EUROPEAN ITEMS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1399, 8 December 1884, Page 2

EUROPEAN ITEMS.

London, November 25. Mr Gladstone, in the House of Commons yesterday afternoon, answered a question put by Mr O’Connor with regard to the Federal Council Enabling Bill. He said that it would be impossible to pass the Bill during the autumn session. November 27. A banquet was given' last night to Sir J. A. Macdonald, Premier of Canada, who attended the recent Conference re the proposed federation of the British empire. In the course of his remarks .Sir J. A. Macdonald said that he objected to federation in pact, although he was in favor of the federation of the empire. Earl Derby said that before any definite step could be takeq it would be necessary to obtain the views of the whole of the colonies on the question of the federation of the empire. It is rumored that Sir William Drummond JervoU is shortly to replace Lord Augustus Loftus, Governor of New South Wales.

December 2,

The proposal of the German Colonial Society that the Government shall subsidise a service of mail steamers between Germany and the capitals of the Austra-

lian colonics has been referred to the Committee of the Reichstag for inquiry and report. Bismarck objects to the proposal on the ground that the scheme is one of a purely commercial character.

The Austrian authorities have intimated that if Branca carries out her proposal to increase the duty on imported cereals, Austria will retaliate. Replying to Earl Carnarvon in the House of Lords last night, Earl Derby deni sd that the Government was hesita-

ting or dallying with the Australian Federal Council Enabling Bill. The Government, he said, were pledged to introduce and pass the Bill, and he hoped that the Governments of New South Wales and New Zealand would modify the attitude they had assumed in the matter.