AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18040, 15 March 1922, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

SYDNEY ARSON CHARGE.

SEQUEL TO MYSTERIOUS FIRES. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Kecd. 7.30 p.m.) SYDNEY. March 14. Charged with maliciously attempting to set fire to a building at Darling Point, William Thomas, aged 20, and Evangelina Reynolds, aged 38, have bean arrested. Both reside on the premises, the woman being the daughter of the occupier. Bail wa s fixed at £100.

[A succession of fires that broke out in an old house at Darling Point recently

occasioned much speculation in Sydney. No cause of the outbreaks was apparent, and some people were inclined to suspect supernatural agency. At a coroner's inquiry, however, a verdict was returned that the fires were maliciously caused by some unknown person spraying furniture with some chemical liquid which burst into flames after short exposure to the atmosphere.] ALDERMAN ISSUES WRIT. SEQUEL TO PROSECUTION. SYDNEY. March 14. Alderman R. D. Bramstcfc has issued a writ for £2000 damages against Sir Allen Taylor for alleged malicious prosecution. This is a sequel to the charges of corruption levelled against Alderman Bramston in December last in connection with a contract for the supply of wood bricks to the City Council, of which he wag acquitted. 8.A.W.1t.A. AND FELLMONGERS. VERDICT RELEASES ASSETS. MELBOURNE. March 14. Sir John Higgins, chairman of the Australian Board of the British Australian Wool Realisation Association, announced that as a result of the High Court's decision in the fellmongers" suit the sum of £35,000, which was set aside in the event of the skin suppliers receiving a verdict, will now probably revert to the 8.A.W.R.A., and become an actual instead of a contingent asset. The sum was not included in the assets on the formation of the association. SHARK AS POLITICAL BAIT. SYDNEY, March 14. Profiting by the public feeling aroused by the recent shark tragedies, politicians have added shark to the many baits they are dangling before the voters at the approaching elections. It is announced that in the event of tho Government being re turned to power they will establish a factory for turning sharks and fish offal into fertiliser. The Nationalists' policy on this absorbing public question has not yet been disclosed. PLAQUE OF MICE IN WHEAT. SYDNEY. March 14. Mice are again troublesome in the wheat country in the south and west. Stacks at railway sidings and haystacks are heavily infested. MELBOURNE BLOODSTOCK SALE. MELBOURNE, March 14. At a sale of bloodstock to-day, Miss Pinkerton realised 950 guineas, being purchased hy Mr- J. Holt. Pascoe was passed in at 1000 guineas, and King of tbe Forest at 800 guineas. INTER-STATE CRICKET. PERTH. March 14. Victoria defeated Western Australia by an innings and 72 runs,