AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 138, 12 June 1888, Page 8

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

THE A.M. P. SOCIETY.

The voting for the election of three directors to fill the vacant seats at the board of the Australian Mutual Provident Society resulted as follows :—Thos. Littlejohn, 32,587 ; James Thomson, 27,032 ; R. J. King, 22,386 ; A. W. Weeks, 21,834; A. li. K. Maxwell, 20,5i4; Alexautier Wilson, 15,587: w. P. Manning, 10,725; Frederick Lee, 8,607; William Briggs, 5,078; H. J. Spier, 3,504. There were two vacancies caused by the retirement of Mr Littlejohn and the death of Mr George Knox, and another director had to be elected in accordance with the provisions of by-law 10. Messrs Littlejohn, James Thomson and R. J. King were therefore elected.

AFFAIRS AT THE NEW HEBRIDES,

HM.s. Raven returned to Sydney on the 30th May from a cruise among the New Hebrides Group. Matters were all quiet at the islands when the Raven left. The agreement between England and France for a joint protection over the New Hebrides Groupwas formally ratified early this month whilst the Raven was ab Porb Sandwich. The French warship Faberb has been commissioned to represent France in the group, and H.M.s. Diamond England, and both vessels will take periodical trips among the islands, making Noumea theirheadquarters. Whilst the Raven was at Pentico.t Island inquiries were made into the murder of Mr H. Lee Walker, of Noumea. Thisgentle man, ib will be remembered, was brubally killed by the natives' of Penbicosb Island several months ago. The officers of the Raven found thab Mr Walker gave the natives no provocation whatever and that they murdered him with the sole object of plunder, he having a considerable amount of trade, &c, with him. The names of the murderers were obtained, and efforts will be made by the Diamond, which is now in the group, to capture them. An attempt was made to connect a case of kidnapping; and the shooting of a native with the death of Mr Walker, but after careful investigation the officers of tho Raven concluded that it had nothing whatever to do with the matter, tho offender being a Frenchman, who will most likely be dealt with by the French warship in the group. LIGHTING SYDNEY BY ELECTRICITY. The finance committee of the City Council meb yesterday, when bhe. c were present s-t- The Mayor, Aldermen Chaptna_>(

Hardie, Dean, J. D. Young, M. Hams, Beare, Hart, Manning, E. Jones, Buckle, Riley, Playfair, Poole, Palmer and Taylor. A "letter was received from W. H. "Vivian, an-ent for Ganz and Co., to the effectthatas they heard the council intended calling for tenders for lighting the city by electricity, they would be glad to compete for the work. They had recently contracted to supply a complete plant for a central station to the Australasian Electric Company, Melbourne, for 3,000 incandescent lamps, with which plant they could supply their Zvpemowsky - Deri patent transformers, by means Of which the electric light could be supplied economically to long distances. This would be fche first introduction of the transformer system into the Australian colonies.