ARRIVAL OF THE "RANGITOTO," WITH THE ENGLISH MAIL FOR MARCH.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 506, 20 May 1869, Page 2

ARRIVAL OF THE "RANGITOTO," WITH THE ENGLISH MAIL FOR MARCH.

DIS-ESTABLISHMENT OF THE IRISH CHURCH. THE BILL CARRIED BY LARGE MAJORITY. MR. LOWE'S BUDGET. REDUCTION OF TAXATION. PLOT TO ASSASSINATE THE YICEROY OF EGYPT. AGRARIAN OUTRAGES IN IRELAND. OPENING OF THE SUEZ CANAL. INSURRECTION IN CUBA. DEFEAT OF THE INSURGENTS. SERIOUS RIOTS AT NORTH SHIELDS. GREAT EXPLOSION IN PARIS. ABOLITION OF SLAYERY BY PORTUGAL. (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) (from our owx correspondent.) llokitika, Tuesday, 3 to G p.m. Tbe s.s. Rangitoto, with the Euglish March mail, arrived off Hokitika at eight o'clock this morning. The mail steamer arrived at Adelaide on Monday, the 10th inst. London, March 2G. Tbe Queen has visited London, and has held a levee, a council, and a draw-ing-room. Her Majesty also visited the Zoological G-ardens and Kensington Museum. Prince Leopold, whose illness had prevented Her Majesty from visiting London at the opening of liament, has recovered. In the House of Commons, on March 15th, Mr Newdegate's motion to reject the Irish Church Bill was not supported by Mr Disraeli, and the motion was rejected, after a noisy dehate, by 335 against 229. On the 16th Mr Disraeli's amendment to omit clause two in the Bill was rejected by 344 against 221. Mr Disraeli gave notice of other amendments. The debate on the second reading of of the Bill terminated on March 23. Mr G-athorne Hardy and Mr Walpole strongly opposed the disestablishment of the Irish Church. Mr Hardy said that the policy of the Government was disuniting, instead of assimilating, England and Ireland. Mr Gladstone ably defended the justice of the measure, the details of which would, however, be subject to modification when the House went into Committee on the Bill. The second reading of the Bill was afterwards passed by a majority of j

118 votes, 368 having voted for, and 250 against, the motion. Mr. Chichester Portescue has announced that no more Fenian prisoners will be released than those whose release has already been determined upon. Mr. Lowe's financial statement shows a revenue of £72,855,000. The expenditure, including the cost of the Abyssinian war, is stated to have been £68,223,000. He proposes to deduct one penny from the present income tax, to repeal the duty on fir© insurance, and to reduce several other taxes. The Budget was favorably received. Negotiations between Prance and Belgium make little progress. The proposals made by Belgium were declared to be unacceptable by Prance. Mr Eastwick has proposed his motion relative to Central Asia. Mr Gladstone said that the discussion was inopportune, and that no engage,ment had been entered into by the Indian Government to pay an annual subsidy to th 6 Ameer of Atfghanistan. Friendly communications, he said, had been exchanged with Bussia. The Italian Government have presented a Bill for the purpose of reorganizing the army, its maximum strength to be 620,000 men, 400,000 of these to be active service men. J The Czar of Eussia has granted an unlimited furlough to men on leave from military duty. Turkey and Persia have agreed to refer their differences to a mixed commission. The Nawab of Bengal has been'received by the Emperor Napoleon. There has been discovered a plot to to assassinate the Viceroy of Egypt by placing an exploding machine under his box in the theatre. The Oriental Bank has declared a half-yearly dividend of six per cent., and the Chartered Mercantile Bank of India, Australasia, and China has declared a dividend of six per cent. The Government have introduced a new Bankruptcy Bill, based upon the Scotch system. A Bill increasing Lord Napier's 1 salary has passed the House of Commons.

A Bill haa been introduced to repeal the Brazilian Slave Trade Act.

The House of Commons has ap. pointed a select committee on elections, and to consider whether a system of secret voting equivalent to the Ballot cannot be devised.

Mr Kingslake and Mr Yanderbye have been unseated for Bridgewater. Sir Henry Edwards and Captain Kennard have been unseated for Beverley. Mr Weguelin has been declared elected for Toughall. The Bewdley election has been won by Mr Cunliffe. The Oldham and Dover election petitions have been withdrawn. Mr Clive and Mr "Wyllie have been unseated for Hereford. Sir Sydney H. Waterlow, member for Dumfries, has been declared disqualified. The Blackburn elections have been annulled. Mr Miall has been elected for Bradford. The bailiff of Lord Antrim has been assassinated at Donegal. Several Irish Fenian prisoners have been released. Mackay will be detained until his sentence expires. Sir John Laurence's title is Baron Laurence, of Punjaub and Greatly. There is a strike among the Preston operatives. The opening of the Suez Canal took place on the ISth of March, when the waters of the Mediterranean were admitted. The Admiralty officials who were charged with receiving money from tenderers have been committed for trial. Mr. Stanfield is the new official assignee, in the place of Mr Edwards, who was dismissed in consequence of his connection with the business of Overend, Gurney, and Co. The Indian Budget has called forth some adverse criticisms from the Liberal Press. Mr Vernon Harcourt has heen elected to the Whewell professorship of International Law, Cambridge. A second submerged cable is to be laid between Sicily and Malta. Captain Tyler is inspecting a line of railway hetween Susa and Brindisi, with the view of accelerating the dispatch of the Indian mails. Failures in the cotton trade in Lancashire are announced. Seventy miles of the Persian Gulf cable which were thrown overboard have been recovered. The Duchy of Lauenburg has beea incorporated with the Prussian kingdom.

The steamer Cambria has been wrecked on the coast of Sicily, with a loss of twenty lives. The Scarborough Radicals invited Mr Milner Gibson to oppose Mr Harcourt Johnstone, but Mr Gibson declined.

The great Warwickshire Handicap has been won by Lord Calthorpe's Knight-Garter. The Grand National Steeplechase at Liver wool has been won by Mr Weiryan's horse Colonel. An inquest has been held on the body of Sir Emerson Tennent. The jury returned a verdict that death was caused by apoplexy. A battle has taken place in Cuba between the troops and 4000 insurgents. It resulted in the defeat of the latter, who had been aided from New York.

The emigration movement is acquiring importance, in consequence of the increasing distress. A meeting has been held in the Agricultural Hall to advocate Government aid. The Queen has contributed £l5O to the Emigration Fund. The proposal to place a line of steamers between Britain and Australia, via the Cape of Good Hope, is approved of, but numerous protests are made against mixing the postal service with it.

Arrangements have been made for the sale of Australian preserved meat at eighty shops of the Aerated Bread Company of London.

Mr Froude has been installed Rector of St. Andrew's University. Atestimonial of £3OOO has been presented to Mr Roebuck.

The Bishop of London is indisposed. He continues proceedings against the Rev. Mr Bennett, of Frome.

Madame Rachel is in Newgate gaol Finding her selling her furniture, one of her sureties became alarmed that she would leave the country, and made an application to the Judge for her detention.

There have been riots at North Shields, caused by Murphy's proceedings. Two hundred Irish Catholics were engaged in the riots, armed with bludgeons. The military were eallel out. Serious injuries were inflicted upon a number of people.

Some atrocious murders have been committed in Ireland. The Australian claimant to the title and estates of Sir Roger Tichborne, who was lately reported to have been murdered in South America, has returned to England, and the dispute as to his claim will be tried on the earliest possible day. A terrible explosion has taken place at some chemical works in Paris, causing numerous deaths.

Don Ferdinand of Portugal has positively refused to accept the crown of Spain. There is a growing friendship between Berlin and Rome.

Four German vessels are being prepared for polar expeditions. The Emperor and Empress of Austria visited Croatia, and were received with marked enthusiasm. The united flags of Austria and Hungary have been adopted by merchant vessels. The negotiations for a treaty of commerce with England are progressing favourably. Obituary.—Earl of Wicklow, Earl of Glasgow, Lord Leconfield, General Jomini, S'l John Peter Boileau, General Ormsby, Sir Wm. Clay, Lord. Wynford, Hon. Edward Jordon, Duke Christian of Sleswig-Holstein, Stephen Simpson, Earl of Radnor. COMMERCE. Money is plentiful Bank discount is at the rate of four per cent. Consols 93i. There is less speculation in foreign stocks. Australian securities are in good request. The Yietorian Government debentures are uninjured by the new loan. LATEST TELEGRAMS. London, April 10. Mr Gwynne has been unseated for Brecknock. The Prince and Princess of Wales have arrived at Constantinople. Prince Arthur visited Dublin on April 6tb, and was most cordially received. Severe gales have occurred in the English Channel. A Bill authorising the Queen to create annually four life peerages for distinguished services, the total number of peerages not to exceed twentyeight, has been read a second time. Maharajah Dhuleep Singh has been declared a magistrate for the county of Suffolk. In the Spanish Cortes a stormy discussion has taken place on the form of Government and the election of a king. The Due de Montpensier is the probable candidate. A loan of £250,000,000 is proposed. The amnesty for political offences has been postponed in consequence of conspiracies and outbreaks. Don Celesto Olozago, the first secretary of the Spanish Chamber, has been killed in a duel. The insurgents are completely vanquished.

The dispute between France and Belgium is in a fair way of settlement. A fortnight ago affairs were looking exceedingly warlike. The Belgian Chambers have abolished imprisonment for debt.

The Dutch Chamber has abolished the newspaper stamp duty. The Portuguese Government have decreed the abolition of slavery throughout their dominions. Several agrarian outrages have been committed in Ireland.

At the Cape of Good Hope a tract of country four hundred miles long, and one hundred and fifty broad, has been utterly desolated by fire.

The British Consul has been withdrawn from Formosa, his proceedings there being condemned. The demonstrations in Trafalgar Square in honor of the late Ernest Jones were a failure.

An agitation for the release of American citizens imprisoned in England for Fenianism is in progress. A speedy settlement of the Alabama differences is not improbable. Mr Bright has written strongly to Mr Sumner on the subject. Mr Motley has been selected to fill the post of American Minister in England. Mr Reverdy Johnsou announces his resignation.

The American President has been authorised to recognise the independence of Cuba when a Bepublican Government is established.

The Hudson's Bay Company have accepted the proposal made by the Government for the surrender of their territory. Paraguayan news is conflicting Lopez is a fugitive, yet the people cling to him.

SPECIAL TELEGRAM,

London, April 12. Galle, April 21. The O'Farrell papers have been produced in Parliament. Amnestied Fenian convicts are not to be brought from Australia at the public expense. Dr Livingston is reported to have arrived at Zanzibar on January 4th., and purposed returning to England. Spain has sent more troops to Cuba. Mr Frederick AVeld has been gazetted Governor of Western Australia.

The Rev. Mr Coure, rector of Stafford, has accepted the bishopric of New Zealand. He was formerly chaplain to the Bishop cf Calcutta.

Vice-Chancellor Maliues has issued peremptory orders for the winding-up of the Panama Mail Company. A grand demonstration has been held in memory of Ernest Jones.

President Johnson is ill. Field-Marshal Gough is dead,