NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3095, 18 January 1879, Page 2

NEWS BY THE MAIL .

(FROM. THE HOME NEWB.) Messrs Spiers and Pond, who are so well known in Australia as public caterers and refreshment contractors, hare jasc opened a new restaurant adjacent to the Gaiety Theatre in the Strand. The premisfls were submitted to private view on November 14, when a large number of gentlemen connected with the Press and commercial circles of London were invited to inspect them/all of whom were most liberally entertained., It is needless to observe that the rooms are fitted up in the first style of elegance, with every luxury and comfort that can be devised to cause them to be fully appreciated by, the London public arid the numerous provincial visitors who make this popular establish* ment a regular ho&se of call. November 21 was the day on which the new restaurant was opened to the public, on which occasion the company was very name* rous. , . • . > The notice of a reduction of wages given by the farmers of Kent and Sussex to their men expired on Not. 2, and was followed by a strike of the men belonging to the Agricultural Labourers' Union of Kent and Sussex. All the masters have not combined together, but some, it is stated; urge that the proper course for the farmers to adopt in endeavoring to deal with the lessened profits of farming would be to obtain lessened rates; Meetings of the branches of the union were held at Ash, Hoaden, and Northfleet, and a few days ago there were church parades of the branches at Mile Bush (Staplehurst), Wainscoat,Northborhe,Lainberhurst,and Teynham. The union has ordered returns to be made of the proposed reductions, and the return has shown that very nearly 3000 men are expected to leave their employ* ment rather than submit to the reduction of pay of 6da day in the cases wheß the day's wage amount to 2s 8d or 2s 9d, and 4d a day where the wage is 2s 6d and 2s 4d. The" secretary of: the union, Mr Simmons, has advised thq.people not t 0 leave their cottages until they are turned out, and it if purposed that 400 or 500 of the locked-out labourers shall march to London in order to hold there a, public demonstration. The farmers are uniting to week out the union men for;;their 'service. ■■■■■•■:■ : ; -■■■-'■■■ <■■ ' ....- „,-,.,] According to the St. Petersbnrg correspondent of the Journal dcs D^bats, the Nihilists in Russia have useful associates in the Government offices, the railway administrations, and other organisations' of importance. A Government functionary of some kind, apparently a procureur,' wason his way from St. Petersburg to Odessa where he was to take part in a criminal process instituted against certain Nihilistg. He (received a warning .from • the Secret Government not to meddle in the affair, but not heeding this advice proceeded on his journey. Arrived at Odessa, he could not find his trunk, which was somehow missing from the lug-gage-wagon. After some delay how* ever, it^ war'found: It had been opened,, and, although none of its market; able contents hail been abstracted, tho papers relating to the pending trial ha™ all disappeared. . In, their place the procureur found a letter from, the Secret Government, .blaming him for having neglected their well-meant caution, and informing him that as his conduct had not been in any other respect reprehensible, the executive committee contented itself with depriving him of the papers connected with the trial in which he was engaged. .. . '