CABLEGRAMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2934, 8 June 1910, Page 25

CABLEGRAMS.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN. : . % LONDON, May 31. TheTe was a packed audience in the Covent Garden Theatre, some. waiting in a queue from 11 o'clock in the morning, to welcome Madame Melba, who re-_ appeared as La Boheme. „ Madame Melba-was accorded a rapturous, reception. Flowers . overflowed from her dressing room into the corridor, and one bouquet of lilies was Bft high.' The Kaiser is progressing satisfactorily. The Imperial Government is considering the question of the. construction of 120 miles of railway to open up the great tin fields in the Bauchi province of Northern Nigeria, wherein £3,000,000 . of British capital is invested. June 1. The steamer Rhodesian, with a cargo of German coal for Algiers, returned to Rotterdam, after an explosion at sea killing two and injuring several seamen. A quarry explosion at the Portland Cement Works, Devilslide (in the State of UtahL killed 20 men, mostly Greeks and Japanese, and injured a large number. A court-martial, held .behind closed doors, in St. Petersburg has concluded. Sixty-eight persons were charged with 33 armed robberies and other crimes in the city during the revolutionary period. Twenty-nine death sentences were passed. -•■ The situation at Fez is critical, owing to the. Sultans (Mulai Hafid) reverses " i the' Tazza district. June 2. The Argentine centenary celebrations, with the Infanta Isabella as the principal figure, are drawing,to completion. The newspapers comment on New Zealand's generous donation to the Whitehaven colliery disaster fund. The party, of Scottish agriculturists who are about to visit Australia include Sir - Carlew Martin (editor cf the. Dundee Advertiser), Sir John Sinclair, Dr Shirra Gibb, Messrs R. B. Greig, Barber, Pram, Dunlop, Morrison, and Henderson. King George gave an audience to Commander Peary lasting half an hour. The first annual report of the Dominions Department of the Colonial Office has been '. issued. It gives a survey of the year's doings in the Dominions. As a result of the submission of the frontier dispute to arbitration, Peru announces the withdrawal of her troops from the Ecuador frontier. i The Labour party declares that it is more than satisfied with the trade unionists' response to its appeal for a-quarter of a million sixpences to continue the party's political work, including the payment of Labour members of the House of Commons. June 4. A British Association of Wool-buyers Las been constituted at Bradford. Its' chief object is to conserve the interests' of the industry and provide expert arbi- ! trators to settle disputes between producers and. consumers. ..' Corot's picture " The Birdnesters " was , sold at auction at Christie's for 13,000 guineas. The Hon. Mr Hall-Jones will preside at the New Zealand dinner to be given at the Trocadero on the 25th inst. June 5. Lord Selborne had a great civic welcome on his arrival at Southampton. He paid a glowing tribute to King Edwa,rd's powerful influence throughout South Africa, which, he said, was the nain factor in bringing, about the Union. Speaking at Huddersfield, Lord Robert Cecil said that before 1906 the infantile mortality rate was 154 per 1000. Since then, by means of their special' prevention scheme, it had been reduced to 102. Huddersfield had set an example which Sxad been widely followed, and had resuited in the saving of 15,000 lives. W. A. M'Kie, a trainer at East Hsley, has been sentenced to two' months' imprisonment for maliciously shooting a two-year-old colt by Sainfoin after a 'dispute with his partner. * Two hundred Russian and 150 Manitoban teachers will shortly visit Great ~ Britain to study British methods of teaching.

June 6. The Daily Telegraph’s Suez correspondent states that the Porte is abandoning the struggle and concedes all its practical authority to the Sheikh Irdris, the insurgent Assir chief. The guardianship of the holy places is thus endangered. PARIS, June s’. Two hundred French ‘deputies met and formed a parliamentary group for the advocacy of proportional representation. Hundreds of others have signified their approval of-the, proposal. Advices received from Upper Senegal state that 500 Arabs' attacked the Meharist detachment of Tirailleurs at the Daffa pasturage, near .N’gami. After desperate fighting the assailants were repulsed, losing 100 killed and 37 wounded. The French lost nine killed and 19 wounded. BERLIN, May 31. * The King of the Belgians has arrived at Potsdam on a visit to -the Kaiser. , June 2. The King and Queen of the Belgians’ visit has concluded. The Kaiser was unable to be present at the Stale banquet or any other of the functions, and the Crown Prince was deputed to take his place. The Crown Prince was the recipient of several extraordinary popular demonstrations. ... June 3. The Prussian Government proposes to increase the Kaiser’s Civil List, of £785,965 by £200,000 owing to the cost of living involving higher salaries for the Court officials, for the upkeep of' the Royal theatres, and establishments for the Royal Princes. The non-Socialist parties assented to the proposals. MADRID, June 1. A decree has been gazetted for the more stringent registration and control of religious orders. June 3. The King of Spain has appointed Senor Esperanza as president of the joint court under the New Hebrides Convention. Mr Roseby, of Sydney, a barrister, will act as- the British member of the court. The French representatives have not yet been appointed. ROME, June 2. Eight hundred people have been poisoned in the Ravenna district through eating ice cream made with rotten eggs. Nine of them are dead, and 70 are very seriously ill. June 6. King Victor Emanuel has conferred the gold medal on several governments, including Australia, and also on warships, besides leading personages, for distinguished assistance on the occasion of the Calabrian and Sicilian earthquake* Silver ' and bronze medals have been awarded to others. ST. PETERSBURG, June 3. One hundred members (mostly Socialists) of the French Chamber of Deputies and 50 Senators have memorialised the Duma in favour of Finland’s autonomy, and 128 Italian deputies did the same. A fierce debate on the Government proposals has begun in the Duma. June 5. It is announced that the Czarina is again indisposed. Five St. Petersburg men and three I girls were boating in the Gulf of Fin- ! land. The girls implored the rowers to 1 pull away from a steamer’s course, but the men, foolhardily laughed at their fears, passed within a few yards of the steamer, and were swamped by the wash. Three of the men and the three girls 1 were drowned. ADEN, June 5. Reports have been received from Somaliland to the effect that the friendly natives Lave cut up 500 of the Mullah’s men. NEW YORK, June 1. The Goverment has obtained an injuncrestraining 25 railways connected with the Western. Traffic Association from increasing their freights, on the ground that the advance is without competition, and therefore violates the Sherman Anti-trust Law. June 3. The New York Bank Note Company is faking action against 1100 members of the New York Stock Exchange, claiming

5,000,000d0l on the ground that the rules of the exchange- require that the certificates of all companies shall be printed by the American Bank Note Company, which is calculated to ruin the plaintiffs, who are business rivals. June 6. President Taft, speaking at Jackson (Michigan), said that Socialism was the great problem confronting America. The issue would soon come, and it must be skilfully met. OTTAWA, June 4. The Government has made representations to the Imperial : Government in favour of • a joint tribunal, for the regulation of ocean freight charges. If is understood that the United States approves of the proposal. June 6. Earl Grey has suddenly started for England. This action is being commented on in Toronto, and the hope is expressed that his Vice-Royalty will be extended for a year. General French was much struck with the'Royal Military Collage at Kingston, Ontario. He favours compelling the graduates to undergo training and to pass in some new test every two or three years. He foresees the establishment of similar institutions in the We6t, probably., at Winnipeg, and recommends more definite and national peace organisations applicable to the Militia. BUENOS .AIRES, June 1. Owing fo an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease among cattle, the exports from Corrientes, Eintrerios, Chaco, Formosa, and Northern Santa Fe are prohibited. June 4. The world's second longest cable, from here to Ascension, has been opened for traffic. CALCUTTA, June 3. At Bombay a sudden storm engulfed 13 native cargo boats in the harbour. Five persons were drownedTOKIO, June 6. Eight Japanese, including a woman, have been arrested here on a charge of manufacturing bombs. I