BRITISH AND FOREIGN

West Coast Times, Issue 10534, 19 July 1897, Page 2

BRITISH AND FOREIGN

London, July lfi. Balfour has abandoned the attempt to pass the Criminal Law Evidence Bill tbis session. The Workmen's Compensation Bill passed final stages by a majority of thirty. The Queen has conferred the rnosß noble Order of the Garter on the Earl of Derby. The Berlin correspondent of the Standard reports King Menelik, of Abyssinia, has ordered a force of twenty ithousand soldiers to proceed to the Upper Nile to operate with the British expedition against the Dervishes. Lord Loch presides at the Education Congress whish is being held in connection with the Victoria Era Exhibition Sir William Windeyer rea.d a paper upon the higher education of wbm>n In New South Wales. ! ! ' In the course bt his 1 Speech at thslfdu cation Congress, Hon. W.P. Reeves said the absence of technical induction was a

great blot in the New Zealand education system. A State concert was given at Buckirigham Palaca. Amongst thoselpresent were Rt. Hona. Forrest, Kingston^ Nels©n ; Seddon, and .Chief Justice Way. Germany is watching the Colonial Premiers' speeches in England with great attention; The closer political union between England and the colonies i 3 regarded as remote. Herr Andree started on his balloon voyage to the North Pole oh Sunday last, ascending from Davies Island under favorable conditions. The balloon was travelling 22 miles an hour in a north-east direction. The distance from the island to the North Pole is 617 mUes. The Archbishop of Canterbury has approved of the nomination of Canon M. J. Stonewigg, St John's Cathedral, Bris-

bane, as Bishop of New Guinea. The International Conference of Librarians is now sitting. E. A. Petherick, of Melbourne, exhibited and explaiaed his bibliography of Australasia. \g a result of the recent representation of the Colonial Prefaiierp, Mr Chamberlain promised Sir J. Forrest to assent to amending the Westralian Constitution Bill with a view of abolishing the Aboriginals Board. New Yokk, July 16. The New York Times condemns Sherman's message lo Colonel Hay, American Minister in London, with reference to the Behnng Sea fisheries, as being a string of insults to Great Britain. St Petersburg, July 16. Muravieff, Minister of Justice, will, by the Czar's command, proceed to Siberia to inaugurate a new system of law courts.