ARRIVAL OF THE ENGLISH MAIL AT HOKITIKA.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 13, 22 April 1871, Page 14

ARRIVAL OF THE ENGLISH MAIL AT HOKITIKA.

. < y— Hokitika, Thursday. The s.s. Rangitoto, Mackie commander, arrived at 9 p.m., having left Melbourne on the evening of the 15th. Passengers —C. G. Hawdon,T. Ackland. for Christchurch: Capt. Edwin for Wellington, and 30 . steerage for ail ports. Late telegrams to London are to the 21st of March. The'preliminariesjof peace were signed on the 25th February. The conditions are —France cedes Alsace and Metz, but Belfort will be restored. The war indemnity is five milliards of francs, which is to be paid in three instalments. The French fortress and the whole of the Champagne are to remain in the possession of the Germans until the conditions of the peace are fulfilled. On the 28th the National Assembly ratified the treaty of peace by five to one. The Germans entered on the morning of the 2nd, thirty thousand strong, occupying the Champs Elysees from Arch De Toile to the Place cle la Concorde. The population was calm and quiet. The Bourse theatres are closed, the aspect of the city being mournful. The Germans evacuated Paris on the morning of the 4th. It is stated that the complete occupation ®f Paris was prevented by the intervention of England. The German headquarters, with the Emperor William, Bismarck, and Moltke, was removed from Versailles on the 7th. The second German army has received orders to march. The forts on the left of the Seine were surrendered by the German forces on the Bth. Bismarck has returned to Berlin, whither the Emperor is proceeding. The German Parliament meets on the 21st March. There was great agitation in Paris for several days. The insurgents established a regular encampment with artillery and small arms, and the outposts had abundance of ammunition. Forty thousand of the army of the Loire have since entered Paris forming a new garrison. A meeting held by a battalion Mobiles was quelled, and the INational Guards delivered up its arms. The Official Journal declared that the Government undertakes to constitute France into a Republic, and appeals to the people to maintain order, and to obey the laws. Foreign Ministers were to return to Paris on the eleventh. Henry Rochfort is dead. General Trochu is reported to be insane. Napoleon is expected at Chiselhurst immediately. The " Morning Post" publishes a secret treaty between Russia and Prussia (which was concluded at the commencement of the war) to the effectthat if France, in case of success, threatened Poland, Russia would interfere ; and if Austria made armed demonstrations against Prussia, Russia would make a demonstration on the Austrian frontier ; if European Powers assisted France, -Russia] assisted Prussia. In the House of Commons on the 7th, Gladstone said he was ignorant of any treaty between Russia and Prussia when he instructed Odb Russell, last year, to consult with Bismarck. Prince Charles of Roumania has re-solved-to abdicate. The Queen of Spain has recovered. The Committee of Enquiry into the state of the county of Westmeath has been appointed. Rothschild has issued a Prussian loan of twelve millions. 'Cavdwell's Army Reorganization Bill has been read a second time. The Deputies of Paris exhort the population to quietness and obedience to tholftwv ' .

It is believed that the authorities will take vigorous measures against the insurgents. General Faron is blockaded, with 300 men, on the heights of Montmaetrar. On the question of issuing a loan at five per cent, the Government have decided to issue a loan for two and a half millions at two per cent. rent. March 21st, evening.—Great agitation prevails in Paris. Mont Martre, Belleville, Fauberg and Antoine, have all been barricaded, and three generals shot by the insurgents. The troops captured forty cannon, but five were retaken by the insurgents. The Government issued a proclamation calling on the National Government to save Paris from pillage by declaring, or France would otherwise be ruined. The marriage of the Marquis of Lorn to Princess Louise took place to-day. SPECIAL TELEGRAM NOT YET PUBLISHED HERE.. [RrcUTER TO GIIUViLLE.] March 18. 'Consols, ninety-two one eighth. Wool firm, with active demand. Copper, G4f. Tallow dull and heavy. Wheat, since the mail left, Is to 2s dearer. Arrivals—Lincolnshire, City of Adelaide, Darra, Loch Leven, Mikado, City of Vienna, Marpesia, Ben Nevis, La Hogue, Martha Binnie, Juliet, Glen Osmond, Great Britain, 20th. All the regular troops have gone to Versailles. The National Guards is now the only, armed force in Paris. The barricading continues. General Chancey has been arrested. March 21st.-—Evening Paris journals write strongly against the assassination of Generals Le Compte and Thomas, and recognise the National Assembly as the only authority. If the' insurrection continues the Prussians will occupy their former positions in Paris. The barricadingcontinues everywhere. The National Guards are occupying the forts. The Committee released' General Chancey, who was illtreated, and has gone in to H osp i tal. M. Rouver has been arrested at Boulogne. SPECIAL FOB. NEW ZEALAND. February 24th. —Efforts are making to obtain a quantity of rooks for New Zealand. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency paid a dividend of ten per cent. New Zealand wheat is quoted at Rotterdam at forty-five to fifty-six shillings. Barley twenty-five to thirty-three. Oats eleven to twenty-two. Preserved meat is in more demand. The corvette Challenger arrived at home on February 20th. The Marquis of Normandy has been appointed Governor of Queensland. The Nevr Zealand flax market is quiet, but a fair trade has been done during the month at a shade lower rates. It is stated that, the flax is not thoroughly prepared. 2GOO bales were and 1200 sold at a decline of £2 per ton on the average. New Zealand six per cents are unchanged ; fives, a half lower. AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY. Melbourne, 15th April. The ironclad Cerberus, Lieutenant Panter, commander, arrived in Hobson's bay on Sunday afternoon, the 9th inst, and was immediately rushed by crowds of visitors. Lieut. Panter has sent.in his report, and. has received the warm thanks of the Government for his pluck and skill. His appointment as captain and head naval officer of Colonial defences is shortly to issue. The Easter Holidays lasted till Tuesday, and-were well observed. The ship Bengal, with four hundred and sixty-one passengers, all well, has arrived. The Avoca arrived in the bay on Tuesday evening. The Haydamack, the Russian Corvette, sailed on Wednesday morning, it is said, for New Zealand. Lieut.-Col. Sankey, who arrived by the mail from India, has been appointed head of the Victorian Water Supply department, m& fit once, commenced his tUuy,

' The Cerberus has been already taken alongside the Williamstown Breakwater with a view of dismantling her. The investigation into the loss of the steamer Barwon has commenced, and was adjourned till Monday next. The police have seized a qnantity of spirits supposed to be adulterated at Williamstown. Charles Rigg has poisoned himself. Breadstuffs remain very dull of sale. Flour is quoted at £l4 15s to £ls. Wheat is lower; sales of Adelaide at 6s 6d, Port jVTDouell 6s 3d. Oats are more freely offered at 3s 4(1 to 3s 8d ; maize is declined at 3s 10£d to 3s lid. Sugars are £1 lower all round. 3600 bags by the Thomas Brown, and 4000 bags ex various ships and 4000" mats Java sugar were sold at different times all subject to this reduction. The Corunna, from Mauritius, arrived yesterday. Speculation is again active in kerosene. Eleven thousand cases on the spot, and to arrive, changed hands since the mail arrived ; . price withheld. A better enquiry for candles ; sales up to 10£d. The news by the mail is considered satisfactory. The total decrease of shipments to .the colonies is £388,000; including a decrease to New Zealand of £125,000. Nothing is doing in braudies, but prices are firm. The European " Mail" says that the Annie from "New York, has fourteen thousand cases of kerosene for Dunedin. This is a mistake, she brings four thousand for Dunedin and two thousand for Adelaide. . Arrived—Margaret, from Dunedin, Southern Cross, from Lyttelton. The Hero sailed today for Auckland via Sydney. Sydney, April 14. The Meat Preserving Company are progressing favorably with their works. The Harbottre, from Ho Ho, .brings 18,000 packages sugars. Spy won the Homebush Cup —two miles' in three minutes thirty-five seconds —the shortest time done in the colonies. Four arrivals on Wednesday brought 1035 tons sugar. The market is quiet, and prices are reduced £1 per ton all round. The Blanche proceeds on a cruise to the South Seas immediately. The meeting at Greville's rooms passed resolutions in favor of urging upon the Imperial Government the desirability of annexing Fiji. Wool is firm with brisk sales. Sales of Adelaide wheat, (5s to 6s 3d. The Customs Bill has finally passed the Assembly. Naval and Military Defences Bill passed the second reading. The returns of the last quarter's revenue show an increase of eighteen thousand. Brisbane Parliament opened on Thursday. The speech promised to introduce the. Insolvency, Electoral, and Representation and other Bills. Adelaide. April 14. £30,000 worth South Australian bonds were sold at premiums of 10 per cent since the departure of the mail. The corn market is quiet at 5s 7d to 5s Bd.