London.

Manawatu Herald, 1 March 1894, Page 2

London.

Speaking in the House of Lords concerning the Parish Councils Bill, the Duke of Devonshire admitted that that House would improve its strength by insisting on the detailed amendments, and that it should provide due safeguards for great principles, but, he urged, it was inexpedient and imprudent to risk the loss of the Bill. Lord Salisbury thought they should leave the defects to be remedied at a future date. The Daily Vhronicle says that the Queen and Prince of Wales show much nervousness and anxiety about the present state of friction, and urged the Lords to prevent a conflict between the Houge of Commons and the people. The Government has accepted the amendments made by the House of Lords in the Parieh Counoils Bill dealing with compulsory purchase and hiring of land and the appointment of trustees of parochial charities. The Bill is now regarded as safe. The War Office recoups the loss entailed through the adoption of the eight hours system in dockyards by reducing sickpay and overtime, and abolishing payment on bank holidays. Numbers of Anarchists, fearing arrest, are leaving London tor the Continent. Bellamy's granaries at Rothenthe have been destroyed by fire. Later particulars concerning the disaster at Bathurst, in Western Africa, show that Captain Gamble's force consisted of 225 blue-jackets. The detachment wag caught in ambush, and after a vain attempt to to withstand the withering fire of the enemy retreated to their boats. The Arabs captured the fieldpieces and six thousand cartridges, and also carried off the bodies of the alain, with the exception of those of Lieutenants Arnold and Mei9ter. The total number of wounded on the British side was fifty two. On receipt of the news of the defeat at Bathurst, the gunboat Alecto proceeded to Ganjor, and landed a party ot bluejackets, who were unable to make any headway, and had to beat a retreat before the heavy fire of the enemy. Lieutenant Boyle, of H.M.B. Baleigh, is also among those dangerously wounded. Admiral Bedford is forming a larger expedition to drive Fodislah into Frenoh territory, where the natives are on the look out to capture him. Naws from the Weafc Coast of Africa states that 100 marines and men of the West India Regiment, who were ordered to co-operate with Captain Gamble at Ganjor, have returned aal'ely, having destroyed a number of Native villages. Admiral Bedford's expedition against the Arab chief will be reinforced by a party of 50 marines from the Cape. Twenty men have been sent from Plymouth have been sent to replace the wounded men belonging to H.S.M. Raleigh. A strong draft of marines is to be sent from -Chatham to reinforoe the troops at Bathurst. A detachment of the West India Regiment, 800 strong, will be sent to reinforce the Bedtord expedition. £TKe jury Impanelled at the inquest ton the Anarchist Bourdin, who was killed in the explosion at Greenwich Observatory, returned a verdict of fdo de se. One of the witnesses, Majindie, testified that it was clearly the intention of the deceased to throw tha bomb into the Observatory, but the explosion was premature. The Government programme for next session includes registration of evicted tenants, and disestablishment of the Welsh Church. Mr Gladstone declines to bring forward proposals for granting Home Rule to Scotland. Parliament prorogues on March lath,

The London County Council has submitted to the Royal Commission appointed to consider the question a scheme for forming London into one corporation. The draft proposal provides # tor the amalgamation of London into . one municipal corporation, consistiwS^ of 118 councillors aud 19 aldermem^ under the Lord Mayor. All property of the City of London and the County Councils is to pass to the new body subject to trusts.