CABLE NEWS

Patea Mail, 9 August 1881, Page 3

CABLE NEWS

RECEIVED LAST NIGHT. {Reuter's Despatches to the Mail.) BANQUET ST MINISTERS IN LONDON. London, 6th. A banquet to her Majesty’s Ministers, given by the Liberal party in recognition of the policy carried out by Government, took place at Mansion House to-day. All the members of the Ministry were present, including Mr Gladstone, whose health lias greatly improved. Several important speeches were made. The Premier, in reply to the toast of evening, announced that measures would be shortly introduced for reform of procedure of the House of Commons. In alluding to the present state of affairs in Afghanistan, he stated that he deemed anjinternal meddling in that country would be a blunder, but the Government would respect the integrity of Afghanistan. In conclusion, in referring to colonial affairs, Mr Gladstone stated that Ministers would relinquish the name of Englishmen before they would renounce the great duties they felt they possessed in connection with the colonies. PETTY SOVEREIGNS. Vienna, 6th. It has transpired that meetings which took place to-day at Gastira between the Emperor Francis Joseph (Austria) and minor German Sovereigns have no political significance, but that the visits exchanged were merely those of courtesy, PEACE IN TUNIS. Paris, 6th. Telegrams from Tunis report that the state of that country is now much calmer, the Arab rising having considerably subsided. MR BRADLAUGH DEFEATED. London, 6th. Mr Bradlaugh applied at the Police Court to-day for a summons against the Police Inspector in connection with his removal from the House of Commons on Tuesday last; The application was refused. OUTRAGES IN PACIFIC. London, 6th.' Ah important debate took place in the House of Commons to-day upon the subject of Native outrages in the South Pacific. The Secretary to the Admiralty stated that the Government thought it would be unwise to transfer the powers now vested in Sir Arthur Gordon to the Commodore on the Australian station ; that it had been decided that men-of-war should in future visit the islands more frequently, and that Captain Maxwell, of H.M.S. Emerald, should be appointed Deputy Commissioner, and be empowered to deport oppressive or dangerous British subjects residing in the islands.