BEYOND THE DOMINION.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 113, 7 December 1908, Page 5

BEYOND THE DOMINION.

The Victorian Government statist estimates the wheat yield at 24,164,000 bushels, an average of 12.84. This gives an exportable surplus of 16,000,000 bushels, valued at £3,000,000.

The Rev. W. Bayard Hale, writer of the interview with the Kaiser, which was excised from the current number of the Century Magazine, reiterates that the account of the interview which the New York World and New York American published is a silly concoction.

During the last few months many parents have been fined at Prahran, Melbourne for failing to send their children to school. Some fathers, unable to pay the fines, have made arrangements with the police, by which they are to spend their week-ends in gaol, thereby obviating loss of employment.

At the trial of Dinizulu, the paramount Zulu chief, who is accused by the Natal Government of fomenting the native rising in 1906, Mahihi, one of Dinizulu's wives, testified that she heard Dinizulu order Maukulumana to summon regiments for a war, and also plot with his followers to murder Sir Charles Saunders, Chief Magistrate and Civil Commissioner in Zululand, and late magistrate at Steinnbok. Following upon the rejection by the House of Lords of the Licensing Bill, Dr. Clifford, president of the Baptist World Mission, has come forward with an extension of the "passive resistance" scheme. Dr Clifford projects a league of taxpayers who will refuse to pay the income tax until Mr Asquith introduces a measure to deal with the House of Lords for its action in what Dr Clifford describes as thwarting the will of the people. The Chinese Foreign Council has approved of the agreement between America and Japan for the preservation of the status quo in the Pacific. The revolt in Hayti has culminated in the deposing of the president, Alexis Nord, in favour of General Simon, leader of the insurgent forces. The deposed- President napowly - escaped with his life. The French Minister protected him and escorted him on board a French cruiser in the harbour. Both American and French Ministers have stationed parties of bluejackets round their respective Legations.

A proposal for the reform of the House of Lords, published by a committee, under the chairmanship of Lord Rosebery, recommends a remodelled House of Lord, to consist of three peers of the blood Royal, nominated by the whole of the peers of the realm, for one Parliament, 130 qualified hereditary peers, 10 spiritual peers, and five lords of appeal. The committee recommends that the life peers should not exceed 40 and that only four be created in one year. Sir Andrew Fraser, LieutenantGovernor of Bengal, against whose life five attempts have been made and have failed, has survived another plot to murder him. He is sailing shortly for Tuticorin, on the south-east corner of Cndia, leaving that post on his Homeward voyage to England. Three Bengalis, aware of this intention, proceeded to Tuticorin by an earlier steamer in order to make another attempt to murder him before he left India. They were arrested, however, and many incriminating documents found in their possession were seized. The controversy over the Education Bill still continues in England, and the Anglican clergy are strongly opposing the measure.

The situation iu the Balkans remains practically unaltered and it is thought the various matters in connection with the position will be adjusted without an outbreak of war. The first election ever held in Tur-

key gave rise to an outburst of enthustap.m. A procession two miles long, including Turks, Armenians, Jews, and Greeks, °\vith their spiritual leaders marched through Constantinople escorting the ballot boxes used at the first election and cheering the Constitution.