CABLES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2012, 22 February 1907, Page 2

CABLES.

i-iIEBS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT. THE MAIL CONTRACT. AGENT’S UNEXPECTED ARRIVAL MELBOURNE, Fob. 21. Mr. Trovisa Clark, agent for tho mail syndicate, arrived unexpectedly. Ho brings tho plans and specifications of tho new vessels. Mr. Clark is a director of James Laing and Sons. Tho nature of his mission has not been disclosed. ADELAIDE, Feb. 21. A well-known Adelaide merchant states he is in possession of information direct from the office ol one of tho largest steamship companies trading with Australia, confirming yesterday’s cable announcing that a hitch had occurred. When tho mail contract was signed Sir Jas. Laing undertook to form a company. So far he has been unsuccessful, though everybody likely to invest was consulted . Tho merchant is also informed that the keels of the new vessels reported some months ago to have been laid down have axiparently been put to other purposes. Received Feb. 21, 10.2 p.m. MELBOURNE, Feb. 21.

In reply to a question the Postmas-ter-General informed the House that he had received a cablegram irom the Agent-General in London, stating the directorate of tho mail syndicate, but his firm remained in it. Tho Postmaster-General saw Mr. Clark, agent for the syndicate, who stated that his mission to Australia was not to try to alter the conditions of tho contract. He was looking that Beardmore had withdrawn from into the question of shipbuilding generally. He would afford the Government some interesting information in relation to the mail contract.

NAUTICAL ENQUIRY. VESSEL LOST THROUGH CARELESS NAVIGATION. Received Feb. 21, 10.2 p.m. SYDNEY, Feb. 21. The Marine Court inquired into the wrecks of the Maelgwyn and Annasonia. The Court found that the abandonment of the Maelgwyn was justified. As regards the Annasona they found that the loss of the vessel was due to careless navigation by her master, Captain Blackstock, who was cited to show cause why his certificate should not be dealt with.

THE BUTTER BILL. STRINGENT REGULATIONS. Received 9.54 p.m., Feb. 21. LONDON, February 21. The Butter Bill provides for the registration and inspection of factories where butter is blended, reworked, or butter substitutes made. It empowers the Board of Agriculture authorities to enter unregistered premises if they believe that inspection is desirable. It limits the moisture to 16 per centum in butter and margerine, whether home made or imported, and 24 per centum in butter substitutes. The latter must be delivered to the purchaser in a wrapper bearing a printed description of the articles. The penalty for a first offence under the Act is a fine of £2O, for a second offence a fine not exceding £SO, and for a third and subsequent offence fines not exceeding £IOO, with imprisonment in cases which come within the scope of the Food Drugs Act of 1899.

(The Select Committee recommended legislation preventing the use of any fats but butter fats; close inspection of factories, and heavy penalties for adulteration; also international agreements for the preventing of adulteration. Other recommendations are that margarine may be sold as margarine, but that no word suggesting butter is to be allowed on the wrappers.)

THE THAW TRIAL. MRS. THAW’S DISCLOSURES. N;EW YORK, Feb. 20. Mrs. Thaw deposed that White told her he put a beautiful girl aged 15, covered with gauze, with a lot of birds in a pie, and when the girl jumped out the birds flew around. This was at a bachelor dinner, and created the best fun he had ever seen. The girl was subsequently married, and when her husband heard the story he cast 110 off, she dying in poverty. Witness stated that White’s practices with girls were unspeakable. She admitted that when in Paris, after Thaw had proposed to her, she cabled to White for advice. When it was digcc \ ered she was made a co-respon-dent in the Liderer divorce suit. Received Feb. 21, 9.45 p.m. NEW YORK, Feb. 21. Mistress Thaw acknowledged that White in 1902 allowed her to draw five pounds weekly from the bank when she was not acting. ’

THE NAVY. PATROL OF OUTLYING STATIONS Received Feb. 21, 9.58 p.m. LONDON, Feb. 21. Tlio Globe complains that the only sequel to Mr. Churchill’s speech at' Leeds, cabled on the 6th, is that the. Admiralty is parsimoniously sending lightly armed merchantmen, manned with reservists, to patrol outlying stations of the Empire. (In the speech referred to Mr. Churchill, speaking at a dinner given by the Chamber of Commerce at Leeds, drew a lesson from Jamaica, and said there were a score of needs elsewhere that showed the urgent need for establishing a squadron of warships of some sort or .other to patrol Great Britain’s outlying possessions.) ASIATIC LABORERS. EXCLUDED FROM AMERICA. Received Fob. 21, 11.18 p.m. NEW YORK, Feb .21. President Roosevelt has signed the Immigration Bill, excluding Asiatic labourers from the United States. CEREBRO.SPINAL MENINGITIS. OUTBREAK IN HULL. Received Feb. 21, 11.18 p.m. LONDON, Feb. 21. There is an outbreak of cerebrospinal meningitis in Hull City.

COLONIAL CONFERENCE. BANQUETS ARRANGED. Received Feb. 21, 10.7 p.m. LONDON, Feb. 21. The visiting Premiers will be invited to a complimentary luncheon by members of the House of Commons. Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman or Lord Elgin will preside. The National Liberal Club also banquets the Premiers. AFFAIRS IN RUSSIA. r Received Feb. 21, 11.18 pm. ST PETERSBURG, Feb. 21.. The foreign Consuls have appealed tc the Ambassadors regarding the lawlessness and outrages agar lit- hr eigners at Odessa. The Governor warned the Union of Russian peo jle that it would bo dissolved if t< ere was a repetition of the outrages. SYDNEY, Eeb. 21. Received Feb. 21, 1.5 a.m. A plague patient has succumbed. The wool market closed firm and animated at full rates. Greasy brought- up to 131 d ; scoured, 21jd. Received Feb. 22, 12.24 a.m.

SOUTH AFRICA. A HOPEFUL SPEECH. EXCITING ELECTIONS. Received Feb. 21, 9.45 p.m. LONDON, Fob. 21. Lord Churchill, speaking at a dinner at tho South African Products Exhibition, declared that South Africa was steadily advancing towards prosperity, unity, peace, and federation. She had her fortune in her own hands. There was no reason why, when racial duality finally disapjiears, she should not take her place within the circle of the Empire on equal terms with Canada and Australia, and be as free, prosperous, powerful and independent. (Cheers.) He added that the result of the election in the Transvaal promised highly for representative Parliament. Received Feb. 21, 11.11 p.m. PRETORIA, Feb. 21. Tho elections for the Transvaal are being fought with great spirit. The results, which are incomplete, indicate that the Progressives will form a strong, compact minority. Sir Percy Fitz Patrick has been elected, polling 491 against 364 jiollcd by Sir Richard Solomon, and 170 by Mr. Burke, Independent candidate. Sir Percy Fitz Patrick was given a great ovation at Pretoria. The exciiement is indescribable, racial feeling running strong as the returns are received. •-

Twenty thousand people at Market Square, Johannesburg. Received Feb. 21, 11.32 jhm. •LONDON, Feb. 4. Reuter reports that 18 Progressives have been elected. They indue Sir Wools Sampson, Sir Geo. Farrar, Mr. Abe Bailey, and Vanhalsteyn. Sixteen Hetvolkites have been elected, including those returned unopposed . They include Smuts, Dr. Krause, Messrs. Risaik, Rooth, Langerman, Advocate De Villiers. Six Nationalists have been elected, and'include Sir Richard Solomons (brother of Edward). Three Lahorites have been elected.

BRITISH POLITICS. MR, HILL’S AMENDMENT. REJECTED BY 255. INTERESTING DEBATE. LONDON, Feb. 20. In the House of Commons Mr. Winston Churchill, debating Mr. Hill’s amendment, declared that the Imperial Conference was a most) important constitutional function. It would be treated with every respect'. He argued that it' was impossible to give preference to the colonies without taxing bread,' meat, and dairy produce. The Government was opposed to colonial preference politically and equally on economic grounds. Taxes on food would arouse against the colonies a dangerous and terrible antagonism on the part of the motherland’s workers.

Mr. Churchill declared tliat_ Mr. Hill’s amendment marked an advance on Mr. Balfour’s letter to Mr. Chamberlain of February 14 last year, wherein he defined his position on tariff reform, adding: “And Mr. Balfour is about to support) the amendment, although it emanates from the most militant section of the tariff reformers.” During the debate Mr Hunt (Unionist) implored Mr. Balfour to descend from the heights of philosophy and golf and explain his fiscal policy in language that ordinary persons could understand. The Liberals roared with laughter, and Mr. Balfour also. . The Radicals cheered Mr. Churchill’s denunciations of preference. The, debate was adjourned. Received Feb. 22, 12.24 a.m. LONDON, Feb. 21. In the House of Commons Mr. Hill’s amendment was negatived by 353 t 0,98.

Mr. Balfour, supporting it, addressed himself to the pm-vnl 1 r.ints of the amendment . He contended that the Government sliou.d enter the Conference with open mi.i 1 He asked how they meant to keep intact the bonds uniting the motherland and colonies. A zollverein was impossible and an Imperial Council impracticable. Meanwhile the colonies merely asked us to make a beginning with our present fiscal system. He believed that fiscal and industrial necessities would compel us' to adopt a wider basis of taxation and utilise it in order to gain admittance to foreign markets, to meet the needs of tee poorer classes, and t’o secure a preferential basis for closer connection with the colonies.

Received 12.32 a.m., Feb. 22. Speaking to Mr. Hill’s amendment Mr Isaac and others largely dealt with tiie.-question of taxing the food of the people, which Mr. Austen Chamberlain answered. Sir Gilbert Parker urged that ono shilling registration tax on corn would give to Australia and Canada all the advantages they' needed. He declared that Mr. Ramsay Macdonald’s statement that Australia was going to prevent the export of raw material was the most monstrous travesty 011 labor principles ever heard of If the Australian labor people meant that—and he did not believe they did—then Australia’s doom was certain. The production of raw material was the only production of a new country, in itt initial stage which could possibly give work to the worker. Mr. McDonald's argument was absolutely-contrary to all principles of labor. Received Feb. 22, 12.57 a oi. LONDON, Feb. 20 Sir Gilbert": Parker, convia-intg, said they knew as well as --ivthing that Australia should not put an oxport tax 011 anything she produced. He instanced the United States, under. whoso constitution it was impossible to do so, ;. democracy knowing that their whole salvation was dependent on the products of tlio soil. Australian wool commanded our markets, and did not need preference, but Australian development lay in the direction of dairy • products, and sooner or later the motherland would accept a policy of preference, -no matter bow small, as a basis of a larger prosperity and healthier condition of the trade of the Emxiire. Mr. Lloyd George emphasised the value of foreign trades. He vyarnetl the House of the danger of imperilling it by any thin end of the wedge leading-to protection. He urged fl at an amendment be introduced for tlio purpose of converting Mr. Balfour, wdiom be congratulated on his ingenuity in eluding the tariff roVcmiV shares. LONDON, Feb. 21. The IVellington 4 per cent, debentures have been subscribed. NEWCASTLE, Eeb. 21. Sailed, Defiance, for Auckland. BRISBANE, Feb. 21. Arrived, Indraghiri. Sailed. Acrahgi, Tor Vancouver. MELBOURNE, Feb. 21. Arrived, JOIIII Hardio, from New York. Mr. Reid resumed the debate r.n the Address-in-Reply. He lon?cb'.lv reviewed the result of the elections The Opposition accepted the verdict of the country as in favor of tariff reforms, but freetraders would still figlit for their privileges, though tiny would do nothing to thwart the will o- the people. He hoped to seo the fiscal question settled and got :id < f as a political element. Since the session must be short liis party would do their utmost to expedite business. Mr. Deakin replied to Mr. Reed, and then proceded to outline bis intentions at the Imperial Conference. Tlio hides market is very firm, and a’l catalogues were cleared,.