AUSTRALIAN

New Zealand Mail, Issue 839, 30 March 1888, Page 26

AUSTRALIAN

(PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Sydney, March 22.

The man Carroll, who stated that he was the perpetrator of the Eltham murder, has been released from custody in consequence of the receipt of a cable message from the authorities at Scotland-yard stating that he could not be the murderer. Upon being released from custody, Carroll remarked that be had had a very narrow escape, and that for the future the best thing he could do would be to keep away from drink and hold his tongue. The search for the bodies of the three men aud the boy who are supposed to have been drowned in Botany Bay last Sunday, has uroved fruitless up to the present. Several more tram accidents have occurred recently. This moaning a man was knocked down by a tram motor and killed. Mr John Haynes, M.L. A. for Mudgee, intends issuing a writ against Mr James Fletcher, M.L.A. for Newcastle, claiming £SOOO damages for the assault committed upon him in the House of Assembly last night.

Sailed —Wairarapa, for Bussell. Two other coroorations have discovered frauds by their officers. A wan ant has boon issued for the arrest of the Bourko Town Clerk in consequence of defalcations which had been discovered in his accounts. At another place, it has beeu found that payments have been made three times over for ‘work. The engineer in the latter case is suspected of complicity in the fraud.

Adelaide, March 22

The Moonta copper mines, owing to the recent rise in shares, now show a working profit of LOO,OOO.

Sydney, .March 23

Grass fires still continue, and it is strongly suspected that they are being purposely started because of the high wages paid for extinguishing them. A new truck has been invented by a railway hand of light draft and greater capacity than thoso at present in use, and which, it is expected, will save 40 per cent in haulage. The invention has been adopted by the Minister of Works, and some hundreds have been ordered.

The body of Honn, one of the occupants of the boat which capsized in Botany Bay on Sunday, has been found, and there is now no doubt that all the men were drowned.

A delegate, under the patronage of the Government, is going Home with specimens of Australian timber, I<jT the purpose of endeavoring to estab liah a trade in that article.

The Metropolitan Board, embracing the city aud suburbs, have taken over the control of the water and sewerage system, and much surprise has becoi occasioned by the Government appointing as engineer aud officers three of the men suspended by the Mayor for allowing frauds to be perpetrated. In connection with the frauds tho city solicitors state that a criminal prosecution will lie against one of those who signed the fraudulent vouchers, but the matter is at present in abeyance.

Sailed—Wairarapa, for Auckland. Arrived Barque Brunette, from Mercury Bay. Holt, the bank manager who was convicted of embezzling the bank’s moneys a couple of years ago, and who is now serving his sentence at Darliugburat Gaol, is breaking down in henltli, and it is expected that he will be released this week. He has only served half the sentence awarded him

It is stated that in consequence of the recent disorderly scones iu tho House of Assembly the Government intend to immediately propose procedure rules, one of which will provide that any member guilty of assaulting another member iu the Chamber shall be expelled and rendered ineligible for re-election for throe years. Melbourne, March 23.

The clearing-house returns this year show twenty-four millions more clearances to 12t,h March than last year. The weekly clearances, owing to the mining fever, are of unprecedented magnitude. Arrived—Vision, from Kaipara.

Wheat, prime, 3s 6d; flour, quiet, roller made, £0 10s ; oats, seed, 3s ; maize, 3b sd; bran, 9£<l. Sales ot New Zealand oats have been effected at 2s 9§d. Obituary (in England)—Mr Lachlan MeKinnon, one of the proprietors of the Melbourne Argus. Adelaide, March 23.

Wheat, quiet, 3s 3d; outports, 2s lid ; flour, unchanged ; bran, 8d ; oats, 2s 9d ; barley, 5s to 5s 6d. Mr Downer, the Government candidate for the Speakership of the Assembly, withdraws from the contest.

Hobart, March 23.

H.M.S. Egeria has been ordered to survey a portion of tho Pacific cable route.

Melbourne, March 24. The population of city and suburbs is estimated at 391,000. The three men charged with the murder of the woman Cummings have been acquitted, on the ground of insufficient evidence.

Iu the polling for the reduction in the number of hotels in Ballarat Ease the Local Optionists obtained a majority of 405 in favor of reducing the hotels from 72 to 27. Iu Geelong it is expected that the result of the polling will show a similar result. The wrestling match between Connor aud Cannon resulted in a win for thfa former, who received tho first two falls. The decision of the referee has, however, been disputed. At Robbs’ buildings to-day a most serious accident happened. A lift had reached the third story when the wire snapped and the lilt fell to the ground, injuring four persons badly. The engine-drivers on the railway

are in a state of ferment, asserting that they are subject to harsh treatment from Mr Alison Smith, and they demand his removal from his position. They allege that Mr Smith is responsible for the bungling work recently discovered in the Locomotive Department.

SydneY, Mareh 24

H.M. gunboats Undine and Harrier are to be sold by auction next month. Both are small vessels, and have become obsolete.

The Company owning tho Waratah coal mines refuse to grant any concessions to the men who are now out on strike, and have declined to accept tho proposal that the matter in dispute should bo submitted .to arbitration.

Arrived —T'arawera, from Bussell. A heavy thunderstorm passed over portions of the colony this afternoon. At Barrenjoey a house was struck by lightning, and was burned to the ground. It subsequently transpired that a man was in the house at the time, and it ie supposed he perished in the flames.

Brisbane, March 24.

Information has' been received that the evacuation of the New Hebrides by tho French has taken place, and a French gunboat arrived at Noumea on the 17th with the troops which had been stationed on the group, &nd also the building material used in erecting the barracks for their accommodation.

Adelaide, March 26.

Mr Grant, a New Zealand pastoralist, has arrived at Port Augusta overland from Albany. He bad splendid weather during the trip, and states that there is plenty of feed and water to be obtained. Some of his horses were brought into town in excellent condition. He considers that the country over which he passed is good for pastoral purposes, but unfit for agriculture. Mr Grant had previously travelled overlaud from Derby to Perth.

Sydney, March 26.

The owner of the horse Southerly Buster has protested against the stakes in the Hawkesbury Handicap beiug paid to the owner ot Alma, on the ground that the race was started eight nrnutes before tho time on the official programme. The protest was disallowed, and the stewards have been, served with a writ which will be taken before the Supreme Court. Only Carlyon, Abercorn, and Australian Peer are left in the St Leger.

Carlyon is favorite for the Sydney Gold Cup at 4 to 1 ; Arsenal and Acme, 5 to 1. Arrived—-John Knox, from Kaipara. A buggy accident occurred yesterday owing to the horses running away. Three persons were seriously injured, two hopelessly. A portion of the municipal documents have been recovered A letter received from a married woman, which does not give any name, offers to reveal certain unsuspected transactions, but states her life is threatened should she make any disclosure. The Mayor openly expresses dissatisfaction at tho contemptuous treatment by the Government in appointing suspended officers to important positions under the new Metropolitan Sewage Board. Silver stocks are steadily declining. The Inspector of Mines reports that there are apparently rich silver lodes on tho west, coast, and he recommends that a tramway from Strahan to Port Macquarie should be constructed at a cost of £IOOO per mile. The local branch of the National Land League of Ireland in December last forwarded £SOO through Mr Gladstone, fearing that as Government intended to suppress the League the postal authorities would intercept the money. Mr Gladstone in acknowledging the receipt of the money states that he is much gratified at the interest taken in the colonies on the Home Buie question, and adds there was not the slightest fear that the Post-office would not have faithfully discharged their duty, and Dot interfered or in any way intercepted the money. . Mr Gladstone states that the remaining days of his life will be devoted in the interests of the Irish people.

Albany, March 26. Arrived —Cuzco, from Plymouth. New Zealand passengers Messrs Stockhain, Ballantine, Heat, and Tayior, and Miss Anderson. Adelaide, March 26. Arrived —Magellan Cloud, from the Thames.

Sydney, March 27.

The John Knox put in at this port short of provisions. She is from Kaip9,ra, and reports ineeting yyitfi a suc-

cession of heavy gales. The storms were so violent that the vessel was run far to the north to escape tbeir fury, thus much protracting the voyage. A number of the leading pugilists wereeummoned before the Magistrate’s Court this morning on a charge of creating a breach of the peace by participating iu a glove fight. The ease was dismissed on the grounds of insufficient evidence.

Mr John Haynes, M.L.A. for Mudgee, has issued a writ against Mr James Fletcher, M.L.A. for Newcastle, claiming £SOOO damages for the assault committed upon him iu the House of Assembly on the 21st insfc.

Enormous numbers of mice are making their appearance iu tho (Jworabubula district, and the devastation of crops is most serious. Since the passing of the Rabbit Act in 1883 the cost of the means taken to exterminate them has been Is per acre, and each rabbit destroyed, 3^d. The population of New South Wales is put down at 1,042,919. Tho evidence adduced at the inquiry into the origin of the fire on board the ship Aristomene, at Newcastle, showed that three distinct fires were wilfully or carelessly caused. Melbourne, March 27.

The Jackson Reef Company, whose mine at Kimberley was utterly condemned by tho manager some time ago, subsequently sent a party to inspect and make a report on the mine. They have just received a report, stating that some splendid stone has been found. The manager now admits that he was altogether wrong in bis former statement as to the worthless character of the indications.

At the licensing poll at Geelong on Saturday, tho Local Optionists were victorious.

Arrived—Barque Johann Brodersen, from Kaipara. Charles Bscott, formerly employed in the office of the Lyttelton Times Company, Christchurch, as clerk, has been arrested here on a charge of embezzling moneys belonging to that Company. Messrs Gavin and Gibson, boot importers, intend to sue the Government, claiming LIO.OOO damages for injuries sustained in the Windsor railway accident.

The population of Victoria is 1,036,110.

Brisbane, March 27.

The Louisa Lamont, which struck on a coral reef some days ago, has been towed off apparently little damaged. The exports for the year ending 31st December, 1887, amounted in value to £5,538,000.

The report of the Stock Board shows that the disease which recently appeared among stock in different parts of the Colony is contagious, and is due to vegetable parasites. The disease does not the affect the wholesomenees of the flesh, but causes the animals to shed their wool and hair. A remedy is being sought for the disease.

Adelaide, March 27;

Fifty-four applications have been received for the Assistant-Railway Commissionerships for South Australia. Some of the applications are from New Zealand. The Moonta Copper Company have sold tho output of their mines for two years to tho London brokers at L 5 advance on the average price paid for Chilian copper. The Paris syndicate offered a minimum price of L6l per ton.

The Maud River Ruby Company have discovered on their property stones which are supposed to be diamonds.

Cooktown, March 27.

The Albatross has just arrived here with three French escapes on board. They wore discovered and taken off an island in Torres Straits, where they had been for two months. News has just been received here of a terrible eruption and tidal wave at New Britain. The German steamer Ottillie left Finschaven on the 3rd of March last for New Britain, and left a party of 22 on the island to select and take up ground for coffee planting. The Bteamer returned to the island on the loth, but as none of the party appeared on the shore to answer the steamer’s signals the captain landed, and found the island a sceue of great devastation. Large uprooted trees were floating about the harbor, and from the indications on shore it seemed as though an eruption had taken place, followed by a wave forty feet high. There were great fissures in the ground in many places, and all the building material and stores for the projected operations had disappeared. Later on five

Kanakas were found in a. very emaciated condition. All the3 r could be induced to say was that they had been up trees for three days, during which time they had been without food. A search party discovered some clothes and boots, bub nothing else belonging to the expedition, the members of which it is supposed have all perished. At Finschaven on the 13th March, a wave, five feet high, rolled in and did considerable damage.