Late Australian News.

Hastings Standard, Issue 324, 17 May 1897, Page 4

Late Australian News.

Files to hand on Saturday night give the following late items : The Ballarat Woollen and Worsted Mills have had another successful halfyear, the profits amounting to £2lOl. The directors have therefore been able to declare a dividend of per share on the preferential shares in the company. A sum of £21,349 was realised by the sale of manufactured goods. The steamer Taldora sank at the wharf atßroadsound, Queensland, with 54 tierces of tallow, 870 hides and 60 tons bones on board. The tide fell exceptionally low, and the steamer struck a rock, making a hole in her bottom. She filled and sank in an hour, and the water is awash of her decks at low tide. The body of F. E. Blabey has been found in the second basin of the Cataract at Launceston, Tasmania. Deceased, who came from England 10 years ago, has been depressed for some time past. He complained of feeling nervous and low-spirited. He was popular in the city, and his untimely death has caused a shock. Appearances point to suicide. A sad accident occurred to a four-teen-year-old son of Mr H. Thomas, of Noonda, Queensland. While playing with his two younger brothers round a fire they had made the eldest lad tripped and fell in. Before his brothers could pull him out his clothes were in flames, and still in flames he ran terrified towards home, but his burns were of so terrible a nature that he soon died. Recently Mr Robert Abraham, proprietor of the Victoria Printing Works, Little Bourke street, was cycling along Dandenong road, when he was seized by a sudden attack of sickness. Dismounting he leant against a tree guard for support and as a passer-by who had noticed that he appeared ill was in the act of speaking to him he fell to the ground and expired almost immediately. Miss Bourke, daughter of Michael Bourke, a farmer, met with a fatal accident whilst out riding near Finley. A brother accompanied her, and wished her to return with him, but she stayed behind. Subsequently her horse returned home riderless. A search was made for the girl's body, and was found on the roadside, having apparently been dragged some distance. Deceased was 17. A serious shooting accident occurred at Clunes. Francis Johns, aged 22 years, a resident of North Cresswick, with five other young men, including one named Hendra, were rabbit shooting iu the rangers. Hendra's gun went off, and the charge entered Johns's back, he being only three yards distant. Johns was at once conveyed to the Clunes Hospital, and the surgeons pronounced the case very serious. His dying depositions were taken, aud his last words were to the effect that he exonerated Hendra from all blame. Four members of the family of Mr T. Carmody, a farmer in Mount Pleasant district, were returning from the Runnymede church when several mounted men galloped by, and their horse bolted, the bit snapping. Patrick and James Carmody jumped out, but their sisters remained in the buggy, which was stopped soon after. Pairick, who fell beivily, was seriously injured, blood flowing from his ear. He was taken to Elmore, and Dr. Haise found that the base of the skull was fractured. Carmody expired shortly after. He was a leading member of various athletic clubs in the district, and was 29 years of age. In the County Court at Murtoa last week, before Judge Gaunt, Pharez Phillips, M.L.C., sought to recover from David Millar, proprietor of the " Northern Argus," damages for certain alleged libels published in defendant's paper in September last, before and after the election for the Northwestern Province, for which plaintiff was the successful candidate. A verdict was given for the full amount claimed and costs. In opening the case, Mr Coldham said the plaintiff did not seek damages, but only to vindicate his reputation, and offered to accept a withdrawal at the last moment, but defendant refused.