BRITISH AND FOREIGN. (Pee Press Association.)

Otago Witness, Issue 1891, 1 May 1890, Page 22

BRITISH AND FOREIGN. (Pee Press Association.)

London, April 29. The New Zealand cheese ex steamer Duke of Westminster is quoted 45s to 48s. Tallow.— Mutton, 24s 6d to 255; bqef, 23s 6d to 245. Hides, 3^d to 3£d per lb. Major Olarke, Secretary of the Colonial Defence Committee of the War Office, considers that ie would cost £50,000 to fortify King George's Sound, and it would be required to be garrisoned by 1000 men in time of war. He thinks it would be better to leave the sound defenceless than for England to bear the whole of the cost. The English Church Union has unanimously condemned the Victorian Divorce Bill, and passed a resolution expressing sympathy with the clergy. The Duke of Cambridge will preside at a meeting of Australian colonists and merchants which is to be held in the People's Palace next month to consider resolutions in support of colonial federation. Speaking on federation, Earl Eosebery said that England should not approach the colonies in the attitude of beggars, and that it was impossible to force federation on them. He hoped, however, that in the end federation would be brought about, and that it would be a prelude to the union of all English-speaking races. In his speech in the House of Commons, Mr Chamberlain said that Mr Parnell's Irish land scheme could be worked concurrently with the proposals contained in the Irish Land Purchase Bill. He trusted that the Government would undertake the task of ultimately placing the control of land purchase in Ireland in the hands of the county councils. Sir Vernon Harcourt said he would oppose Mr Parnell's scheme. The debate was adjourned. England and America are insisting upon Portugal referring the Delagoa railway dispute to arbitration. Portugal is following thej example set by England, and is building gunboats suitable f>.r the navigation of the Shire and Zambesi rivers. The order committing Schmidt, who is alleged to have betrayed the plans of the fortresses in Cronstadt, to penal servitude in Siberia has been countermanded, and he was shot. It is ascertained that he secretly divulged Russia's scheme for mobilising her troops in event of war with Austria. Over 100 meetings have been held in Bengal at which resolutions were passed supporting Mr Bradlaugh's Indian leform scheme as opposed to that of Viscount Cross, Secretary of State for India. The Russian press is commenting on the danger which would accrue to the Russian Empire through China throwing in her lot with England ' and lending her assistance in the case of an outbreak of war. An agrarian agitation has broken out in Galicia. ' O'Donovan Rossa has been found guilty of criminal libel on Patrick Cassidy, but the jury recommended him to mercy. Germany has offered a protest to the projected conversion of the Turkish debt. ' Prince Bismarck will shortly leave on a visit to Scotland. Mr Raikes, Postmaster-general, has informed the Agents-general that the rates on pattern parcels to the colonies will be reduced in May. Lord Knutsf ord has cabled to the Western Australian Government not to sell land near King George's Sound and East Albany, pending the decision of the Imperial Government on the question of colonial defences! Baron de Worms informed the Western Australian Enabling Committee that it had not been decided to delay the defence works at King George's Sound, but colonists would have to defray the cost of armaments. Unless Slavin succeeds in making a match, he will return to Australia. The fight between Peter Jackson and J. L. Sullivan for 15,000d0l takes place in San Francisco on June 3rd. April 30. Hermit, the well-known thoroughbred stallion, is dead.