INTERCOLONIAL.

Mataura Ensign, Issue 16, 6 August 1895, Page 3

INTERCOLONIAL.

Thuesday Island, August 3. An agitation, is. spreading amongst Japanese residents protesting against a farther influx of their countrymen, as they consider it would result in a reduction of the wages of those already in the country and increase the antagonism of - Europeans againat the Japanese. • Melbourne, August 4* In connection with the Abrahams' case, William Bewell, who was acting as sheriff's custodian of the property, was arrested on a charge of stealing from the stock- When tie case was called in the ' court, it was announced that be bad committed suicide that morning by shoothimself with a revolver. Sydney, August 4. Cricket and Meagher, members of Parliament and counsel for the defence - in the Dean ease, are suing the Premier for L2OOP damages for alleged libel csntained in a speeoh made at Newcastle referring to their connection with the case; , . At Broken Hill the mine floor of the -TL'qnarry continues to settle, and there is but little diminution of the smoke. The carbonic acid gas has evidently had little • effect yet. An explosion occurred early this morning on board the barqaentine Prosperity, loaded with the Metropolitan Coal Company's co»l, and lying in Elizabeth Bay. The cook, named Pousty, removed the riding light and carried it into the gallery, when a tremendous explosion took place. The dpck was torn up from end to end, and dfibris and coal scattered oyer the harbor. Pousty was found unconscious and'seriously injured, John Thomas (a seaman) and Nelson (a boatman) were slightly injured. Two of the crew, who were in their bunks in the foreward deckhouse, had a miraculous escape. After portion of the house was blown away, the men were covered with the dehris, but they escaped without injury. A fire started among the deck timbers, but was extinguished before it spread to the bull, which remains intact. The explosion was caused by the generation of gas. The Qeruan barque Argo, whioh was laden with the same quality of coal, was destroyed in a similar manner ob July 22, 1893. The mate states that the galley must have been full of gaseous vapor from the little forehatefa, which was uncovered and ignition followed the cook's entry with the lamp. "My first business," be remarked, " was to scramble through the wreckage and look after the injured. One. poor follow was nearly naked, and /Hitiirt was afire, which J extinguished Wfo a blanket. The cook wss lifted : ptjt of the coals, where he had fallen after being (hot a great height, and his - clothes were afire, and he was in great jigony. ' A watirman who brought off one of the crew was also severely burned," . The whole d«ok is torn up and the vessel looks lite a punt, into which ooals have bten damped. > The captain of the overdue Excelsior : wporta th»t the Teisel had a terrific.

passage from New Zealand. He never etpected to reach port. The deck cargo was thrown overboard, whioh lightened the vessel, and she put in to Norfolk Island for provisions. She encountered a terrible gale after leaying there, and . the vessel strained so heavily that it took the pnmps all their time to keep the 1 hold free of water. ' Later particulars ta hand, state that . fonr female British missionaries and one American were mnrdored at Kuchinp. ' Besides these many were killed atd wounded, including a number oE children