GENERAL SUMMARY.

Southland Times, Issue 954, 20 May 1868, Page 2

GENERAL SUMMARY.

Loot)Oit, March 27. The Queen is at Windsor, and in good health. She has resumed holding draw-ing-rooms. Pesentations at levees to the Prince of "Wales are, by the Queen's pleasure, considered equivalent to presentation* to Her Majesty. The Duke of Cambridge has appointed G-eneral Carey, on Ms return from commanding the troops in Australia, to the command of a brigade at Aldershot. The Queen has visited Aldershott, and is going more" into public than formerly. She intends visiting Germany in the autumn. Parliament resumed its sittings, after the Ministerial changes, on the sth inst. Mr Disraeli on taking his place as Premier, in the House of Commons, was loudly cheered. It is thought, however, that his career in that position will not last long. He faces the hostile, compact Opposition, led by Mr Gladstone, with great courage. A trial of strength, is expected to take place on the Irish Church question, Mr Gladstone haying given notice of three resolutions, to the following effect:—l. That the Church oi Ireland should cease to exist as an establishment, due regard being paid to rested rights. 2. That new personal interest! shall not be created by the exercise of any public patronage. 3. That the Queen shall be asked to place at the disposal of Parliament her interest in the temporalities of the Irish sees and other dignities. The debate on these resolution is expected to be one of the most important and significant that has ever taken place in the House of Commons. Incidental allusion to the fate of the Irish Church has already been made by the several leading Opposition speakers including Mr Lowe, Mr Miller, Mi Horsman, Mr Bright, and Mr Fortescue, who have all expressed _a belief that the establishment must be abolished. Mr Gladstone, in a preliminary debate, declared that the time for disestablishing the Church of Ireland had come. Hie language and action producod a strange excitement. The clergy are begining tc arouse themselves. Disraeli's cry is to be " The Church of England, and the rights of property, in danger.', It is expected that all possessed of liberal sentiments will vote with Mr Gladstone; and should the resolutions be carried, Ml Disraeli will dissolve Parliament. Mr Laing, in the event of Mr Gladstone's resolutions being carried, will move that " this House of Commons ii of opinion that as the principle of disestablishing the Irish Church has been affirmed without appeal to the constituent* created by the new Eeform Acts, it will be the duty of the Government to arrange the course of public business so as tc enable this appeal to be made at the earliest practical opportunity." .- % Amidst this political antagonism, it ii amusing and instructive to note the social intercourse existing between the leading chiefs. Mr and Mrs Disraeli, in the nen Government offices, held one of the mosi brilliant assemblages ever known ii London. It was graced by the presence of the Prince and Princess of Wales, ano Mr Gladstone and other leading Liberals whilst Mr Gladstone had previously belt an equally grand affair, which was attendee by Mr Disraeli and the leading Conserva tives. The Bishop of London has declared hii opinion, in the House of Lords, that n< danger can ensue to the religious charactei of the Universities from the admission a persons who dissent from the Established Church to the governing body and to pra fessorships. The leadership of the House of Lordi now devolves upon Lord Malmesbury. A brilliant reception is being prepared for the Prince of Wales in Ireland. The Princess of Wales will probably accompany him. They will sail in their yacht, the Enchantress. A desire to place restrictions on. the sale of liquor is gradually making way, supported by a large number of the working-classes. A bill on the subject has been read a second time in the House of Commons, and referred to a select committee. ''. V Great complains are made as to the new Australian postal arrangements. A memorial to the Postmaster-General, from bankers and merchants, praying foi a change, is in course of signature. A correspondence between the South Aus> tralian Bank manager and thePbstmasterGeneral of that colony, has been published. The latter declares that the arrangements were made after mature deliberation and consultation with th« authorities and the largest Australian banking institutions. In the House oi Commons, Mr Sclater Booth stated that it was impossible to make any alteration without great expense and considerable inconvenience to Victoria and New South Wales. ■■■■+■.■ -\* ' During the debate on the army estimates, Sir John Pakington said that he had always desired the Government to impress upon the colonies the necessity of providing for their own defence. He assured the House this policy would be steadily kept in view. . A committee of merchants has been formed to promote improved telegraphic communication with India and Austra-

lift, the delay and inaccuracy at present being much complained of. In reply to a question in the House oj Commons, Mr Adderly stated that the practice of importing South Sea Islanders into Queensland had been in operation for several years, with the approval of the local Government. A petition had been presented to the Commons, praying the House to declare Sir Morton Peto's seat vacant through his bankruptcy. Sir Roderick Murchison has been elected by the Paris Academy of Science a foreign member, in place of the late Professor Faraday. David Nichol, Dank manager at Blackburn, has been convicted of forgery, and sentenced to fifteen month's imprisonment. Mr George Markham Giffard, of the Chancery, bar, has been appointed to the vacant vice-chancellorship. George Francis Train has been committed to prison for an old debt. St. Patrick's Day passed off quietly in Dublin. There was not the slightest excitement of any kind. Fenianism appears to be quite extinct. A pension of £200 a year has been conferred on Lady Brewster. The Princess of "Wales has received the Bible presented by the Sunday-school children of Great Britain and Ireland. The Lord Mayor and Corporation of London went in state to "Windsor, to present to the Queen the loyal address passed by the common council in reference to the Fenian outrages. A friend of popular improvement has offered a sum of £100,000, to be devoted to the purpose of promoting technical education. The works in connexion with the Thames embankment are about to be resumed. Mr Dickens's sojourn in America has been successful beyond anticipations. The receipts of four nights' readings at "Washington were over 10,000dols. ; and for eight nights' readings at Philadelphia over 19,000d015. Mr Dickens would return to England in the middle of April. The Dowager Lady Tichborne has died suddenly, and an inquest has been held. The Australian claimant of the title and estates stated that £1,000 had been - offered to his servants to procure his death. The verdict attributed death to natural causes. A discreditable scene took plsce at the funeral, at which the Australian claimant figured prominently, carrying off her ladyship's body from the other relatives. One of the most atrocious tragedies ever committed in England has taken place at Todmorden, exceeding even that committed some years ago by Rush. A wearer named "Weatherhill, being denied permission to visit his sweetheart, a servant of the Rev. Mr Plow, conceived the horrible idea of murdering the rev. gentlemen and his household, and succeeded in killing one servant and Mr Plow himself, and fearfully beating Mrs Plow and an infant. The latter has since died. The lobby of the house is said to have been like a slaughter-house, being lo marked with blood. Weatherhill has been tried, convicted, and sentenced to death. Mr Justice Lush, who tried the prisoner, characterised the atrocity of the offence as being almost without a parallel in the annals of crime. The Queen wrote .a letter of condolence to Mrs Plow. The Edmunds scandal is coming before the public again, at the instance of the Attorney- GeneraL A dinner to Mr Brand, given by the Liberal members of the House of Commons, takes place on the 28th inst. Mr Gladstone will preside. . Mr Barry Sullivan has appeared at Drury-lane with great success as Richard the Third and Shylock. : At the Epsom Spring Meeting, the City and Suburban Handicap was won by Speculum, Abergeldie second, and Knight .of the Garter third. For the great Metropolitan Stakes, Blueskin was first, Manoeuvre second, Montagnard third. The capital sentence passed on Thompson and Mullane, the Manchester Fenian convicts, has been commuted to penal servitude for life. The will of the late Mr "Walter Powell, of Melbourne, has been proved in the London Probate Court. The personality alone is estimated at £25,000. The Puke of St. Albans writes to the * Times' an account of his obserrations on the works of the Suez Canal. He says, confidently, that it is expected that the canal along its whole length will be opened in October next. The demand for money has increased, through the improvement in trade. Discount is 2 per cent. ; Consols, 93 to 93* Australian securities maintain their price. The Oriental Bank have declared a dividend for the half-year of 6 per cent. The London wool sales have been spirited, for all descriptions. A rise of about id. per lb. has taken place. The Conway Castle, from Glasgow to Melbourne with a general cargo valued at £30,000, ran aßhore on Blackwater Bank, but was got off. The number of vessels on the berth for Victoria is fifteen, and for Sydney, eleven. The exports for the month to Victoria, amounted to £275,246, showing a decrease of £33,577 ; to Sydney, £186,151, showing an increase of £39,244. '* The Times ' of March 26, devotes a portion of its city article to a description of Mr Hughe's plan for preserving Australian meat. Arrivals. — From Melbourne — Lanarkshire, Damascus, and Pride of the Ocean. !From Sydney — General Lee and Swiftsure. Departures. — For Melbourne — Robt. Kerr, Northumbria, Sir Wm. "Wallace, Wimmera, Ottawa, Conway Castle, Sea Gull, Naval Reserve, and Kent. To Sydney — Strathdon, Devenport, Bruckiey Castle, Marquis of Argyle, and Australia.