BRITISH AND FOREIGN

Timaru Herald, Volume XC, Issue 13242, 23 March 1907, Page 5

BRITISH AND FOREIGN

United Press Association—Per Electric Telegi aph—Copvi lght ROBBERY OF A MAIL BAG LONDON, Maich 21 A bag of registeied letters, ruth its. contents-, valued "at £BO,OOO, was stolen between Neji "Voik and Pans A "man with £BOOO in his possession -was arrested, .and confessed that he was connected vitlr the robberv SAN FRANCISCO'S 'GRAFIERS ' The " Times " correspondent reports that members of the Board of Supervisors <it San. Fiancrsi-o, m order, to save themoselves, confessed that each Aud received from the Unrted Railioads £BOCO sieilmg Schmilz, the Mayoi, and Abe Ruef, the " bos«," jointly received £BO,CCO foi the privilege of substituting an overhead trol ley system for cable lines The super visors confessed that other extensive bribehod been accepted The game of the "grafters," the conesjxmdent adds, is now. up. The grand juiy a 4, San Pianuscc le turned 65 indictments clinging Ruef with acting as an mlermedurj m bribing the suixivors in the overhead tiolley deal on behalf of the united ljiho.'ds and other acts of corruption; also ten rndrctmenls against' Halsey, foimeily the Pacific States Telephone and Telegraph Company's general agerit.* for br'ibeiv r . ' NEW ZEALAND MAIL.S

The Po«t Office notifies Unit mails for New Zealand* are at present only de-pat-ched via' Suez. THE NEW HEBRIDES. The Rev. Maurice Fia'-ev, a misMomuy, has mitten to the Colonial Office- admitting that the New "Hebrides Convention i« the first attempt to introduce law and older in connection with lecruiting in that group, dni end, the present barbarous condition of aftaiis THE SHIPPING CONFERENCE. The pieliiuinary consultations of the Board of Trade nith i-lie British ship, owners' and s.eamen'.s representatives have smoothed many difficulties connected with Australian and New Zealand navigation legislation, and are likely to sshortcn the work of the. Shipping Conference. THE "FISCAL SYSTEM. LONDQN, March 22. A special mee'ing of th.e London Chambers of Commerce resolved by a Uarge majority that. the fiscal system was no longer suitable for the, needs of the country. • "IRRIGATION IN EGYPT. CAIRO, March 2J.. With a view to lhe it ligation of an area, one and a half times* gi eater than at present irrigated, i;, is proposed to add 19j feet in height to Hie Assouan dam in Egypt, at a cost of £1,500,000. It is feared that the temples of Philoe will be completely submerged. ; ' v , • CAIRO, March - 22. The Egyptian Government have adopted the proposal to heighten the Assouan dam. The. work will occupy six years,, and is estimated to increase lite aunu.d value of the cotton ciop by four millions.

POLAR EXPLORATION. NEW YORK, March 21. llr Mikkelsen"s Anglo-American Polai expedition, with the schooner Duchess of Bedford, is frozen up '2OO miles off Port Barrow, Alaska. Preparations are being completed to explore the unknown country to the north. There are indications of the existence of one large-island not fai from the mainland. THE THAW TRIAL. The "Times" New York correspondent reports that prominent physicians declare that Thaw is suffering front paranoia (mental instability). It will be stated, but not in evidence, that' he cannot live eighteen months. ' >TW YORK, llarch 22. llr Jerome presented 1o Judge Fitz gerald the affidavits of seven specialistscertifying that Thaw was insane. The case was adjourned till Saturday.-to await llr .Delwas's reply to llr Jerome's case for a lunacv- commission. MARINES AT HONDURAS. The United States gunboat Marietta has landed marines at Honduras for the protection of American interests.