'Frisco Mail Items.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 134, 5 December 1896, Page 2

'Frisco Mail Items.

(Per Press Association). Auckland, November 4. Sim Reeves, who has been having a lone concert tour in South America, ! arrived in London on November 7th. He will shortly sail for and begin a joint tour iv Australia with his young wife. Mr Reeves, it may be remembered, was born in 1822. Ab excited and extremely nproarous meetiug of directors and shareholders of tbe British South African Company was held in London ou November 6th. The Duke of Abercorn was in the chair. The Duke stated tbe outbreak of tbe natives had cost the Company over £500,000, Rinderpest had worked great havoc in the Company's territory. The shareholders rejected a scheme formulated by tbe directors for underwriting new shares of £1 ,000,000, but finally decided that shares be issued without underwriting. There was some uproar on this, and several shareholders shouted " are the new shares intended to pay Kruger's indemnity?" Washington despatches of November llth say Norway has been chosen by tbc treaty between Great Britain ancl the United States as the fifth official arbitrators of the Venezuelan boundary question. Tbe otber arbitrators, four in number, are to be designated ; two by the Lord Chief Justice of England and two by the Chief Justico of the United States. Tbis is tbe final and most important feature of tbe treaty for the complete adjustment of the Venezuelan controversy. The treaty was concluded at Washington on the 10th of November at the British Embassy. By tbe steamship Victoria from the Orient it is learned that the river Peibo, in North China, had again overflowed its banks and transformed tbe surrounding plains above Tiensing into an extensive lake. Tiensing city was in great danger and the trading interests in Northern China bave suffered inestimable loss. The current runs like a mill race and has carried away an embankment below tbe British settlements, drining thousands of farmers from their homes. The railroad is unable to cope witb tbe trado of tho port in its normal condition, aud at present the exports and imports of tho five proviuces are being carried up and down the river, 45 miles, in small vessels drawing three and four feet. Tbe Chinese Government is doing absolutely potbing in the province of the disaster, but seems content to rest quietly. It is now certain that tbe Admiralty , has completed plans for fully manning , the navy and tp strengthen the naval ( reserves, and the Minister for tbe Nayy i intends to compel tbe Treasury to sane- ( tion the necessary expenditure, There \ is also reason to believe tbat the Minis- , ter of War is engaged upon some scheme { designed tp increase strength aud effi. j eiency of tbe British Army which, be. yo»d doubt, sadly wants tbe attention of oapable reformers. ' j Rumours are current attributing to tbe Government an intention to propose to make service in tbe military compnl- t sory. Most Englishmen denounce tbe scheme as uu-English and impossible. t