AUSTRALIAN NOTES.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1776, 19 June 1896, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NOTES.

SYDNEY, June 7. The high winds and coastal storms of last week proved the precursor of regular winter rains, which this year were unusually late. The fears of a dry winter, however, were effectually dispersed by the week's almost continuous downpour of tropical copiousness. The rain was almost general, even the » droughty Northern Territory participating. Locally the weather is again clear, but evidences of winter have fairly commenced. Heavy frost and snow are reported on the high lands. At the commencement of the wet season Mr Russell, the Government astronomer, announced the discovery—or rather rediscovery, as he alleges it was previously known and acted upon by the ancient Jews and Egyptians—of a weather cycle system. In an interesting paper before the Royal Society, he undertook to demonstrate periodically good and bad seas m?, dating his calculations back to B c. 1705, at the time of the Pharaoh famine. Taking the world as a field for his observations, with special reference to Australia, from the foundation to the present day, he arrived at the conclusion that all historic data, ancient and modern, pointed to the fact that pronounced droughts recurred regularly every nineteen years. He quoted numerous authenticated instances in support of the nineteenth cycle. Mr Russell added the comforting assurance that drought years were always preceded and succeeded by good years. He forecasted such good seasons for 1897 and IS9B. Scientists will be specially interested in the statement that as Mr Russell's investigations proceeded the weight of evidence gradually converged . upon the moon as the exciting cause. He never had any sympathy with the theory of Luna's influence on the weather, and received the evidence against his will; but the logic of facts left him no alternative but to accept the moon as the prime motor. The week produced a heavy list of violent deaths, suicides predominating. At Rocius' a crime of a quarter of a century ago was revived by the suicide of the instigator. During a festive gathering in the Geroghery district a man named Ebel poisoned some wine with strychnine in order to kill his wife, and but for his miscalculation of the quantity of poison a large number of persons would undoubtedly have fallen victims. Kiel's death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. After serving twenty years he was released. A young married woman mysteriously disappeared from the Albury district, and foul play is suspected. At Newcastle Captain Alexander, an old shipmaster, disappeared. Wyndham (Westralia) contributed a tragedy, Dr Bannerman, the resident medical officer, having shot the assistant postmaster dead. The doctor fired a shot through the window. The assistant postmaster closed with his assailant and endeavored to wrest the revolver from his grasp, but it went off, killing him instantaneously. A verdict of "Death by misadventure" was returned. A suicide at Kilgoorlie, one at Melbourne, and another in this colony complete the list. Meagher's counsel searched history for precedents, and served up Lord Brougham's observations in the defence of Queen Caroline that an advocate, by the sacred duty which he owes to his client, knows in the discharge of that office but one person in the world, and that is his client, and none other. To save that client by all expedient means, to protect that client at all hazard and cost to all others, is the highest and most unquestioned of his duties, and he must not regard the alarm, Buffering, torment, or the destruction which he may bring upon any other person ; that he must separate the duties of patriot from those of advocate, and cast them, if need be, to the winds; that he must go on to reckless consequences, if his fate should be unhappily to involve his country in confusion for his client's protection. The centenary of Burns called forth a memorial wreath from the Scotsmen of Australia. It will be despatched by the outgoing mail steamer. Two old military officers here, Colonels Spalding and Airey, who saw active service in various parts of the world, and who took part in the Soudan contingent, retire from the Government service at the end of June. The proceedings in Parliament have been devoid of interest. The most important matter was a motion for the second reading of the Lands for Closer Settlement Bill, but the motion was adjourned till next week. The Treasurer gave an indication that when -*the Budget was delivered he would declare a surplus on the year's work. The investment market is extremely firm, with a demand for a greater supply of Government securities, which are almost unobtainable even at advanced figures. Sales of bank shares and deposits show further in> {irovements, and miscellaneous stocks were argely taken. In mining the weakness in silver noted in the last report affected the market, and for the greater part of the week buyers were shy, but there was a decidedly firmer close. Except in Junctions, in which there was a good recovery, prices underwent little change. In gold shares, the West Australian boom reached almost fever heat. The Bales on all exchanges was enormous. Adelaide put up a record on Saturday, 82,000 shares changing hands, the exchange sitting five hours. Daily reports of rich developments keep the excitement aglow. Prices fluctuate greatly, some doubling and trebling in a single day. Block XLV., North-west Ivanhoe, and Crceaus, where the last good strikes are reported, are the centre of attraction, and this week advanced by leaps ; but the scrip of all good mines—anything with a likely Bhow—were snapped up. In the middle of the week the tendency to heavy loading, the natural sequel to big speculative buying, depressed the market for a time, but it quickly recovered, and closed very strong and buoyant. The more stable Victorian, New South Wales, and Queensland stocks, feeling the effects of the revival, were taken more freely and at higher price, than for a long time. Sales of Kapai Vermont took place at 9*, closing with buyers at 9s 3d. At the wool sales during the week 2,400 bales were sold, chiefly oddments, but including a few good lots of newly-shorn Queensland. The competition at the opening was guarded, the tendency being distinctly weaker, with numerous withdrawals ; but afterwards there was a rally, and prices were fully equal to the last fortnight s sales. New Queensland combing brought 6£ I to 7Ad; scoured up to livid. 4th passed off satisfactorily. Bills were generally well met. The opening of the month put more life into the import jnarket, the rain contributing to the imFurther rearrangements of the tariff, however, had a slightly disturbing influence. Considerable ignorance apparently exists as to the changes intended and the actual alterations of the tariff coming into force at the end of the current month, which include the removal or reduction of duties on butter, oheese, bacon, hams, cocoa, chocolate, ohioory, cornflour, maizena, and cement. Though the breadstuffa matket is quiet there are signs of reviving speculative activity. The farmer tone in the New Zealand and San Francisco markets have put local holders into better heart. A little business has taken place in New Zealand wheat, including 1,000 bags Hunters, at 3s 8d per bushel landed in Sydney, Bnd 1,000 bags of Tuscan, for seeding purposes, at 3s lOid (to arrive). A good deal of business has been done in Cattforman, in connection with wbiuh M e Mw W D § mad* ' FOm New

Zealand. About 2,000 bags have been placed privately at a price which it i 3 thought to bo difficult to repeat. The next two vessels from Vancouver between them bring 1,400 tons of wheat, and San Franc'sco will probably find an additional ship. The produce market closed quiet, without noticeable chaDge. The Treasurer delivers his Budget speech at the end of June, and lately has been expressing a sanguine hope that he will be able to show a surplus Last month a revenue gives weight to the hope. It showed an increase of £36,000 compared with last May, or, on the basis of the present tariff, allowing for the customs duties in operation in 1895, an increase of £78,000. MELBOURNE, Junk 7 Butler's arrest has led the loc*l Press to recount his acts. Since his return from Maoriland Butler has been shadowed by two detectives. The ex-convict was apparently well aware of this espionage, and at times eluded his followers by cunning devices. After the M'Phee robbery, which bore a close analogy to the crime perpetrated by Butler in Dunedin, and together with the fact that several daring burglaries were recently perpetrated, led the police authorities to exercise the power they possessed under the Criminal Influx Act, which precludes a prisoner from entering Victoria three years after his release from gaol, and Butler was arrested. Mr M'Phee identified him as his assailant, and several other charges of burglary will be preferred against him. M'Kay, a raider of offices, when on trial wished the judge to make his sentence short, sharp, and decisive, tho presiding 'judge cheerfully granted the request, and gave h'm two years' "hard" with solitary confinement.

Typhoid and scarlet fever are rampant in the city and suburbs, while the hospitals arc sadly overcrowded. At the last meeting of the Melbourne Hospital it was stated that during the fortnight eleven fever patients had been refused admission owing to overcrowding, while others were discharged on a condition which was certainly dangerous to the community. There were so many new cases that the authorities were obliged to send many away far too early. A deputation was appointed to wait on tho Government and point out the urgent necessity of a fever ward and a proper ambulance. The doctors stated that it was impossible at present to cope to take proper pn c unions. The 4th is well over and general trade revived Bomewhat, but still the import market is quiet. The decline in the Customs revenue is becoming more accentuated. For May it was £38,500 less than in April, and over £62,000 below last May, and £77,000 under the Treasurer's estimate. There i 3 very little doing in wheat, holders showing a disinclination to sell at current quotation?. ADELAIDE, June 7.

The Renmark irrigation settlement has so far been run on strictly cold water lines, the Act under which it was established stipulating that no place for the sale of spirituous beverages would be allowed to exist. The settlers are tired of enforced teototalism, and are petitioning the Government to consent to the granting of a license. They are willing to content themselves with the Gothenburg system as far as local circumstance s permit. The application of the liquidator of the Chaffey Bros, to deal with certain assets brought to light further startling fac's as to the condition of the management of irrigation colonies by agreement between the liquidator and the Trustees and Executors Agency Company of Victoria. The liquidator sought power to sell certain assets of the company now at the Renmark settlement, which the Trustees Company contended were specifically charged in favor of certain debenture-holders. The evidence showed that the mortgage bond under which the claim aro3e was executed in 1891, but was kept secret and was not available till the company went into liquidation. The secretary was even unaware of its existence. The position arose owing to the fact thatiChaffey Bros., though they had assets in Adelaide, and were a foreign company having a domicile in Victoria, taking advantage of this mortgage for £IOO,OOO on Renmark, which was executed but not registered in Adelaide ; and the Court was asked to decide ; whether the deed ought to have been registered, and whether under the circumstances it secured to the debenture-holders a charge over all the assets not otherwise charged? The Chief Justice held that the mortgage did not require to be registered locally, and that the Trustees Company were entitled to the assets in question. The Customs revenue for eleven months exceeded the corresponding period of last year by £34,000, and is already £BO,OOO above the Treasurer's estimate. The Treasurer forecasts a general surplus at the end of the year of £30,000. BRISBANE, June 7. The Tugeri, a New Guinean tribe notorious for their head-hunting exploits, are reported to have received a terrible thrashing at the hands of Sir William MacGregor and party. Several of these undesirable gentry were killed and fifty canoes destroyed. It is believed that their power is broken, and that they will give little trouble for a long time to come. PERTH, June 9.

A highly-important development has taken place in the Block 45 claim, Kalgoorlie, where tclluride gold has been discovered. The stone shows little or no gold in panning, but gives 90oz by firo assay. Block 45 is supposed to ba a continuation of the Brown Hill Line Extended and other claims. It has already been traced to the Crce3us. Should the discovery prove genuine all the mines on the field will have to employ experts to test ores. Very rich gold was also struck in the 100 ft level of Block 45.

The annual report of the Great Boulder mine shows that since orushing was started to the end of December the profits have been £BO,OOO. ■