ARRIVAL OF THE RANGITOTO AT THE BLUEE, WITH THE ENGLISH MAIL FOR JANUARY.

Southland Times, Issue 647, 22 March 1867, Page 3

ARRIVAL OF THE RANGITOTO AT THE BLUEE, WITH THE ENGLISH MAIL FOR JANUARY.

♦ (From the " Argus," March 16.) •__ «

London, Jan. 25. The sentence of death passed on the Eenian prisoners in Canada is commuted to twenty years' imprisonment. London, Jan. 26. A terrible catastrophe has happened in Regent's Park by the breaking of the ice : about fifty lives have been lost. London, Jan. 30. Greece proposes to increase her army to 31,000, on the ground of the armament and threatening notes from Turkey. Johnson vetoed the bill for admitting Colorado and Nebraska into the Union. London, Jan. 31. The Bank of England returns for week ending 31st January show the following changes compared with previous account : — Increase on the reserve of notes, £147,000 ; decrease in bullion, £1,000 ; decrease in bills discounted, £221,000. London, Eeb. 5. Parliament was opened to-day by the Queen in person. Her Majesty, in her speech from the throne, of which the following is a summary, states that the present relations of Great Britain with Eoreign Powers are satisfactory. Her Majesty's Ministers had suggested to the United States a mode of amicable settlement of the questions still pending between England and America, which it was hoped would be met in a corresponding spirit of friendship by the people of the United States, and thus remove the grounds of a possible misunderstanding between the two countries. Referring to the disturbances in Candia, Her Majesty's speech says discontent had prevailed in some of the Provinces of Turkey, and an insurrection had in consequence broken out in Candia. Conjointly with Russia and Erance, the British Government had endeavored to improve the relations of the Ottoman Porte with its Christian subjects, so far as was consistent with the rights of the Sultan. The delegates from the British North American Provinces, who recently met in England, had agreed upon a scheme of confederation by means of which the whole of those colonies might be united under one administration. Her Majesty had heard with deep sorrow of the calamity which had befallen India, in the prevalence of a famine which had pressed heavily on the provinces of Lower Bengal and Orissa. Instructions had been given to the Government of India to make the utmost exertion for the mitigation of the distress which still existed in those provinces. The blessings of an abundant harvest in the past autumn had now materially improved the condition of the suffering districts. The Queen's speech then proceeds to state that the restoration of public confidence in Ireland might probably lead to the discontinuance of an exceptional legislation in that portion of the empire. Attention would again be called by Government to the question of the representation of the people in the House of Commons, and Her Majesty trusted the deliberations of Parliament would lead to the adoption of measures, greatly extending the franchise, without disturbing the balance of power. Several measures are announced to be brought forward in the ensuing session, including a bill for the improvement of the relations between land owners and tenants in Ireland, and a commission to inquire into trades unions. London, Eeb. 7. Advices from New York state that the Washington House of Representatives had ordered the preparation of a bill to prevent the further contraction of the currency during the present year. The Bank of England has this day reduced the rate of discount to 3 per cent. London, Eeb. 9. Colonels Marian (Marriott ?), Durant, and Miers, have been appointed Knights Commander of the Star of India. The " Times," writing on the Orissa famine, urges the construction of irrigation works. Eeb. 12. Mr Disraeli has announced that the Government promise in their programme of reiorm to proceed by resolution in rating the basis of the franchise. The precise limits, however, are not stated. No boroughs are to be wholly disfranchised. The ' Times ' condemns Disraeli's speech. A reform demonstration took place yesterday, at which quietness prevailed. There are apprehensions of riots at Chester, however, several hundreds of people, supposed to be Eenians, having assembled. Troops have been despatched to the place. Eeb. 13. Chester is quiet, the Eenians having left. Sixty arrests have taken place in Dublin. The Erench Emperor has issued a decree makingseveral constitutional changes. The debate on the address is suppressed. Ministers will be sent to both Chambers of the Legislature to take part in the debates. The privilege of putting questions to members is granted under certain restrictions, and jurisdiction over the press is to be transferred from the Executive to the Correctional, tribunals. The Erench Ministry has been reconstructed, and M. Eould has retired. He is Bucceeded jby -M, Reuher. : SeWeswig-Holstein has beea formally

It is stated that the Emperor of Aus-tria-has resolved to grant a separate Ministry for Hungary, -..a. It is very generally believed that the Judicial Committee *of the American Congress, will report against the proposed impeachment of President Johnson, or leave the matter for the decision of the new Congress. The bill for granting negro suffrage in the district of Columbia has been passed by both Houses of Congress over the President's veto. It is rumored that the Government intend to throw the responsibility of dealing with the reform question upon the House of Commons. Another Reform Demonstration is to take place on the 11th Eebuary. A committee has been formed at the Mansion-House to collect subscriptions for the relief of the distress in the east of London. Some riotous attacks have been made on various shops at Deptford. Mr C. Niven, of Trinity College, is the senior wrangler for the year, and M*--"W. R. Clifford second wrangler. Colonel Chapman, 0.8., R.E., has been appointed Governor of Bermuda. Mr S. Laing has consented to be proposed as chairman of the Great Eastern Railway Company. Lord Ernest Paul Tempest has surrendered to take his trial for an assault committed in 1856, and has been sentenced to three months' imprisonment. The frost has given way all over the country, and in Erance the severity of the weather has been quite exceptional. J| The Money Market is quiet. The price for Consols is 90f to 90gfor money, and 90f to 90f for account. Disastrous floods have occurred in Yorkshire. Sir Emerson Tennant has been created a baronet, and Mr Seymour Eitzgerald has appointed Captain Eitzgerald his military secretary. Among the deaths reported are the following :: — General Charles Herbert, Major- General T. A. Mansey, Col. A. De Hutts, Lieut.- Col. Jas. Hunter, Earl of Kingston, General Sir "Wm. Ereeth, Sir W. snow Harris, Capt. Haish, Sir Stuart Donaldson.