Champion, Hyndeman, and Williams, for connection with the riotous proceedings on the Bth February, was concluded to-day, when they were all acquitted of the charges brought against them.

London, April 12. Earl Morley, Chief Commissioner of Works, has resigned office. Sir F. Kay Suttleworth, Under-secretary for Mines, has been appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in place of Mr Heneage (resigned). The Daily News this morning states that Mr Edward Stafford Howard, M.P. for Thornbury, will assume the vacant portfolio of Under-secretary for India; and Mr W. C. Surface, M.P. for Stancell, replaces Mr Jesse Collings as Vice-presi-dent of the Board of Trade. Colonial breadstuffs. — Adelaide wheat has declined to 36s per 4961b (ex store). Tallow is at previous quotations. Wool. — At to-day's auctions 11,600 bales were catalogued. The market was dull. A great public meeting has been called at her Majesty's Theatre for Wednesday next to consider the Irish question. The Marquis of Hartington will move and the Marquis of Salisbury will second a resolution affirming the necessity of maintaining legislative union between England and Ireland.

April 13. It is announced that Lord Kenmare has resigned bis position as Lord Chamberlain, and the Earl of Cork has also resigned the office of Master of the Horse. The debate on the proposals of the Government on the Irish question was resumed last night. Lord Randolph Churchill spoke denouncing the bill, while Messrs Burt and Bradlaugh supported the measure. Mr Gladstone, in the course of a speech, stated he hoped that the first reading of the bill would take place that night, in which case the Budget should be brought down ' to-morrow night, 14th inst., the Land Purchase Act being introduced on Monday.

Constantinople, April 9. Prince Alexander of Bulgaria has yielded to the pressure brought to bear on him, and accepted the decision of the European Powers regarded the Roumelian question.

(Special to Press Association,)

London, April (5. The Aborigines Protection Society have thanked Sir G. W. des Vceux for the services ho has rendered the cause of humanity in the Pacific.

Mr R. H. Ward states that the Governments of Hawaii, America, and Canada have promised to support the Pacific cable syndicate and guaranteed 2,000,000d0l towards the cost of construction, which the Company will accept. Mr Ward proposes to open negotiations with Messrs Mackay and Bennett for the use of their Atlantic cable. It is expected that the rates will be 4s 6d per word for the public and Is 3d for Press messages.

The ship Buttermere, which left Port Augusta on November 19 for London, and is now 139 days out, has been reinsured at "a premium of 35 guineas.

, m A l )ril " 9 - M. Tricoupis, formerly Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs, announces that he is averse to the warlike attitude taken up by Greece. Sir Saul Samuel presented the Banquet Committee's bracelet to Mrs Murray Smith, and in doing so spoke of the friendly relations existing between himself and Mr Smith. The wool market is depressed. Crossbreds trom Western Australia are lower; 182,000 bales have been catalogued, of which 24,000 were withdrawn.

The wheat market is inactive, but prices remain firm. Ex Australian granary is at 36s 6d. The weather is favourable for the crops Mr Murray smith has iSKViJ^. wt WKreK-* frfendS Austrian Press condemn them. The DdlvNews expresses the opinion that Ireland is not y?t ripe for Home Rule, and it doubts whether Sr Gladstone's land-purchase scheme will pass \l mmm* Mlolmt Bhould be reeLe * h *

Hanlan has challenged Beach to row a match on the Thames for £500 a side. Wallace Ross has accepted Matterson's challenge to a sculling match. G. Perkins is also willing to row Matterson, but demands a start.

A Cossack plot to dynamite the Czar has been discovered.

Sir Alexander Stuart states that France England, and Germany are prepared to settle the difficulties regarding the occupation of the Pacific Islands, but the negotiations are blocked by the opposition offered by the Federal Council. The Tariff Committee of the United States t/ongress recommend that wool should be allowed to be imported into the States freo of duty.

General Iguatieff is of opinion that war between Russia and Austria is not improbable.

It is reported that Siguor Dopretis, President of the Italian Council, has resigned. Matterson refubes to make any concessions in the sculling matcher.