THE SUEZ MAIL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4195, 31 August 1874, Page 5

THE SUEZ MAIL.

NEW ZEALAND ITEMS. As a member of the Eiji Committee and the Aborignes Protection Society, which waited upon the Earl of Carnarvon, at the Colonial Office in Downing Street, on July 3, "for the purpose of presenting to him a memorial in favor of the annexation of the Eiji Islands to the British dominions, . Sir Charles Clifford said the increase of commerce which would follow annexation would amply repay all necessary cost. The last but one of the Government expeditions for observing the transit of- Venus, sailed from Plymouth for Christchurch, New Zealand, in th'e clipper ship Merope, on July 4. The party consists of Major PE. S. Palmer, 8.E., chief astronomer in charge ; Lieut. L. Darwin, E.E., assistant-astronomer and photographer ; Lieut. H. Crawford, 8.N., assistant-astro-nomer, and three non-commissioned officers of the Koyal Engineers trained in the use of the photo-heliograph. A moat pleasant evening was spent by the passengers of the Duke of Edinburgh, recently arrived at London from Lyttelton, -New Zealand. The good ship had a capital passage, and the estimation in which the ship and its commander is held by the passengers may be judged of by the proceedings of the evening referred to. A dinner was arranged by one of the passengers, Mr. Arthur Serisby, at Dolly’s Hotel, near St. Paul’s Cathedral. As may be judged from the character of the house, the dinner was excellent in every respect, and after full justice had been done to the good things provided, a silver tea and coffee service was presented to the captain of tho ship. The service bore the following inscription Presented to Captain A. A. Mclnnis, of the Duke of Edinburgh, by the saloon passengers from New Zealand, June, 1874.” The Atlantic cable of 1806, has been repaired. Mr. Newdgate’s Convent resolution was negatived by 287 votes to 94. The Metropolitan Hospital Sunday contributions amounted to about £30,000. Russia has abandoned Baron de Lesscp’s project of a railway to India. Mr. 0. Lewis’s motion to abolish the incometax was rejected by 139 votes to 38. Sir Wilfred Lawson’s Permissive Prohibitive Liquor Bill was rejected by 301 votes to 75.

A band of fifty instrumentalists, from Vienna, are giving concerts in Hanover Square Rooms. The Factories Bill, restricting the labor hours of women and children, has passed through Committee. In the House of Commons, Mr. Gladstone withdrew tho resolution against the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Bill. Sir Hope Grant is spoken of as the probable successor of Cord Napier of Magdala, as Commauder-in-Chief of'lndia. Northumberland House and its surroundings have been purchased by the Metropolitan Board of Works for £197,000, for tho formation of a wide street on its site. The Cleveland strike has terminated by 9000 ironstone miners accepting the masters’ terms —12J per cent, reduction of wages and 2d. per ton on tolmage rates. Tho Bishop of London has introduced a Bill in the House of Lords ostensibly for the reform of the rubric, but virtually for obtaining legal recognition of tho Convocation. A duel between two Englishmen, one of whom was a member of Parliament, arising from a love dispute, was arranged to come off at Osteud, bnt the combatants were arrested on board a steamer at Dover by tho authority of the Speaker of the House of Commons. The latest news from tho Indian famine districts is cheering. Plentiful rains have fallen, the laborers on the relief works are decreasing daily, seed corn is abundant, and the Government grain reserves will suffice until December The Mansion House Relief Fund exceeds £122,000. , ' „ . A Frenchman named Degoof succeeded in descending safely from a baloon by means of a flying-machine. He went up from Cremorno gardens, passed over tho city, and descended near Brandon, Essex. In a second ascent Degoof was killed, owing to tho failure of his plans. As a remarkable illustration of the large trade between England and Australia, it is mentioned that seventeen vessels arrived from the Antipodes on June 25. Eight were from Now Zealand, two from Melbourne, two from Sydney, and one from Brisbane. Tho Liberal party, sobered by their late defeat, are adopting measures for organising

and consolidating’ their strength. Besides the City Club, which lias already enrolled 800 members, a new West End Liberal Club is projected, under the most powerful auspices, to promote more intimate intercourse. Grave dissensions exist regarding the completion of St. Paul’s Cathedral. The executive committee has entrusted the work to Sir. Burgess, who proposes a style of ornamentation foreign to Sir Christopher Wren’s views. The Pine Arts committee remonstrate, and utter strong protests against this violation of good faith. In the House of Commons, on July 25, Lord John Manners, replying to Mr. Holmes, confirmed the new mail arrangements as already telegraphed from London on the Ist instant. The heavy portions of the mails onl} 7 , he said would pass through the canal, but both light and heavy mails would be accelerated' by twenty-four hours. His Lordship said that the subsidy paid to the P. and O. Company had been reduced by £20,000, and that premiums had been abolished, thus showing a total saving of £24,000. The public of Bombay and tbe Chamber of Commerce of Colombo have petitioned the House of Commons not to sanction the revised mail contract with the P, and O. Company, and asking for a greater- acceleration of the mails by three days. Much strong feeling is entertained in India in favor of greater speed on the P. and O. lines, and unfavorable comparisons are made between their services in this respect and that of aU other great ocean steam lines. The Bombay petition has been entrusted to Mr. Pawcett, M.P., while the Colombo merchants telegraphed to Sir Jas. * Elphinstone. At a banquet to Ministers on July 23, at the Mansion House, Mr. Disraeli, in his speech, said, referring to foreign relations, that the friendship of England was never more sought than at the present time, and that while "using our influence in the interests of peace, we should not content ourselves with merely offering empty words to those who courted our friendship. He did not advocate the principle that we were not responsible to the countries of Europe upon questions affecting the fortunes of the world, but he believed that the influence of England might be exercised with good effect towards reconciling the interests of those states and countries now distracted and distressed, and towards assisting them to resume a position worthier of their former fame. During the recess, he added, the Government would have leisure to prepare what measures they considered necessary. In North Staffordshire, the colliers have resolved to protract their resistance. In the Barnsby district the miners submit to 10 per cent, reduction, but will turn otfb if a further threatened reduction is jnade. Negotiations in the Bristol district failed, the men remaining out. Two thousand five hundred men have been discharged from the Llanberris slate quarries for joining the Union. In South Wales the iron and coal trades are in a critical condition. The employers contemplate a further reduction of from 10 to 30 per cent., which creates intense excitement. The Plymouth shipwrights and Leicester elastic web manufacturers are on strike. The Huddersfield cloth-pressers are agitating for an increase of wages. Nearly 400,000 operatives at Belfast have struck against 10 per cent, reduction. Additional police are in the town prepared for an emergency. On asking for a vote of £35,000 to supplement the Gold Coast revenues for the purpose of carrying out the new administration of the West African settlements, our policy and duties again came under discussion. It is generally admitted that we cannot retire from the Coast, blit there is a strong feeling that we should not continue to recognise slavery in any form. Ministers contended that abolition should be gradual and cautious, not ’sudden and violent. Captain Straban, R.N., is appointed Governor, with a salary of £3500. The head-quarters have been removed to Elmina, with a lieu-tenant-governor at Lagos. The administrative staff is to consist of an Auditor, a Chief Juatice, a Queen’s Advocate, a Police Commandant, a Colonial Engineer, Surgeons, and a military force of 1000 Houssas. A sanatorium is to be established in the hills. Meanwhile the treaty is ignored by Ring ICoffee, slavery is active, and human sacrifices have been resumed. On the 29th June an entertaimnefit was given by the Communist sympathisers in Xritzroy Square, MM, Grousset and J ourde were present and spoke, but MM. Rochefort and Olivier Pain absented themselves. One hundred and thirty Frenchmen listened to the story of their sufferings, and created a terrible tumult. M. Rochefort intends publishing a narrative. It is uncertain where he will settle himself, Rotterdam, Brussels, and Switzerland are spoken of. The Times has published a long statement from two of Rochefort’s companions, charging the Drench Government in New Caledonia with cruel severity. The Times in a leader shows no sympathy, but excuses the Government on the ground of its having so much on its hands for not having taken proper precautions for receiving Communists in New Caledonia. FOREIGN, A new postal convention with America has been approved by the Drench Assembly. The Pope has bestowed the apostolic benediction on the Spanish Republican army. Dive hundred leading citizens of Berlin held a meeting to form a National League Association. An International Sanitary Conference is sitting at Vienna to devise measures for preventing the spread of cholera. The American Government demands from Spain an indemnity for the capture of the Virginias, and for the killing of prisoners. A Bill has been passed in the French Assembly granting 28,000,000 francs as an indemnification for damages sustained during the war.

The Yomud Turkomans have declared their allegiance to,-Russia, while another wandering tribe has asked protection from tho inroads of the Persian Kurds. On the other hand, Yakool, being a ruler of Kashgar and Yarkund, is preparing for war with Russia. The Civil Marriagcjßill, lately passed by the Gorman Parliament, was received by tho Federal Council with a recommendation to Prince Bismarck to re-introduce the Bill for compulsory civil marriage and registration in concert with the Federal Government. The Grand Duke Constantine and several distinguished officers have been sent Vienna by tho Czar, to congratulate the Kaiser on the 25th anniversary of the battle of Raab.