INTERCOLONIAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2362, 1 June 1899, Page 17

INTERCOLONIAL.

MELBOURNE, May 23,

The Governor, on behalf of the people of Victoria, , has cabled birthday tions to the Queen. ,

A heavy westerly gale has raged along the coast and in Bass Strait since Sunday, but is now abating. The incoming steamers from New Zealand report having experienced a trying time. {

Sir George Turner has cabled to the Agent-general that he is much disappointed at the decision of the Imperial Government re the Pacific cable. He fully expected that Britain would have agreed to share in the cost of this important work in the proportions recommended by the Premiers' Conference in August last. He strongly urges that the Imperial Government should reconsider the matter.

May 25,

The estate of the late Mr James Service is valued, at £250,000. It is divided amongst his family.

May 29,

Two miners, named Nixon and Madden, were smothered by charcoal fumes in the Prentice United mine at Rutherglen. A fire was being lighted to purify the atmosphere when some timber became ignited.

The Union Company's new steamer Yukon, renamed the Koonya, bound from

Swansea to Sydney, passed the Promontory to-day

A man named O'Neill has been arrested for the murder of his wife by cutting her throat as the outcome "of a drunken orgie.

Accused alleged that his wife fell, breaking a teapot, a fragment of which inflicted the wound from which she died.

SYDNEY, May 23. The Japanese mail line is extending its service to Adelaide. The wreck of the steamer Tekauo k^ 3 b ee &

resold, but the price has not transpired. The purchaser intends to break up the vessel.

The missionary steamer Southern Cross intends to follow the track of the Perthshire, and, if she finds the Shire liner, to assist in towing her to port.

The weather here is very cold, and there is snow on the high lands.

May 24,

Mr Barton, speaking at Newcastle, urged the people to support the Commonwealth Bill. If they did not do so they would assist those people who wanted Federation, but only with Sydney as the capital.

Beautiful weather was experienced generally for the holiday. The review of the troops by the Governor was" the chief feature here.

May 26.

The Crown is appealing to the Privy Council against the Supreme Court's recent reversal of the Land Appeal Court's decision in the famous Mercadool- case.

. The Orient and the P. and O. Companies are having insulating accommodation in their steamers altered to keep pace with the increasing trade in Australasian frozen meat and produce.

Mr Reid, the Premier, has cabled to the Agents-general instructions similar to. Sir George Turner's in reference to the Pacific cable.

Five business places at Bourke were destroyed by fire. A fireman named Norris was injured, and is in a critical condition. In the Golf Tournament Gillies (of Auck-

land) and Howden (of Melbourne) tied as a result of the first day's play.

May 27,

The ballot of the A.M. P. shareholders resulted in "Messrs Reginald J. Black, Thomas Lit tie John, and Benjamin Short being re-elected directors. Sir Joseph Abbott was re-elected chairman and Mr Littlejohn deputy-chairman.

May 29.

In the Divorce Court Maggie Moore obtained a decree nisi against J. C. Williamson, theatrical manager.

The inquiry into the -wreck- of the Tekapo was opened io-day. The captain, in his evidence explained the course set, which should have cleared the vessel of all danger. ' The inquiry was adjourned for a week.

BRISBANE, May 23,

As the outcome of complaints, the Japanese Government have instructed the local authorities to deal severely with Japanese ! attempting to enter Queensland by means j of false passports. j

Mr Wragge has issued a general warning of stormy weather, and in New Zealand squally and wet weather between northwest, west, and south-west, under the second portion of the disturbance he has named " Kwan," with rough seas and heavy weather , in Cook Strait. Shipping are advised to take note.

May 24. '

The Governor, on behalf of the people of Queensland, cabled congratulations to the Queen.

May 26. !

In the Legislative Assembly an amendment was moved to the Federal Enabling Bill by a Labour member proposing that every adult male resident for six months in the colony shall be given a vote, but it , was negatived by 34 to 30. J

The Chief Inspector of Stock reports . that the ticks are gradually widening in their area, and are being chiefly spread by stragglers. Mobs of cattle sent to the meat works are making their way back . over infected localities to the clean country ( where they were reared. * j

May 28. "\

At a banquet to celebrate the arrival of | the Vancouver mail steamer Aorangi, an l announcement was made that it is ex- | pected shortly to make the Vancouver a I three-weekly instead of a monthly service, j The Premier has instructed the .Agent- ■

general to join with the other Agents* general in a protest against Britain's action concerning the Pacific cable. ADELAIDE, May 23.

Mr 0. A. Cos, of London, has secured 340 square miles of country in Northern Australia, and intends to stock it with goats, and to use their skins in glovemaking.

May 25. At the Marine Board inquiry into the wreck of the Loch Sloy, the survivors, Mitchell and M'Millan, said that everything possible was done, when the ship's danger was observed, to avert the disaster. If anchors and sufficient cable had been available they might have saved the vessel, but these were stowed away. She missee stays just before she went on the rocks. May 26.

A fall of earth at Bundabeer waterworks buried six men named Nulty, Larkin, Crotty, Hamilton, Ahearn, and M'Grath ; and injured two others named Mahon and Wheeler. Four of the bodies were . recovered. There is no chance of finding the others alive.

•May 27

Five men were killed at the Bundaleer reservoir accident. Nulty was entombed for three hours and a-half, and rescued in a badly-injured condition. Eleven men were at first entombed.

The rescue party were working, when a second fall of earth occurred, killing Ograth and injuring Wheeler ant M'Mahon.

PERTH, May 27. The Premier promised a deputation frbr., the Trades and Labour Council to con sider the introduction of legislation on the lines of the New Zealand Conciliation and Arbitration Act. ■

COOLGARDIE, May 29.

A dry blower obtained a specimen containing over lOOoz of gold 'half a mile from the town.

HOBART, May 29.

The Mahinapua left for Strahan od Saturday night and returned yesterday afternoon. Early in the morning a /fire was discovered in the forehold, but it was subdued after four hours' fighting. The damage . is not serious. The passengers were asleep at t the time, and were not aware of the outbreak. Chief Officer Hales was overcome by the smoke, but recovered. After examination the steamer resumed, her voyage. • - The board of experts who inquired into the cause of the boiler explosion on the Zeehan- railway report that it was caused by an explosive substance being placed in. the firebox of the engine. The Govern ment offer a reward of £250 for the detection of the perpetrator.

A.s a train for Dunclas was leaving the Zeehan l station yard, the boiler burst, killing the fireman, Thomas Marra, instantly, and injuring the engine drivei*, David Bedelph, to such an extent that he died two- hours afterwards. The engine was completely wrecked, the boiler, about six tons iv weight, being blown forward in one piece for more than 200 yards.

The hideous crime of poisoning by post lias taken a now form in America. The- other day (says the Westminster Gazette) was reported the case of a young lady who was.killed by a poisonnci book-mark : to-day (April 13) Dalziel reports from Omaha that Mies Coxa Tanner, a popular actress, received a handsome bouquet of flowers and a box of bonbons yesterday. She smelt the flowers and ate some of the sweets,- and soon became unconscious, and is now dying. The gifts were found on examination to be impregnated with prussic acid.

A servant girl's illness many years ago has lately in a stroke of good fortune for a Calif ornian workman named William F. Hastings. Fifteen years ago the. servant, named Carrie Burch, employed in the household ■wiiere- Hastings also lived, became ill and was compelled to leave". Hastings levit her £40. and year'srolled by without any news of Burch reaching her friend. Not long ago, •however, the man received. a letter from a London barrister stating-that £11,600 hajcV been left to him by .Mrs Hall, formerly Carrie Burch, of California, .and it transpired that on leaving California . the girl had gone to Australia, where she.. married a merchant, who dicJ shortly afterwards, when the widow vent to reside in London.