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

North Otago Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8003, 16 June 1894, Page 2

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

Received June 15, at 10.45 a m. Sydnky, June 15. A return prepared by the Railway Com nis8ionera shows that the Victorian Railway Commissioners have reduced the rates, ranging from 20 to as much as GO per cent., in order to capture the carriage of the New South Wales border wool clip. It is estimated that 240,000 bales of wool grown in the colony are carried to the Victorian seaboard annually.

Melbourne, June 15. The Railway Commissioners received a letter from the New South Wales Commissioners, in which the latter state that it is their desire to secure a re adjustment of the rates on strictly commercial principles, without political interference. The Victorian Commissioners have replied expressing their willingness to abolish preferential rates and charge mileage, if New South Wales will do the same. It is unlikely that the latter colony will agree to this, as it would be all in favor of Victoria, owing to the proximity of the Riverina districb to Melbourne. The report of tho Tariff Board hos boon presonted to tho Govertitnenb The ovidenco taken by the Board indicatoa a feeling in favor of intercolonial freetrndo, and the Hoard suggests tliab an invitation bo smb to the Oovornmonb of each colony to join Victoria in establishing a Customs union.

Rocoived Juno 15, at 11.15 a.m. Syd\KY, Juno 15. The stud sheep sales which open on 2nd July will bo tho largosb ever hold in Sydney, tho entries being three times greater than the average of tho past lour years. Tho Sydney Morning Horald says bhat Sir Georgo Dibbs' unification schemo will •novcr be anything moro than a dream. Tho whole scheme is a visionary one, and ib would bo a wasto of time to criticise the details. Tho Daily Telegraph looks upon tho scheme as the practical annexation of Victo ift. Its two distinctive features are originality and audacity. Ib is original because no ffldernlionisb other than Sir George Dibbs would dream of confusing unification with federation, and audacious because of its proposal to sweep two colonies out of existence and create a new one.

Received Juno 15, at 8.10 p m Sydney, June 15. Atkinson and Morris, promoters of the Mutual Freehold Distribution Soointy, were sentenced bo 12 and 9 months respectively for carrying on a fraudulent lobtery. A man calling himself Palmer, supposed to be an abssconder named Bailey from New Zealand, has been arrrabed in Dubbo. He had recently lodged L980 in New Zealand bank notes in tho Rank ab Orange. Ho afterwards withdrew ib in notes and gold, and then wonb bo Dubbo, A deputation of women -waited on the Premier bo»day and urged him bo confer tho franchise on bheir sex. The Premier said ho waa favorably inclined to this step, and promised that ib should be considered in the Cabinet.