AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10125, 7 May 1896, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Press Association,- Electric Telegraph,—Copyright

LABOUR FARM.

Syixney, May 6.

The Government) intend Jo convert) the Pitt-town village settlement, which haa proved a failure, into a casual labour farm, under the control of the Department of Labour and Industry. Other village settlements in the colony have been more successful, but the heavy cost precludes a further extension of the system.

A HEAVY FINE. Thursday Island, May 6. A man named Clarke, engaged in pearlshell fishing, was fined in the aggregate nearly £1100 for removing shells of a size less than permitted by law. SNARES LIGHTHOUSE. Hobart, May 6. Replying to Premier Reid, Mr. Braddon v Premier of Tasmania, suggests that Snares lighthouse be dealt) with as an ocean light. SCULLING. Sydney, May 6. McCormick, the New Zealand sculler, ia now under the sole control of his trainer, Neilson. Daly has not yet shaken down to the Seymour style, and in order to remedy this Richardson, his coach, will place him, in a double sculling boat with one of his brothers until he has adapted himself to feha Picton crew's style. A SENSATIONAL ASSAY. Hobart, May 6. A miner arrived from Zeehan, bringing! samples of galena, impregnated with gold, obtained from the Hercules mines. Tho result of assay is astonishing, as the mineral, though tested in every known way, gave at the rate oi lOOOozto the ton.

DEATHS FROM CHOLERA. Adelaide, May 6, The steamer Argus, from Calcutta, lost three passengers from cholera. The vessel has been quarantined, bat will be admitted to pratique after being thoroughly fumigated. » THE REFERENDUM IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA. Adelaide, May G. The referendum is practically completed.' Fifty thousand six hundred voted in favour, of the present) system of education, and, 17,500 oppose it; 18,500 approve of Bible* reading in schools, while 34,300 are against) it; 13,000 voted in favour of a capitation grant to denominational schools, and 41,300 opposed it.

THE MINERS' STRIKE. Sydney, May 6. If anything the colliery strike is extend* ing. have induced men in several pits where the 1888 agreement is nob being carried out, to join in the movement for the re-instalementi of those terms. The masters strongly oppose it, because in 1888 the selling price of coal was lis per ton.

ELECTION OF A MODERATOR. . Brisbane, May 6. The Rev. J. S. Pollock was elected Mode« rate of the Presbyterian General As« serably, COLONIES AND THE TRANSVAAL, Robart, May 0. The Premier has wired to the Premier of New South Wales urging that a joint cable message be sent by the Colonial Governments'to President Krsger, asking that leniency be extended towards members of the Reform Committee. THE TENNIS TOURNAMENT. Sydney, May 6. In the man's singles Rice beat Parker, too sets to one; Deerhurst beat Hooper, three to one, In the doubles, Kidstoa and, Clwland beat Parker and Collins, three to, two; VVindeyer andColquhoun beat Gore, and Hooper, three to love. Ia the ladies'! doubles, Misses Nunnelly and Woolnough beat Misses Mackenzie and Belle, two ta love. In men's double handicap, Collins and Gore beat Mackenzie and "ox, two to love. The mixed doubles led to a grea i struggle between PurJqp end Miss Hewitt,the Victorian champion, and Parker and Miss Nunnelly. Whan each had scored a game, and seven all was oailed in the deol-' sive game, darkness put an end to tha match,