Late Australian News.

Hastings Standard, Issue 448, 12 October 1897, Page 4

Late Australian News.

A middle-aged man named Henry Edwards has been sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment for breaking into a church and stealing two silver trays and a crucifix. While cruising about off Sydney Heads the other day the tug Stormcock collided with a -whale. The tug had gone bow on to the monster, and the impact was so severe that the tug's forefoot was started. The well was sounded, but there were no signs of a leak. A Sydney man named Arthur Sweeney is suffering from the delusion that Governor Hamden and Cardinal Moran owe him £3OO a year. He is said to so strongly hold the idea that the amcunt is being kept from him by the personages mentioned that he has made persistent efforts to see both of them about the matter. Sweeney is now under medical observation. Two doctors who visited Lord Howe Island recently examined a man who is said to be suffering from leprosy, They became convinced that it was a case of true leprosy, and, it is stated, in a somewhat advanced stage. The man has been between eight and nine years on the island, and from his statement it is believed that he contracted the disease whilst on a whaling expeditini, which included the Sandwich Islands as a place of call.

There is a peculiar coincidence about the shooting of the'man White, whose body was found with a gun wound in the breast at Nine Mile (N.S.W.). The body was discovered on the identical ?pot- where a man named Montgomery was murdered eight years ago, aud Whito, it is alleged, was the mau charged with the crime. The jury could not agree, and White was acquitted. How White came to be shot in the exact locality, eight years afterwards, is not known. A " peripatetic candidate" is a title that may be aptly applied to Dr Broome in connection with the Victorian general elections. He was announced to stand for Korong but withdrew from that contest, and put in an appearance at Cranbourne, stating that he was going to contest the seat for Mornington against Mr A. Downward, M.L.A. Dr Broome is tramping through the electorate carrying a sw r ag in a canvas sugar-bag, with a woollen blanket tied round his shoulders.

The Melbourne Customs Department has decided not to proceed with the proposed cases relative to the seizures of some thousands of birds from the various freezing chambers. The owners of the game contended that they were within the Game Act, inasmuch as the birds were killed in the open season, but the Customs Department took the view, on literal reading of the Act, that it was an offence to be even in possession of game during the close season. However, counsel's opinion, w T hich was obtained, showed that view to be erroneous, and the " seized" birds have been released. After the scurvy-stricken ship Conishead, which arrived at Newcastle from Madagascar, was admitted to pratique, four of her crew were taken to the hospital. The passage, which occupied 70 days, was attended throughout by misfortune, and the master, Captain Brennel, who had been invalided at Madagascar, died on the voyage. Soon after scurvy put in an appearance, and other complications followed, which resulted in a portion of the crew lying idle, so that the ship had to be navigated short-handed. Mr Neilson, the mate, assumed command, and the second officer, Mr Owens, filled the first mate's position. A series of adverse winds carried the vessel away out of its course, thus protracting the passage. The appearance of scurvy is accounted for by the want of vegetables. The Conishead was over three months at Madagascar, and during that time no fresh vegetable food was to be had except what could be procured occasionally from Mauritius.