GENERAL NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume III, Issue 637, 26 January 1872, Page 2

GENERAL NEWS.

London, December 1

Captain Thrupp and the officers of the Megsera were acquitted by the Court-martial, and complimented on their bravery in perilous circumstances. A commission is appointed, and a seai'ching inquiry will take place into the antecedents of the Megsera and her condition when dispatched, the cause the leak, and the responsibility for neglect in not discovering the corroded state of her bottom.

Australian tinned meat is rapidly advancing in public favor. There is a large demand for mutton, from the north especially, which has quite exhausted stocks, the principal import finding its way into prisons, workhouses and other public institutions, whose meat bills are thereby reduced onehalf. The cattle and meat markets are sensibly affected thereby. The Press is stimulating increased consumption. The ship Fnderley, wrecked on Dunnese Eocks, parted amidships on November 21, and went to pieces.

Caffyn has undertaken to arrange a single wicket match in England between the three G-regorys and the three Graces.

Captain Boaden, of the Star of Peace, has been committed for trial for assaulting and imprisoning a seaman named Evans.

In the Tichborne case considerable impression has been produced by the evidence of th^ Liardets (%fcher and son), Lockhart, Steer, Bingely, and Longland, who proved the Osprey's visit to Melbourne in 1854', and the landing from her of shipwrecked sailors.

The news of the assassination of Bishop Patteson and Mr A-tkin was received with profound regret. Barry Sullivan's success at Liverpool is unprecedented. John Manly, an Australian infant comedian, is engaged at Drury Lane for the Christmas pantomime. The Prince of Wales's thirtieth birthday was celebrated by a brilliant gathering of country families in Norfolk. On the 22nd November he was to have been the guest of Maharajah Dulep Singh, near Thetford, but illness prevented him ; the fever is traced to cold, and not foul water; the symptoms appeared on the 13th ult. The Princess Christian's health is much improved. Mr Disraeli authoratively denies the words attributed tj him respecting the Queen's physical and moral incapacity for work. Dr Macleod, of Glasgow, denounced the criticisms of the Queen as cowardly and cruel. The Q leen has granted a pension of £300 to Dr. Livingstone's children. Copies of the Queen's book has been presented to the Chicago library.

Messrs. Bright and Childers have been welcomed back to public life. Speculation is rife as to the extent of Mr. B right's support of the Grovernment.

The Mansion House Relief Fund for the sufferers by the Chicago fire amounts to £50,000; and for the starving Persians to £8000, and West Indies, £5000.

The Oxford Boat Club have forwarded a challenge to Cambridge. Alfred Wiggan has retired from the stage.

Mr. James Ashbury, owner of the Livonia, returned from America, and has ordered another racing yacht. He intends to visit India nest year. The great four-oared race was rowed on the Tyne on November 22nd ; the stakes £100. Chambers, Kelly, Bright, and Price were defeated by "WmsLip, Taylor, Sadler, and Bagnell, by three lengths.

Sir Charles Dilke's views have been repudiated by his Chelsea constituents. His Newcastle attacks on monarchy, and his coarse abuse of the Royal household, have aroused a storm "of indignation. He says that a monarchy costs £1,000,000 aunually, and that it is worth £2,000,000 to abolish it.

Ten of Sir J. Hawley's blood stock sold at Tattersall's for 7270 guineas. The licensing question is becoming one of primeiinportance politically, and its agitation is increasing daily. Kelly was acquitted on the'plea that head constable Talbot died from unskilful medical treatment, and not from an assassin's bullet. The acquittal was celebrated by popular rejoicings in Cork, Limerick, and Waterford. The miscarriage of justice has induced the Times to advocate the abolition of juries in Ireland. Mr. Pigott, pro>

prietor of the Irishman, ha-s been sentenced to four months' imprisonment in Richmond Penitentiary, for contempt of court, in publishing scandalous and malicious liabels, Mr. I Butt, M.P., is endeavouring to proj pagatehome rule doctrines in Glasgow. An Irish Home Rule Association is formed in London. Earl Russell has given his adhesion to the Birmingham League, wMch is pledged to unsectarian education*. Scott Russell in a long letter explains the origin and history of the new.^Sl movement of working-men. Action is suspended in the meantime. Nino hours is rapidly becoming the working day in England —railways, engineers, shipbuilders, and builders are daily concediu 0" to demands for its establishment. "The Newcastle police are stib on strike, and ruffianism abounds. Agitation exists among dock labourers, owing to the reduction of wages.. Mr. Hughes, M.P., advises them to organise and. 0 strike. The movements of the International Society excites almost universal disquietude. Amongst the month's accidents are the colliery explosion near Wigan, and seven deaths; a gas explosion at Leeds, scattering destruction and death; the fall of a large building at Glasgow, from which the inmates narrowly escaped ; a railway collision at "Wigan station, from the Scotch express tram running into a stationary train. No lives were lost, though twenty were injured. The Queen's train was not far behind.