OUR AUSTRALIAN LETTER.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 27, 26 October 1907, Page 11

OUR AUSTRALIAN LETTER.

. .THE EMPIRE RIFLE MEETING." NEWCASTLE'S ALARMING EXPEItI- , ' ENCE - fttOM-OUn BPEOIAL'COKRESrONDENI !.v ;. Sydney, October 19. ■The .'Empire Prize meeting Vat'the, Rand- / ' .wick .Riflo tßange,': near Sydney,-was' oponed • yositerdayand ,fd6riyes f interest of , anexcejy - tibh&l '"character'' from'-'.tho, :pres'ehco'*:of..tho .'British- rille ; teamV'-a'nd"from-the fact that in' tho'.Bmpiro Match; to bo -fired on October 28,v.Great Britain,> Now., Zealand, and' Aus-' ,Walia jl.Mllivmeetiau'; friendly contest.' '' The ..first day ofutljO meeting' was devoted 'mainly ' . to. iboginners arid; New; South' Welshmen, as • the ,;';big7guhs!' ;!are ?tb,,come, later, on. ■ The 1 members of the British team wore officially! this .week by the Premier South ;Wales,| Mr. . ; Wade, ,ahd a"number of. other'prpAihent. citizenSj., at; a ; gatHering at'the , Hotel .Australia.'- Some •talk':was.paused because..of a statement that th'e;' Lord '.Mayor' of . Sydney.,.declined, to' re-' officially ; but the .explaina-: tibh of ."the L'p'rd: Mavpr is that.jtlio, matter. ' r was bungled, 'riot by him; ;ar,d. that,,tho. New. South .Walos'-Rifle.-Association- was ,respons- •' ibK; for ' tho, .cbntrbtemps., " Tliis,-Associatipn "' hasj;'*iri i'.^been! ropudia tp'd- 'by-'iLieutenarit '.of'-tho'.Assbciat-iQny '.The whole busino^:,was, u'rifort'unatp'; but,'anyw;a'y.'the!y.'el- •' Premier ;instead of ; the".Lord) Majf6rV to'extend'..'the', hand' ■ of. ' friendship.' Mr: "Wade rpmarked \that' whilst • it been said that. Australia was inclined % ns : sport was con- / <»raet],f Kia. belief '"'wiis.- '*that 1 ' 'nothing ' had i ■ achieved';sb much 'in-'cbmontirig the relst.ibris - and'• the Old Country. " A : -Tisit_':'sii'ch :,l as; that'of' the ''British j riflemen was:V6f\ a : -'''distihc(-ly'"fdll6atio'nal/,' character, 1 • for; a-'country VBUch- as-Australia, :, witli enor- ■ - motis :po3sibilities, v '-and'• practically ' without development and without i population;,' niust ! attract',' tho-'hungry ( eyes ' of the nations of t'Xe iEastj'" arid it; was''therefore ;absolutply ' • incumbent; upon the'; inhabitants 'to recog-" nise' !t thp. advantages.!'of ; .'self-dcfencp;- : J'At 'an eritert'airiment'given .to the 1 British visitors, by'the National-Rifle Association'on Wednesday : evening ■ some 'interesting speeches wer.o ;made' concerning the; lack ;of Goyernmerit- assistance': to 1 tho rifle-shooting movement.: Colonel ::Hopton,Commandant ;of;-tbe-.'British 'team, said .that inadequato ' finance' was the- only reason why - a body , of. uot-ibeen.; sent: ;; out: .here • earliervfrqm -, ;The; Imperial , Government,had not -holpcd, in jthe slightest • irij.ithat'jdirection; /but .it was. different! in ; Australia, where the.:marksmen;.had ,only .to - . go'citb.-the Government! nnd;:aski;for a,;couplo pf thousand pounds, and,it was given. , . Gordon. (Stato - Coro- ' .. ','No, no;;ab- ' eol u t oly: r, ot, a': sliil 1i n g.' ; Lieutenant-Colonel CrcsweU,.'Cominaridant ; pf.Uthei, New.. Zealandteam, , referred, to; this , , ;'sfibjecfcof - ! Zealand" -visitors, v and, drew. ,a' comparison i 1 .; attitude'adopted'by.'.his ' against; .that of .th.o' Imperial and^Aust'railianVAdmiriiitratipnsV;^^^^ ■ pbt'.' l Gnve^nmeht; ,^ : ,ho ' sai|l,;-'a])parontly. em- . < plp^ng'_'this/phrase / in ! ;a.''cbm •) ! -•' • '-$6 ' '-added, : ;amid that 'his team ' liad J cp|rie• Sydney- to; riiak'e'Vspmp. mp'fe- nioriey 'i tOelp. witH'-it.'; ? '''-".('j ; 1 . v^^'tt^.E^ire"^^''^^!!' i ' ;• Tnl)r!l^'^^gnt ! -200;600. .830; MO,''/and'lOOO-' 1 yards:.''.Majbr-Genefal !< Efijad,', Federar.'-G6mmaridarit,''Who 'is' Presi- i "d'ent^of'the'Commonwealth'^'Council of, 'Riflo' :! , 'Associ»tions,"'-lia's ' written'-'-to- 'each' 'of: the :1 ■ f 'Ppinm'aiidants': i tb'afc"a' sliil- t Jiiig p: ; 'sul)sriripti6ri ; * shoulU' 1 * he '' established ,1 ' . tKo'.. ; Statefe jto' -provide 'a- ;cK'ali j lcrigc'trophy': for:-this' match'. Whon. in Bris-' '( , ]teneVth'&fMajo!'-Go&rnl; cohtfibutrd '-tlje': Tirst j ; Bbillirigi fo'i a rsubs'crijtibn.i'of jthis "-kind;;:arid ■'< i*::snin> of, £50:i-was<.fsub- ' - - , ,( , CREEP " 'AT' NEWCASTLE.'' 1 ' " -i ..- An extensive .."creepi' 1 'orsubsidence' of the earth's surfacel'Valarnicd'the residents of 1

the "morej elevated portions, of the. city of "\ Newcastle' blij Thursday morning, l arid caused " damage I .which'ris •.Vstimate.d:at':£4p,ooor;'. An • area-'of .40 vor'.o.O' acres lias been .' affected by tliis/eytr'aordiriary disturliarice.': '' . ; ;'The- roadwa,v was -i»rri : up'.in various diree-. - ';'tjttns7;.tl|d;.ker|nng/bpcklcd;'and 1 the gas and Water'- ma iris. and , sower, pipes -broken. - The ' site; of the''creep'is the main'resideiitial portion of tho bity,' and great : ~datnagfef-h'((s ; beeif done-to--.many,: houses.-; .Atv tho -residence., of ''•Mr...J.; 11l Wood, Rlesmond_ K buse, the thick . b'rickwalls/wcre. opened in many . places, heavy' plaster' cornice's were,- thrown'/'to;'the floor,'- verandah''"tiles burst : . up',' and V a brick Btairway street -'to- • the main "entrance' disjointed "in three:: places, while the lawns were" ,'c'ut ; ! up ; liy-. zig-zag iTents,; : 'ahd 'ft';de'ep. fiSsilre"openedvin : front -of 'the portico.' ■ In- another-house in Barker StreetLthe-walls iWcre 'opened, and>'the cseil-"' whilst ;there--i is'; hardly a-: resi- , dence in - Tyrell, Street: which has not been affictod-^.iWindowsi.'.'wero Wimaslied -in all directions* here and ; ;ini Sydney Street. Some fine; i.ii.-.Ghurch, Street, ;wcto ibadly ' damaged/;-' ■' .ri,iv './.•;:',/ - The :Roman< Catholic.;Ohiircli' of>-St. :>Mary Star r of., the-Sea, tho Dominican Convent Building; ;and;the.<Anglican, Cathedral Parish Hall-haycL.been; forced: out: of.: aliitnin6nt;: : and , the :Cbrist; Church - Cathedral, was sup;to : stand -upon(ground''-.which bad.-never ■ gives'/ evidence ;.- of ::.: the Bhock;'- as ,'ari: extensivel crack is .visible - across the building,[frbm:'the southern.porch to tho 3aptist.ry;.; r ; afternoon tho heart the .. city,.- n iind'.,cracks ! bbgan'-to .maiiifest ' them-. selVbs.Vin aportion of;:tho brickworkiof • tho Metliodist .Central Mission Hall ; in :.>King "Street.;-, The.,brick. walls of,.the/-bulk, stores . of Johji - Burko and .Sons, at the: corner of :Crown _- arid ; -KingStreets, .were' dislo'catcd in places,;Tho;;highTleyi?l,-reservoir-:on "Obelisk Hill,;;,which contained!;abouti 200j000. gallons .of-.■yatqr,'.suddenlytbegaiipto,; ompty, itself, -evidently; becausp of a.Jractur'6, in /thc floor, • the jjwatej-. Ifindiqg; it's way *but':';of • the rhillsides;,,,,,By.. Friday, m9rriing, ..it. had» run dry. . Fortunately, ~;the, resermr.- in--;/Tyrell" Street -was .uninjured, arid 'the water supply, for tho city.-isi.thereforo!safe. n. ■' ■ ;.:We:;.roadwßys;;and^other':,parts' of V tho • ground, were' scored-, wjth. oxtensivG /.fissures. theso proved lib he 'ten'inches across.' An army .of . workmen; had to .' be '. iii .-the"", repair ; of'-the .gas,..r.ber, and!,sewer ;<riiains.,: .Though .the damago, was serious, no .-building wis '. actiially; thrown -.down.. These,,.''creeps', 11 '; .which 'appear.'-to .-be ' like .<iarth(iuakes'''ifi' their "operatiori; are'eaiised ' by. the_ iindc'rmiriing 'of the gi buiid, in: colliery operation^.;'.. Below,.the'.area'.aifected: in this instance :no 'fewdr.'.tha'n', three' "distinct.--'seams of coal J 'n'avo' been.'taken v out'; but no coallhas ; - neon mine:] from., this region for the past fifteen' ye; rs. ' :rt; is pDssiblo ";that more: of the "city of liable to similar disturbanch, through- having been . built :over old workings,- the exact 'Ideation-'of which is not-known: j- : " , -*'■ i" ~ "- . .■ A; SHAIiK., ' It.jjis f.noti ;.oftc n that a. I shark releases its _ h6ld'..of:.its L , j prcy,,.,but ' the . unexpected ; hapSohe^.the.r, other (lay at,. Merewether, near 'ewcastle,'wh'.e'n,- a., 'ma'ri'l, named Edward Nolan, : ;who. was,,-bafhirig. I .iri. the. surf, got'a shock, .he /is not likely . to 'forget-in a few days: Ho and, two other-companions! were in the,,breakers,..aiid-'..Nolan ',had, ' Ventured ' out p.ast.- .tho :first lirie, : {when-' a - shark seized • him'.'by..'tho\'arm. t ,,The':'niaii littered .a pierc- ' i.ng - cry,.' and" st;nigg]ed violently.; and 'in the confusion" .the shark, apparently becoming frightened, released' its .hold. 'Nolan , then struck 'out'.for but .the-espericnco ! he had: just gone through proved.'too: much . for his- nerves," and! ho - was /actually swoon- .' ing .when the two meri,'wKo. weiit. with him td' hat-hii l reached; him.; 'Ai'.lady,' Mrs. 'Todd, also bravely went .put'froiri the shore to render' what I 'assistance .she' could.. It 'was found' at the hospital 'that Nolan's"arni had been'-badly laccratwl frpni the' clliow to the wrist-in thc encounter'wtlv' the shark, and tliat hewas suffering also from "shock; but he is; now. ilm'6'st' ri«*ht'""again.' . '' HOWARD,.VERNON. .BACK TO THE . ,y ..." STAGE. .- v.;: .; Mr.: : Howard .Veriibn, who has been farmtag lately on the north coast of New South Wales, has sold his; property there, and

gono-baclv'with his wife (Miss 'Vmia.dc: Loitto) to the st igb.'-" Tlfoy loft 1 last weeli! for .Auckland under , engagement to Jti;, Charles MacMahon to . givo operatic sketched as part of a programme which will inehldc tho exhibition ot the "Rbhbory Under Arms"-,, biograph, pictures, recently takeii hero-for Mr. MacMahon. ... --J; EDITORS iFROM-.ABROAD. The success of the recent Continental nsil of British editors.has ort'deht!y : iiispircd'thc Australasian Press Association with tho possibilities of such a scheme in the advertising 'of /Australia. 1 . At; the first annual cbnferoncii of - the Australasian Press Association: . in* Sydney .this week—at which J\lr. Frascr; represented '-New Zealand—Mr. R. M'Miilan proposed a motion" 'urging the Federal GovJ eminent to invite 25 raitors from Great Britain, and the Gape to visit Austraf lib at ■ tho' expense of ' the Common wealth i The cost',' he estimated, would 'be loss t'hair £5000; and the editors,-after Spending three' months in the Commonwealth, might return home by way of-' : 'New'Zealand- and; Canada; and) thus mkae. a circuit of;,the British' Empire. , Since ,tho Federal .Government had voted £20,000 to,advertise Australia, .no-.por-, iibn. of.-this, money,. he contended, coulu lie more profitably..expended than;' in. having Australia, drawnj prominently ; under, the eyes of,'the-world ill the manner- indicated. 1 lio mption^was;.unanimously, agreed to.. ■ .v. HELP FOR '.INDIGENT AUTHORS .. Literature-, is .getting'.its claims recognised it is' trud,' : but apparently 'surely! An annual-vote, '-which' 1 is''not.- to bo less than £525 'per ;ahnum,' is now proposed by ,the. Federal/Government .for "the .relief of indi-. gent authors; ! and a 'scheme drawn up by Sir .L'ahgdon Bonython (South Australia), Professor MacCaliuni (of-'. Sudnejr',' '."."Unim* 3ity), u 'and'thc'|Rev.';E. H. . Sugderi,' for'the ■ distribution'of 'this vote,-' has been submitted ! to ; 'the"Federal'' 'Parliament.'-. .-Under, thiJ : scheme, tho-' fund is .'.'to'' be '/■ available ' for ;authors 'who,';'by'reason, of age; or infirmity; are.iinablb to '-.support' "thomselves; the. families.'df 'literary 'men; who' have 'died pbor; 1 and'literary - men doing good;. wirk,but;urir. , able, :i; on account of / to persist in that work. .The maximum payment ,is to be £2 per week; and '-'families 1 is to be 'inter-: protcd. to mean not -'only' widows' and children, but near relatives.of infirm persons,'and - children 'of tender,, years, ,who had been' .dependent ,on; the incomes of deceased author's during ;their lifetime. Air claims upon the tund must receive .the. i.sanction, of ....tho ' Governor-General in Council.