AUSTRALIAN.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9163, 22 July 1895, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN.

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. THE BROKEN HILL MINE DISASTER.

Sydney, July 20. The manager of the South Broken Hill mine attributes the recent accident to the presence of gas in the ore, and the pressure causing the collapse. The evidence adduced at the inquest showed that the men were warned in plenty of time to escape, but thought they were safe, and remained chatting and smoking. The verdict returned was that the disaster was accidental, and no blame attached to any person. LORD HOPETOUN. Melbourne, July 20. Lord Hopetoun has cabled to the Premier that he does not intend to draw the half salary as Governor of Victoria to which he is entitled, as he has accepted, the post of Payma_terGeneral in the Salisbury Ministry. This saves the colony about £1000. THE VICTORIAN RAILWAYS. Mr Lochhead, Railway Commissioner, in the course of a speech said the cost of running three thousand miles of the Victorian Railway to-day was exactly the same as when two thousand miles were running. The Tevenue Was about the same, and the deficit about equalled tho interest on the cost of construction of this extra thousand miles. If the loans could be converted into 3 per cents, at a reasonable rate there would be no deficit. FEDERAL QUARANTINE STATIONS. . The Premier has written to the other Premiers, calling attention to the resolutions passed at the last meeting of the Federal Council in favour of federal quarantine stations at Albany and Cooktown, and asking them to take action to establish them. Tasmania has replied that it is unable to co-operate unless Hobart is made a federal station; New South Wales and West Australia concur in the resolution, and Queensland is agreeable, but suggests Thursday Island instead of Cooktown. WELCOME RAIN. Good rain has fallen in the southern and eastern parts of the colony. ALISON SMITH v "THE AGE." In the libel action, Alison Smith v the Age, the verdict was for the plaintiff for a farthing damages. The question of costs is to be decided next week. COLLAPSE OF A MINE. Six men, named Thompson, Dawkins, Kneebohe and Burke, married men with families, and Grans and Armstrong, single men, were working in McEvoy's mine, Eldorado, when the end of the main drive collapsed through a rush of water and the mine was flooded. The men are believed to be buried beneath a large body of sand. Strenuous efforts are being made to rescue them, but it is considered that their case is hopeless. July 21. Thirtyminers were in the mine when it collapsed. A young man na,med Fletcher pluckily rushed in and warned the remainder, who escaped with great difficulty. AIT hope of rescuing the others alive has been abandoned. It is supposed that the drive broke through into the old workings, which were filled with water. TRADE WITH CHINA AND JAPAN. , Adelaide, July 20. The Government has commissioned Mr Parsons to proceed to China and Japan to report on the condition of trade and commerce, the currency, the woollen trade, and the possibility of extending commercial relations between those countries and Adelaide. He leaves next month, taking several trial shipments of goods with him. ABDUCTION OF A HALF-CASTE GIRL. Thubsday Island, July 20. A man known as "Pirate Wilson," who has already served a sentence for the theft of a lugger, seized another vessel, and endeavoured to induce a half-caste native girl to accompany him. Upon her refusing he forcibly abducted her and sailed off. Another vessel went in pursuit but has been disabled.