NEWS BY CABLE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3291, 11 April 1917, Page 36

NEWS BY CABLE.

THE GOVERNMENT POLICY. In tho House of Commons Mr Bonar Law said, that, recognising the urgency for revising tho constitution and powers of the Second Chamber, tho Government was sympathetically considering the adoption of a similar policy to that taken in the Electoral Bill. It was also considering holding a secret session after Easter. Replying to Mr Lynch and others, Mr Bonar Law said there was no possibility of this or any other British Government attempting to force the dominions to accept any form of federation. A great advance had been made towards closer relations between Britain and tho dominions by the establishment of the Imperial War Cabinet. Mr Bonar Law's references arose from Mr Lynch's question whether, in view of Australia not being represented at the Imperial Conference, the Government would remember that the opinions ot Australia were almost unanimously opposed to Imperial federation, and any movement to attempt to forco tho dominions to accept federation would be dangerous. IMPERIAL UNITY. Sir Joseph Ward, addressing tho Imperial mission section of the Tariff Reform League en the promotion of Imperial unity, suggested Imperial co-ordination to relievo Britain of a portion of the burden of war taxation. He hoped that all the dominions would co-operate after the war with that object. Tho war was an Empire war, and the dominions were concerned equally with Britain. All war loans should be pooled when the price of money falls, in order to obtain the lowest interest. Tho Chancellor of the Exchequer should not hesitate to approach the dominions in this connection. He added that in tho future reconstruction of the Empire India's position must be recognised. Some system must be devised to ensure India more adequate participation in Imperial affairs. The Empire's future required the recognition of India as part and parcel of the Empire. She should enter the Empire's councils. CROP ESTIMATES. Official estimates of the United States winter wheat crop are 50,000,000 bushels below tho yield o'f last year. An Argentine official report states: —It is expected that 100,000 tons of corn will be available for export after the needs of the country have been satisfied. AEMY FOOTBALL. An immense crowd witnessed the football match between a French team and a New Zealand team. The New Zealanders won by 40 points to nil. Tho French team included many fine players; but it was the first-time they played together, whilo the New Zealanders frequently trained at intervals in the fighting. GENERAL ITEMS. Tho death is announced of Lord Allerton, formerly William Laurier Jackson, chairman of the Great Northern Railway Co. Manchester is to confer tho freedom of the city on Mr Massey. General Herbert Lyautey has been appointed Resident General in Morocco. The Empire Cabinet Imperial Conference is suspended over Easter week. Its meetings are likely to last into May. Mi* and Mrs Massey are spending Easter at Eastbourne. Sir J. and Lady Ward aro at Minehead. Sir J. G. Ward will visit Glasgow on May 5 and review 20,000 of the Boys' Brigade. The American steamer Zealandia is aground. It is feared she is a total loss. The South Aberdeen by-election resulted: Fleming (Coalition), 3263 votes; Watson (Independent), 1507; Pcthick Lawrence (Peace), 333. Public meetings and processions have been prohibited at Dublin for a Week, commenciug'oa the Sth inst. The Wheeldon appeals in tho conspiracy cases, in which Mrs Wheeldon, her two daughters, and her son-in-law were sentenced for attempting to poison Mr Lloyd George and Mr A. Henderson, were dismissed. AUSTRALIAN NEWS. A writ has been issued for a referendum in Queensland on tho abolition of the Legislative State Council. Tho polling day is fixed for May 5. "Voting will be compulsory. Mr Sydney Brookfield, M.L.A., New South Wales, " having refused to withdraw' his alleged statements, the Political Labour League has asked him to resign. Work in connection with ihe joining- of the Eastern direct cable between Sydney and lS.ow Zealand commenced off Bondi on Tuesday.

Mr Hughes has announced that the Government is making a further advance of Is a bushel on wheat to farmers. The Underwriter,*' Association lias issued its new war rates. Between Now Zealand and Commonwealth ports north of Cooktown, including Port Moresby, Sanarai, and north of Freniantle: For steamers, 10 to GO per cent, increase; sailing vessels, 20 to GO per cent. Between New Zealand and all other Commonwcalti ports, 5s to 10s. ilr Fred Hughes, managing director of the Colonial Combing, Spinning, and Weaving Company, - Sydney, is claiming £20,000 damages from. the Morning Herald for alleged libel. TLe V.R.C. has reduced the stakes for the Grand National Hurdle Race and the Grand National Steeplechase to £1250 and the Melbourne Cup to £OOOO. The total reductions aro £2560. The new Parliament of New South Wales will meet. on April 17, after which Mr Holman will proceed to England in connection with fina-ncial matters. Six more second ballots are certain, besides the possibility of the still uncounted absent votes rendering one or two others necessary. The Bishop of Coulburn, addressing a recruiting meeting, scathingly indicted politicians. It was impossible, he said, that men could think war service to be their first duty when all around them politicians wore fighting for place and position. A country that had two political contests within a month, when its manhood v.-as abroad fighting to save civilisation, was damning itself. Mr George King, a well-known Melbourne commercial traveller, who was found in a boarding-house at Katoomba with his head terriblv° battered, and in connection with whose injuries Herbert Shaw and his brother Lionci have been arrested, has succumbed. DEATH OF A FAMED MISSIONARY. The death is announced of Dr George Brown, president of the Australian General Methodist Conference. Dr Brown passed away during his sleep. Ho wns suffering from influenza, and was in his eighty-second year. Dr Brown's death ends the career of one of the most famous, intrepid, and successful pioneer missionaries cf the Southern Seas. Ho was a world-wide authority on Polynesian ethnology and habits, and leaves nn unique and invaluable collection of island 'curies and bibliography.

Tlio biographies recall that when, after a few years' ministerial work in New Zealand Dr Brown offered himself for a missionary the objection was raised that he .;s a meek, mild, and lady-like young person, and hardly suitable for the mission field, and remark on the strangeness of the commentary in viow of his long, perilous life in the forefront of the battle against savagery. [The late Dr Brown (Bred John's Annual states)' was born at Barnard Gaatle, Durham, England, in 1535. Do spent -18 ye.rs as i. missionary in the South Seas, and was general secretary., of Foreign Missions of the Methodist Church of Australasia from 1867 to 1908. He was also a vice-president of the British and Foreign Bible Society. His writings include "George Brown: Pioneer Missionary and JMcplorer," and " Melancsiaus and Polynesians: Their Life Histories Described and Compared."] COMMONWEALTH ELECTIONS. Nominations for the Federal elections closed yesterday. Seven Nationalists, including Brigadiersgeneral Abbott and Ryrie (New South Wales), Sir John Forrest (West Australia), and threeLabour Leaguers, have been returned unopposed. The Political Labour League nominations in New South Wales include two ladies. Besides Nationalist and P.L.L. selections for the Senate, the New South Wales Socialists are running a bunch, and in Victoria Miss Vida Goldstein runs as an independent. Th Nationalists are centring their main efforts in the Federal election on their campaign to capture the Senate, as it is necessary to secure the whole of the vacant States in order to obtain a- working Nationalist majority. Unless this is dona the old deadlock will remain, and the passage of what is considered essential legislation is impossible. Both sidea aro organising to the utmost. The fight promises to be desperately hard. The Nationalists claim that their position as regards the House of •Representatives is secure.