CITY EDITION. BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6065, 31 December 1897, Page 3

CITY EDITION. BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

♦ United Press ABEOciation— By Electric Telegraph— i "opyright. Eeceived Pec. 31, 8.50 a.m. THE BENEFIT OF HUMANITY. LONDON, Dec. 30. The late Mr Aiired Nable left £434,000 to provide for the awarding of five annual prizes to students and inventors who shall be adjudged to have done most for the benefit of humanity. ELECTORAL. The vacancy for York city, caused by the death of Sir F. Loekwood, Q.C., will be contested by Lord Charles Beresford and Sir Christopher Furness. Received Dec. 31, 8.58 a.m. GEEAT BRITAIN AND VENEZUELA. LONDON, Dec. 30. .The arbitration proceedings between Great Britain and Venezuela, with reference to the frontier difficulty, will begin in February. AUSTRIAN FINANCE. VIENNA, Dec. 30. A decree has been gazetted authorising the Government to levy taxes during the time that the Beichsrath stands prorogued. COMMITTED FOB TEIAL. \ i LONDON";. Dec. 30. Archer has been committed for trial for the wilful murder of Mr Terriss. FIRE AND EAETHQUAKE. PORT ATJ PRINCE, Dec. 30. A disastrous conflagration has occurred here, 800 houseß being destroyed and 3000 persons rendered homeless. The fire was followed by a shock of earthquake. Eeceived Dec. 31, 9.15 rum. THE NIGER COUNTRY. LONDON; Dec: SO. Reports from "West Africa state that the French have occupied Ouyenne, east of Bissanduga, an important town on one of the southern tributaries of the Niger. THE EUSSO-TUKKISH "WAE INDEMNITY. CONSTANTINOPLE, Dec 30. The Porte has promised shortly to pay Russia a half million pounds, arrears of the Busso-T'urkish war indemnity. THE PLAGUE. BOMBAY, Dec. 30. The plague is on the increase, and a fresh exodus of the inhabitants has taken place. Out of a total of 14,257 cases, the deaths numbered 11,882. Beceived Dec. 31, 9.25 a.m. CUBAN AUTONOMY. HAVANNAH, [Dec. 30. A decree establishing autonomous government in Cuba has been issue.d, „, Eeceived Dec. 31, 10.15 a.m. AFFAIRS IN CRETE.CONSTANTINOPLE, Dec. 30. The foreisn ambassadors have informed the Porte that the proposal to send 5000 troops to Crete to Telieve the Turkish garrison is inopportune, and would produce complications. The ambassadors have refused the Porte's request to eevd relief troops to Crete. _,^, Received Dec. 3L, 10.15 a.m. PROHIBITION OF SEALING. WASHINGTON, Dec. 30. As an outcome of the recent convention, signed by the representatives of America, Eussia and Japan, for the suspension of pelagic sealing in Behring Sea, President M'Kinley has signed a Bill prohibiting American sealers from engaging in pelagic fishing, and prohibiting the importation of the skins of pelagic seals. Becsived. Dee. 31, 11.25 a.m. THE LONDON FIRE. LONDON, Dec. 30. The inquiry into the recent great London fire has been concluded, and an open verdict returned. A GEEAT GALE. A great gale is raging in the English Channel, and all steamer services are suspended. THE PANAMA CANA.L FRAUDS. PARIS, Dec 30. The Panama Canal frauds trial has been concluded. All the defendants were acquitted.