EUROPEAN

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 106, 13 June 1885, Page 3

EUROPEAN-

London, May 27. — A conference took place to day at the Admiralty, at which the Agents-General were present. It is announced that the Admiralty intend gradually to supply the Australian colonies with torpedoes. London, June 3. — The various despatches which have passed between the New Zealand and Home Governments on|the subject of the recent Maori embassy have been published. Among them is a memorandum from the New Zealand Ministry, dated March 2S, which declares that there is nothing in the memorial presented by tho embassy which had not been satisfactorily answeied by the colonial Government. It is now authoiit* u ively notified that the town of Penjdeh has been ceded to Russia. The military authorities are irritated at the cession of the town. London, June 3 — 3 percent, consols are £ lower, viz., OSJ. The market rate of discount has risen £, and is now § per cent., or 1J below tho bank rate. Breadstuifs are unchanged. Adelaide wheat, 35s; Now Zealand, 2Ss to 3-4s. Tallow— beef, 29s ; mutton, 31s. London, June 4. — A Cabinet Council has been summoned for to-day, when the Ministry will come to a decision as to the renewal of the Prevention of Crimes Act in Ireland. M. De Freycinet, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, is making inquiries regarding the alleged religious persecutions at the Loyalty Islands, The directors of the New Zealand Grain Agency Company recommend that the company should go into liquidation. The third series of colonial wool sales opened to-day. Messrs Balme and Sons' and Jacomb and Co.'s joint catalogue comprised nearly 10,000 bales, two-fifths of which were from New Zealand. There was a large attendance of buyers, and the bidding was spirited. Cross breds were firm at last rates to a halfpenny advance, and merino? were in buyers' favour Reuter's agency telegraphs :—" Tho third seiies of colonial wool auctions commenced to day, when 97,000 bales were submitted to a good attendance of Homo and foreign buyers. Cross-breds ruled about higher than at the March sales, \\ hile faulty merino wools exhibited rather a weaker tendency. Sales are announced to close or the 16th of July." The weekly bank returns published today show the total reserve of notes and bullion in the Bank of England to be £17,000,000, being in the proportion of 51 per cent, to liabilities. Sir Peter Lumsden expresses a doubt whether peace will be pi*eserved between England and Rus-ia. There are now fifteen thousand Afghan soldiers »t Herat The " Fortnightly Review ' publi>hes an article by Charles Williams, a Soudan correspondent, substantially proving the incompetency of Sir Charles Wilson, and the virtual slaughter of Gordon by his negligence. The matter i? to be brought up in Parliament in a day or two, with the probabilities of a court-martial. Lord Charles Beresford and many blue jackets are willing to be witnesses. The Right Hon. Joseph Chamberlain, M P., President of the Board of Trade, addressed a crowded meeting of his constituents at Birmingham this evening. Referring to Egyptian affairs, Mr Chamberlain stated that obstruction on the part of the French Government to the policy of Great Britain in Egypt had delayed the evacuation of that country by the British forces, and would, perhaps, finally render it a matter of impossibility. London, June 5. — In the House of Commons yesterday, Mr Gladstone announced that he would make a statement "with regard to the Coercion Act in Ireland on the following day (Fiiday). Gladstone, in the House of Commons th't evening, was asked hosv it was that Lumsden was recalled from the Afghan frontier by England, and Gen. Komaroff was re tained there by Russia, and if these facts would not indicate the contession of wrong on England's side in the Afghan dispute ? Gladstone stated there was no relation between the cases of Sir Peter Lumsden and Gen. Komaroff. The latter was not recalled because he was commander of the Russian foices, while Sir Peter Lumsden has been emplo}ed in a purely civil capacity. "Lumsden," the Premier added, " had not been recalled, but had been consulted upon the &ubject, and in conformity with his own views had been requested to return to England, as it had been decided to carry on in London future communications w ith R.ussia about the main points in the Afghan frontier line. Both Sir Peter Lumsden and Col. Stewart had been directed to come to London." In the House of Commons yesterday Mr Gladstone stated, in reply to a question, that the negotiations between England and Russia on the Afghan frontier question are still unfinished. London, June 6. — In the House of Commons yesterday, the memorial presented by the recent Maori embassy was brought up for consideration. During the discussion which took place, the Hon. A. Evelyn Ashley, M.P., Parliamentary Under Secretary for the Colonies, stated in the course of hisspeech that the memorial wouldreceive due consideration, but that the Imperial Government were not entitled to interfere in the internal aftai s of any colony to which the right of self-government had been granted. A meeting of the Cabinet was held yesterday as announced, but the Ministry were unable to come to a decision as to the renewal of the Prevention of Crimes Act in Ireland. In the House of Commons last night, Mr Gladstone stated that England and Russia had come to terms in regard to arbitration on the Afghan frontier question, and both countries w ere agreed a~ to who was to be appointed arbitrator. In the House of Commons last night, the Marquis of Hcirtington, Secretary of State for War, stated in reply to a question, he hoped the detention of the Guards at Alexandra would only be of brief duration. In the House of Commons, the Hon. Mr Childers, Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced that considerable modifications had been made in the Budget since he made his Financial Statement, owing to the fact that only nine millions ol credit had already been expended. Mr Childers stated that the increase on spirits w ould be only one shilling instead of two, as proposed, but that the shilling duty on wines of 30 degrees proof would be adhered to. The death is announced, at the age of 70 years, of Sir Juliup Benedict, the eminent musical composer. News to hand from the island of Crete states that serious disturbances have recently taken place among the populace. Tho following additional honours are announced :— Knights Grand Cross : Lord Carrington (Governor of New South Wales), Major-General Sir A. Clarke (formerly Governor of the Straits Settlements), Sir Anthony Musgrave (Governor of Queensland), and Sir Frederick A. Weld (Governor of Straits Settlement). K.C.M.G.'s : MajorGeneral Scratchlev and Hon. Alexander

Stuart (Premier of New South Wales). C.M.G.'s: Hon. Lieutenant-Colonel F. T. Sargood (Minister of Defence, Victoria), J. F. Garrick (Agent-General for Queensland), Major-Genera? Downes, 11. A. (commander of volunteer military force of South Australia), and Colonel C. F. Roberts (commanding the artillery forces in New South Wales). The wool market is weaker. The wheat market is quiet. The latest quotations are :— Ex warehouse from 35s to 36s. The latest sales for off- coast cargoes for transhipment to Boulogne brought 34s Gd. February shipments realised from 34s 3d to 34s 6d. For shipments to arrive in iron vessels 36s Od is offered ; in wooden ships, 35s 6d. Tho official average oi the New Zealand million and a-half loan is £100 Gs 2d. I Obituary : The Ven. W. Chambers Harris, M.A., Archbishop of Akaroa, Canterbury. Brett's Financial Company is issuing I £25,000 worth of debentures. The Colonial Training Farms Association has been i-egistered. The examination of the late accountant of the Horsham branch of the London Chartered Bank of Australia, Milne Smith, who was arrested on tho charge of being concerned in the robbery of that bank, was [ concluded to-day, when tho prisoner was committed for trial. The crop of beetroot for this season is estimated at 2,170,000 tons. 2s ew Zealand fro/en mutton, prime quality, is realising from 5} d to 5^'d in tho Smithiield market. Loxdox, June 7.— Cholera has broken out in the town of Murcia, in the south-east of Spain. Old Dongola has been evacuated by the British troops. Tho German Lloyds Shipping Company at Bremen havo secured tho mail subsi iies voted for the establishment of a German Colonial line of steamers. Mr Georgo Lloyd, formerly M.P. for Newcastle, New South Wales, will entertain Lord Derby at a banquet. The Mount Kembla, Ne\v South Wales Coal and Oil Company's new steam collier, has been successfully launched. Lonl>ox, June S.— The French warship Renard has been lost at Obock, a French possession in the Gulf of Aden. The cholera has entirely coased at Marseilles. It is currently reported that an agreement on the Russo-Afghan frontier question has been virtually arrived at between Groat Britain and Russia, the latter Power having yielded in her demands for the Zulficar Pass Tho statement published in a Russian journal, to the eflbct that the Ameer of Afghanistan had been murdered by some members of his suite, has not been endorsed from any other sources, and the news is disbelieved by the authorities here. Loxdox, .June 8.— Sir F. D. Bell, AgentGeneral for New Zealand, luis explained to Lord Derby the compromise suggested by Mr GriiHth's, Premier of Queensland, in the Federation Enabling Bill. The difficulty which had arisen in connection with the establishment of an AngloSpanish treaty on the question of greater concessions being granted in admitting Spanish wines to England, will probably be amicably settled as soon as the parleying, which had ceased, has been recommenced.

LONDON, June 9. The debase on the financial proposal* of the Government was brought to a close at an earl}' hour this morning, Mhen a di\i->ion vat taken, with the result that the budget was 1 jjected by a majority of tMelve, notm ithslanding that Mr Gladstone announced that the (Government Mould make its acceptance a Cabinet question. An amendment proposed by Sir Michael Hick— Beach condemning the proposed increase in the duty on beer and spirit*- was then earned. In consequence of the ad\er««c vote the resignation of Minister^ is expected. A%pecial de-p.itch to the L'ress Association -ay- : — ''In the Hou-e of Commons Sir Michael Hicks-Beach's motion condemning the budget piopos-als of the Government came on for discussion. Mr Gladstone said the budget question would mean the life or death of the Government. Mr Childers Cl ancellorof the E\-chequer-charged the Toiies Mith opposing conccs to the colonies. Some excitement Mas caused dining the debate by the Parnellites jumping up on the scats and endeavouring to speak. On the division being taken, the motion A;a« cairied by 26 1 to '252. The defeat of the Government va« quite unexpected. A number of Liberals abstained fiom voting on Sir M. Hicks-Beach's motion. The Daily News states that the Government will resign. The Standard and Times both deprecate the result of the motion. Mr Gladstone stated in the House- of Commons yesterday that it would be premature to assert that the war difficulty with Russia had passed. In consequence of the Sultan of Zanzibar's action in opposing the protectorate recently established by Germany over the territory to the northward of Zanzibar, it is expected that that town will be bombarded by the German war vessels at present in the neighbourhood. London, 9th June. — The French Chamber of Deputies have adopted the Scrutin de Listo. The Redistribution^ Seats Bill has been passed by the House of Lords. The claims put forward by Germany to the town of St Lucia, a place on the sea coast of northern Zululand, which was recently annexed by Great Britain, have been withdrawn. Lonoox, June 9.— In the House of Commons yesterday Lord Edmund Fitzmaurico, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, stated that Government hoped for a renewal of negotiations with Spain for a commercial treaty between the two countries. The new dredge built for the Melbourne Harbour Board has had a highly satisfactory trial. Boaii'.ay, June 2. — Telegrams announce that a severe earthquake has visited the district of Cashmero, causing heavy loss of life. Catro, June 2. — The second battalion of the Ea°t Surrey regiment, en route, to England from the Soudan, have been disembarked at Alexandria.

Cairo, June 4. IS ews is to hand that a party of rebel Arabs have occupied Korti, which placo was formerly Lord Wolaeley's head-quarters on the Nile. Bejiun, June 4. — It is announced that a treaty has been concluded between Germany and tho rebel chief Lamo, and that the Sultan of Zanzibar shall discontinue hostilities towaEds that chief. The " Nord Deutsche Zeitung," a semi official organ of the Government, referring to the question, disclaims all designs on the part of Germany to acquire territory in Zanzibar, but expresses the hope that England will induce the Sultan to desist from provoking Germany. Aden, June 5 — A violent cyclone passed over this placo today, causing great destruction in the town and among the shinning at tho port.

Rio Janeiho, June 3.— The New Zealand Shipping Company's K.M.S. Kaikoura arrived here this morning Homeward. Her meat cargo is in good condition. St. Petersburg, June 6. The "Novoe Vremya" newspaper publishes a telegram today stating that Abdurrahman Khan, Ameer of Afghanistan, has been murdered by his suite. Constant! noplk, June 9.— Intelligence from Crete states that all the Christian officials on the island have resigned their positions owing to the appointment of Savas Pasha as Governoi.