AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hastings Standard, Issue 173, 17 November 1896, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

GENERAL ITEMS. Melboukne. Nov. 16. Speaking at a banquet at \\ arrnambool, the Minister of Mines announced thai thought the State Bank question has been dropptHl for the present, it would be put before the country at next election, ami would be the proposal on which the Government would stand or fall. This day. At a meeting of the Millers Association it was decided to urge millers to be allowed to import wheat and allow a drawback on all tlour, «vc., exported up to the value of the duty pi id on imported wheat. Sydney. Nov. 16. The Bathurst I'oderal Convention has opened. Dr. Maehatie was elected president. T he sitting was devoted to arranging preliminaries. There was a good deal of disputation over the election of vice-presidents. The Convention contains one or two storm petrels, who will apparently keep the proceedings lively. The Marine Board found that no one was to blame for the wreck of the Dayspring, but decided to call attention of the Governor of New Caledonia to the necessity of having the coral on which the vessel struck and charted. A nvtea human body, decomposed beyond indentification, was found near Boorke. The body was in a sack, the lace was battered and there was the mark of a stab in the breast. This day. At a special general meeting of the Mutual Life Association of Australasia the revised and consolidated by-laws were adopted. The most important alteration is to clearly define the power of the directors in regard to branch board** This by-law placed beyond all doubt that the Sydney board is the supreme body. Brisbane, This day. Owing to the drought and heat, ticks are again becoming bad in some of the northern districts.