News World.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXII, Issue XXI, 27 May 1899, Page 735

News World.

Two thousand workmen have been discharged from the Woolwich Arsenal.

Once again there is a pow-wow in the Transvaal, and an alleged conspiracy, resulting in the arrest of seven Englishmen and a Dane, has been discovered. The men are stated to have been enlisting men for service against the Transvaal Government. They are apparently persons of no influence or importance, and the incident will not, it is hoped, interfere with the compromise which it is thought will result from the meeting of Kruger and Sir A. Milner, High Commissioner for South Africa.

The Australians won the Surrey match very easily by an innings and 70 runs. Howell’s bowling is arousing a furore of admiration. Trumble trundled triumphantly in Surrey’s second innings, getting 5 wickets for

Earl Strafford met his death last week under extraordinary circumstances. He fell off a platform of a station on the Great Northern Railway just as an express train was passing through. It is presumed he had a fit. and so fell. He was decapitated.

As a concession to religious feeling the projected Sunday issue of the ‘Daily Mail’ has been abandoned by Harmsworth Brothers.

The war in the Philippines progresses, and slowly but surely American troops are capturing all the main towns. Sanisdioid, on the island of Luzon, has been taken this week.

The Bank of New South Wales is flourishing, and declares a dividend of 9 per cent. The New Zealand business is reported to be excellent.

The much talked of Peace Conference began its deliberations on Friday. Owing to the Queen’s Birthday holiday we are obliged to go to press early this week. At the time of writing the news is as follows: — M. de Staal, the Russian Ambassador to England, has been elected president of the Conference. The proceedings are secret. The Conference telegraphed to the Czar its desire for the successful result of the deliberations. The programme to be discussed consists of three sections, namely. Disarmament, the Laws of War, and Mediation and Arbitration. The Czar has authorised the Commission to report upon the advisableness of abolishing the transportation of criminals to Siberia, realising that the present system is ruinous to the future of Siberia. The Conference has declared questions affecting privateering and neutrality of merchandise which is not contraband of war to be outside the scope of the Conference, the subjects not having been included in the Czar’s circular. M. de Staal, in adressing the Conference, said the question of mediation and arbitration would be placed in the forefront. The laws of war and the question of reducing the armaments of the nations would come next. The newspaper correspondents are indignant that secrecy is being maintained in regard to the proceedings. Several have left the Hague as a protest.

A large Russian loan will probably soon be placed on the London market.

The prospects in the Transvaal are none too hopeful. President Kruger's reform proposals are considered illusory. They are limited to the reduction of the qualification for the full franchise to nine years. Mr Goschen, First Lord of the Admiralty, speaking at the South African dinner, said Sir A. Milner, the British High Commissioner for South Africa, was not a suitable man to deal with the Transvaal tangle, which must be unravelled.

The Johannesburg conspirators inelude two agents, provocateurs, and several drunken wastrels. The attempt of the Government organs to magnify the affair into a second Jameson raid excites derision. The Commission of Police is supposed to have discovered the plot in order to retain control of the Detective Department.

The outbreak of cholera in India may approach serious proportions, a very large number of deaths are reported from Karachi.

At the time of going to press the condition of the Ameer of Afghanistan was still critical, he is unable to walk or stand. Sirdar Hubidilla Khan, the Ameer’s eldest son. is |>opular, and is likely to maintain the inheritance. His chief rival is Hrak Khan, the Ameer’s brother, who is at present in Russian Turkestan.

Two more notes stolen from Parr’s Bank have been cashed.

Despite the loss of the China the I’. and O. Company have declared a dividend of 7 per cent, on deferred shares.

Postmen in Paris have struck owing to a Bill passed by the Chamber of Deputies for an increase in their pay being rejected by the Senate.

Owing to the liquidation of the Austlalasian Mail Line Co. the steamers Miowera, Warimoo, and Aorangi with their contracts are to b‘ sold.

The foundation stone of the new South Kensington Museum has been laid by the Queen. Her Majesty, who was escorted by the Prince of Wales, the Dukes of York and Cambridge, and a brilliant concourse of peers, was received with great enthusiasm by the public.

The Northern Steamship Company have had a very successful year, and pay a dividend of 7 per cent.

Ail is quiet in Samoa now, according + o reports per H.M.s. Royalist.

The British troops occupied Shanchau, in the Kaulung province, and hoisted the British flag. The troops have now returned to Hongkong. The Russian Minister insists on an exten sion of the Pekin railway concession, and China is expected to yield unless Britain supports her. Lord Salisbury, addressinig the Railway Benevolent Institution, ridiculed the idea that foreigners participating in the Chinese railway concessions would seriously imperil British interests.

Touching the Pacific cable, Sir Wilfred Laurier, the Canadian Premier, states that Canada will only agree to contribute to the Pacific cable if the work is carried out on the principle of co-partnership with Britain and Australasia. The New’ Zealand Government have received a cable from the Imperial authorities confirming the offer of a subsidy not exceeding twenty thousand pounds per annum for 20 years towards the Pacific cable route by Norfolk Island, with a branch there to New Zealand. The estimated cost is £1,517,000.

New South Wales Lancers will assist at the celebration of Her Majesty’s birthday in London.

The Imperial Institute is to be converted into national property. The east wing will be devoted to the Loudon University.

The leader of the Belgian Antarctic expedition, Lieut. De* Gerlache, says that the work of the Belgian Antarctic exploration party’ is finished, and that the scientists are now on their way to Europe.

'rhe usual cruelty charges brougnt against African explorers, are being levelled against Major Marchand. It is alleged he hanged and shot runaway porters, turned women into baggage bearers, and was guilty of other enormities.

The direct trade between Manchester and the colonies is said to be booming. Much interest and activity is being’ shown in Manchester.

A reaction appears to be setting in in the Dreyfus case. Owing to the revelations in the ’Figaro,’ a large section of the Nationalist press in Paris declare they will accept the verdict of the Court de Cassation. But imagine sueh a declaration being necessary! Fancy the ‘Times’ saying it would accept the decision of the Court of Appeal!

The Queen has visited Kensington Palace, which is about to be handed over to the nation, and was delighted with all she saw. The palace will no doubt lie one of the most popular ‘show places’ in London when it is opened to the public.

The Earl of Huntington, who, with his wife, has left for a tour of these colonies, is a young fellow about 30 years of age. He is owner of some 13,<X)0 acres of land, and is an enthu sia.stie hunter, being master of the Ormonde Hunt. He is the fourteenth earl, and an ancestor, John de Hastings, was Seneshal of Aquitaine, a claimant, by the way, to the Scottish throne. His full name is Warn' r Francis John Plantagenet Hastings. He is a Conservative, rich, and mar ried to a charming woman. N"w Zealand is ineluded in the tour.

America will, from this time forward, be a factor in European politics. Her inelusion in the Pe:u:e Conference invitation has. Signor Crisp! has pointed out, created a precedent for Yankee intervention in all European questions.

Admiral Fairfax, who was out here some years ago as Commander-in-Chief of the Australian Squadron, has been appointed Commander-in-Chief at Devonport.

‘Review of Reviews’ Stead has been allowed to lecture in Russia to British residents. He denounced the censorship over all publications brought into the country as idiotic and mischievious, and complained that no peace society was allowed to be organised in Russia.

With regard to the Pacific cable, the Agents-General and Lord Strathcona. High Commissioner for the Dominion of Canada, have interviewed Mr Chamberlain and strongly urged an Imperial partnership. They pointed out that the colonies had no means of surveying the route or laying the cable.

Misfortune never comes singly in the shipping world. Besides the missing Perthshire and the wrecked Tekapo, there have been disasters to the steamer Age, which ran aground at Newcastle; to the Duke of Buckingham. which is ashore in the Brisbane river; and to the Orowaiti, which ran on a sandbank in Strahan Harboti r.