AUSTRALIA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVII, Issue 11189, 10 February 1897, Page 5

AUSTRALIA.

[Pee Peess Association. - ! RIFLE SHOOTING. BRISBANE, Feb. 9. The Brisbane Rifle Association is sending a team to England to compete in the Queen’s commemoration rifle competition. SMALLPOX IN JAPAN. SYDNEY, Feb. 9. Smallpox is very prevalent in Japan, the Seath roll numbering 548, out of 1237 cases. MELBOURNE, Feb. 9. FLOODS SUBSIDING. The floods in the Gippsland district are subsiding. ACCIDENT TO THE MIOWERA. During the last trip of the Miowera to Vancouver one of the boilers burst, through shortness of water. The Marine Board here held an inquiry, and found that the stop cock connected with the water column had been unaccountably closed, also that by the wrongful act or default of the fifth engineer the feed check valve had been closed, preventing the requisite inflow. The Board regretted that it had no power to punish the engineer, as he did not hold a certificate. The second engineer, who was on watch, was not altogether blameless, and was cautioned. The damage to the boiler is between .£IOOO and <£lsoo. THE SMALL POX OUTBREAK.

There has been wholesale vaccination of all those who came in contact with the Nineveh’s passengers. Captain Allen, commander of the steamer, is amongst the patients. The medical officer who passed the vessel merely reported that one of the crew was suffering from an eruption of the face due to congested liver. MR W. T. STEAD. Mr W. T. Stead, of the Review of Reviews, is a passenger by the Nineveh. He will tour the colonies in search of attractive “copy.” He commenced the search by being vaccinated and sent to quarantine. MR SEDDON. At the Mayoral luncheon to-day the Hon R. J. Seddon responded to the toast of the visitors. He said that he felt proud of the manner in which the women of New Zealand had done their duty by the franchise. Referring to federation, he hoped that it would be treated as a national question, and that a constitution would be framed for all time. IMPORTS AND EXPORTS. ADELAIDE, Feb. 9. The imports of the colony last year are valued at £7,160,000, an increase of £1,575,000 as compared with the previous year. The exports are valued at £7,170,000, an increase of £417,000 as compared with last year.