AUSTRALIA.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13375, 17 March 1909, Page 7

AUSTRALIA.

T-nHtd Pr«« AasocinHor—By Electrio " TeUttranh— Copyright. SUSPECTED SUICIDE. SYDNEY, March 10 Uirtg's body vas fully clothed, in_u«ag a" overcoat. A handkerchief " w bound over his face, nnd there wW other indications that ho committed suicide. [Frank Laing was an Auckland comttision agent, who vr_« supposed to Uro been aociden tally drowned while bst-in- at Bondi. near Sydney.] PLAGUE AT HONG KONG. ' Hong Kong files report that two outbreaks c-f plaguo havo occurred at Kowloob, one being in the centre of the European residential district. A LOVE TRAGEDY. BRISBANE, March 16. A tragedy is reported from Childers. A man named Spencer became enraged with a girl called Swindnll for declining his attentions. Ho shot her anel than himself. Spencer is dead, and Jli»s Bwindalt's condition is critical. ELECTROCUTED. PERTH, March 16. A lineman named Cox, working among tho overhead wires, fell across a live cabl© carrying 2000 volts, and was roasted to death. WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY. (Received March IGth, 11.58 p.m.) SYDNEY, March 16. Worships nt Port Jackson and Hobjon'a Bay (Melbourne) succeeded in establishing wireless communication. Several messages wero exchanged. The naval authorities aro convinced that it is only a matter of timo when a wireless service will be in operation between ships of tho squadron in tho various porta. THE POPULATION OF VICTORIA. -MELBOURNE, March 16. Tho population of Victoria at the end of last year was 1,278,313, there being €49,189 males and 633,133 females. A SHIPPING AGREEMENT. A series of conferences between representatives of the intor-Stat© steamship companies, including Mr David Mills (of the Union Company) and the Federated Seamen's Union, have resulted in an agreement covering a period of two years. The agreement applies w> sailors, firemen, trimmers, greasers, and donkey-men.