AUSTRALIAN1 NEWS.

Evening Star, Issue 13090, 24 October 1908, Page 11

AUSTRALIAN 1 NEWS.

THE COMMONWEALTH. In his ladt report to th© Common wealth Prim© Minister, Mr Staniforth fjmjth, Director of ’Lands/ Mines, pad Agriculture, of Papua/ recounts some notable facts connected with th© economic'progress of the territory. He says land aggregating oveir 21,000 acres is a'Vaitihg pur- , chase from the natives, and applications .have been lodged. Soine of these applications, he shys, “ have been lodged for over six months, as it has not been , possible for the magistrates to visit the districts with a view to endeavoring to purchase the land. Now that land buyers are to be appointed, this cause of delay will doubtless to obviated.” Down to September 2, 230,000 sisal hemp plants have been sold from the Government nursery at Rigo. There are, however, still over, 200,T00 vigorous Para rubber trees in the nurseries, as well as an abundant supply of sisal hemp and cotton plants and oocoanuts. The Director of Agriculture states that an exploring expedition started off at th© end of August from Sogori with eighty carriers, under the leadership of Messrs David Bal--1 anti no and A. M. Sinclair. Their first objective is the little-known country around Mount Nesbit, on the Main Range, the probable source of the Marabare River, which empties itself into the sea near the German boundary, after traversing about 200 miles of country. “ This part of the territory,” ho says, “has been hairdlv prospected at all for gold, although it is believed to be auriferous from the largo deposits of gold that have been found further down in the bed of the river.” Ihe Prime Minister of uno Commonwealth has received an invitation from the organisers of the International Conference on the Control of the Opium Traffic, to appoint an official Australian delegate to attend a meeting of the Conference which will be held at Shanghai in January next. Mr Deakin will probably decline to send an official delegate, but will promise to supply the Conference with a report describing in detail the effect of the Australian opium prohibition proclamation of two years ago. Ho may also suggest, the discussion by the Conference of some international method of controlling the manufacture of opium for medicinal purposes, so as to ensure a closer observation of the prohibition affecting commercial opium. Many medical men would, it is said, welcome direct Government control of the making of medicinal opium. Besides taking an indirect share in the solution of the larger nueetions raised by the opium problem. Federal Ministers intend to strengthen the powers given them under the Customs Act to deal with illicit importations. In the Federal Senate Senator Neild (N.SAV.) asked Senator Best whether the Government were aware that South Africa had been granted a preferential duty by

New Zealand in regard to her wines, as against the Australian product, and whether, in consequence, ikmth African merchants were spreading their travellers over the Dominion with the object of expanding trade? The Government's representative answered that last year the value of Henth African wine imported into New Zealand was £2O, while Australia exported £22,000 worth to the island Dominion. Arrangements were made with the late Mr Scddon for reciprocity in regard to wines, but they failed, owing to the New Zealand Government rejecting the treaty. The Government would be prepared to effect any satisfactory understanding that would promote the wine industry. Yass was jubilant over the selection of Yass-Canborca for the Federal capital. The mayor stated that from the beginning ho had little doubt as to the ultimate result. Yass was the best site in point of accessibility; it was easily first for its water supply ; it had all the resources of one of the noblest rivers in Australia (the Murrumbidgee) ; and it had also an alternative gravitation scheme from Micokmg, which offered the purest water supply of any city in Australia, equal to the requirements of 100,000 persons in the worst of droughts. The climate was all that could be o.sired, avoiding the extremes of cold and heat equally. The average rainfall of 24in was sufficient for all purposes, as irrigation could be availed of from the abundant water supply. As a tourist and health resort Yass would, upon completion of the wear, be the first place probably in Australia, and one of the very finest in the world.

_Mr W. H. Irvine, M.P., ex-Premier of \ ictor;a, who has been in Federal politics since the last election, was asked as to tho prospects of a fusion of parties on tie Opposition side of the Federal House, towards which end negotiations are in progress. Mr Irvine thought it inadvisable at the present juncture to diecloeo anything as to the stage leached in the movement. Premature- statements might have the effect of misrepresenting the true situation to the public mind, to say nothing of checking the advance toward* closer union. Several communications had passed between the two sections of the Opposition, but no definite pronouncement had yet been made on the subject, and no details had been decided. The whole matter was still somewhat nebulous. To say that the Protectionist Opposition was unwilling to consider union with the Freetrade party except under Protectionist leadership was not correct. The whole question of uniting the Opposition was a perfectly open ono at present. VICTORIA A child eight years of age, daughter of Mr George Woodhouee, of Stratford, was missed from home by her father, whose attention was attracted by the barking of a dog with which the girl was to play. The waterhole from which tho household supply was obtained was situated at the bottom of a steep Hill, and the dog was found at the water’s edge. Mr Woodhouse jumped in with his clothes on, and at the first attempt secured his daughter. She was unconscious, but with prompt attention recovered. She Had run down the slope after tho dog so quickly as to be unable to cheek herself. The ‘Argus’ says that it is understood that a railway departmental inquiry js to be held in connection; with the Sunshine disaster in April. Since then the coroner’s inquiry has been held, and the healing in

the Supreme Court: of f charges of -manslaughter against the 'drivers on the . Bendigo train, Leonard- Milburn and GilbertDolman, was concluded, : Both Milburn and Dolman were acquitted. When asked if a-departmental inquiry regarding /the position of the two fivers would be held, tho Railway Commissioners said that as the case against ihe Sunshine stationmaster, Kendall, had '. nob yet been .-decided, they did not consider it advisable to make any statement at present. It. is understood, in accordance with the usual custom, a departmental inquiry will be held. It was stated unofficially that there is a, possibility of Milburn’s retiring voluntarily on compensation, but the rail way, authorities have not received any communication from hint in the matter. Dolman, it is said, is likely to remain in the service.

Victorian undertakers’ employees and the ministers of religion'have for a long time been agitating against Sunday funerals, and they recently asked the Minister of Labor (Sir Alex. Peacock) to utilise the factories and shops legislation to prohibit funerals on Sundays, except in special instances. While expressing sympathy with the proposal, Sir Alex. Peacock has decided that the subject scarcely comes under the factory legislation. -.He has therefore (submitted it to the Health Department with a suggestion that an amendment might be made in the Health Act providing that funerals should be conducted on Sundays only when , the laws of public health demanded that they should not be postponed. Mr William Valentine Robinson r C.M.G.. who long held conspicuous places on the staff of the Victorian Parliament, died on the sth inst., in his seventy-second year Born in Yorkshire-in 1837, Mr Robinson came to Victoria in October, 1861, as a young journalist, under an engagement to live proprietors of the ‘Argus. Six years later Mr T. 0. Hadly, Mr Howard Willoughby, and himself, then all members of the ‘ Argus ’ staff, founded the ‘ Victorian Hansard,’ under contract with the Government. In 1889 Mr Robinson gave up the

‘ Hansard ’ to become a clerk of the Legislative Assembly ; and when Sir George H. Jenkins was promoted to be clerk of the Legislative Council and Clerk of Parliaments, Mr Robinson succeeded to the Assembly clerkship, which position ho held until 1902, when he reached the retiring age. '

Further details of the tragic fate of a clergyman, mentioned in our cables of the 10th inst.. have come to hand. At Charnian’« Falls, on the ,road to Strathbogie, on the date mentioned, tho Rev. A. A. Wiltshire, an Anglican clergyman, while dossing a smooth flat rock, at the head of the first full, slipped, and dropped over tho edge to the rocks, 100 ft below, and was killed instantly. The deceased, evidently after the first drop of about 26ft, rolled over tho second ledge, and dropped another 30ft on to tho third ledge, from which the descent, was about 50ft to the bottom, where the body was found. It was an hour and a-half’ before assistance could be obtained to recover the body. Mr Wiltshire's watch' ‘had stopped at three o’clock, the hour at which the accident occurred. Mr Wiltshire was a very popular preacher, in the 1 prime of life, and had been in charge of Euroa for some four years. GENERAL. Tho South Australian Attorney-General, in the Assembly on.the 10th inst., moved th- second reading of a Bill to allow juries in murder cases to.add a rider to their verdict preventing the death penalty being carried out, and also, on sufficient evidence, to substitute a verdict of manslaughter. He said criminals who deserved punishment often escaped at present, owing to the clisinclinalion of juries t) convict of murder, leaving no other alternative hut to .allow the prisoner to escape altogether. ' Mr Archibald urged that human life should be protected, and there should be hb ; weakening of the death penalty for deliberate murder. He had no patience, he said, with hysterical old women of the male sex, who ran about town getting up petitions to save murderers from the gallows, although he did not blanje real women for dorng so, as they had a repugnance to seventy. The debate was adjonrned.i; Approval has been given to new regulations made by the Queensland Commissioner for Public Health to prevent the contamination of vessels and articles containing food and drinks.. The regulations will come into force on Ist November* and will cause some concern to certain traders. The regulations provide that no person shall serve liquid food or liquid refreshments or ice-cream, or cause the same to be served, in any glass, tumbler, or vessel unless thoroughly cleansed since last used. All cleansing is tp.be'carried out by means of clear running wgter. Oyster saloons are to use clear nipping water in opeping and dipping oysters'. No bread or meat is to be allowed to come into contact with any paper or substance on which there is printing. Some of the methods of Afghan cameldrivers in enforcing union principles in West Australia are-so far ahead of the comparatively conservative procedure of the Australian Labor-party that Mr Mahon, a member of that party, felt it his duty to call attention tp, them in the House of Representatives-! He, said that the. Afghans had becomif Incensed at the action of certain camel-owners in carrying goods at, less than union prices, and m a town “on th? rim of civilisation” had,

with the aid of firearms,-broken up a iStnalT village r of; white people, The object in ; calling attention to the : matter Was to unpi'ess Mr Deakin with the importance of restricting the inmugration of such people. From that point;of view Mr Dea-' kin said .that ho would note the informa-, tion, but said that the disorder had not •reached that stage when the intervention of-the Commonwealth would be justified. " Ybu might be" justified, it) deporting them,” said-Mr'MShon. : 1 .The charge,.against,; JohnSm. Shuttle* worth,' who is employed;,by the Mine'Ofrnfers’ Association as* a detective, of havsold gold nt the 'Masonic Shades Hotel, contrary to the provisions of the Gold Buyers-Actpwas culled on at the BendigS ( Court. The solicitor.,for the . prosecution asked that the case should be discharged, and his application was granted. Fowler, .the “informant,” was ordered to pay Shuttleworth £2 2s costs. Shuttle worth states that he intends to issue writs against all those who brought about his arrest dor malicious prosecution, as well as for hav■ihg - committed an illegal act.

1 'A strange sea creature was caught by a .fisherman at Botany Bay. It was about a ..foot in Jeqgth, milk-white .in color, and scaleless. Its .head is described as being 'r.oundislt add blunt, and along' the body rah a fringe of white-discs ranging from the size Of a sixpence. to that of a florin. None of the schnapper fishermen of the bay had ever seen anything like the fish before, nor had Captain Childs, an old deep-sea fisherman of , experience, any idea of its name. The fish is to be sent to the Australian Museum for identification. From the rather, meagre details furnished it appears that the fish is a deep-sea form, and the circular marks may be luminous i discs.

At the Women's in Sydney. Miss Grace Watson told a story about redtape methods in a Commonwealth office at Melbourne. A lady had occasion to call upon,the second-in-charge. When she entered the room his secretary was alongside him at tho table. This, secondrin-com-mand was so “ high and mighty ” that he insisted upon the lady explaining her business first to the secretary. This she did, and the secretary, in turn, as the three sat there, transmitted the business to the second-in-commarfd. The latter then gave his answer to the secretary, who, with due solemnity, repeated it to the lady. An alarming experience recently befell a boy named Rridgeborn at Launceston, The lad, who is only thirteen years of age, and seems to possess a turn for mechanical engineering, had improvised a boiler out of an oil-drum. It was tliree-parts full of water, and a fire was alight underneath, when the safety-valve refused to act. ;The consequence was a violent explosion. The lads legs were blown off, and a carpenter’s horse, which was standing close by, was badly scalded and bruised. The boy’s eyes were injured, but the doctor is hopeful that his sight will not be impaired. At Bridgewater (Tas.) last week . the hundredth anniversary of the Stanfield family’s occupancy of'tire Green Point Esfate, near Hobart, was celebrated by the holding of a ball. There was a large gathering representative of the five generations of the Stanfield family. The pioneer of the estate (Daniel Stanfield) was originally a settler oh Norfolk Island, and when that was taken over by the British Government for the.purpose of penal settlement, he, together with other -settlers there, was offered the right to select two acres in Now South Wales or Van Diemen’s Land for every acre surrendered in Norfolk Island.. He .selected Yan Diemen’s Land, and on October 8, 1808, took .up property! Green Point, near Hobart, has since remained uhinterruptedlv in possession of his family. Tho original homestead still stands in a good state of preservation, and adjoins an orchard in which are apple trees ninety years old. The first paddock ploughed in Tasmania was on this estate, the plough used being made on the farm. Tho share was of wood.

The Perth Court, after a three days’ hearing, gave a verdict in a case in which Andrew Gunter, a- miner at Day Dawn,' sued Nurses Moritz and Davis, of the St. Omer Hospital, for damages alleged to have been caused by their negligence. Gunter had undergone an operation, and had beeij taken to the St. Omer Hospital, where, being in low vitality, he sank into a state of collapse, from which he was revived by hot-water hot ties, covered, being applied to his feet, on which his socks were left. He struggled a good deal, and eventually it was found that the bottles, had been displaced, and a slight burn inflicted on his heel, Which was tinged red. This burn, developed into a serious sore, which plaintiff alleged permanently incapacitated him from working. He claimed £I,OOO damages, but the Supreme Court remitted the case to the local court, which awarded him £SO and 1 costs. Plaintiff was sixteen weeks in the hospital, for which the defendant nurses did not charge him.