The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-06-14 00:00:00

THE STOURBRIDGE OBSERVER.

The health of the troops seems to have im-
proved lately, no further news of convoys of
sick being sent to the rear having been
received. A telegram was published by a
Cape Town journal, on May lath, stating
that the Zulus had made a raid into Natal
killed 20 natives, and captured a large
number of cattle. Several telegrams were
sent to Natal asking what truth there was
in this report, but no one there appeared to
know anything of such a raid.
Colonel Pearson has gone to Durban to
recruit his health.
The Colonist states that Major Chard has
died of fever at Heipmakaar.
Sir Bartle Frere reached Kimberley on
May 15th, and met with a most cordial re-
ception. His Excellency has since been
sworn in as Govenor of the Province, and, in
the course of a reply to an address respecting
the Customs due, recommended that a dele-
gate should be sent to confer with the Natal
and Cape Governments on the subject. Sir
Bartle Frere is expected at Bioomfontein
about June sth. A public meeting has been
called there, at which it was agreed to give
him a public reception. The Attorney-
General who had charge of the operations
on the northern border, has reached Cape
Town.
The elections for Cape Town for members
of the House of the Assembly were held on
the 17th, when Messrs. Farmer, Stigaut,
Faller, and Solomon returned. The three
former are firm supporters of the present
governor, and approve of the action of Sir
Bartle Frere, respecting the Zulus. The last-
named, who has represented Cape, Town for
twenty-five years, and was at the last elec-
tion at the head instead of as this year at the
foot of
°the poll, condemns the High Com-
missioner's policy, and cannot be called a
Ministerial supporter.
Difficulties have arisen respecting the sub-
sidy voted by this colony towards the estab-
lishraent of telegraphic communication with
England. When under discussion by the
House of Assembly it was understood to be
dependent upon the terminus being within
our own borders, and the Colonial Secretary
has sent a despatch to th 3 Home Government
stating that as this condition was not to be
complied with he did not feel justified in
ratifying the arrangements of the Crown
agents. At a meeting of the Chamber of
Commerce, which Mr. Forde, the engineer of
the colony, attended and addressed, a resolu-
tion was passed expressing the hope that the
Government would reconsider their decision,
and although the strict letter of the agree-
ment has not been fulfilled, that was not
sufficient reason for witholding the subsidy.
It is confidently believed that all the diffi-
culties will be readily overcome. The greatest
objection -0 the terminus is that owing to the
frequent thunderstorms in the summer, the
landwire thence is very frequently out of
order. An alternative route via Pretoria in
course of construction.
The Volksraad of the Orange Free State
has, in opposition to the voice of Mr. Brand,
the President, adopted by 25 against 7 a
resolution expressing a hope that the inde-
pendence of the Transvaal may be restored
later.
The stores destroyed at Grey Town in-
cluded 450 bags of flour, 250 sacks of
mealies, 380 sacks of mealie meal, and 50
gallons of rum.
All the negotiations with Cetewayo have
fallen through, he being unwilling to comply
with the terms of unconditional surrender.
The Cape Times summary says : —" Since
Sir Bartle Freres visit to the Transvaal the
Boers are raising a contingent mounted men,
which will proceed against the Zulus, and
it is also rumoured that the memorial to the
Queen, asking for restoration of the inde-
pendence of the Transvaal, will be withdrawn."
Telegraphing of Sir B. Frere's arrival at
Kimberly, the correspondent of the Standard
and Mail says: —" People turned out en
mane to receive the High Commissioner
with universal enthusiasm. Claimhohlers
stopped work to give their employes white
and black, an opportunity to receive him.
The most novel sight was Du Toft's Pan,
where 1,600 native labourers, with pick and
shovel, lined each side of the road, and wel-
comed him in native fashion. In reply to
old De Boers, the High Commissioner paid
the following compliments to the Boers of
the Transvaal :—" Let me say one word of
my friends the Boers of the Transvaal, of
whom I have seen a good deal lately. I
have often had to differ from them in opinion,
and sometimes to tell them unpleasant
truths but I have always found that they
are in tile main men every way entitled to
respect. Few in England know what the
brave voortrekkers did not. suffer to estab-
lish a free country in the Ti-ansvaal, but I
feel assured that when they aye better known
you will find them every way worthy to stand
side by side, net only_with the stout sons of
toil but with the brave defenders oi freedom
among our own countrymen. I feel certain
that under our beloved Sovereign they will
work hard, side by side, with you to develop
their magnificent country." In a further
address the High Commissioner said, "I
have no reason to think there is any serious
difference between the principles on which
you would wish to be governed and. those
which I am charged by her Majesty's
Government to observe, and I am glad of
your assurance that you hold union to. be
not only strength but an essential element
in good government and prosperity."

distination, and, being now three months
overdue, all hopes of her safety are
abandoned. She had a crew of 17 men on
board, and no doubt foundered in the North
Atlantic during the heavy gales of February
last. She is insured in Cattada.—The
barque Queen of the North, 450 tons, bound
from the East Indies to London with a cargo
of cotton and other produce, valued at 220,000
is also missing, and recently re-insurances
have been effected on her at Lloyd's at 39
guineas per cent. She sailed from Tuticorin
I on the 7th January, and is now 155 days at
1, sea without having been heard of. Her crew
I numbered 16 hands.

THE NATIONAL EDUCATION -UNION.
A conference was held on Thursday at
the Westminster Palace Hotel, under the
auspices of the National Education Union,
the object being to consider several questions
connected with religious education and
voluntary schools, and to devise means by
which. the existing grievances might be
, redressed. Mr. Birley, M.P., who presided,
said that while they accepted loyally the
Education Act of 1870 they were prepared
to ask Parliament for an amendment of such
of its provisions as appeared to them desir-
abl ). Papers dealing with the practical
methods of maintaining voluntary schools in
thorough efficiency, and with the remission
of school fees by School Boards and
Boards of Guardians respectively, were
read. A discussion followed, in which
several suggestions were made for the better
and more efficient working of voluntary
schools. Mr. Hardcastle M.P., said he did
not believe that voluntary schools would be
superseded by Board schools, and hoped the
opening of the ratepayers' eyes, as to savings
by the voluntary system compared with
Board schools, would not be without its
effect.