... e speaker took the chair at four o'clock. TV! -VI CORRUPT PRACTICES ACT. ask f'i gave notice that on Monday next he would tenri il 'Prime Minister whether the Government in- Session Proceed with the Corrupt Practices Bill this T A DEFAULTING STAMP DISTRIBUTOR. S r«Ply to Mr. RYLANDS, bepn1' Y1ER sai(l it was true that a loss of £ 2,000_ had -buim.00*'i?onei^ by the defalcations of the stamp ...

... STEAM CULTIVATION IN SCOTLAND.—The Scots- man says:—During several years the leading agricul- turists in Aberdeenshire have often considered the practicability of introducing steam cultivation. The smallness of many of the holdings, however, and the uneven surface, combined with the prevelance of earth- fast stones in a large proportion of the county, operated formidably against the movement. ...

... | FRAUD AND FORGERY. At the Hammersmith William Hemming, an auctioneer, of Stamford-street, Blackfriars. was brought up in the custody of Mr. Palmer, chief inspector, Scotland-vard, charged with obtaining a cheque-book from the Notting-hill branch of the National Bank by false representations, and with uttering several forged cheques. Mr. Elsie Wyatt, accountant at the Notting-hill branch of ...

... EVERYBODY has long observed the decline of the Government, so that its dissolution at any moment would cause no surprise. The respectable and independent Liberal organs are forecasting its doom. The defeats in the House of Commons last week show that Ministers have lost the confi- dence of their friends. Their followers are luke- warm, or cold, because they know there is a re- action against ...

... Achievement, the celebrated racehorse, and the property of Colonel Pearson, hast just died at Rufford Abbey. THE MONEY MARKET.—The money market during the week has been very easy, and the outer market has been a little under the Bank rate, as usual. But we see no reason to vary the general prediction which we gave lately, that if the German Government persist in taking all, or almost all, ...

... OYSTER FISHERY.—The large number of 200,000 oysters were taken off the Pembrokeshire sea coast during the past week. The trade promises to be a very remunerative one, and we trust the success achieved by the oyster- dredgers will be the means of attracting the attention of fishermen and capitalists to the deep-sea fishing of the coast generally. It is now almost entirely neglected while a ...

... RELEASE OF THE CLAIMANT. It is said that the Tichborne claimant will probably be released on bail to-day Friday). THE EMPRESS OF GERMANY. It is stated that the Empres3 of Germany will pro- baiilj come to England shortly on a visit to the Queen. WBXFORD ELECTION. CLOSE OF THE POLII.—W. A. Redmond. 321; Walter Redmon, 51; Bacon, none. FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE CAMBRIAN RAILWAY. John Whittiogton, a ...

... FACTORY BILL.—Mr. Mundella has before the House of Commons a Bill for further restricting the hours of labour of children, young persons, and females in certain factories. The Bill is to apply to factories as defined in the Factory Act of 1844, as amended by the Acts of 184G and 1861, and to no other factories, and the Bill is to be construed as one with the Factory Acts of 1850 and 1853. The ...

... THE REVOLT OF NUMEROUS SECTIONS. The International Working Men's Association seems likely to bo crushed by the tyranny of its own rules. During the past week several meetings, composed of dele- gates from the various metropolitan sections, have been held in London to protest against the arbitrary conduct of the General Council. In order to understand tho questions in dispute it must be stated ...

... THE DUKE OF ARGYLL ON RELIGIOUS EDUCATION. The Duke of Argyll has addressed a letter to Dr. Mac- kenzie, of Eileanach, Invernesshire, on the subject of education in Scotland. The following is the most im- portant portion of the communication:—You may depend upon it that, however needless it may appear with reference to the practice long established in Scot- land, a Time Table Conscience ...

... We regret to have to record the death of the eminent sculptor, Richard Westmacott, R.A., which has just taken place in London, after an illness of three days' duration. The deceased, who has died at the age of 73, was the eldest son of the late Sir ltichard Westmacott. Finding his tastes lying in the direction of sculpture, he visited Italy, first in 1820, and studied there for six years. He ...

... THE FORKESTEBS. The Foresters'' Monthly Journal stales that the hall and offices recently erected by the Loudon United District, at a cost of some £ 16,000, will be required for the purposes of the Mid-London Rail- way. It also mentions that the Ancient Order of Forresters have increased their numbers by 19,581 during the past year, while the sum of £ 96,000 has been addvd to the reserve fund ...