ENGLAND AND PORTUGAL.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 441, 29 January 1890, Page 5

ENGLAND AND PORTUGAL.

Lisbon, January 25. The Minister for War has authorised the army to subscribe to the National Defence Fund. British traders at Lisbon and other ports are making an appeal to Mr Gladstone for his intervention in the dispute between England and Portugal French and German commercial travellers are swarming to Portugal. Lisbon, January 26. A- committee has been .appointed here to raise a defence fund for /the purpose of promoting an alliance with America. The British despatch boat, the Enchantress, has sailed for Portsmouth,

SOCIALIST BILL REJECTED. Berlin, January 25. The Reichstag rejected the Socialist Bill, when the final stage was reached, by a majority of 71. The session has now closed. THE JUBILEE PLUNGER. London, January 25. Benzon’s family have offered to refund the proceeds of the cheque stated to have been forged by Ernest Benzon, but so far all efforts to settle the matter have failed, and the Jubilee Plunger is still in custody. It is stated that he has admitted the forgery, alleging that he was badly in want of the money to pay a gambling debt. LONDON COMMERCIAL. London, January 24. The total amount reserved in the Bank of England is proportion of reserve to liabilities, 4 per cent. Consols, 97 steady; New Zealand 4 percent, inscribed stock, active. Australian wheat, ex warehouse, 395, quiet; New Zealand Jong - berried wheat, ex store, 38s, steady. Sugar : German beet, lis 9d, steady ; Java, 15s 3d, nominal. No. 1 best Scotch pig iron, f.o.b. in Clyde, 60s 3d, steady. Tallow is flat; best mutton, 265; best beef, 245.

Tallow is dull of sale. Mutton has declined is, and beef tallow 9d per cvvt. respectively since last report. Frozen Meat. —The mutton market is firm; Canterbury mutton is worth and Wellington mutton per lb. The beef market is dull, and quotations are unchanged. N.S.W. WHEAT YIELD. Sydney, January 25. The estimate of the present wheat yield will be ready about three weeks hence. The total demands of the colony for food and seed are estimated at 8,050,000 bushels.