CABLE NEWS

Patea Mail, 11 January 1881, Page 3

CABLE NEWS

RECEIVED LAST NIGHT

( Reuter's Despatches to the Mail.) COERCING IRELAND. SPEECHES IN PARLIAMENT. The Imperial Parliament was opened on the 6th. The Queen’s speed), as previously reported, was a forecast, but it is fully confirmed by the speech as delivered, except in regard to the Greek frontier question; referring to which, the speech merely states that the Great Powers and England will determine the delimitation of the frontier line. Regarding the Transvaal, it is stated that the rebellion there has indefinitely postponed the maturing of the plans which were to have been instituted for securing the administrative autonomy of the settlers. The social condition of Ireland, the speech states, is alarming, and is in fact, in a state of terrorism. Additional powers are necessary to enable the Government to deal with the state of affairs, and the Government will recommend the development of the Land Act. The speech further states that it will be proposed to abolish corporal punishment in the army.

Mr Parnell has taken his seat in the House of Commons, and has given notice of an amendment on the Address in Reply to the Queen’s speech, stating that ho is convinced that peace in Ireland will not be promoted by suspending the existing laws. The introduction of BillsJor the adoption of county Government in Ireland, to secure protection to persons and property, and to restrict the sale and possession of arms, has been notified, and Mr Gladstone will move that discussion of these measures shall take precedence of everything until they are passed. January 7 th. In the House of Lords to-day the Address and Reply to the speech from the Throne was voted after a short debate. Earl Beacousfield said that the Government by reversing the policy of his administration had endangered the peace of Ireland, and ho blamed the Ministers for not having earlier adopted a coercive policy. He advised them not to weaken the hands of the Executive in Ireland. Earl Granville, for the Government, denied the assertion of Lord Beaconsfield, and argued that Government were not alone answerable for the state of Ireland. Ministers were, he said, deter-

mined to enforce respect for law in that country. In the House of Commons the debate on the Address is not yet finished. Sir Stafford Northcote attacked the policy of the Government in Ireland. Mr Gladstone admitted that the condition of the country was shameful, but urged that earlier action was not justified for the repression of the disorder without steps being taken to redress the grievancies of the people. Debate adjourned to next sitting. MB PARNELL’S AMENDMENT. • London, Bth. In House of Commons to-day, the debate on the Address in reply to the Queen’s speech was renewed. Mr Parnell moved the amendment of which he had given notice, to the effect that the peace in Ireland would not be promoted by suspending existing laws. He addressed the House at some length, but spoke only in moderate terms in defence of the Irish Land League, the object of which was, he explained, to force landlords to reduce their rents.

Mr Forster, Chief Secretary for Ireland, also spoke, and in strong terms defended the decision of Government to apply coercion as the remedy for agitation in Ireland. The debate now stands adjourned to Monday. IRISH LAND BILLLIBERAL DISUNION. London, Bth, The Irish Land Bill which has been brought in by Government is not generally approved of by the Liberal party. Several Liberal members in both Houses have expressed considerable discontent with provisions of the measure, ELECTORAL CORRUPTION. London, Bth. A bill to repress corrupt practices at elections has been introduced'in Parliament. It contains clauses fixing heavy penalties for bribery and other corrupt acts, PREVENTING WAR. London, Bth. In consequence of continued urging on the part of the Great Powers, the Ottoman and Greek Governments have consented to reconsider their decisions in refusing the proposed arbitration on the Greek frontier question. The two Powers were on the verge of open war. MAIL STEAMER ASHORE. Adelaide, Monday. The Chimborazo has gone ashore at South-East point, on Troubridge shoal. Her grounding is attributed to thick haze off the coast. Later. The Chimborazo was successfully floated to-day without injury. INTERCOLONIAL. Melbourne, Monday. Sailed—Union Company’s steamship Tararua for the Bluff, on Saturday. LOST EXPLORERS TRACED. Brisbane, Monday. Skuthorpe telegi’aphs from Blackall that ho has discovered the grave of Classan, and has also obtained evidence as to the fate of Leichardt the explorer* SHIP ATTACKED BY NATIVES. Brisbane, Monday. A junk has arrived at Cooktown, and reports that the crew of the schooner Prosperity, consisting of nine Chinese, have been slaughtered by natives of Lencade Islands, near New Guinea. The captain of schooner succeeded in escaping. TRANS-AUSTRALIAN RAILWAY. Brisbane, Monday. The Queensland Government have issued a map showing the routes of proposed trans-continental railway to the Gulf of Carpentaria, and the grand trunk line to South Australia from Roma, in this colony. N.Z. BANK DIVIDEND. London, Bth. The National Bank of New Zealand pays a dividend of 3 per cent, for halfyear, equal to 6 per cent, per annum.

NEW ZEALAND TIMBER. Prizes for choice timber exhibited at Melbourne from various parts of this colony are awarded as follow : First prize—Four pieces of kauri timber* Hokianga Sawmill Company. Second prizes—Specimens of Australian and New Zealand timbers, showing action of teredo navalis, and specimens of jarrah and totara timber, Auckland Harbor Board. Collection of timbers, showing the results of s experiments for determining strength Colonial Museum, Wellington. A large collection of timbers of Canterbury and Westland, Professor Julius Von Haast Canterbury Museum. Eight specimens of Native and ornamental woods, Halcombe, Fielding. Two planks of rimu, polished, John Hornby, of Mount Pleasant Mills, Picton. Specimens of Kauri timber, New Zealand Commissioners, Wellington. Third prizes—Thirty-one samples polished and named timbers grown in New Zealand, chiefly in the neighborhood of Dunedin, Robert Guthrie, Dunedin. Specimens of large kauri timber grown in New Zealand, G, Holdship, Auckland. Sixteen varieties of ornamental timbers from New Zealand forests, Norrie, Auckland. Specimens of Native timber of Otago, portion of totara log worked with stone adzes, from Maori fish weir, Shag river, Otago Museum, Dunedin. Specimens of Southland timber, N. and A. Tapper, Invercargill ; also Smith of Taranaki. Fourth prizes.—Sample of board of kahikatea, Bagnell Brothers, Thames. Polished and framed samples of New Zealand woods, Blair, Engineer-in-Chief of the South Island. Two slabs of kauri pine, Dr Logan, Auckland ; also Gumming, Hokitika. Black totara wood, J. G. Denne, Nelson. Specimens of New Zealand woods, George, Taranaki. Specimens of timber from Westland, Hokitika, local committee. Samples of birch and totara, Robertson, Queenstown, Otago. Veneers of colonial woods, Stone, Thames, Twenty specimens of Auckland timber and bark for tanning, Wilding and Ball, Waipukura, Napier, Fifth prizes—Section of stump of flowering fuschia tree, 65 feet in circumference, John Beckenham, Nelson. Rough piece kauri timber, E. Isaacs, Auckland ; also McConnon, Hokitika.

“ SPREADING THE LIGHT.” The Times Dublin correspondent says : The special organ of the Land League is distributed gratuitously in order to “ spread the light ” The policy it advocates is plainly communistic. It aims at an overthrow of property of all kinds ; the rcdivi.sion of the land into lots, upon which families are to live and feed upon the produce ; the practice of selling cattle instead of using them for food being condemned as a violation of the law of Providence. All payment of interest is repudiated, and the State is called upo» to advance any money which the cultivators of the soil may require free of interest, the cultivation being regarded as a source of wealth, which ought to be thought sufficient to recoup the State for its temporary loss. All large accumulations are to be broken up, and only a third allowed to the owner, the rest to be distributed for the benefit of those who have no means. In short, the principles advocated —if they can be called principles at all —are of the most levelling revolutionary kind. Murder is described as an “ execution. 7 ’ The process-server who was assassinated in the north recently is stated to have met his death at the hands of the ‘•'executioner.” In order to make the “ light” more impressive, the sanction of religion is invoked for the doctriness of rapine and violence which are preached, and a blasphemous tone pervades the editorial matter. While such ideas are instilled into the minds of the people, and a fierce hatred is aroused, not only against landlords, but against all who do not join in the crusade against them, it is not to be wondered at that such savage acts are committed as that at Coolnacashel, within three miles of Ballinrobe, where a farmer was carded and his wife and daughter had their hair cut off because he paid his rent and withdrew from the Land League. Lawlessness spreads with the agitation into comparatively peaceable and orderly districts, and the farmers who are honest anjl welldisposed are unable to resist the march of ruffianism, but have to be enrolled or be exposed to violence.