GENERAL CABLES.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 922, 22 June 1903, Page 1

GENERAL CABLES.

RUSSIA 'AND JAPAN

ENTICEMENT TO ABANDON THE ALLIANCE WITH BRITAIN.

JBy Telegraph—Press AssociationCopyright. BERLIN, June 19.

Diplomatists at Berlin state that Count Kuropatkine, the Russian Ambassador, is offering Japan material advantages in the East if it adopts neutrality in regard to Russian development In Manchuria and Corea, abandoning the British alliance,

THE LAND BILL.

GOVERNMENT THREATEN ,TO WITHDRAW IT. LONDON, June 20. The Daily Mail states that owing to the Nationalists’ obstruction, the Government threaten to withdraw, the Land Bill. It is believed that Mr Redmond will cease obstruction on vital points.

ELUTIONS IN GERMANY, BERLIN, June 19

The results of the German elections as far as the first ballots go, show the state of parties to be : Centre party 88, Social Democrats 51 Conservatives 31, Poles 14, other parties smaller. The Social Democrats will probably secure upwards of eighty seats after the second ballot. Their votes amount to three millions, or double that obtained by the Nationalist Liberals in 1874, or that of the Centre party in 1898. MELBOURNE, June 20.

The Trades Hall has resolved ta ; congratulate the German Socialists on the success of the election.

!A CATHOLIC COLONY.

SETTLING AT PORTSMOUTH, LONDON, June 19. Thirty Benedictine Monks and six-ty-live students expelled from Donai College, France, are settling at Portsmouth. Hundreds of Catholic clergy and representative laymen Welcomed them at Charing Cross and presented an address signed by. nineteen English Catholic bishops, nine peers, and twenty-four abbots. The Pope sent his blessing and "good iwishes.

POWERFUL FIELD GUNS.

LONDON, June 19. The Vickers Maxim Company have built two batteries of field guns, said to be the most powerful in the world .They will lire eighteen pound shells at the rate of twenty-eight per minute.

THE CUSTOMS CONVENTION. CAPETOWN, June 19. Natal has adopted the Customs Convention. RICH DIAMOND MINES. CAPETOWN, June 19. The Attorney-General of the Transvaal, on the second reading of the Precious Stones Ordinance, said that the diamond mines discovered in the Transvaal were larger and richer than any in South Africa. A RUSSIAN STORY. ST. PETERSBURG, June 19. Bobrickok, Governor-General of Finland, asserts that Finnish refugees are intriguing .with Russian revolutionists abroad.

FINANCE IN FRANCE. PARIS, June 13. M. Rouvier has fixed the incometax at one-half per cent. It is intended to replace some of the existing taxes, and to provide for deductions up to twenty thousand francs. AUSTRALIAN NEWS. BRISBANE, June 20.

! A sensational gold find has been made at Big Hill. Pratcn, a miner, discovered rubbly, stone at a depth of two feet, and obtained nine ounces from a bucket full. A rush has set in.

ADELAIDE, June 20. Colonel Hutton, speaking on defence matters, stated that it was important, owing to the developments in the East, that Port Dar-> win should be properly defended, it being the nearest port to the Persian .Gull and Port Arthur.

MELBOURNE, June 20

Sir E. Barton has received a letter from Mr Seddon, protesting against the agreement with the Eastern Extension Company, which is inimical to the Pacific cable. He urges the Federal Government not to enter into the agreement, and contends that the contemplated change should not be made without the consent of the contracting parties to the Pacific agreement. The racehorse Malvolio is dead.-