AUSTRALIA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5835, 31 March 1897, Page 3

AUSTRALIA.

i - — »...-.- 1 ' [P.EK PBXBB AsSOCIA-BiCWfJ mW/LATIOM 0F CORA 6 BE^m SIDNEY, MTAflasW m IsMayt last the .British Royal Society"-, expe^fcftwa under Rrsfessoi. tiolh-s,. v-iWitetS the EE&e Islands, chflsfly with the" object of testis^ ta_#DaT.wim_*& theory as f^ttie* formation* &f C9T-.1- reef-*. The e__pe«3_Ji_id_ii failed #»»__£' '. to> defective bori'figi; apparatus, fot.fr Mr Gardiner,- one of*' the mcmUeßSj remained to- • s*t»i<s%s coral ' forma __i.n>- Mr; G_.r-__J_er has now returned-to J^da-ey.pandi the result of his researches is f»n» L the whole unfavour.-ble to Darwin's theewy that -coral hear its fen-ta-rnation' oh' sttiikeu. ; liaKd: • He sees no Hfecefe--sity to assume th» ait-ting: of' the .land.. .To him it seems -__w>re feasible' that the reefs havegrouped-ronandloeeftn mountainsj, (probably cf volcanic*' origin; the 1 tops of .which never rose abov»the : sea.I OLD AGE PENSIONS.. i MELBOUBNE,<.M.-_.eH> 30. The' Old Age- Pension-.' Commission, at its^first sitting, decided to obtain^all available^ information on old age schemes, in--eluding; those proposed in- New Zealand and New South Wales: • THE MISSING EXPLORERS. j ADELAIDE, March 31. A> medical* examination proved tho 'skeletons supposed to be those of the missing, members of the Calvert exploring expedition to be "the bones of aboriginal^ • : TflSvO)E Am PENALTY:PERTH. Mabxjh 31. An-Afghaninamed'Jumi_a -ffian'h'-ia/bfeei.): | executed for the- murder of a fellowicountrymanj.