CABLEGRAMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2870, 17 March 1909, Page 25

CABLEGRAMS.

BEITISH AND FOREIGN. LONDON, March 10. Twenty-five German members, who deserted from the French Foreign Legion, have been sentenced to terms of imprisonment ranging from two to 20 years' penal servitude. An outbreak of -influenza in Great Britain has caused 144 deaths in four •weeks, many being those of people over 60. The Times' obituary notices extend to over a column "and a-half Sir Edward, Grey has warned Persia in connection with "the civil/ war at Tabriz that Persia will be held" responsible should any harm befall the British Consulate there owing to tie action of the Shah's troons. J . - , A hundred Cossacks axe proceeding to the Teheran Legation.' March 11. Mr J. Ramsay Macdonald, on behalf of jfche Labour party, has issued a proposal for all British Labour : Sociarists to hold a conference concurrently with the Imperial Colonial Conference that is expected -to assemble in 1910.. Mt Herman Cohen, a well-known (money-lender in the North of England, -was- found murdered- in his office at Sunderland. There air© no clues as to the perpetrators so. far. The Right Hon. Mr Asquith, Pi'ime Minister, in replying to a deputation, declared that the Government had not abated one jot in its determination regarding the Licensing Bill, and when the time came — and it could not be very far distant — when they joined issue and came into the open field there was no measure regarding which it would appeal more confidently to the people to decide between their elected representatives and an irresponsible body than the Licensing Bill. March' 12. The Earl of Crewe (Colonial Secretary) has underta&ek'n to ask "Parliament for a substantial contribution towards covering the Hongkong Government's loss arising from the paiicy of a diminution in the opium traffic. Tbo -British- Siamese Treaty has -been signed. It -places British srxbj-eofcs wider the jurisdiction of the Siamese courts, ■with European advisers. Siam renounces her suzerainty in favour of Britain over the districts of Kelantan, Tringarm, and Xedah, and 15,000 souare miles have thus been added to the flag. Strong earthquake shocks have been experienced at Reggao and Calabria. - Sofia and other parts of Bulgaria, and ' Nbvorossilek, in Russia, were affected in the. same manner. The trial of seven prisons in connection "with the recent Sligo riot, on a charge of unlawful assembly, had to be adjourned till the next assizes, because copies of the special jury panel had been privately printed and circulated, and an active canrass made among jurors on behalf of the prisoners. Influenced by Australian and Canadian suggestions, Mr Haldan© has included in tie Estimates £40,000 to initiate the partial commutation of pensions to extoldiexs to enable them to emigrate. A scheme of payments is being prepared. It is understood that the Admiralty will act similarly with respect to ex-sailors. Queensland is issuing a two and a-half million loan at 3£ per cent. March 13. The Queensland loan has been issued at 97, ••underwritten ,on the usual terms. !T!he prospectus will be issued on Monday. Renter's Paris correspondent reports 4hat the difficulties.of'M. Caillaux (Minister of Finance) are increasing owing to the stationary position of the population and the constantly augmented burdens of taxailioa The actual deficit is £2,500,000, and the ■Estimates for trie coming year foreshadows an extra £19,000,000 of taxation. The magistrate decid-ed that no jury iv'ould convict Mr Horatio Bottomley, and dismissed 'he summons. March 14. The Prince of Wales, in the course of % speech after inspecting the Cadets of

the Royal Rifle Corps, Stirling, referred to Australia's well-equipped and soldierly Cadets, and also to the public spirit and self-sacrifice that had been sustaining the movement in London during the past 19 years. March 15. The British expenditure on intoxicating liquor was £161,000,000 in 1908 and £167,000,000 in 1907. The Standard states that the Ministerial Freetraders are endeavouring to persuade Mr Churchill to conclude a commercial treaty with France on the basis of mitigating the proposed tariff, Britain in return promising that no fresh duties will he imposed on French imports for five years. " The output of coal in 1908 was 261,560,379 tons, a decrease of 6,306,473 tons on the previous year's output. There were 47,195 moTe minei^s employed. Mr A. Wilkie,. M.P., secretary of the Shipwrights' Society, interviewed, said there- was no objection to colonial artisans working on 1 the Clyde if their object was to learn the building of warBlue's. It would, of course, be many years before Australia could compete with the Clyde, but the repair yairds ni the colonies would probably necessitate many skilled English workmen going to Australia. The Central Emigration Board has formed a Settlers' Information League, under the presidency of Sir Thomas Sutherland, to encourage British emigrants to proceed to the colonies instead of to foreign colonies. The colonial members of the league undertake to befriend the emigrants on their arrival. New Zealand has secured a large area for exhibition purposes at , the Imperial Exhibition which is to be held at Shepherd's Bush. Sir Christopher Furness, M.P., speaking at Hartlepool, said the threats and innuendoes of certain Labour representatives were the chief cause of unemployment. He 'believed the workers now saw how grievously they had been misguided, but it was too. late: the trade had left the coast. BERLIN, March 9. The Bkum'Wx'g-Ajxieriea. 'Steamship Company, for the first time in 15 years, failed to declare a dividend. Amongst adverse causes of a shrinkage of 50 per cent, in the year's results was the disastrous influence on shipping arising from the construction of such record-breaking vessels as the Lusitania and the Mauretania. j ROME, March 8. As a result of the general elections the Prime Minister's (Signor Giolitti) party is said to have secured a majority. In 76 of the constituencies the non expedit decree (prohibiting active participation in political contests) was suspended, the Vatican even suggesting desirable candidates. The Clericals have already gained six seats. ST. PETERSBURG, March 14. At the international chess tournament Rubinstein and Laskex tied and divided the first and second prizes. Duras was third and Spielman foui*th. CONSTANTINOPLE, March 9. Some of the troops at the Yildiz Palace, who were responsible for the outbreak of November 1, being dissatisfied over the elimination of some of the officers and men, identified themselves with the old j regime, and again proved mutinous. The ! trouble, however, was promptly quelled. j MOROCCO, March 15. The Yussi tribe, on behalf of the Pretender, routed the Shereefian Mahallah. I Captain Reglay, of the French army, ! vainly attempted to rally the fugitives, | and their defeat is causing consternation afc Maghzen. j Buhamara is pdvancing to succour the Shereefians. ! NEW YORK, March 11. The Iroquois Club, of Chicago, warmly cheered Mr Dickinson's explanation why lie, a Democrat, had joined a Republican | Cabinet as Secretary of War. Mr ! Dickinson emphasised' Mr Ta/t's affecj tion for the South, yet, he said, the President was unaile to select a Southern.

Republican without perpetuating the slowly-fading bitter sectionalism; hence he magnanimously chose a Democrat who had voted against him. Mr Dickinson expressed the belief that' the South approved of his acceptance of office. March 12. The Court of Appeals of the District of ' Columbia upheld the injustice of forJ bidding the American Federation of Labour publishing in its organ the Federationist the name of the Bucks Stove and Range Company of St. Louis under the j" we don't patronise " list. The court declared that the defendants could not be ' restrained feon* all -reference in its own journal io the complainant company, but only from publications made in furtherance of an illegal boycott. OTTAWA, March 11. Sir Frederick Borden, Minister of Defence, states that the Militia at present numbers 47,500. The Dominion defence- scheme in 1910 will cost £1,222,600. The first line of defence is to consist of 100,000 men, and the second line of 200,000 men. March 12. Speaking at the Empire Club, Toronto, ' Judge Barron urged Canada to adopt a naval scheme on similar lines to that of Australia. He described -Canada as spending co much en her land force that she would not have a cent for her naval de- ! fence. This was like putting a one-a,rmed ' and one-legged man into the prize ring. j March 13. ! The Canadian Government has agreed to j lend the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway ' Company £2,000,000 at 4 per cent, for a ' period of 10 years for the purpose of j completing the Winnipeg-Wolf Creek section.