EUROPEAN ITEMS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1252, 13 May 1884, Page 3

EUROPEAN ITEMS

London, May 1. -7 ' The Government have received replies to their note inviting the Great Powers to held a Conference re Egyptian financir.l end other affairs. The whole of the . Powers have agreed to the proposal with the exception of France. Both Turkey and England have pledged themselves not .'' toi annex Egypt, but to confine their operations to an expedition for the relief of . 'Khartott nin the autnmn. Owing to the great depression in the shipping trade, an agreement is bsing made by large shipowners to lay up a ' fourth of their tonnage four months. The agreement came into operation on the . 80th ult. ’ London, May 2. The County Franchise Bill introduced the Government for the extension of county franchise and for assimilating the - voting qualifications of England, Scotland, and Wales, passed through the Committee of the House of Commons without opposition last night. The South Australian new gunboat Protector was tested for speed on the Tyne yesterday, the trial proving successful. Reports have been received of the ap'v' pearsnee of the fly in the Kentish hop gardens. Sir Henry Loch, the newly-appointed Governor of Victoria, intends to proceed - te Australia by the New Zealand route. He will leave London on the 2(th inst the steamer Cotopaxi. He was enter-1 tuned at a banquet last n’ght given by 1 the Agent-General for Victoria. The banquet was a great success. Sir Heury : ■ Loch’s health was proposed by Mr Murlay Smith. Amongst the guests were Hon, B. 0. Childers, the Duke of Manchester, Sir H. Barklay, formerly Gover* nor of Victoria, Dr Perry, Mr Patterson, end the,Agents-General of the several Australian colonies. 1 London, May 4. The annual . Royal Academy banquet majuld last night. Sir Ashley C : inferred in the ceurse of his remarks to the Australian navy. He spoke in high terms pf the torpedo and gun boats re- . peotly constructed in England to the order pf the Victorian Government, and eulogised the patriotic spirit which had prompted the Colonial Government to offer those Vessels to thp Imperial Govern: " mentfor use in the Bed Sea. He hoped . the other Australian colonies would follo w the example of Victoria and assist in forming one united fleet under the British fleet. A deputation has waited upon the - Attorney-General to request that Government ,would adopt the Torrens Act for - facilitating the transfer of property, ori- „ ginally passed in Sooth Australia, and Sir ’' ' Henry James promised to give the applies-'-‘.’T tion his consideration. London, May 6. Mr Simon Fraser, late of the Victorian ;V- , rLegialative Assembly, and Sir Samuel Wilson, are making arrangements for eniartaining Sir Henry Loch at a banquet 'rj ' prior to hie departure for Victoria on the ,; 24th inst Heaton, of Sydney, has decided to contest Canterbury at the next 0 . election of members for that place for the House of Commons.