VICTORIA,

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 37, 12 August 1905, Page 9

VICTORIA,

■ Mr. Gamson. m thu Victorian Legislative Assembly, denounced the wastefulness of the Police Commissioner in the administration of Im Department. "Why," he explained, "hs spent about £2000 on bicycle night p.itro.s, nnd the only urrent made was that of a poor man who wuf> pounced on whilst catching his own fowls to take to li-nrket." The forepart of the wreck of the mail steamer Australia from the mainmast b.ia disappeared as the result of the severe battering it has undergone from the heavy seas. The hull now presents a most peculiar apptarance, with two funnels and two t/in>ts still standing. It is anticipated thiit the whole of the structure will disappear without tho use of uxplo«ives. ' The Or,incil of Churches of Victoria has received a copy of the New Zeuland Bill to amond the University Act to permit of the grunting of degrees in dninity, anil bus appointed un influential committee to innend the Victorian Act in the' same direction. "It is regarded, however," says the Argus, "as improbible that the Melbourne University will require to be constrained by laws to arrange for helping higher culture in connection with tho Christian ministry." A r<*enl fire at Ballnrnt, -vwheTO a, shpd, workshop, nnd stable wero destroyed", is supposed to have been caused by a pet oppossum upsetting a lighted lamp under an incubator in tho shed.

The oppossum escaped from the flames through a hole in the wall, b,ufc the incubator and a large number of eggs were consumed in the fire. A railway employee named Thomas O'Connor, 22 years of age, was run down by an engine of the north-eastern line while travelling on a tricycle shortly after II p.m. on Saturday, sth inst., receiving terrible injuries, to which he succumbed the following morning. He had been at a, concert at Seymour, and started for home, six miles away, at 11 p.m., having first ascertained that the lino was clear. After he left, an order was received to despatch a relief engine, and the message to have tho danger signal set arrived- too late to avert the accident. The Chairman of the Prahran Bench of Magistrates lately found himself in the 1 position of Gallio, being asked uo adjudicate in the case of a long-standing quarrel between two parties in the Church of Christ, High-street, one Henry Hancock, an expelled member, being chargH with offensive behaviour in a place of worship. Defendant asserted that he was a, member, which was disputed. "Defendant," said the prosecutor, "had no right to speak or open his mouth." Joseph Pithnan, evangelist in ths Church of Christ, said -he had been preaching for thirty years. It was against Scripture to go to law with a brother. Is defendant a brother? — No, because he has been excluded from the Church. The Bench dismissed the case. Mr. Williams : Any costs ? The Chairman: No costs. Settle the matter iv the church. QUEENSLAND. The revenue of the State for July showed an increase of £17,254, but the expenditure advanced by £18,027. The excess of revenue over expenditure was £84,638. -_ The Government Statistician estimates the population of Queensland, on 30th Juno last, at 526,366, an increase of 5000 for six months. • The natural increase for tho half-year is estimated at 4000, and the increase by excess of arrivals ' over depar tures about 1000. It is- understood that all difficulties with regard' to the Orient Company making Brisbane a port of call have been smoothed over. The first steamer will arrive in September. The amount of subsidy to bo paid has not been made known. The Minister for Lands has explained the principal features of the Land Bill, which was read a first time in the Assembly on tho 3rd inst. He said that the Bill in the main was the same as that introduced by him last session. Clause 2 provides that the annual rent of pastoral leases for each period after the first should not exceed the annual rent for the next preceding period 1 by more than one half of the annual rent for such preceding period. Other provisions give the Minister power x to postpone payment of rents of grazing farms or agricultural selections up to three years. Clause 8 provides that the Government may set apart land for selection in Britain, the Agent-General to have all tho powers of a. Land Commissioner*. Provision is also made to allow a discount to an agricultural farm selector ■who pays the whole of his purchns-D money within the prescribed time; similar provision is made respecting unconditional selections. The Bill also provides • that thp' lessee of a grazing selection infested with prickly pear may obtain an extension ilease in return for eradicating the pest ; also if the grazing selector spends money in erecting rabbit-fences tho Minister may remit such proportion of rent for the balance of the term as he may think proper, not exceeding 5 percent, on the | amount expended by the lessee. Clause ' 18 alters the period of paymont for land I purchased at auction from three to ten | years, and if the terms are extended for six months from- tho date of. sale, instalments shall pay 5 per cent, interest. It also gives the Government power 'to lease for thirty yeors reserves infested with noxious wc*ds. The Bill also extends the period wiilun which a pastoral lessee may apply for classification, to como under the 1902 Act, up to Ist 'March, 1906. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. During the regime of £lio Jenkins Minisitry, an order was issued that public servants "shall not accept a position in municipalities or district councils.^ The present Labour Government hns Travoked this by the following notice : — "Employees of the Government are not forbidden t<n occupy an honorary position in corporations and district councils, and such liko bodies, if so doing does not interfere in the proper discharge of their duties to tho Government; byt they are not to publicly criticise the action or th© working of Government departments." Some of those connected with the Empire, League in South- Australia (says the Register; received a shock on learning that the Customs regulations might prove formidable barriers to progress in other rospeetH most encouraging it is pun o' I the plan that linked schools in various parhb of the Empire should exchange not only letters and essays but post cards and spcjimens illustrating nataio study. A uchool in England linked with one in South AnstiaMa forwarded a parcel containing s-everal booka of postcards, forming a leaflj interesting collection. Imagine the surprise when tho recipients were asked to pay duty to the extent oi 17s 6d on a parcel valued at £3 10s. If such duty is to be paid it wih discoiuage an exchange of information which might prove a valuable means of advertising the resources of th«s State. WESTERN AUSTRALIA. i'he work of installing the municipal ■electric lighting and tramway services m tho municipalities of Fremantle and East Fremanffo is progressing satisfactorily. The railway returns for ilie quarter end-ed tho 30th June show that tho receipts wer* £455,302, the expenditure i/334,035, and the earnings per 'train tni\t 8s 5.69 d. . j Th« rerenuo of tho State for July was £196,428, and tho expenditure £216,659, leaving a deficit of £20,231. , The revenue from the Commonwealth Ml | from £109,652 in 1904, to £83,114 last ■month, rhfre was also, a falling off in tho returns from stamps, probate, land, twining, and railways. There w*ro increaaM under the heads of dividends, duties, licences, bait-cries, smelting works, water, harbour dues, and mint. TASMANIA. Tho consolidated revenue for July wns £68,88.. and for July ln.st year £64,148. t I he M.irine Hoard has decided to give lighthouse-keeper* a £10 advance of salary all round. A Bill for the legitimation of children born before marriage, on tho *>ul->sequent marriage of tho parents, has i pissed tho preliminary stage in the Assembly. In the Youthful Offenders fiill, the following new clause has been introduced :— "Tho record of examination or trial on every charge against « child under this Act shall bo kept in a rh irgo book other than that in gunemi use in the city or plnro where such pxaminn tions are held." l'lii.") is intended to obviate tho record of an offencv for nil time. In tho House of Assembly a Police Bill introduced by the Attorney-General has passed its second le.uling, with alterations tending generally to the increased stringoncy of various clauses, particularly those dealing with spielers and thoir companion vagabonds, who coming from Iho mainland, infest Tosmanian ports during the tourist .season. Mr. M'Cnll has given notice of motion for leave to bring in a Bill for the election of tho Executive Council by the Legislative Council.