London.

Manawatu Herald, 10 August 1897, Page 2

London.

The Queen, replying to the Jubilee congratulations by British women, expressed her confidence that they would continue zealously faithful in j the exercise of their powerful influence over her people. The entertainment of the colonial Premiers at the Hotel Cecil cost the nation over £7000. In the House of Commons, Mr Cuizon, Parliamentary Secretary to the Foreign Office, stated, in reply to a question, that the Government had no intention ol discontinuing the New Hebrides Convention. Intense heat is being experienced in England, and many cases of sunstroke have been reported. The Bill whioh provides for the simplification of sales and purchase of land has been read a third time in th« Houie of Oommoßf .

Mr Chamberlain states that the Government has been advised that the scale of manning vessels under the New Zealand Shipping and Seamen's Act is inconsistent with the Merchant Shipping Act and has affected vessels not engaged in coasting. In the House of Commons, Mr Leonard Courtney, member for Bodmin, directed attention to the denunciation of the commercial treaties of Great Britain with Germany and Belgium. He declared that the action of the Government would lead to a battle of tariffs, to the abolition of Freetrade in England, and to the disintegration of the Empire. Mr Chamberlain, Secretary of State for the colonies, said the colonial Premiers, during their recent visit to London, unanimously and earnestly recommended the denunciation of the treaties, and passed a mosb important and significant resolution to that effect, expressing the hope that it would lead to the improvement of trade relations between the colonies and the Motherland. Ihe Premiers promised to confer with their colleagues aa to whether the granting of preferential treatment by the colonies to British j products would secure that result. The Government, acting upon the desires of the colonial Premiers, immediately denounced the treaties. Mr Chamberlain added that the fears expressed by Mr Courtney were unjustified, a3 the intention of the Government was merely to enable the. colonies to accord preferential treatment to Britain if they were so disposed. Parliament was prorogued on Friday. The Speech from the Throne stated that the commercial treaties with Germany and Belgium had been denouuced because they prevented Britain from entering into such fiscal arrangements with the colonies as may be deemed expedient. With regard to the European situation it was stated that all the more important matters in controversy between Turkey and Greece had been adjusted. The Speech added that the plague in India had almost disappeared. Mr Maddison, a Radical Labour candidate, has baen elected for the Brightside Division of Sheffield, in succession to the late Bight Hon A. J. Mundella (Liberal), defeating Mr Hope, Unionist, by 188. Mutton — New Zealand cross-bred wethers and maiden ewes, Canterbury, B£d ; Dunedin, Southland, 8 1-16 ; North Island, 3d. The above quotations are for average quality, and for lines of no less than 100 carcases. Lamb - Prime Canterbury, 82 to 421 b, 3fd. Fair average, including Dunedin, Southland, Wellington and secondary Canterbury, per 82 t042,b, 8 5 16i. The quotations for lamb do not include sales of small lambs, or heavie3 or inferior quality. River Plate sheep, cross-breds or merino wethers, heavy, 2 7-16 d; light, 2|d.