BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2921, 9 March 1910, Page 22

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

LONDON, February 28,

Mr Foster Fraser has commenced a series of impressions of New Zealand and Australia in the Standard. He summarises Adelaide for its culture, Melbourne for business, and Sydney for pleasure. He adds that there is little genuine desire for immigrant 6. March 1.

A man named Elazar, supposed to be a Turk, .entered the offices o* Sassoon and Sons in Leadenhall street and fired five shots, critically wounding Louis Baffin, the correspondence clerk. The assailan + was overpowered and arrested March 2.

It is officially announced that Mr Gladstone has 'been created a viscount ind the Hon. Ivor Churchill Guest a baron. The man Elazar, who entered the offices of Sassoon and Sons and fired a revolver five times, wounding a clerk, alleged that he shot his brother Niffin, alias Elazar, because, he said, his brother's wife was a disgrace to the family. The prisoner was remanded

March 3,

King Edward starts on Monday for the Continent. He will spend two days in Paris, and goes on thence to Biarritz. Ths War Offiael is inviting tenders, returnable on July 4, for 412,500 12oz tins and 68,700 240 z tins of preserved meat, also by special contract for 75,000 12oz tins and 62,500 240 z tins. All are tor delivery in October and November. The latter contract contains a replacement clause.

The Daily Chronicle's Milan correspondent advises that the Emmanuel International Institute of Agriculture is in danger of collapse owing to internal feuds. Moreover, the high salaries paid compel the acquisition of' information of ruling prices by post, so-as to avoid telegraphic expense. Mr Asquith proposes to raise the salary paid to the President of the Local Government Board from £2OOO to £SOOO.

[This branch of the civic service of Great Britain was created in 1871. Last year the board's administrative expenses were estimated at £254,294. The- Right Hon. John Burns, M.P., is President.] March 4.

At the trial of Cornelius Howard for the murder of Storr the latter's widow, while testifying to the incidents of the struggle, glanced round the court and exclaimed, looking at Howard, "That's the man."

The Army Estimates total £27,760,000. Mr Haldane explains that the increase of £325,000 is due to the striking success of the County Asociations' efforts to fill the ranks of the Territorial units. The total regular establishment shows an increase of 1000 men, and the recruits offering exceed the number for which supplies were voted. William Young ex-councillor of King-ston-on-Thames, was sentenced to three years' penal servitude for stealing £6600 from the funds of the Workmen's Club Building Society. The books had been practically unaudited for 17 years. Fiveash, the society's auditor, has since committed suicide.

The Bishop of Lincoln is in a critical condition. He dictated a touching farewell to the people of his diocese. A quantity of iresh-cut sods and a hundred packets of shamrocks left Queenstowni yesterday to enable President Taft to tread upon Irish soil at the St. Patrick's Day celebrations in Chicago.

At Lady Dudley's request, the Council of the Queen Victoria Jubilee Institute of Nurses has arranged for Miss Hughes, general superintendent, to visit Australia and organise an order of nurses. March 6.

Girley Watson, ex-champion of the navy, was knocked out in a hexing match at Wonderland, and died three hours later. His coloured opponent (Inglis) has been arrested.

The St. Petersburg correspondent of the Daily Mail reports that 20 gold wreaths have been stolen from the Imperial Mausoleum in the fortress of St. Peter and St. Paul.

The outrage resembles that at Roskilde Cathedral in December, 1808, when gold wreaths were .stolen from the burial-place of the Kings of Denmark. , '*'_',

Nine thousand six hundred and seventythree old-age pensions have been cancelled in Ireland.

Mr W. H. Lever has presented the University of Liverpool with £102,000, including the proceeds of his suocessful soap libel action against the Daily Mail

and other papers, amounting to £91,000. Henri Farman, on a machine combining the biplane and monoplane, at Chalons, with two passengers, covered 14 miles in 16imin —a. world's record. He also put up a record flight with two passengers, remaining in the air 62min 23sec. There are many offers of hospitality to visitors to participate in the Festival of Empire. Thirty patriotic societies in London are arranging a programme of entertainment.

Castle Freke, Cork, the residence _ of Lord Carbery, .replete with historical associations, was burnt. Except for some antique furniture and paintings, the destruction was complete. The loss is. £25,000.

The Trinity College of Music has appointed Charles Schilsk examiner for New Zealand.

March 7

The Admiralty has decided to build a Dreadnought dry dock at Portsmouth, costing £1,000,000. In the House of Commons a bill, introduced by Mr John Burns, for taking the next British census on April 2, 1911, was read a first time.

Sir John Bigham, having accepted a baronetcy, has resigned the presidency of the Divorce Division of the High Court of Justice.

Sir Samuel Evans, Solicitor-general, succeeds Sir John Bigham, and Mr Rufus Isaacs, K.C., becomes Solicitor-general. King Edward went aboard the Royal yacht °and sails for Calais to-day. He gave a brilliant dinner at which the Prince of Wales, Lotcls Lanedowne, Roseberv, Cromer, and Curzon, Mr Chamberlain, Lord Rayleigh, Sir George Reid, and Ministers and ex-Ministers were present. The Duke and Duchess of Connaught, Princess Patricia, and Prince Arthur have arrived at Laikipia, British East Africa, after a successful elephant hunt in the Aberdage Mountains. PARIS, March 2.

The Navy Committee of the French* Chamber of" Deputies has approved of the construction of seven battleships, to be completed in 1915. Two will be commenced in the arsenals in 1910, -and two in private yards in 1911. President Fallieres visited and condoled with Prince Hugo of Radolin, Germain Ambassador at Paris, on the death of his son. This is the first time any President; has visited the German Embassv.

March 7.

M. Pichon (Minister of Foreign Affairs) and Mohammed Elmokri (the Moroccan Minister of Finance) have signed a French-Moroccan agreement. BERLIN, March 2.

The German Government is preparing regulations to forbid airships from taking a line passing over fortresses, and to prohibit the construction of airship stations in fortified towns.

ROME, March 6

•Senator Fuina has resigned the Presidency of the Emmanuel International Institute of Agriculture owing to a disagreement with the other committeemen. The Secretary-general has also resigned

ATHENS, March 4.

Out of 161 members of the Greek Chamber 150 voted in favour of the invocation of the Revisionist Assembly" on the 14th September. CONSTANTINOPLE, March 2.

The Porte has decided to execute two of Ivanovitch's murderers and to reprieve two.

WASHINGTON, March 3

The Senate has passed a bill authorising the issue of certificates of indebtedness amounting to 30,000,000d0l (£6 ; 000,.000), to finish the irrigation projects recommended by President Taft

March 6

The 'Senate has passed the Post Office Saving* Banks Bill, but amended it go as to permit of the investment of deposits in - Government securities in war time or times of great national stress. NtfW YORK, March 2.

Surprise mingled with resentment has been caused in America owing to the abandonment of an exhibition of American! products that had been projected in Berlin this summer. The cause is duo. to the Gorman Government refusing it its official countenance, and this refusal is attributed here to fear of America's industrial rivalry. A bomb prematurely exploded, shattering a house on East Sixty-fifth street, and blowing away the ringers and thumb of. the miscreant who secreted it. The police have identified the finger-prints with those of a man named Barry, of the Italian Black Hand Society. Detectives are now searching for him. March 4, A 3 vices from Juneau, Alaska, report that an explosion in ah airshaft in the Treadwell mine killed 23 persons. Thirtyseven more are missing, and it is feared that they have perished. The Budget of New York City shows a deficiency ■of £6,000,000. Mayor Gaynor proposes to abolish all taxes on personal property, and substitute therefor increased rates on real estate. He contends that the present system is a source of bribery and extortion, the assessment of personal estates being left to the caprice of clerks while multi-millionaires tscape by secui' ing a legal residence in districts where personal taxes are not levied.

Maxell 6. To celebrate the granting of the absolute iri his divorce from his wife 1 ; Colonel Astoir gave a great ball to th£

Uew York " Four Hundred," There were 140 guests present. Magnificent gifts were presented to the guests. The ball cost ae&ooo.

Two Italians, members of the Black Hand, have been committed for trial in New York for attempting to extort £3OOO from Caruso, the famous singer, under threats of death.

NICARAGUA, March 4.

General Chamorro's revolutionary force Sat Tisma, Nicaragua, was crushingly and 800 were killed or wounded and captured. Many revolutionists else!where have surrendered. OTTAWA, March 3.

The Hon. Sir J. P. Whitney, Premier of Ontario, has promised to earnestly consider an influential deputation's request to take action in the Assembly to induce Sir Wilfrid Laurier to add to the naval proposals two or three Dreadnoughts to he provided in the first Instance in order to cement the formation of t(he fleet's units. The deputation is similarly approaching all the provincial Legislatures. RIO DE JANEIRO, March 3.

Marshal Serines Fomseca has been 'elected President of Brazil-by a majority Of 50,000.

PRETORIA, March" 1

The repatriation of the Chinese from the Rand is completed. The last batch left Johannesburg yesterday; HONGKONG, March 2. All -the Hongkong opium divans are flow closed.