RUSSIA.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7981, 8 March 1906, Page 5

RUSSIA.

THE DOUMA ELECTIONS. Received March 7, 7.39 a.m. ST. PETERSBURG, March 6. Twenty-eight Douma constituencies will elect representatives on the Bth instant., a»d the rest op the 27tb, and on 3rd May, the preliminary peasant elections to the D.istrict Council will take place. . The election among the colleges in the province of St. Petersburg has resulted in the selection of a Conservative representative. THE RUSSIAN CONSTITUriON. Received March 7, 10.7 p.m. ST PETERSBURG, Maroh 7. An Imperial manifesto announces that the Russian Council will be composed of an equal number of elected aud nominated members. The members elected jwill be eligible' for nine years, a third of the number being re-elected every three years. The Czar will convoke aud porogue the Oounoil and the Douma annually. Both Houses will possess equal legislative powers, and equal power of initiative ani introducing Bills, which must pass both Assem blies before being submitted to the Czar. The silting will open in public, and the members will be immune from arrest during the progress of the session exceot by permission of the Douma aud Council. Ministers are eligible for election to the Douma. If extraordinary circumstances arise during Douma's suspension the Council and a Minister may lay the matter before the Czar, but the legislature mustjratify the action taken within two months of the session beginning. VICE-ADMIRAL CHUUKNIN. , FURTHER DETAILS. (Per.Mail Steamer at Auckland). ST., PETERSBURG, February 10, The Admiralty has received a report from the surgeon in charge of Vice-Admiral Chouknin, who was shot by a woman in his office, in Sebastopol, yesterday, to the effect that his wounds are not dangerous. Rear-Admiral Grigrovitch has assumed command of the Black Sea fleet, in succession to Vice-Admiral Chouknin. According to the morning papers and subsequent despatches from Sebaatoool confirming these press accounts the attending surgeons are confident that Vioe-Admiral Chouknin will recover; The most severe wound is in the breast, from which the bullet has not been extracted. The other wounds are in the right shoulder and both legs. His assailant was shot and killed by an orderly. She is believed, like the murderess of Lieut.-General Sakharoff, A former War Minister, and the assassin of General Shuvaloff, Prefect of Police of Moscow, to have been the emissargy of a St. Peters burg group of terrorists. At 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon the woman appeared at the official residence of Admiral Chouknin, and sent in her card, saying she was a daughter of a Rear-Admiral, who was an acquaintance of Vioe-Admiral Chouknin, at St. Petersburg, and requested an interview. Upon entering the] Admiral's office she drew a rapid fire pistol, and fired four shots* at Vioe-Admiral Chouknin with deliberate aim, each bullet] reaching the mark. She then turned to flee, but was killed by the orderly. Vice-Admiral Chouknin exhibited remarkable nerve, and'continued to issue orders, even while being carried to bed, and during the examination by the surgeons. Later he received personal frieods, who came to sympathise with him. The news of the attempt en ViceAdmiral Ohouknin'a life created great excitement among,the sailors at Sebastopol, a large proportion of whom are sullon, and on the verge of mutiny. The anarchists at Sebastopol attempted to organise a demonstration, but were not successful. The crime, beyond doubt, was political. Vice-Admiral ChouKnin has long been a marked man on account of his activity as commander of the Black Sea fleet in repressing disorders When the sentences imposed upon the sailors for participation in the Odessa mutiny were before him for review, a formal notice was served on Vice-Admiral Choaknin to the effect that if he approved the death sentences he would share the same fate.