AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9403, 9 January 1894, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Press Association.—Electric Telegraph, -Cooyrltht. A SOUTH AUSTRALIAN DIAMOND. ' Adelaide, January 8. A large diamond has been found at Mount Kingston by a miner who went fossicking for gold. It is a true diamond, but the tint is yellow. AN. ENORMOUS WATERSPOUT. .c' - Sydney, January 8, A waterspout burst in the Cooma district at the Cobungdon station. Ten and a-lialf inches of rain fell in twenty .minutes, j \ j VAU.'. A INTERCOLONIAL CRICKET. , , , ..... Sydney, January 8. New South Wales in their first innings against South Australia, scored 1 393. Newell made 60, Iredale 64, Mose3 104, and Callaway not out 60. ! v FIRE ON THE STEAMER . . NAIRNSHIRE.

Sydney, January 8. > A fire was discovered yesterday among the calico wrappings of the sheep in the refrigerating chamber of the s.s. Nairnshire, which lias commenced loading here. Two hundred carcases were destroyed, and it is Relieved the remainder, -about 5000 carcases, have been seriously affected by smoke and by water. The origin of the outbreak is a mystery. The vessel herself .is uninjured. ,

THE PACIFIC CABLE QUESTION. / Sydney, January 8. Referring to Mr. Sand ford Fleming's Pacific cable schemes, Mr. Kidd, Postmaster General, thinks the best route for a cable would be from Bundaberg (in Queensland), to Fiji, Samoa, Fanning Island, and Honolulu, touching at some small island en routs to Vancouver. This scheme would not prevent .a.: connecting line being laid from New Zealand to Fiji. Unless Mr. Fleming is able to get a syndicate to carry out his views there is very little prospect of the Governments interested taking any steps. It is very probable that Mr. Audley Ooote will submit a proposal to the Australian Governments to extend the French cable to Vancouver to be worked and managed from Fiji onwards under the direction of British officials. Mr. Kidd thinks such a proposal would meet with favourable connection from the Australian Governments. ■ THE INVITATION TO THE DUKE >"• OF YORK. ! ' Sydney, . January 8. Mr. G. H. Reid; Leader of the Opposition, commenting on the invitation to the Duke and Duchess of York, characterised as infamous the proposal to spend vast sums of money in entertainment, which might be devoted to the relief of starving people in the colony. ——— RELEASE OF A CONVICT. > ' Sydney, January 8. ''' Huddlestone, who was to ten years' penal servitude in connection with the Registrar-General frauds has been released on account of ill-health, after serving four years of hiss term. .

THE WEATHER IN NEW SOUTH WALES. ,

Sydney, January 8. The southern • districts have been visited by heavy rain storms, and much damage has been done - to. the crops. ■ The cold weather and rains have killed 90,000 sheep in the Cooma district. . —' —— : THE COAL STRUTS. Sydney, January 8. r Southern coal owners consider the strike is virtually ended, as it ia only a question of a few days when the men will accept their terms in regard to the reduction in hewing rate. Non-associ-ated collieries will probably fix the rate at two shillings per ton.

RETRENCHMENT IN victoria Melbourne;, January 8. ' Further, retrenchment ha» been decided on in the Education Department, and a reduction is to be made in the number of inspectors and the clerical staff, thus effecting a saving of £4000 per annum. > I 1 THE BABY~MURDERESS. fi f- ; - Melbourne, January 8... Mrs. Knorr has confessed to a number of other crimes than those" for which she was tried, but her confession is not to be made public until after her execution. > ni: _ ■' hi SEVERE GALE~IN WESTERN & w ' AUSTRALIAN /'• ■■■-'■•:"■■■ •••!' '' Perth, : January 8i '•* A hurricane swept ,;Roeburne and Cossark, on the northern coast, causing damage to the t extent of £4000. . The Church . of' England at Roeburne was wrecked,, and many buildings blown over. Seven inches of i rain fell at Roeburne, and three inches of rain at Cossark.; At the latter place a < portion -of the sea wall was washed away. <