ARRIVAL OF ENGLISH NEWS AT THE BLUFF.

Marlborough Express, Volume IV, Issue 172, 24 April 1869, Page 3

ARRIVAL OF ENGLISH NEWS AT THE BLUFF.

News to March 6th. The Queen’s return to Windsor is postponed in consequence of the illness of Prince Leopold. The Princess of Wales will visit Constantinople and other places. Colonel Henderson, formerly of Western Australia, has been appointed Chief Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police. Two Admiralty officials have been committed for trial on a charge of conspiring to extort money from gentlemen tendering for supplies. Maxwell paid them .£‘2o. The Central Asia Question is exciting serious attention, as the rapid advances of Russia towards the Indian frontier occasion alarm.

Another goldfield has been discovered in Sutherlandshire.

400 wrecks since tho opening of the present year. Great destruction has been caused by floods.

The Maori outbreaks, and their violence, as reqorted by last mail, has drawn from her Majesty’s Ministers an expression of sympathy with New Zealand ; re-asserting, however, the principle of associating obligatory self-defence with the right of self-government. Bills have been introduced into Parliament for preventing crime ; and for the uniform assessment of rateable property in Loi.doa and the country ; and the abolition of religious tests in universities.

Mayors of several municipalities in Ireland have presented petitions at the first levee for release of Fenian prisoners. Continued divisions are taking place in the House of Commons respecting the position of the Commander-in-Chief.

The Times notices with surprise that some Ausiralian Banks have become shippers and importers of wool. An opinion has been expressed in the Manchester Chamber of Commerce adverse to free trade, principally on account of the operations of the French treaty. General Codrington has written a letter strongly opposing the ceding of Gibraltar. The native tribes at Algiers have been at once put down ; some maintain there will be war in spring The Prussian Parliament - has affirmed a law for the confiscation of the private property of the King of Hanover, and the Elector of Hesse Cassel. The Paraguay war is said to be over. Lopez was a fugitive in the interior. This news comes from Brazilian sources. In India fresh taxation has been proposed. Income tax to be levied on incomes over £SO per annum. At Japan, the Foreign Ministers have formally withdrawn their neutrality proclamation, it havino’ been announced that the war has terminated, and punishment been indicted on the rebellious Damios . A persecution of Christians has taken place in Japan. Above 300 men were arrested on the news of the murder of the Japanese Governor being received. President Grant declared he would faithfully fulfil the duties of his office, and call around him men who would earnestly carry out the principles economy and honesty, declining to announce the names of members of his cabinet until the nominations should be sent to the Senate. The money market is active. The demand for discount is increasing. Consols 93 Jf oreign stocks dealt largely in. Austialian steady. New Zealand 5 per cent, consolidated, ; sixes, The first series of Colonial wool sales commenced on 25th February. The attendance was good, but the bidding was not animated. Port Phillip and Adelaide prices ruled in favor of buyers id. to Id. per pound. Sydney and New Zealand offered too limited quantities to give a criterion of value. Spain.- Serrano’s programme is freedom of worship, liberty of the press, public education, right of meeting, and abolition of slavery in the cidonies. The Government is unsettled as to what form the authority should take. There is talk of a directory, and some of a triumvirate. China. Twelve piratical boats have been destroyed by Lieutenant Gray. A Fresh missionary has been murdered. The royal mail steamer Herman has been totally lost, with 400 lives, at Hongkong. . , Obituary. —Joseph Hodgson, the Marquis of Anglesea, Robert Keily, Dr. Epps, Sir J. R. James, Sir John Stone, Lady Murchison, Lord Russell, Lady Pirie, and Sir Hugh Johnstone.

LATEST TELEGRAMS. London, 24th February. Wool sales seriously depressed. Twopence per pound lower since November. The Admiralty tenders have been issued for the supply of 200,000 lbs. of Australian preserved in colonial military expenditure of over half a million has been determined on by the Ministry. - „ . Addresses from both Houses of Parliament have been presented to the Queen. The Princess Christian has given birth to a Prin.cc* • The arrnj 7 estimates show a reduction in the expense of £1,089,000, and a reduction of 11,200 m Navy estimates show a reduction in the expense of £1,000.000. ~. . .. The value of Church property (Irish), is estimated at £16,000,000 ; £8,000,000 would remain lifter satisfying all claims. Newspapers, except the Conservative journals, praise Mr. Gladstone s scheme for the disestablishment of the Irish Ci Mr! Edwards, in the Court of Bankruptcy, has been dismissed on account of the Overend and Gurney affair. . „ . The Government intend establishing flying squadrons, and building a turret ship to be the most powerful in the world. India to pay A 70,000 per annum towards expenses of vessels on Indian seas. Gladstone moved the second reading of the Irish Church Bill. Disraeli proposed rejection of the Bill in a long speech.

Lord Gough died on the 3rd March ; Emerson Tennant on 6th March.

Sir John Lawrence will be raised to the peerage. Gladstone said the greatest promptitude was necessary in the settlement of the Irish Church question. The proceeds wouid be divided. The first two stages would be transitory until IS7L A new ecclesiastical commission is proposed, and the whole of the Church property is to be vested therein. The Bill absolutely to take effect in 1871, when separation of Church and State would be complete, and peerages of bishops lapsed. Naval reductions on foreign stations will be from 80 to 64 ships. The Australian station ships will remain unchanged.