SATURDAY'S CABLES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10131, 9 January 1911, Page 7

SATURDAY'S CABLES.

There was a "'stormy debate in the Persian National Council with reference to the feeble provincial administration of the Government and the' troubles in the Southern provinces; The Cabinet lias offered to resign. Mr William Corey is about to resign the Presidency of the United States Steel Corporation. There is a rumour that the prices for steel will shortly be lowered. This, however, is not generally believed. *' it is impossible as yet to estimate the number of victims of the earthquake in Russian Turkestan.

The convictions for drunkenness in Adelaide last year showed an increase'of four hundred over the number of tile previous year. It is believed that the Duke of Connaught intends to visit Canada early in the autumn. This will probably mean a postponement of the proposed Arctic trip cf We GovernorGeneral (Earl Grey).

A contract has been let for. the construction of the Yancduver Island section of the -Canadian Northern Traais-eontinental railway, -,i - • The/minimum wage of £llO yearly, which.it is.proposed to pay to all State employees, aged twenty-one yeans ■■■and upwards, is ■ to. be 'extended ■to those- employed in the- 'Railway -Department in New South Wales.

The enrolment of cadets under the new defence scheme has been initiaated in the various States of the Commonwealth. There has been a great rush for enrolment forms. . A cap and spectacles, which have, been identified as belonging to Mr. Cecil Grace, the English airman, who disappeared over a fortnight ago, were found near Ostend.

During 1910, 5500 assisted emigrants left London for New South Wales. They included 2100 farm labourers and domestics, the remainder being mostly the wives and children, of. settlers.

Killingworth Colliery, in New South Wales, the scenei of the recent explosion, is to remain sealed for three months.

Modifications agreed upon in the' designs of the two Commonwealth cruisers in order to fit them for the rough seas prevailing on the Australian coast, involves an extra cost of one hundred thousand pounds each.

Edmondson, a well-known resident of the Adelaide districtj has been arrested in connection ■ with the Tantanoola sheep-stealing sensation. The International Congress to consider the question of the suppression of opium meets, at the Hague on 30th Aiay. Great Britain will propose that morphia and cocaine be included in the prohibition list.