THE RUSSIAN UPHEAVAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2660, 8 March 1905, Page 53

THE RUSSIAN UPHEAVAL.

ST. PETERSBURG, February 27.

The. Grand Duchess Elizabeth has ordered the poor of Moscow, who are estimated at 45,000, to be provided with free dinners for the next 40 days at her expens.?.

February 28.

The Polish peasantry, excited by the Socialists, are joining in the strike movement, demanding a 50 per cent, rise in wages and the right to retain their own language.

One. hundred and thirty villages in Siedlice, Pruszkoff, Lourez, and Plotzk refused to receive an official proclamation in Russian, 50 villages resorting to violence,- and burning the Government alcohol shops. The authorities are apparently helpless. Alarming developments are feared.

When tha Committee of Ministers was considering the revision of special laws to prevent social disorder M. Durnovo (Assistant Minister of the Interior) declared that domiciliary visits, expulsion, and other administration punishments instead of regular judicial procedure only caused exasperation.

M. de Witte said the Government ought to prevent evil instead) of only aiming at repression. He pleaded the cause of the Jews, whose life was rendered insupportable.

The Committee decided that the laws must be positively defined and exceptional measures strictly confined to times of -disorder. It advisedi the Czar to appoint a special conference to revise the laws relating to the security and order of the State.

The Czar confirmed the conclusion

Maxim GorUy, the novelist, has been relea.sed, but compelled to proceed to Riga immediately.