AUSTRALIA.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9177, 7 August 1895, Page 5

AUSTRALIA.

CABLE NEWS.

Press Association—Ey Telegraph—Copyright THE MINE FIRE EXTINGUISHED. Sydxey, August 6. The fire at the Broken Hill mine is practically extinguished. WRECK OF A VESSEL. The Mary Anderson is a complete wreck at the New Hebrides. The crew of the warship Goldfinch displayed great pluck in their efforts to save the vessel. MURDER OF A TRADER. A German trader named Pfeiffer has been murdered by the Aoba natives, and the warships Goldfinch and Scorff are investigating the matter. REWARD OF BRAVERY. The Shipwreck Relief Society's gold medal was presented to Hereward Hewison for saving his brother's life at Newcastle. THE JEWEL ROBBERY. Edward Sadler has been arrested in connection with the Stewart Dawson jewel robbery, making the seventh arrest. Two of the missing rings were found in his possession. It is stated that a confession made by Sadler will clear up the mystery of tho robbery. NEW SOUTH WALES POLITICS. The Cabinet had a protracted meeting to-day, discussing the appointments to the Legislative Council and the Royal Commission ou coal mining, but nothing definite was decidod. INCREASED RAILWAY TRAFFIC. Owing to tb.9 increase in traffic, the Railway Commissioners have decided to again put the men in the railway shops on full time. For a considerable period a large number have been working short time. THE COMMERCIAL BANK. Melbourne, August 6. At the Commercial Bank meeting the Chairman said in view of the Bank's commitment to interest on deposits remaining fixed, while a general reduction had taken place in lending rates, it had not been possible to make any material profits. Little improvement iv this direction could be looked for until a more active market for properties permitted the realisation of the securities of the old Bank, a large portion of which was at present yielding a less return than the rate paid on extended deposits by the Bank. The business of the new Bank continued sound and healthy. BANK OF VICTORIA. At the Bank of Victoria meeting the report was adopted. The Chairman said since the reconstruction the old liabilities had been reduced by two millions. The prospects of the colony were rapidly improving, and he hoped that the next meeting would show better results. AUSTRALIAN DEPOSIT AND MORTGAGE BANK. The Australian Deposit and Mortgage Bank's report showed-a. loss of £7566 on the half-year's transactions. The Chairman said property to the value of £730,000 in the hands of the Bank was not earning any interest. A SUCCESSFUL CLAIMANT. Adelaide, August,6. An old lady named Pascoe, living here, is the successful claimant to estates in Cornwall which are in Chancery, valued at £2,000,000 sterling. The case is known in the English Courts as the Hartley estate case. There were two other claimants. THE FEDERATION QUESTION. At a large and enthusiastic public meeting which was held, the Lieu-tenant-Governor presiding, the Austra lian Federation League of South Australia was formally inaugurated, and resolutions in favour of early federation were carried. VITAL STATISTICS. The report of the Registrar for the colony for the last year showed the death rate for twenty years, as being over 6 per 1000 of the inhabitants, as compared with 9 in 1882. The statistics prove the growing disinclination of people to enter the married state.