CABLE NEWS.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 86, 11 March 1884, Page 2

CABLE NEWS.

[Per Electric Telegraph—Copyright.] [Reuter’s Telegrams.] London, March 8. The final report of the Western Pacific Commission has been laid before Parliament. It condemns the supervision of the labor traffic by colonial agents, and urges that the latter should be appointed by the Crown. A recommendation is made that the labor traffic should be more closely watched by the Deputy-Commissioners to be appointed to the various islands. Opposition is expressed to the control of the Polynesian and New Guinea races being vested in the Colonial Governments. The report further recommends that the High Commissionership of the Western Pacific should be disconnected from the Governorship of the Fijis, and that the High Commissioner should reside in New Guinea. A firm cf solicitors (Messrs. Parker), of Bodford Row, have become insolvent, and the partners have absconded. The liabilities are not fully known, but arc believed to be heavy. Messrs. Redmond arrived at Queenstown from New York yesterday. They were warmly welcomed by a large number of Leaguers. Mr. J. E. Redmond made a speech in which he dwelt on the success of their mission to the Australasian Colonies and America. He announced that the National League would continue to maintain a position of no compromise with the landlords, and expressed the opinion that until the latter were abolished crime and outrage in Ireland were not likely to cease. It is supposed that the men implicated in the recent dynamite outrages at the Metropolitan railway stations have made their way to Fiance, and several police-officers have gone to that country with a view to detecting and getting them. Representations having been made to the French police on the subject, every assistance is being offered to the English officers to effect the arrest of the offenders. At the instance of the Government, proceedings have been commenced by the Attorney General (Sir Henry James, Q. C.) against Mr. B; adlaugh, for illegally sitting and vo* ing in the House of Commons on the 11th February. The Right Hon. Lord John Manners has given notice of an important amendment to the Premier’s Franchise Reform Bill. The amendment declares the proposed reform of the franchise to be unacceptable unless it be accompanied by a Bill for the redistribution of seats. The Bank of Australasia has declared a dividend for the past half-year at the rate of 14 per cent, per annum, and placed £24,000 to reserve. A large influx of gold from North America is now being experienced. In the House of Commons Lord Edmund Fitzmaurice, Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, has stated in reply to a question that the Government do not intend to order the British troops in the Soudan to relieve the garrison at Kassala, a town near the border of Abyssinia, and which was reported to have been threatened by the hostile natives, as it was now believed the garrison would be able to withdraw without molestation.

In the House of Commons yesterday the Marquis of Hartington, the Secretary for War, in reply to a question, stated that it had been left to the option of Major-General Graham whether an attack should be made upon the rebels under Osman Digna, who is now menacing Soualun?. Cairo, March 8. The latest telegrams from Souakim announce that General Graham has ordered the rebels under Osman Digna to disperse, but no heed has been taken of the summons. It is rumored that Osman’s followers are deserting him. The Hussars at Souakim have been sent to reconnoitre the enemy’s position, but General Graham has given strict orders that they are not to advance unless there is a certainty of finding Osman. A number of Arabian Sheiks have arrived at Souakim. (AGE SPECIALS.) London, Feb. 27. A portrait, in oil, by Mr. Dowling, R.A., of the late Lord Melbourne, first Prime Minister under Queen Victoria, lias been purchasedon behalf of S : r W. J. Clarke, for presentation to the Melbourne National Gallery. The County Franchise Bill was introduce.! into the House of Commons last night. It loaves the faggott votes untouched, but abolishes £5O rental and £l2 rating qualification, and gives votes to all persons occupying houses, or land, of £lO clear rateable value per annum. Australian Delegates, representing the several Chambers of Commerce, will postpone taking action in reference to Bills of Trading, until the Amending Merchants Shipping Act is passed. The latest intelligence from London is to the effect that the Arabs, after their defeat at El Teb, beat a hasty retreat into the mountains, where they are now hiding. During the battle the El Teb deserters from the Egyptian troops at Tokar worked the Krupp guns placed in position behind the earthworks, which the British troops stormed. The insurgents were very badly armed. Amongst thousands who fought, only 1,000 were armed with rifles, the remainder having spears. So far as can be ascertained 2,000 Arabs were killed. Baker Pasha was wounded on the face, and Colonel Burnaby on the arm. The garrison at Tokar, which submitted to Osman Digneh, on the 16th ult., has rejoined the British troops.