AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10112, 22 April 1896, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

THE PRICE OF BUTTER. Sydney, April 21. Agents hare raised the price of butter one p9nny per lb. OBITUARY. ... Sydnkt, April 21. ! The death is announced of Mr. W. Von der Heyde, Vice-Consul in Sydney for Spain. THE RAILWAY CROSSING DISASTER. Adelaide, April 21. The victims of the railway accident are two young men named Hall and Thompson, a married man named Sheridan, and a single man named McCombs, The sight was a sickening one. The bodies were completely cut to pieces, the fragment's being scattered along the line for a distance of a hundred yards. THE EXPORT BUTTSR TRADE. Melbourne, April 21. The P. and 0. Company are inakiag strenuous efforts to retain the export butter trade, and have invoked the assistance of several well-known agents who hav6 hitherto financed the factories As a counter move, the Aberdeen find Lund's lines have agreed to make the necessary advances to producer? on their shipments, thereby taking the risk of the cargoes they carry. MAXIM GUNS FOR VICTORIA. Melbourne, April 21, The Premier has cabled to the Agent. General to purchase five Maxim guns and fifty thousand rounds of ammunition. The cost is estimated at about £1250. MUTUAL LIFE ASSOCIATION. Sydney, April 21. The annual report of the Mutual Life Association shows that the new 'business for the year totals £508,000, being an increase of over £40,000 on the previous year. The new Annual premiums represented £13,600. The total funds of the Association amount to £1,088,000, as -ompared with £1,049,000 at the end of 18)5. SIR HENRY PARKES.Sydney, April 21. , Sir H. Parkes 1 state is so precarious this evoning that despite the doctor'*) orders he took farewell .several of his old colleagues and supporters, ■ I'- LAS.SE. i Sir H. Parkas shows-signs of improvement to-night. ' There is no immediate danger. EIGHT HOURS DEMONSTRATION. '' Melbourne, April ill. The Sight Hours Day was celebrated with the uflunl procession of trades, with attendant) speech-making. The weather was splendid. ■ TRAGEDY ON THE HIGH SEAS. ./, ■*■ ■'• . --:.' Sydney, April 21. i The 8.8, Tainan brings news of a terrible; tragedy on the high seas. The American schooner Lyman 1). Foster, which arrived at Shanghai, reported that on February 35 the Chinese cook attacked Captain Drey with ap axe. The mate went to the captain's assistance, and was badly wounded in several places on the head. The cook then drew a revolver, and shot the captain twice in the breast. He next attacked a sailor with the axe, and severely wounded him. Eventually the man look refuge in • the galley which he soaked with kerosene | and set Ih on fire, After much resistance the crew succeeded in capturing: and sviug' him up, bub while they were . getting ; the fire ■', under ho untied . the '■. lashings and jumped overboard. . : The' ; captain' died '■. tha J following day.