CABLEGRAMS. London, February 14th.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 344, 20 February 1889, Page 5

CABLEGRAMS. London, February 14th.

A number of letters obtained from the clerks to the National and Land Leagues have been laid before the Parnell Commission. Seven letters signed by Mr Parnell have also been produced. The body of these is supposed to have been written by | Campbell. Eight letters written by Mr ' Egan and obtained from Mr Piggott have been produced, and also a letter written by Mr Byrne, stating that he had received £100 from Mr Parnoll. The "Times" paid a sum of £5,000 for these letters. A number of forged letters received from America were not made use of by the "Times.*' It transpires that the articles on '•Parnellism and Crime" were written by a Mr Flanagan (son of an Irish Judge) who is on the staff of the "Times " Mr Pritchard Morgan intends asking the House of Commons to abolish the royalties on gold. English, Scottish and Irish delegates will probably attend the Australia!* Presbyterian Congre°s. Justice Donald Fraser i$ likely to represent England. The Tuayle Coldmining Company of New Zealand has been registered with a capital of £120,000. " Truth " says it is reported at the Admiralty that the hull of H.M.s Calliope, now on the Australian station, is rotten. Distressing accounts are to hand of the famine in China. Two hundred thousand people are starving in the Ching Kiang districts. The subscription list in London has already realised £8,000 besides food. News has been received of an important engagement in Burmah, which resulted in a victory for the British troops, who killed 300 natives. Mr A. P. Hensman, of Western Australia, read a paper at the Royal Colonial Institute, advocating that the fullest measure of local self-government should be granted to his colony. He expressed the opinion that a single chamber was preferable. Sir G. Bowen and Sir F. Weld endorsed his views, Che former urging separation of the northern portion of the colony, which should be formed into a Crown colony and developed by means of Asiatic cheap labour. Bankere and financiers condemn che delay in floating the remainder of the South Australian loan as degrading to the colony, and damaging to the prospects of New South Wales and Tasmania. The colony should either compromise as to the minimum or withdraw the loan altogether. Sir Herculus Robinson is about to retire on a pension from the public service, and will be raised to the peerage. Sir Henry Loch, Governor of Victoria, is mentioned as hkel) to succeed him. The Shippers' Committee have urged the brokers to reduce freights by half-a-crown. Decision on &c matter has been deferred for a fortnight. Professor Iszard, of the Academy of Music, has obtained a divorce from his wife, Marie Tempest, the original Dorothy in the opera of that uame, and damages against the co-respon-dent, Mr Leslie, proprietor of the newly-opened Lyric Theatre. New Zealand mutton is unchanged, but Australian has advanced by oneeighth of a penny. A few carcases by the Selembria were damaged. Frozen beef is 3}£d to 4^d. London, February 15. The Chinese population of Hong Kong are petitioning the English Government to urge the withdrawal of the Chinese Exclusion Bill passed in the United States. The petitioners further protest against the action of the American and Australian Governments as being contray to international usage, and they state that the carrying out of the Exclusion policy will result in commercial ruin to Hongkong. Mr Parnell is reported to be in a critical state of health. Dublin, February 14. His Holiness the Pope has subscribed £40,000 towards the cost of the new St. Patrick's Church in this city. Rome, February 14. His Holiness the Pope has- issued a note to the powers urging them to make common cause with the Church in the endeavour toavoidan appeal to arms which might prove futile to guarantee future peace. He urges the powers to let right assert itself over might, in order that peace may be preserved to each, and rendering to each their own rights while strictly adhering to justice. The Vatican is irritated at the refusal of the English Government to renew diplomatic relations. Iti is stated that the Irish influence is now in the ascendant, and that this may be largely attributed to the recent vi&it of Cardinal Moran. Pakis, February 14. It is expected that M. Floquet will be defeated on the proposal for the revision of the electoral system. The revision scheme proposed by M. Floquet was so insufficient that it satisfied very few deputies, and hence his defeat. The majority against him comprised the Right and Opportunist members. The President of the" Republic, M. Sadi-Carnot, is con- l suiting on the situation with the President of the Chamber. It is probable that a Moderate member, perhaps M. Rouvier, will be invited to forma Government, which will last until the Exhibition is over. The Prince of Wales was present during the debate in the Chamber. On the Chamber of Deputies carrying by a majority of 89 the motion to adjourn the revision of the Constitution, M. Floquet gave in his resignation. M. Floquet, the French Premier, has resigned. It is proposed to refer the question of revision of the Constitution to the electors. A crisis is expected. St Petersburg, February 14. Fears are entertained by the Russian Government that the Ameer's presence on the frontier will incite # the fanatical Mollohs, of Bokhara, and lead to disturbances. The newspapers of the city urge the immediate mobilising of the Russian army. The colonising expedition to Abyssinia, headed by the Cossack Atchinoff, not having been welcomed by the Wegus, will .Teturn to Russia. The formal bethrothal of the Czarewitch •will take place before Lent. It is announced from Russia sources that the Ameer is beheading three hundred rebels daily. Sixteen Russian battalions are now confronting him on the frontier. M. Zankoff, Premier of Bulgaria, has had a long audience with the Czar. Zanzibar, February 14. A hitch has occurred over the release of the captive missionaries, and the relief .party was repulsed with great violence. It is expected the natives will attack Banjamoyo.

Ottowa, February 14. Mr Moody, of the Canadian Pacific Railway, thinks it probable that Canada will agree to a conference being held in Australia. The establishment of a line of steamships will be dependent on a subsidy being granted by Britain to the Atlantic line. The terminus is certain to be Brisbane, with a branch to Fiji and New Zealand. He considers a direct line to New Zealand impossible. Vienna, February 14. The President of the Austrian Export Society states the experience* of Austrian traders who sent goods to the Melbourne Exhibition was very unsatisfactory. Foreign exhibitors were involved in loss owing to ■their being prevented from retailing goods. He also states that it is feared a commercial and financial crisis is impending in Australia. Port Darwin, Feb. 16. A man named Hamilton has been murdered by a blackfellow in ■ fche Northern Territory. The murderer has also died from injuries alleged to have been inflicted by Hamilton. Sydney, February 15. Numerous cases of garrotting have oc. curred recently. There is almost an epidemic, but convictions are hardly obtainable, owing to the perjury of Witnesses. To-day, however, the judge made an example of two men who were convicted by sentencing them to ten years' penal servitude. He also ordered the arrest of five witnesses for perjury. The extent of the recent fire amongst the mails on the Melbourne express has now been ascertained. It transpires that two bags of letters were burnt, and both of these were from Auckland: one was intended for Adelaide and the other for Hobart. A Samoan native named Sali has been arrested on suspicion of having caused the recent fire at the German Consulate. The damage bv the fire is estimated at 100,000 dollars. A native rising at Tutuila is feared in consequence of the imprisonment of some of Mataafa's party by Tamasese's men. The followers of Tamasese are falling away rapidly, and it is believed that unless Germany assists Tamasese his followers will return quietly to their houses without Mataafa firing another shot at them. | The s.s. Lubeck has arrived from the Islands, with Samoan dates to February 6th. The various Consuls were anxiously awaiting definite instructions. ' Mr Klein, the American press correspondent, had been compelled to go on board the American man-o-war Nipsic for safety. The German seamen wounded in the hght with Mataafa's men are progressing favourably. Erery vessel belonging to the Samoans, and also the police, have been placed under German control. Mataafa is strengthening his position and forming paths through the bush, to enable supplies to be easily obtained. The German authorities have recalled Herr Brandeis. The seaman McKay, who was arrested on the charge of murdering a comrade by stabbing him during a quarrel, has been acquitted. Thursday Island, February 14. A loan of half a million has been raised by the Chinese Government for the purpose of constructing a railway from Tientsin to Hang Chow. A thousand pirates are threatening the French troops in Tonquin, and fresh troubles are feared. It is stated that the Viceroy is ousting foreigners from Kaitung. Russia has protested, and will fight to the bitter end. The province of Chefoo has suffered severely from floods. The inhabitants are in a frightful state of distress, over a million and a-half being on the verge of starvation. A snowstorm in North China haa also caused much distress. 1 A severe and prolonged earthquake was felt at Yokohama on January 2nd. China will probably annex Corea after the Emperor's marriage, depose the reigning family, and appoint the Marquis Tseng viceroy. Thursday Island, Februai-y 15. Details are to hand of the loss of the Pkyapsket, which came into collision with the steamer Chowpya off Klang Straits lighthouse, and sank immediately. Two European" and thirty native passengers were drowned, along with thirty of the crew. The British ship Angu was wrecked near Tamsui. The survivors were roughly handled by the natives, who looted the ship and set it on fire. The captain and ten men left in the longboat, but nothing has been heard of them since. The Chinese transport Wuising was lost ! on January 12, and twenty people, mostly Chinese, were drowned. Melbourne, February 15. Run ting and Wright, accountants, have failed. ' The liabilities are stated at £40,000, and the assets are said to show a surplus of £72,000. Several smaller failures, due to the land boom, are also reported. Mr Jenkins, of the firm of ironfounders, ha* failed personally. His liabilities are $58,000 and the surplus of assets $25,000. He is a victim of the land boom. ( Two land brokers, named Cohen and Scott, have been arrested for selling more land than they owned.