LATEST ENGLISH NEWS. TELEGRAPHIC SUMMARY. Lomdon, April 17.

Waikato Times, Volume VI, Issue 324, 11 June 1874, Page 2

LATEST ENGLISH NEWS. TELEGRAPHIC SUMMARY. Lom d on, April 17.

I'lijieva relating to the kidnapping in the Suuth ScUi> lime

lio.u ]n.) iii-eil on ilie motion ot Karl Belinore E.irl Ca - i n \ ..ii il, , hiiiM to pioihicv tin' diMpalfli c niLmiiii^ tin 1 in •trie lioih gi\eu to tin 1 (."oiniiu^ionors Hie Uomtiimint, liis reinml abundant poof ot the detestible trafli «, tho irrJi the recent AcLliad pn (I iced some good resul s. Tlie .oiHidorntion of tlie question of the annexation of I'm will stand over till the present ltion of the Commissioners' report. If the Government adopted the annexation policy, Eurl Carnarvon thought they s>hould fiist e-tabhsh a Ci own colony. A telegram has been recenol tnnoiiucing the cession of the islands to Great Britain, a id with few exceptions the Press of all parties express satistaction at this prospective settlement ot the Polynesian question. Tlie screw steamer Iberia, '1800 tons register, built on the Clyde, has heen purchaeoJ for the new hnejfrom Liverpool to ' Melbourne, f/« the- Cape. Tho lister ship Liguna is approaching completion, and is intended for the same service. The news of the escape of Eoehefort and his Communist companions has produced a great sensation in Prance, and it was officially denied until a despatch from tho Governor of New Caledonia confirmed the report. A general officer left, on the 14th of April, for New Caledonia, to investigate the affair. Tho revenuo returns for tbe year are £77,335,657, the Budget estimate for tbe year being £73,672,000. Mr Dilke'a motion to extend tho hours of polling at elections from 4 to 8 o'clock was rejected by 200 votes to 126. Mr Butt used the debate on the report of the address as a mode of testing tho strength of the Home Rule party in the House Mr Gladstone, in a. lively speech, characterised Mr Butt's proposal as dangerous and tricky. Fitty members followed him into the lobby, and 314 voted against him. The first batch of papers on the Bengal famine have beer published. Severe strictures have beon passed upon the existing state of things. _ . The Committee on Privilege, appointed to inquire ink the circumstances of Mr Whalley's commitment for contempt of Court, decided that the subject did not demand the further at tcntion of the House. The Abh.anteo troops (some invalids excepted) have all returned, and received a gratifying welcome. A long and'affectionate letter, written a year ago by Di Livingstone to Mr Stanley, is published m the Londoc papers. Arcnbishop Manning will be created a Cardinal at the next Papal consistory. In the action against Mr Pli/nsoll, for alleged libel published at Christmas on tho ship Ahoy, tho verdict was giver for defendant. . Mr Pliinsoll, received a hearty welcome to Liverpool, and an address was presented on his arriTal from various trades connected with the shipping interest. Our Volunteers have received an invitation, from Franc* to cross the Channel and compete- fo» prizes at tho rifle contests during tho Whitsun week. , Pulman's palace cars are now running on the Midlanc Eailwoy, and are the talk of London. Tue labour crisis increases daily in intensity. Tho de^ creased consumption of coal and ironis compelling a reduction of wa^os in all the great colliery and iron dwtricts - x employer, are lowtrvig them from 10 to 25 per cent. In some casei t k men submit reluctantly to the inevitable, in othors they hav< struck, and in several instances temporary oomprouuses have been effected. In Scotland, three-fourths of the furnaces an damped down, and manufacturing will only be resumed at 20 per cent, further reduc'ioa In the Cleveland district siaular reductions are insisted upon by masters. In Soutl Staffordshire, 15,000 men are on strike; in, the Northerr division the difference had been met by mutual concessions but a stnko of 1000 engine-men will probably throw out 1,0,000 miners. The South Wales miners have submitted te 10 per cent, reductions. In Somersetshire a strike was averted by concessions. The Trades Union leaders gpneral! j counsel moderation. Tne lock-out of agricultural labourers in the Eastern counties is assuming alarming proportions ; tho Fawners' Defence League resolved to crush the Labourers Union. Men ask only 14.3 per week, and a curtailment o! the working day to nine hows ; about 5000 men aro out The struggle attracts the attention of the whole country, and the Government ia anxiously watolnng its progress. Much sympathy is felt for the men, while the policy of the farmer! is generally pronounced cruel and suicidal. JSumerous peaceful demonstrations have been held, at whjch emigration agents are busy and successful. The Bishop of Manchester has published two letters, pointing out the social perils of the present U>ck.-out ; the letters have produced considerable sensation. The contest for the championship, of the Thames ue> tween Sad.lror and Bagnall, representatives of the Thames and Tyne, was won by Saddler by six; lengths. \. terrililo colliery explosion occurred at Astley deep pit Dunkmtioltl. ucu- Manchester A fall of earth caused aii 'escape of »as," which ignited. About 000 men and boys were killed. Tho news from the famine (hstriqts of India continues gloomy. 'I he Government is now thoroughly aroused to the magnb'ule ot the calamity. The mortality of the children is ■» ci y fe i e;-,t. Im-eiidiary fitcs are increasing, and whole vill^es ,-vio being burnt down and plundered. Small-po* h.isbioken out at somu relief works, and foot and mouth «lise.ifce prevails among the cattle, while, the most ttniblu ot .ill, water is tailing in nifliiy quarters. The M.iu!>ion llouso hiibsoiiptioiia amount to J; ICO, 000.