THE RUSSIAN UPHEAVAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2690, 4 October 1905, Page 19

THE RUSSIAN UPHEAVAL.

i ST. PETERSBURG, September 26. A congress composed of delegates from Zemstvos and municipalities, now sitting at Moscow, is the first one of a purely political character ever hekl in the Empire. Three hundred delegates are present, representing all parts of the Empire. The congress at Moscow has resolved that, though the Duma is not trulynational, all reformers should participate in it, in the hope of securing the reforms outlined at preceding congresses. Eleven thousand troops, with three batteries, garrison Baku. The unrest in Russia is not subsiding. There are daily collisions with the police, whose brutality is extreme. A bomb was thrown in Korna yesterday. It wounded three women and four policemen, including the chief of police. The j thrower escaped. I September 29. The Moscow congress of delegates from Zemstvos and municipalities closed, after adopting the draft electoral manifesto insisting upon reform in national educa- 1 tion and the introduction of the State' system of workmen's insurance, the regulation of land tenure, and a distribution of " land among the working peasants. October 1. Two workmen shot at and killed in a Lodz tramear Julius Kunitzer, a director of the great cotton firm of Heintzel and Kunitzei\ One man was arrested ; the other escaped by firing his revolver at his pursuers. October 2. A fresh discovery of arms has been made on an island off the Finnish coast. LONDON, September ?6. Mr W. T. Stead, in an article in The j Times, mentions that General Trepoff had frankly told the Czar, in reply to a question, that the establishment of the Duma was equivalent to the Autocrat's limitation of his own autocracy. Geneivl liepoff added: "I think the time has now come when it is necessary to do so. ' October 2. The Daily Chronicle has published Mr f W. T. Stead's address to the Zemstvos' Congress at Moscow, insisting that the institution of the Duma was a stupendous and courageous advance towards the creation of a representative elective assembly. It was unreasonable to complain of limitations which were not final ; but, nevertheless, without liberty of meeting, liberty of the press, and liberty to associate for security against arbitrary arrest th.? Duma would be a sham. The Czar ought to appoint a Premier, who

would be his spokesman, and responsibl( for the rest of the Ministry. Mr Stead ?. now conducting his propaganda in th< Volga districts. The adoption By the Moscow Congress of an advanced programme regarding land, endowments has given enormous influenc* to the peasants. A vast majority of thi reformers are determined to fight to the last, disbelieving the intention of the Government to fulfil its promises. Mr Stead failed to convince the Congress of the Government's Sincerity, and he has beeii publicly repudiated.

A curious incident in postal communication came to light recently at Milltown. (Victoria). A post-card was posted in Hamilton on February' 28. 1877. It bears the Condah postmark of February 21, and Myamyn of February 22, but it only arrived at Milltown a few clays ago, or. 28 j-ears after it was posted.