AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 9522, 15 September 1896, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyrisht. JUDGES IN A WITNESS BOX. Sydney, September 18. The novel spectacle of judges in a witness box was afforded this week when the Chief Justice and the newlyappointed Judge Cohen were subpoenaed as witnesses in a case brought by the Rev. Mr Clark, the litigious parson, who sought to recover £1000 damages from the Sheriff and other Court officers for assault some time ago, in a case in which the Primate figured. The Chief Justice, from information received, ordered the Sheriff to search Clark for a revolver which he was said to have with him. No weapou was found and Clark alleges that he was severely handled by the officers of the Court in the search. But for his absence Mr Justice Windeyer would probably have figured with his brother judges in the witness box. Judges are said to make poor witnesses, and the Chief Justice was no exception. Ciark cross-examined the witness with no little skill. He admitted owning a pistol, which was used for shooting cats, but the rev. gentleman's snorting pretensions may be judged from the fact that the experts' evidence showed that the weapon might go off if the hammer was allowed to hit the cartridge twenty or thirty times, and only a particularly slow kind of cat ran any risk of being hurt. In summing up, the Judge thought that perhaps it would h-we been better had the Chief Justice obtained further particulars before issuing the order. An assault was undoubtedly committed and the jury awarded plaintiff £100 and costs. WILD ORGIE AT A WEDDING. The disgraceful scene witnessed at the marriage of Miss Essie Jenyns a few years ago, when the people practically wrecked the Cathedral fittings, had a repetition on the occasion of the wedding of Mr Scott Ingiis, the wellknown young actor, and Miss Ida Hamilton, a protegee of Mrs Potter, and a member of her Company. St. Stephen's Presbyterian Church was the scene of this wild orgie of hysterical females. The only profit anyone seemed to get out of the affair was the busy pick-pocket, who reaped a harvest. NEW SOUTH WALES PARLIAMENT. Parliament gave itself over to the Estimates, with which good progress was made. Mr Lyne's motion was largely responsible for an all-night sitting. THE LOCAL OPTION BILL. The temperance bodies have decided to accept the inevitable in regard to the Local Option Bill. Following the Assembly's vote in favour of a time for compensation, the Secretary of the Parliamentary local option party convened a meeting of the various temperance organisations and churches to decide the fate of the Bill in view of the developments. The PostmasterGeneral, Mr Cook, was present. A disposition was shown by a few extremists not to accept any compromMse in the matter of 'compensation,-but by an overwhelming majority the meeting resolved to ask Mr Cook to proceed with the Bill, while from conviction the meeting was opposed to compensation in any form. It was decided that the circumstances of the case justified accepting the compromise, - which practically is that timely notice shall be given to those who may be affected by the closing of hotels. THE BOGIE CHINESE INVASION. The report of the present Assembly goes to show that the constantly resurrected bogie Chinese invasion is less substantial than the conjuror is in the habit of representing. In 1888, when the Chinese Restriction Act was passed, there were 15,876 Chinese in the colony, and the number has gradually diminished, till at the end of 1895 it had fallen to 10,-561, and by the end of the present year it is estimated that the number will be 10,314. Since the "Restriction Act was passed nineteen have paid the poll tax, and 5160 have left the colony. THE AUSTRALIAN SQUADRON. The Sunday Times is responsible for the statement that excessive demands are being made by the various colonies for visits from the warships. Amongst the most exigent demands are those from the people of New Zealand. These visits are largely requested for the purpose of getting up some local entertainment or amusement. The paper says that it has the best authority for stating that the Admiral is entirely opposed to the view that the Squadron exists for such purposes. LOSS OP A BARQUE. The barque Candida arrived at Newcastle with news of the los 3of the British barque Belpore, bound from Iqueque to England with nitrate. The Candida fell in with the Belpore off Cape Horn. She was dismasted and in a sinking condition, and a tremendous sea was running. After a terrific fight with the elements, the lifeboat was launched and twenty-four of the crew were rescued. One man' had previously been washed overboard and drowned. The Belpore's crew were completely worn out, and for a long time prior to the appearance of the Candida had been bailing out the water with buckets, the pumps being blocked. The nitrate had eaten right into the flesh of the poor fellows' bauds and feet. *

THE VICTORIAN PARLIAMENT. Melbourne, September 13. Parliament did a week of solid but uninteresting work. The Treasury Bonds Bill was passed through the remaining stages, and the remainder of tho Aveek Avas devoted to the Estimates. During the debate the Treasurer announced that he was unable to effect further retrenchment in the Public Works Department, excepting by dismissals. These he declined to make, but pro r mised the early introduction of a Bill with a view to placing the charitable institutions on a financial basis. Mr Longman moved for an order to enable the railways to pay the owners of large estates and country lands who are called upon to sell next year in the open market, the land to be sold to be within three miles of a railway. The Minister for Railways said that

it would largely increase th 9 revenue, but the resolution was too drastic. The Council passed the machinery clauses of the Companies Bill, and referred the important clauses to a Select Committee to report next week A DANGEROUS MANIAC. McPhaii, who distinguished himself in South Melbourne*, announced before starting on his promiscuous shooting excursion that he was going to shoot Lord Brassey. This disioyai intention evidently led to his commencing on game lower in the social scale. A youth named Anderson, noticing the peculiar demeanour of the man, at once seized the gun, and then a fusilade began. Before putting the fatal bullet through his own brain he gave a large number of people a lively quarter of an hour. One girl had a particularly thrilling experience. The maniac after ordering her to lie down and be killed, -isrew her to the ground, and placed the muzzle on ber temple. The girl caught the barrel and struggled till assis-lince arrived. THE SALVATION ARMY. There was an enormous muster of the Salvation Army to welcome Mr Herbert Booth and Mrs Booth, who arrived during the week. The demonstration was robbed of some interest owing to the fact that the Commandant had not fully recovered from his receut illness. In the course of an interesting interview, Mr Booth gave his views on the proposed oversea colony. He said " The Army are not such consummate donkeys as to spend £30 or £10 on the outfit of a colonist we don't think will succeed. There is not the slightest justification for saying that we are going to inundate the colonies with criminals or even social failures. If we don't think a man has in him the materials to make a good colonist we would never dream of sending him out as a speculation. It would not be good enough. Farther, while the Australian gaols are full of men, women and children who want a helping hand, we never need establish an oversea colony while this work lies before us. If i.n oversea colony is ever started, it will probably be in Western Australia. It is intended to introduce a new movement in the shape of a society of trained nurses, who will go to the slums to attend the sick and homeless. It has proved a great success in England." THE BUDGET DEBATE. Adelmde, September 18. The long drawn out Budget debate has concluded. The Treasurer denied that the Government was indebted to Queensland in respect to the fortifi cation at Thursday Island. The original agreement with regard to the federal fortification of Albany, Port Darwin, and Thursday Island was not kept, and South Australia did not contribute to the expenses of Thursday Island defence. ELEMENTARY AGRICULTURE. Mr Miller moved in favour of teaching elementary agriculture in public schools. He urged-that the country children ought 'to Ire -qualifiedon the land, and not merely fitted to. swell the, population of the cities. The Minister for Agriculture... supported the motion. LICENSED VICTUALLERS' BILL. An important clause was added to the Licensed Victuallers' Bill, making it compulsory to keep all bars locked on Sunday, the appearance of a light in the bar to be accepted as prima facie evidence of the .sale of liquor, while any persons found in hotels during illegal hours and refusing to give their names, or giving false ones, to be considered evidence of the illegal purchase of liquor. THE NATIONAL BANK COMMITTEE. BrasBANE, September 18. Mr Nelson states that ifc is not intended to issue further instructions to the National Bank Committee, which is considered a sufficiently comprehensive Committee to take any steps considered necessary. NEW LAND BILL. A new Land Bill has been introduced in the A .sembly. Amongst a number of imp--__ani changes in land legislation it makes provision for increasing the area of selection for the lower classes of lands. A new class of selection called ■■ agricultural homesteads" will be allowed. The conditions are similar to the present agricultural farms, with the exception that the rental will be 8d instead of 6d per year. The fifty years lease for agricultural farms has been abolished and replaced by fcwenty.one years lease. The minimum purchase price of agricultural farms has been reduced from 15s to 10s per acre, The conditions for conditional purchases have been eased. Important changes have been made in the constitution and functions of the Land Board. There are a number of other amendments in regard to renewals, re-assessments and compensation for improvements generally, in the direction of making selection, and leasing easier and safer.