AUSTRALIAN NEWS. (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) (PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

North Otago Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 7908, 26 February 1894, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS. (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) (PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

Received February 24, at 11.45 a.m. Melbourne, February 24. Mr 11. H H»ytor, the Government atatisb has estimated the population of Victoria at tho end of the year at 1,174,000, and that of New South Wales ab 1,223,000. Mr Allison Smith has issued a writ for libel againab the Age. The amount of damages is nob stated.

A somewhab sensational divorce B^t was dismissed yesterday owing to collusion. The husband was the peti'ioner. A document was handed in showing thab the petitioner gave the corespondent a rpcoipb for M5OO as compensation for the loss of his wifo, home, and bwo children. Adelaide, February 24. Sailed — 'Juuoraig, from New Zealand. A joinb commission of the Methodist body, by 19 votes to 4, oarriod a motion favoring mi early union of the Mothodiab churches in the colony.

Receiyod February 24, nt 11.45 a.m. Sydnky, February 24^ Mr John Kidd, Postmaster-Goneßl, who represents New South Wales ab the Postal Conference, was a passenger by # thn Hauroto, whioh left) yesterday for Wellington direct. The Stockton miners have decided to accept a hewing rate of 3s 2d on the basis of a selling price of 8s per ton, provided all the men employed itt t ho inino before the strike are reinstated. Melbourne, February 24. Snail, an Adelaide cyclist, rode from Adelaide to Melbourne in two dayi five hours 42 minutes, thus lowering the record by 18 hours 18 \ minute*. Arrangements for lighting the city proper with electricity have bo«n completed, and it is expected that the new system will be brought into operation nexb month. The Chairman of the Tariff Board will probably recommend Parliament to amend the tariff in the direction of simplification and relief where it ia considered the duties press unduly.