GENERAL SUMMARY.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 232, 23 March 1866, Page 2

GENERAL SUMMARY.

LOiNDOJS, Jak. 26. Ihe Australian November mails wer«s delivered .n London on the 13th and 19th January. The Queen resides at Osborue, in the enjoyment >i good health. Her Majesty distributed her tsual Chriatmas gifts to the poor.v The Pnnoesß Helena's marriage is flxod for £uue, £6sQQt>, &&£enisat qf the &sßsfiMn'f!

annual income, is askad for the marriage expenses. There are great dissension in the Ministry abuot the new Reform Bill, extension of manhood suffrage, &c. Earl Russell declares that the Cabinet will stand or fall by : ,the Reform Bill. Grate changes in the Ministry are expected. j The Baptists and Negro party in Jamaica are using every exertion to damage Governor Eyre's reputation, especially in Gordon's case. | The Commissioners' report on capital punishment recommends dividing murder into two degrees — first, shossW. the jury find malice, penalty death; second without malice, penal servitude, from seven years to life. Two hundred convicts^ left France for New Caledonia. Ratifications of treaty of commerce between England and Austria have been exchanged at Vienna. Major Gray has been appointed aide-de-camp to the Governor of New Zealand. A notional decoration, called the Albert Medal, has been instituted by the Queen, for gallantry in cases of shipwreck. New Zealand affairs occupy a prouiinenfc position. The war is considered a mistake, and should hai c been settled by legislation, and not by marching into the centre of Waikato. On the Ist of February the British registration fee on letters will be reduced from 6d to 4d. Repecting the Ministerial crisis in Victoria, The Times observes : — " Where one chamber represents numbers, the other property, collision is inevitable. The only remedy is reform of the constitution;" and characterises the conduct of Sir C. Darling as as gross a case of public delinquency as has for many years come under observation. The Daily News supports Governor Darling. It is reported that Sir Richard MacDonnell, Governor of Hong Kong, is detained in London two months, in readiness to supersede Governor Darling. Many more Fenians have been sentenced to penal servitude. The American Fenians are quarrelling furiously, but the leaders are making money fast. Fletcher, charged, on his own confession, with robbing the Union Bank, Melbourne, of £10,000, securities, has been discharged. Another tunnel under the Thames at Deptford, and one between England and Franco, from Dover to Cape Grisnese, are contemplated. ,••;; There have been numerous accidents, as usual, from railway collisions, colliery explosions, and crinoline. ! A serious fire has taken place at St. Katherine's Dock, Two millions sterling worth of property has been destroyed. Crowe-hall, Cheshire, has been burned. Damage, £100,000. Terrific gales, commencing on the 28th December, 'swept along the English coast until 20th of January — great snow-storms and inundations — , 4,000 ships wrecked — great loss of life. The Amala, steamer, foundered on the 2nd of January, in the Bay of Biscay. Value of cargo, £255,000. Hannah Moore, Black Ball liner, lost. Six out of twenty-four saved. Another consignment ol salmon and trout ova to Australia is preparing. Mr. Edward Wilson, of the Argus, is residing at Oroydon, and still suffering from ophthalmia. Jefferson's Rip Van Winkle reached the 135 th nights' performance to crowded houses. A lifeboat institution is to be formed in memory of G. V. Brooke.