OUR AUSTRALIAN LETTER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10038, 27 January 1896, Page 5

OUR AUSTRALIAN LETTER.

[SPECIAL GABLE MESSAGfE-PER PRESS association]. Sydney, January 25. THE WEATHER. Along the codst cool Mather, with rain; | predominated during tho week, though it again became oppressive at the close. The unfortunate dwellers on tho plains, however, had not even the satisfaction of the small mercies doled out to the coast residents, fbr the thermometer maintained a consistent desire to" remain abdvo 100. Little relief comes when thfl san sets, for the sun-dried earth gives off sufficient heat to make the nights almost unendurable. Many families availed themselves of the railway concessions to reach the' high lands arid seek a more temperate zone. If statistics' go for anything, there ap pears to be an immunity from the effects of the _ heat in some religious persuasion's over others. Of the deaths last week; attributable td heat in the metropolis arid suburbs, the Church of England contributed seventy-nine, and the Catholic Church sixty, While Wesleyans and Presbyterians more than ddubled the average; Oh the other hand, the Congregationalists seem to be the greatest heat resistance body in the community, for they had only four interments, which is below the usual average. Throughout the country the death rate' was alarmingly high, and far exceeds anything of the kind through disease or epidemic which the colony haS ever experienced. Two pathetic instances' are recdrde'd from Bourke. Mrs. Wright, while attending an, aged dying htisbaiid, became Seriously ill and shortly expired. Mrs. Honeysuckle succumbed to the intense heat,- and her son-in-law went to Bourke to engage a railway carriage to convey the body to Aludgee for burial. After returning home he had just completed Soldering the coffin lid whon he was stricken and diod within an hour. The carriage which he had Ordered coriveyOd his body also. Over two hundred deaths were recorded in the country alone, Bourke heading the list with fifty. GHASTLY S'IGHT AT SEA. A GHASTLY SLIGHT AT SEA.

A ghastly sight was witnessed by the crew of the brigantine Handa Isle on the voyage from the Kaipiira. The lower half of a human body, (Supposed to bo that of the steward who jumped everboard from tho Kotomahaua, was passed 250 miles east of Sydney, and a flock of seagulls were screeching and fighting over it.

PACIFIC CABLE CONFERENCE. The Conference ended in the selection of the senior Agents-General as delegates. In football parlance the Daily Telegraph "barracked" vigorously for Mr. W, P. Reeves, not because lie was Agent-General for New Zealand, but becauso he loft tho colonies with ideas on the subject up to date. However, the Conference probably did not wish to tread on the corns of tho gentlemen selected by placing a younger man before them. The fitness of one of the delegates appointed may be gathered from the fact that he has only visited the colony onco during 15 years.

UNION OF METHODIST CHURCHES.

A step forward in tho cause of Methodist union lias been made. 'Die Federal Council appointed by the Wesleyan, Primitive, and United Free Mothodists is drafting a scheme of union for submission to the «everal conferences of the churches named. In .New South Wales the Primitive Methodist Conference has already agreed to the proposed union. The Council state that after complete investigations into the numerical strength, finances, and properties no barrier to union is disclosed. Believing that it is of vital importance to fix a date the Council recommends that union be effected not later than the year 1900. From the moment of union ministers on circuits or stations will form one body with a commoil name, funds, huvs, and eqUal rights. All ministers joining will become members of tlio Wesleyan supernumerary fund unless satisfactory provision is shown in some other way. The report deals in detail with the distribution of the circuits and other cognate matters.

NEW ZEALAND SWIMMING REPRESENTATIVES. The New Zealand swimming representatives had a rather bad time from a competitor's point of view. Whether tho men were oUt-classed by their rivals, or out of form through the severity of the climate, is uncertain. Allan, the colony's crack diver, had a rather unfortunate experience in the diving contest on the Parraraatta river. After covering 70 yards he rose to the surface, and then evidently sank from exhaustion. Several bystanders got him out, and ho soon recovered. The North Island contingent have Bailed for home. The remainder journeyed to Newcastle to participate in the newly-formed Federal Club's gala, when Fox, of Cliristchnrcli, with 30 seconds start, won the 120 yards inter-club handicap in lm. 48s. The Canterbury representatives, with the exception of Fox, leave for home to-day.

VICTORIAN RETRENCHMENT SCHEME. In the recent retrenchment scheme are a set of victims, who have some reason to congratulate themselves, tho defence force felt tho effects of Premier Turner's pruning knife protty severely, and now that we aro face to face with the European situation the political gardener tools ho has seriously weakenod the chief moans of dofence, and steps are being taken to rectify the matter by bringing the present artillery up to the original strength, with a preference to the trained men who wore dispensed with. Those who havo not obtained othor positions will find themselvos reinstated after receiving compensation for loss of employment. It will be impossible, howover, to get all these men back, and necessarily recruits, with perhaps little knowledge, will fill the vacancies, Tho latter cannot bo said to bring the force to anything more than its numerical strength.

PARLIAMENT OF VICTORIA. The Victorian Parliament got to work again after the Christmas rocoss, (but the session, if all goos well, promises to be of short duration. The Railway Bill will be the chief measure of the session. It is understood the Government will invite applications for the position of general manager in Europe and America, which is a clear indication that the Cabinet does not think a good man can bo obtained locally to extricate the railways from the chaotic state into which they have drifted. The Argus puts its finger on the weak spot in' railway administration. It says half of the railway troubles have arisen from political influence being used, and political orders given, while at the same time a demand was made that the railways should pay. Parliament shirked tho responsibility of its action, and gross demoralisation has been far reaching. When the Bill came up for discussion in the House, an amendment by Mr. Hahcdck, that Mr. Speight be first Commissioner, raieod a fighting spirit and an acrimonious debate followed, Mr. Turner intimating that he would retire rather thai! make such an appointment. The amendment was ultimately withdrawn, though it was supported by the Opposition. Another amendment, demanding that the selection of a Commissioner should be made within the colony, produced another hot debate, the Opposition carrying the point by forty votes to thirty-seven, On the clause fixing the salary at £3500 the Government received another rebuff by o reduction to £2doo. A discussion ensued on the now Government clause appointing a Departmental Board to hear Offences against employees. This was the Labour Party's chance, and thoy succeeded in carryihg an amendment to have workers represented on tho board. The political horizon looks darkly, and there is a feeling of unrest which may culminate at any moment in an attack oil the Government. The rift in the Opposition lute is the only safeguard the Government lias, anil if the Opposition can arrange matters with the recalcitrant corner thon tho fate of tho Government is sealed. A rumour is industrously circulated in the lobbies that tho Premier came to an understanding with the Leader of the Opposition by agreoiug not io go outside the colony to mike the railway appointments, but Mr. Turlier emphatically denies the truth of it. The 1 railway . Juggernaut has crushed ministries before and it looks as if it would Add the Turner Ministry to the list of victims. ~.-,,.

i Another important measure to be dealt) with is the Companies Bill. If it is true that the Bight) Hon. Mr, Chamberlain is

abotafc (6 introdute comprehensive legist tion on the sauie subject in the Imperial Parliament it would be Wiser to await his Bill with a view of bringing colonial legislation into line on the subject. What- is wanted now is a tentative measure giving companies power to write down capital to the actual existing point. When the Bill reached the Legislative Assembly tho second reading was carried, but in committee consideration was postponed for a week; This may be regarded as the virtual abandonment of the Bill, which, after all. was a crudo one, and the wisest course has been pursued. The Council sent down a Small Bill permitting ooffl- 1 panies to Write down capital so that they could pay Small dividends. This muchdeeded reform will in a measure satisfy requirements till a fuller measure is introduced. Tlie Premier, however, threw a wet blahket on the Bill by declaring that there was little prospect of its passing because members feared it would prevent a larger Bill imposing additional responsibility on directors. Tho Company Promoters Bill was formally committed and progress reported, which may be the end of it. VICTORIAN DEFENCES.

When Government defence proposals came before fche Houie Mr> Moule opened fire by stating that the Government had first demoralised and disorganised the service by their amateurish method of retrenchment, find after doing mischief they Were' trying to retrace their steps. He suggested the Cabinet should obtain an Imperial artillery officer to take charge of the forts. ''Try a Boer or two,-" suggested Mr. Hancock.

the CHINESE romance. Miss Yan Qtf, the heroine of the Cele3tii» romance in Adelaide, is a bright, intelligent girl, and talks English fluently. When taken to the Government offices, the Executive was sitting, and the Governor requested to s'eo the girl. She chatted freely with the Governor and Ministers. She states she was sold in Canton for 103 dollars, and accompanied the purchaser to Adelaide. But there is a reverse side of the picture. Way Lee, in ivhose house she was found, is ono Of the most respected Chines merchants in Adelaide. His account is, that the girl was not bought, but adopted, the money paid to the mother being advance wages. The girl is of a wayward disposition, and this is borne out by the statement of several ladies with Whom she was brought in contact. Way Lee, at the request of the girl's adopted father, took charge of her until she could bo returned to China. Accordingly, he detained her, and kept careful welch over her, because he wad afraid she would run away and contract a European marriage. Such a catastrophe would, under Chinese law, make it necessary for the foster father to have his head removed by the public executioner. To >avoid this unpleasant consequence was the reason of tho girl's incarceration. , Way Lee seems to have had a lot of bother lately with Chinese ladies. Another Chinese custom permits a man's mother to find a wife for him, and Mr. Way Lee's mother having a suitable bride in her mind's eye for her son, persuaded the lady who brought the girl bub to go to Adelaide, to decorate Way's hoarthstone. Unfortunately, Way iB already married. He thus found it necessary to ship his mother's choice back to China.