BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

Otago Witness, Issue 1892, 15 May 1890, Page 16

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

(Per Press Association.) London, May 7. The quantity of wheat and flour afloat for the United Kingdom is 2,552,000 quarters, and for the Continent 724,000 quarters. The American visible supply is estimated at 23,456,000 bushels. New Zealand wheat (on the passage), 355. At the request of Sir Saul Samuel, Agentgeneral for New South Wales, the opening of the Mining Exhibition has been postponed until July. It is ramoured that a valuable gold discovery has been made at Dunnode, Coik. Burns declines to discuss the eight hours question with Bradlaugh except in Hyde Park. A colliery at" Leigh, Lancashire, is on fire. Three hundred and fifty of the workmen are entombed, and the work of rescue is being carried on from the adjoining pit. The delegates from Western Australia are jubilant at the report of the Enabling Committee, and consider it unlikely that any serious opposition will be offered to the measure in Parliament. Commenting on the report, the Pall Mall Gazette and St. James Gazette condemn the handing over of such a large territory to a handful of colonists. In the House of Commons Mr Labouchere will' move that the amount of the property franchise as provided for in the Western Australian Enabling Bill be reduced ; also, that the provision for the payment of a pension to the Hon. C. W. Warton, Attorneygeneral, be excised. It is considered unlikely that he will carry the motion.

May 8. The report of the committee on the bill will be considered by the House of Commons on Monday. Mr John Morley advises that it should not be opposed, so as to facilitate the departure of the delegates. Mr Chamberlain, speaking at Oxford, said he had suggested to Mr Gladstone and the Premier that a compromise should be arranged on the Irish Land Purchase Bill. Eight thousand two hundred quarters of New Zealand wheat of April shipment have been sold at 34s 9d. Intelligence has been received that the King of Dahomey has agreed to release the French prisoners. Twelve base-ballers have been drowned by the capsizing of a ferry boat at Virginia. It is stated that when in Africa Mr H. M. Stanley made treaties with the natives for a Toute from Lake Albert Nyanza to Zanzibar. The report that Mr Stanley is to be knighted is denied. In the Appeal Court the application of the plaintiff for a new trial in the action O'Brien v. Lord Salisbury was refused. The steamer Thessaly jettisoned 1000 carcases of frozen sheep on the voyage from the Plate to Liverpool. Miss Cornwall who lately vißited England for the purpose, amongst other things/ of floating a scheme for building the outer harbour at Adelaide has received tenders for £650,000. Financiers are ready ta provide the necessary capital provided it shall not exceed seven hundred thousand. Frozen meat is unchanged. The imports for April have decreased a million and a-balf, and the exports increased seven hundred thousand as compared with the same month last year. Sir J. Fergusson has denied that proposals would be made for the permanent occupation of Egyjjt. Mr Smith will introduce a bill in the House of Commons to deal with the sweating evil. Mr Raikes, Postmaster-general, says that the reduction of the ocean postage rate to a penny would involve a loss of £180,000 per annum. >

Mr W. H. Smith announced in the House of Commons to-day that the Government would accept the excision of clause 4 in the Western Australian Enabling Bill, but intended to retain clause 8. He was at present unable to fix a day on which the measure would.be taken.

May 9. Mr F. A. Charming, M.P. for Northamptonshire, has given notice of his intention to move that the Western Australian Enabling Bill shall not come into operation until the franchise is assimilated to that of other colonies. New Zealand hemp, maximum quality, £22 5s to £22 10s. Mr O'Brien has given notice of appeal to the House of Lords against the refusal of the Court of Appeal to grant a new trial. The Blue Spur Company are about to issue 5000 preference shares. It is understood that the ocean postage irate will be reduced in accordance with Mr Goschen's proposals if Victoria and New South Wales assent.

May 10. Wheat, ex barque Carrigal, from Lyttelton, has been resold at 35s 6d, being an increase of 9d. Two Australian cargoes (March shipment) sold at 35s 9d. The election for the vacancy in the East Division of Bristol, caused by the death of Mr Handel Cossham, resulted in the return of Mr Weston, the Home Rule candidate, who defeated Mr Inskip, Conservative, by 2875 votes. [When Mr Coseham, who was a GladstonianLiberal, was returned iv 1886, he defeated Mr Inskip by 3672 votes to 1936 -a majority of 1736.] Miss Myra Kemble, having decided to return to Australia, has declined a leading engagement for London and the provinces. Lord Dunraven, who has interested himself in the alleged sweating system, advise 1 ? that there should be closer inspection of those who are suspected of adopting the system. _ He aho advises the establishment of unskilled labour organisations with a view to stopping the importation of foreign labour. Mrs O'Shea has obtained a writ compelling her husband to fulfil her marriage settlement.

May 11. Mr Dillon has virtually superseded Mr Pavnell in the leadership of the Irish party. Messrs Dillon, Deasy, and Sir T. Esmonde are to be entertained at a banquet in Dublin >on May 28. Arminiuj: v Vambery, in a letter to The

Times, advises England to abandon the principles of faith and confidence when dealing with Russia.

The Statist asserts that Victoria is borrowing to pay interest on her loans, and that the process is likely to last for ever.

Mr E. Paul, of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Company, writes to the Economist deprecating South African wool. He also states that factories in Australia will be compelled to rely on Protection to keep themselves going.

The Melbourne correspondent of the Economist says that the sooner companies that were formed in the height of the land mania two years ago are placed in liquidation the better it will be for all concerned.

The supporters of the movement to legalise eight hours as a day's work are forming a permanent committee for the furtherance of the object. The Portuguese Minister for the Colonies confirms the report that Chilonda, in the Shire district, whither a large volunteer expedition was despatched some weeks ago, has been annexed. This action will seriously affect negotiations for the settlement of the difficulty between England and Portugal. The Minister also announces that Swaziland from Delagoa Bay will shortly be annexed, and further claims that Portugal has a better right to the Matabele country than England.

The indictment against Sullivan, the pugilist, has been quashed, and his long talked of fight with Peter Jackson will come off immediately.

The German Emperor is indignant at the press attacking the proposed increase in the military vote.

Germany insists that a line of a mile from Lake Victoria Nyanza northwards shall be the boundary between English and German spheres in Central Africa.

The Prussian House of Lords has passed a resolution calling on the Government to curtail the excess of Jewish children in the superior schools.

The Russian Government is issuing a railway loan of 75,000,000 roubles.

The influenza has reappeared in some parts of Russia.

The fire at the Tongue Point Asylum is still burning.

Importers at New York are protesting against the new tariff.

The French and Dahomeyans have exchanged prisoners.

. May 12. Strenuous efforts are being made to settle the case in which Captain O'Shea petitions for a divorce from his wife on the ground of her adultery with Mr Parnell, in order to avoid the publication of scandalous evidence. It is asserted that the petitioner was offered the sum of £6000 to withdraw the case, but the latter's friends, while willing to settle the matter, consider tJat his personal honour demands greater solatium.

The Marquis of Salisbury demands that previous to discussing the evacuation of Egypt, England shall possess the right to reenter that country in the event of any internal disorder; also, that Turkey shall not disturb existing conditions.

It is stated that the trance-like disease known as la nona has been ascertained to be a form of neuiosis.

It is believed that the vigorous action on the part of the Agents-general at the Paris Telegraph Conference will secure the reduction of the charge for ordinary cablegrams to the colonies to 5s per word, Mr Henniker Heaton is pressing the Government to support the reduction.

The tailors on strike, are resolute, though suffering distress. A portion of the masters have conceded the demands.

The railway men have held a demonstration in Hyde Park. They demand 54 hours per week and higher wages. Mr John Burns quoted Victoria as an example. A tramway strike is imminent. Burns will organise and lead the men. Paris, May Bvs The French Government is considering the question of a tax on foreigners. News has been received to the effect that the Dahomeyans are yielding, and have asked that the term of the ultimatum may be extended to Saturday. General Mirebeau, chief of the staff, will be appointed to the supreme command of the French armies in the event of war. He is about to undertake the organisation of the colonial defences. May 9. The French Government suggest that international action should be taken to suppress anarchists. Twenty thousand of the strikeis at Roubaix have resumed work. Berlin, May 7. In the Prussian House of Lords to-day, General Caprivi eulogised the services rendered to the Empire by Prince Bismarok. His remarks were received with applause. May 8. The Social Democrats have introduced a bill in Reichstag limiting the hours of labour per day to 10. The German financiers deprecate an increase iv the military vote. May 12. It is reported at Magdeburg that Great Britain defers proceeding with the ratification of the Sugar Convention, and if so, Germany will abolish her own bounties. The Government are permitting the gradual re-entry of Socialists into Germany, in order to avoid a rush at the expiration of the law of exile. It is rumoured that General yon Oaprivi, the German. Chancellor, intends to resign, his reason being that the tortuous mazes of diplomacy are foreign to his character. St. Peteri'Burg, May 9. The process of Russianising Finland is causing much discontent, which has been further accentuated by the refusal of the Czar to receive a deputation on the subject.

Uneasiness is felt iv Russia at the increase in the German armaments.

Vienna, May 10. Most, of the Austrian strikes are dying out. May 12.

A private bank in the city has failed with liabilities of 7,000,000 floiins. Its assets are set clown at 5,000,000 florins.

Constantinople, May 12. Djevdett Pasha, Minister of Justice, has been dismissed from office at the instance of Germany.

Sofia, May 12. Au indictment ha& been preferred against

Major JPanitza, who is accused of taking part in a conspiracy to dethrone Prince Ferdinand. He implicates the Russian Minister at Bucharest in the plot.

Cairo, May 8

The Egyptian Government accept the wider conversion scheme proposed by France.

Zanzibar, May 7.

The Germans have occupied Kilima, situated about 100 miles inland from the port of Mombasa, on the Suaheli coast.

Major Wissman has released the British subjects who were detained at Kilmia Ngaro.

May 10.

The Arabs who assisted at the occupation of Kilima Ngairo have reoccupied Mganda, which was recently placed within the influence of the British East African Company.

New York, May 7.

Singer's machine factory at New Jersey has been destroyed by fire. The damage is estimated at 1,000,000d01.

May 10.

The murderers of Dr Cronin have been detected in attempting to escape from gaol. They had made great preparations for securing their freedom, and had bribed the warders.

May 12.

Cyclones have passed over Ohio and other parts of America. Immense damage was done to property, but the loss of life was small.

Washington, May 9. O'Donovan Rossa was fined lOOdol for libelling Patrick Cassidy.

May 10. Corigiess has granted a pension of £10 per month to Mrs Parnell, sen. Buenos Ayres, May 7. Customs frauds to the extent of 10 million dollars annually have been discovered here.