LATEST BRITISH AND FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

Kumara Times, Issue 2873, 18 December 1885, Page 2

LATEST BRITISH AND FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

[REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.] By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. >— —< : GLADSTONE AND THE BRITISH POLITICAL OUTLOOK. ANOTHER CONFERENCE WITH THE AGENTS-GENERAL. SHIP ARRIVALS. (Received December 18, 1.30 a.m.) London, December 17. The Standard, in an article on the political outlook, to-day, affirms that Mr Gladstone is prepai'ed to restore the Irish Parliament, and at the same time preserving union with Great Britain. (Received December 18, 1.30 p.m.) Night. Mr Gladstone announces that the remarks in yesterday's Standard attributing to him his willingness to establish an Irish Parliament are inaccurate. The directors of the Bank of England have raised the bank rate of discount from 3 to 4 per cent. Col. Stanley, Secretary of State for the Colonies, has held another conference with the Agents-General to-day on New Guinea affairs. No definite decision was arrived at, and the meeting adjourned till Monday next. Per Merchant Shipping and Underwaters' Association :—Arrived, Alastor, from Lyttelton August 29; and Samuel, from Auckland, August 16th. ♦ [SPECIAL TO MELBOURNE AGE.] London, December 2. Parnell, leader of the Irish party, has delivered an address, in the course of which, after alluding to the results

of the genera! elections as far as they had Uen proceeded with, he said that he relied upon the Liberal section of the new Parliament to concede the demands of himself and his followers regarding the government of Ireland. December 9. The London. Times to-day, in discussing the resolution of Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, Western Australia, and Fiji, to establish a Federal Council constituted of representatives of those colouies, applands the decision arrived at, and expresses regret at the paucity of members composing the Federal Council, and at the refusal of New South Wales and New Zealand to join it, but declares at the same time that the formal establishment of the Council, even although its range be limited, is a question of primary importance.