A Sensational Discovery

Evening Star, Issue 8268, 14 July 1890, Page 2

A Sensational Discovery

A panic was caused in the South Australian Assembly l»y the Commissioner for Grown Lands (Mr Howe) informing the House that the contingent liabilities in connection with payment for squatters' improvements under the Act of 1884 would ba nearly L 3,000,000. It was only by accident that he made the discovery. He had occasion to interview the Surveyor-General, who gave him this intelligence, which astonished and startled him as much as it could any hon, member of the House. Up till now he iia'd ckarpd the general opinion that the outstanding liabilities for compensation for improvements could not amount to more than LIOO.OOO. Members were absolutely Btruck dumb by this statement, until one or two rose and said they hoped there was some mistake with regard to these liabilities, which, if real, utterly dwarfed the existing deficit of L 1,000,000. Mr Playford, Leader oi the Opposition, beiitfve.ci tnau there was some mistake, as he could cot bciievo that the squntters had recently expended "between L£,000,000 and L 3,000,000 on permanent improvements. Mr Howe, in reply, said the figures had been carefully prepared by the SurveyorGeneral. He allowed that matters were very serious, and he considered that means should be taken to abrogate the law of 1884, undsr which aompensation is claimed, even if an eßpeoially long tonure had to be granted to the squatters in exchange. --■- (Cheers.) It would be necessary to place an additional L 250.000 on the next loan in ordor to meet immediate demands for compensation.—{Sensation.)

English papers mention tl"e" death of an infant, duo to poison odors from a kerosene lamp kept burning all night with &&£ wick turned down—a dangerous practice,