AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 142, 14 June 1909, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[press association.] PREFERENTIAL VOTING. MELBOURNE, June 12. The State Cabinet has decided to include preferential voting in the Electoral Reform Bill. ■ SOME MORE, SOME LESS. MELBOURNE, June 12. i Excise statistics show that the average annual consumption of beer works out at four bucketfuls for every man, woman and child in Victoria. OUT OF THE ARENA. ADELAIDE, June 12. Mr Pendleton, a Railway Commissioner, has retired after 32 years' service. AN AUSTRALIAN MAHARANEE. • SYDNEY, June 12. Indian files contain a description of the marriage of Miss' Elsie Thompson, of Randwick, a well-known Australian actress, to the Maharajah of Tekari. It is also stated that prior to her marriage Miss Thompson became a convert to Hinduism.

GUILTY OF MANSLAUGHTER. SYDNEY, June 12. The youth Williams was found guilty of the manslaughter of Johnston, a travelling saddler, at Weewaa' on December 4, and was remanded for sentence. UNIVERSITY FEES. SYDNEY, June 12. The University has made an all- ' round reduction in fees, aggregating £3000 per annum. i EARTH TREMBLINGS. SYDNEY, June 12. The seismographs at Sydney and Melbourne record distinct earth tremors on Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday last. It is thought probable that they were connected with the recent , earthquake in Sumatra. . SERIOUS FLOODS. MELBOURNE, June 11. Heavy floods are reported from Gippsland. Several bridges have been swept away, and much damage done.