LATE AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXII, Issue 28, 3 February 1897, Page 4

LATE AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

« A Thursday Island telegram states that on the 12th inst the pearling lugger Leopold was sunk by a waterspout when four or five miles off Nagheer Island. One man was drowned. A member of Parliament m New South Wales has paid a sum of money to the Eailway Department, representing the value of journeys made by rail on private business. He has a conscience, a A young nran named Broderick, a lengths-man, was taken to J;he Borcaldine Hospital m a precarious con* dition. He was about Jo jump on a trolly on which was a loaded rifle, when the weapon undccountably went off, the bullet piercing his stomach. \ James Lynch, aged (26, employed as fireman on board the Warrego, was smothered while the vessel was being coaled at Brisbane. An obstruction occurred m the coal shoot, and Lyncl* was m the act of removing it with a crowbar when the coal, suadenly becoming free, precipitated him to the bottom of the bunkers. When he was relieved he was fouud to be dead. It has been determined by the Victorian Customs authorities to seize m future all swivel and punt guns which may be imported, under a clause of the Game Act which absolutely prohibits their use or introduction. Never before m the history of the Victorian Mines Department were so many jpld mining leases issued as m 1896; and no better testimony could be given of the activity which has characterised mining operations all over the colony, The total number of leases granted last year was 2232, against 1603 m 1865 and 1151 m 1894, the applications being nearly doubled m the course of two years. In 1871, when the great Bendigo iußh took place, 2202 leases were issued, and that was the record of the department until last year. Patrick Gorman was proceeded against at the Warnambool Police Court recently on a charge of arson. The evidence disclosed that on New Year's Eve a storehouse occupied by the accused was m flames, and he made no attempt to extinguish the fire. The flooring and ceiling were burning for about six hours, and Gorman, it was said, was the only person about the place. Duiing the fire, it was alleged, he removed all the furniture, without damaging an.

article, and also took off the doors, windows and window- sashes, without bieaking even a pane of glass. An examination of the premises, made subsequently, revealed the fact that the flooring and ceiling boards were saturated with kerosene. The accused was committed for trial. At the Oollingwood Police Court recently, George Hugman, 85 years of age, was charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm on a woman named Eva Blake, with whom he was living. Because the woman would not give him some money he attempted to smash her head with a heavy earthenware jug. She put up her arm to defend herself, and, the jug breaking, severed the sinews of her arm and. opened three of the arteries. Mies Freda Gamble, M.8., of the Melbourne Hospital, who dressed the wounds, described them as very serious, and said that the woman was not yet out of danger. The accused, who reserved his defence, was com--mited for trial. Through a misunderstanding m giving the alarm, the Sydney firemen arrived late at the fire by which the Eagle Tobacco Company's factory was consumed, and tb.6 vast crowd which had assembled hooted them loudly. The delay was caused by an error on the part of the telephone authorities.