AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9774, 22 March 1895, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

PreslAsSdciation.-Kleclric Telegraph. -CopyrighH INTERNATIONAL CRICKET. Melbourne, March 21. It is now taken for granted that an Australian eleven will Visit England at the end of ttexb summer. The new men likely to be included arc : Eady, of Tasmania; A. E. Trotfc> of Melbourne; Iredale, of Sydney, and Darling and Hill, of Adelaide.

THE MELBOURNE UNEMPLOYED. Melbourne, March 21. With a view to finding work for the unemployed, the Government arte considering a scheme for making advances at a low rate of interest to municipalities which have money locked up in reconstructed banks, to enable them to proceed with municipal works. At present, if they Wish to draw against deposits, they hate to pay seven or eight per cent. The idea of the Government is to make advances against deposit receipts at four to four and a-half per cent. UNFORTUNATE THEATRICAL VENTURES. Melboubne, March 21. At Arthur Garner's examination in insol* Vency, the schedule showed, debts £52,900, assets £54,600. The insolvent stated that he lost largely in theatrical ventures of late years, and also over land transactions.

SELECTORS' RENTES.

Melbourne, March 21.

A deputation of northern selectors waited on Mr. Best, Minister for Lands, and asked that the time for payment of rents be extended from 20 to 40 years, and that a reduction be made from la to (3d in their rent. Mr. Best advised them to leave the matter to the Government, as the latter intended to deal with each Case on its individual merit.

At a meeting of the Parliamentary. Country Party, it was decided to protest • against the action of the Government in bringing pressure to bear on selectors to enforce pay men b of overdue rent.

THE ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION.

Melbourne, March 21.

The naturalist on board the whaler Antarctic related his experience of the recent) voyage in the Southern Sea before the Geographical Society. He said the new year was rung in by the full light of the midnight sun. They saw a volcano which had recently been in action. The mountain scenery was of indescribable beauty. They landed on a spot visited by Sir James Roes and named a cape after Baron von Mueller, of Victoria. Great scars are found on the skins of Beals, which are believed to indi- ; cate the presence of a powerful enemy as' yet unknown.

NEW SOUTH WALES PARLIAMENT.

Sydney, March 21. In the Assembly the Land and Income Tax Bill passed its third reading by 45 to 24. The Validating Bill, dealing with the withdrawal and cancellation of leases, passed all its stages.

CHILI AND THE ARGENTINE.

Sydney, March 21.

The correspondent of the Pastoralistrf Review, writing from Buenos Ayres on January 5, gives a deplorable account of business in the Argentine during the last year, which was the worst for 25 years. War is now threatening with Chili, in respect of the ownership of 700 leagues of land allotted to Argentina by the boundary commission. Should arms be taken up, it will give Australia and New Zealand a monopoly of the frozen meat trade for a couple of years. Both Governments hart spent large sums on war materials.

SOUTH AUSTRALIAN TARIFF.

Adelaide, March 21.

A draft report by the Tariff Board will bt presented in a few days. It declares its faith in the protective duties of the colony, and disclaims any intention to interfere with the system of protection. The Board has a leaning towards moderate protection, but declines to lay down any maximum, pointing out that while 10 per cent, would be ample for one industry, 25 might be totally inadequate for another. Some duties were found inoperative, and a substantial reduction in them is recommended. The Board considers farmers are heavily burdened by having to pay excessive prices for implements, and urges a reduction of duties on them of 15 to 20 per cent.

SEVEN DAY IN A TREE-TOP.

Brisbane, March 21.

A tale of great endurance comes from Winton. During the late floods a boy t named Fleetwood was left in a waggonette surrounded by water. A man who went to his assistance was apparently drowned, and the boy, finding the water rising, took refuge in a tree, where he remained for seven days, without food, sleep, or clothing. He had taken the latter off in order to swim to his place of refuse. When the floods receded, he walked a mile and a-half, swimming two creeks by the way. In his „'■ exhausted condition ib took the poor lad a whole day to perform the short journey. While in the tree he had to maintain a constant watoh to keep the snakes off. THREATENED STRIKE OF • SHEARERS. .. V > . Brisbane, March 21. At a meeting of unionist shearers at ~ V Hughenden, it was decided to strike during the coming season for an increase in rouseabouts' wages to 80s per week. There is a feeling of disquietude throughout the die trict, and police patrols are being des' patched to centres where trouble is expected. -' ; :,';v :'••'■'...'.';./ QUEENSLAND WHEAT CROP. ;; Brisbane, March 21. The estimated yield of wheat for the past season is 20*46 bushels per acre, the highest average, with one exception, on record. The aggregate output of 666,500 bushels is much above any previous yield. :* ; DIPHTHERIA TREATMENT. ';. *''" sV " -'■■■ ; ; Brisbane, March 21. Several cases of diphtheria have ; been * successfully treated with antoxin, and further supplies are being obtained. ECCLESIASTICAL. Hobart, March 21. The Rev. Sharp has been elected chairman of the Congregational Union, and the Rev. Hardy, moderator of the Presbyterian General Assembly in Tasmania. ■■■. r /. .' '■■■'. ' ■■:-''. '.'■/ : '''-'Mr^; :: ':',ii'^^\MM •■.■■'■' '■"■'.' : : . '■' :■ ■'■/■' ', ' ,; :> : '''" : .'.':' ■ :•'• :?"^Ki! : .^': ! 'i'e] ■ . :■:'■-.. '■■■ .-.■'. '":..;' ",•■-: ■ ,;';>..,;• : :■■■■ .:■:■■■:■■: :■■■,.' ■■■.■■ ■:.■' Pi ■■■ ';'!*!.<", ':.'" ;■■.:■-.> V,< 'Si&ptVM' '."■'•.-•' ■•-.■'■':■■■:':,. l:'.-. [ . .■'■' .;■'■ '■' ■•' v.--. " ■'"■.• ■'-.:-'■■. y/.ivvV-XVtiv?^