AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5396, 4 March 1879, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[PER THE ' WAKATjra ' AT WELLIXOTON.] Sydney, February 23. Tiie weather during the past week has been changeable. There has been rainfall in several districts. The markets are unchanged since last report. Further particulars of the loss of the brig Raymond state that she left Newcastle on the 14th inst. commanded by Captain Evans, bound to New Zealand, with a cargo of coal. During a heavy gale on the night of the 15th, the sails were blown from the bolt-ropes, and a staysail was set to keep the vessel before the wind. At daylight on tho following morning the fore-hatch was sto?e-iu ; all hands were constantly employed at the pumps. Two anchors and a quantity of cable were let go to lighten the ship forward. Owing to the sea running the decks were constantly full of water, which rapidly gained on the pumps. Cape Hawks was sighted at 4 p.m. on the 14th. The crew were greatly exhausted by their exertions, and the vessel was quite unmanageable, and was gradually settling down. She was beached three miles north of the Heads. Ia landing one boat capsized, and three of the crew were drowned, viz., J. C. Lemognan, first mate, and Jas. Fergusson and John Sawers, seamen. The body of one seaman was recovered and buried on the bsach. A curious discovery was made on board the Nautieal School Ship Vernon on the 22ud ult., the assumption of male disguise by a girl who had worn it for eight years, had been arrested as Jas. Gould, at Lambiug Flat, a3 a vagrant, and on conviction was consigned to the Vernon for a term of years. When on board ihe Vernon she was handed over to the boatswain for the usual routine of bathing, hair-dressing, and purification, when a scene occurred. Jas. Gould, aged 15 years, refused to strip, blushing and crying, to the amusement of the boys around. The boatswain appealed to the caijtain, and it was only when Captain Ncitensen ordered her to be stripped for punishment, that she confessed. Her mother died at Lambing Flat eight years before. At her death-bed she had"sworn always to wear boys' clothes. This she had none, and earned a precarious livelihood about the diggings until arrested. The girl knows no name but "Jem." She is interesting and pleasant in appearance, and seems through all to have preserved her purity of mind. She was sent to the Billera Girls' Industrial School. A man was found dead at Hamilton on the night of the 22nd with his brains blown out and a revolver in hi 3 hand. At the inquest deceased was recognised as Thomas Anthony. Amongst the effects found was a commercial bank receipt for £'176, £4S in notes, and a will bequeathing his property to his brother H-.-rbert, Stawell, Victoria. Melbourne, February 2S. On the 22nd, a very large number of people witnessed Sir Or. Bowen's departure. The streets were lined with spectators. A procession of working men proceeded to the Spencer-street terminus. Salutes were fired. The Governor left Government House, SVilliamstown, and the Siam was late in getting away, owing to the late arrival of the Avoca from Sydney. The Siam took gold and specie valued at £70,000. She was accompanied down the harbour by the Harbour Trust in ihe Government steamer Victoria. The S:eam Navigation Board found the loss of the Kerangie at Cape Emerald was caused by the fault of Captain McPetrie in ncgleetiug to take soundings. The steamer was proceeding at the rate of 9 knots in a dense fog. Brisbane, February 2S. Sir M. O'Connell is very unwell with an affection of the throat. A Chinaman hanged himself with bis pigtail at Cooktown, while in the lock-up, on the 22nd inst. Early in the present month, five escapees from New Caledonia, arrived at Maccay via Bowen, per Northern steamer, having been forwarded by Inspector Armstrong. Most of them were ouly two months landed from a French colony when they escaped. They appear to have escaped from the coast, near Hunchback Mountain, at two o'clock on the morning of the 12th of January, in a boat floating near the shore. They got safely away under sail, but were provided ooly with scanty clothing, 150 biscuits, and o gallons of water. Ten days out they spoke a vessel, and thinking they were chased they altered their course and passed Bafely. They landed at Bowen on the 30th. They were nineteen days at sea, and were without food the last two days. The original intention was to proceed to Sydney, but they could not make that port, having no compass. Upon landing at Bowen they were half-starved and were taken care of at the Immigration Depot. Adelaide, February 28. The Mayor has decided not to take a poll of the citizens on the proposed loan. The Hon. Henry Scott intends re-estab-lishing open-air concerts, which, as Mayor, he initiated last year. The employees of Swain and Newett and Woods and Allen are on strike at Gawlor. A narrow escape from a serious railwayaccident occurred on the 2." Ui instant. The timber of the iron bridge at North Gawlor was discovered on Gre. An alarm was given and the train delayed till repairs were effected. [FROM PAPERS PER S.S. 'CITV OF SYDNEY.'] Tho Adelaide Register calculates, from information obtained from all parts of tho colony, that the average result of the harvest is a slight fraction over seven bushels per acre, and a total of 9,007,000 bushels, leaving a surplus of 170,000 tons for export. Newspapers of all parties in Victoria condemn the late action of Sir Bryan O'Loghlen in what is denominated "gagging the Press." The quarterly abstract, shewing the estimated population of Victoria, on the 31st December, IS7S, is published in Friday night's Gtovernmenl Gazette. The population on that date was 475.311 males, and 401,075 females : total, 879,35G, —being an increase since the same date in 1577 of 10,570 males and 8029 females : total, 18,599. The Finance Committee of tho City Council of Adelaide intend to recommend the lighting of the city by kerosene. Two armed men stuck up M'Millan's store at Dnbbo, Timbrabongie. One shot was fired, bnt no one was wounded. They robbed the storekeeper of £3 cash. At a meeting of the creditors of Berens and Banniger, Brisbane, a statement prepared by the firm shewed the liabilities to be £40,000 and the aßsets equal to twenty shillings in the pound. £20,000 is due to European creditors, £10,000 to firms and bankers, and £500 to local creditors. It waß decided to wind-up the estate ic insolvency.