AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 10752, 13 May 1898, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Press AMnciatlon.—KlectricTeleEravh.-Copjrljht THE MAITLAND DISASTER. Sydney, May 12. A public meeting held in Newcastle decided to recommend Russell, the hero of the Mainland disaster, for an Albert medal. A sub- - ■■'■, scription for a testimonial was also started. ' •$. The identity of some of those missing from. .; I, the steamer Maitland has been established, but it will be some time before anything like a correct list will be possible, ;,-;y -.■• -[ OLD AGE PENSIONS.c .- X- ■ Melbourne, May 12. '{■ The Old Age Pensions Commission's draft; report recommends that the necessary funds for pensions to deserving sexagenarians be obtained from taxes on earnings, on the /'i unimproved value of land, house rents, and by a State tobacco monopoly. EXPLOITATION OP BORNEO. " .:; : , .Melbourne, May 12. A scheme has been projected to exploit! i..-. north and west Borneo on Rhode3ian lines. A company, to be known as tho London) . 0 : and Melbourne Chartered Company, purpose to negotiate for the cession of 40,000 square miles of territory. p.., ' .7 ;..%.-!THE PREDICTED STORM. '•: r 'V " ? /' Brisbane, May 12. ! Mr. Wragge states that the Asat disturb- •-'./. ance is now between Lord Howe Island, :■;-' Norfolk Island, the Kermadecs, Wellington, I and the Chatham Islands,.., i•; '-• "--'■_ A RECOMMENDATION. ' _•• ■■ ■ Prominent medical men advise smokers to ■ ' keep 'to . Ogden's Guinea Gold . Cigarettes, ';. which are the purest smoke in the world. Mild ,H' and fragrant. .' Obtainable everywhere. A perfect treat. .• ■ \; <';.■'• '?■..-.:■>'". .... ■•.■ {■■..,'' \.-y Thirty pieces of floorcloths to bo cleared at 25 per cent, off ordinary prices. Down quilts ';. from 6a 8<1—D.8.0.7: : :;■:;'• .!■:•■■=■ White shirts, 2» lid, reduced from 5s 6d. ; Flannel unders, large him, half-a-orown.— AM* ; , Moore's alterations to premises sajft. garangav h&pe.Road,

.Herald Summary. San Francisco mail leaves to-morrow. ; The.Police Commission is sitting at Kelson. . ,■ T1 , Heavy rain in Canterbury. It was much A Lancashire Society lias been formed in Wellington. . '■ , Mail steamer Moana arrives from Sydney this evening; . Two residents of Masterton claim to be the grandsons of English admirals. ■The local millers have advanced the quotation for flour and wheatmeal. The Christchurch bakers have decided to raise the price of bread Id a loaf. The newly-formed Wellington Draughts Club now comprises 25 members. A cyclists' church parade was held at the Petone Anglican Church recently. Unemployed stonemasons in Otago ate applying to the Government for work. The total outstanding rates in the Masterton borough amount to less than £100. The Victorian gold yield for the quarter ending March 31 reached 174,7540z. The Premier intends to give another political address before the opening of the session. The business men of Palmerston North have decided to re-form the Chamber of Commerce. I The grain traffic on the Southland railway lines is quite as heavy us it was last season. Among the passengers by the Moana to San Francisco are a number of miners for Klondike. All is now quiet in the neighbourhood of Eawene, and the settlers have now returned to their homes. The Mataura election will take place on the 26th inst. The contest promises to be a very keen one. On a recent Saturday 53,000 rabbits were received at the refrigerating Company's ■works at Burnside. The Mayor of Sydney commenced an inspection of city slums on May 3, and condemned several buildings. It is considered doubtful whether the Government will send exhibits to the coming mining exhibition in London. The New South Wales Government astronomer states that the past month has been the driest April for 10 years. ,Mr. D. D. Hyde, poultry fancier, Wellington, has been appointed Government Poultry expert in place of Mr. Henderson, deceased. A crowded audience listened to Mr. Scobie Mackenzie's address in the Choral Hall last night. The speaker received a splendid hearing. The Taraaiaki County CouncU has agreed to erect notice-boards on the dangerous parts of the country roads for the guidance of cyclists. The Tiinaru Main School Committee has decided to bold an industrial exhibition to raise money to provide uniforms for the school cadets.

» The exports from Auckland for the year ended March 31, 1898, amounted to £1,352,347, as against £1,249,558 for the previous year. It is not considered advisable to proceed with the Waima dog tax cases at present. It is said the Maoris are still determined not to pay the tax. At one time about half the shares in the Brokeu Hill Proprietary mine were held in South Australia. Now more than half are .held in London. It is reported that the appointment of Judge Peiinefather to the Supreme Court Bench will be permanent, as Judge Williams intends to retire.

The Victorian revenue for the 10 months of the financial year shows an increase of £204,612, compared with the corresponding period of last year. At Aneityum, in the Now Hebrides, the death rate has been very great. Half-a-cen-tury ago the population of the island was 5000; now it is nearer 500. Prospects for the season at Fiji are highly satisfactory. According to the Rev. H. Worrall, who returned to Sydney recently by the Taviuni, the country never looked better. A few days ago Mr. Archibald McDonald, of Cromwell, found on the flat near that town a fine specimen of a moa's egg. The monster shell was lying embedded in sand. Two aboriginals have been sentenced to six months' imprisonment at Cue, West Australia, and 25 lashes each, for spearing a native woman. The woman is expected to recover. , ; •

Christchurch City Council has .increased the salary of the city surveyor from £250 to £300 a year, that of the assistant town clerk from £225 to £250, and that of the collector from £160 to £175.