AUSTRALIAN

New Zealand Mail, Issue 932, 10 January 1890, Page 25

AUSTRALIAN

(PER PRESS 'ASSOCIATION.) Sydney, January 1. Sailed —Wairarapa, for Auckland. Sydney, January 2. Sailed—Hauroto and Jubilee, for Wellington. Sydney, January 3. The German warship Sophie has arrived here from Samoa, en route for Chinese waters, where she will be stationed. Nearly six hundred passengers left here yesterday by steamers bound for New Zealand. A sensational accident occurred this evening. An old three-story hotel in Lower George-street, known as the Volunteer Artillery, suddenly collapsed and fell into the street. Those who happened to be oa the lower floor escaped unhurt. There were only a few people upstairs. Among these was the barmaid, Miss Hogan, who was killed, and it is feared at present that others also have lost their lives. Mr Eddy, Chief Railway Commissioner, sails for New Zealand oa Monday. One hundred and thirty-two thousand pouuds of butter was shipped to London to day. The Federation Conference will be held in. Melbourne next month. Sydney, January 4. Peter Kemp is willing to row O’Connor on the Parramatta. Arrived —Vision, Camille and Lavinia, from Kaipara. Sydney, January 5. The body of Mr Cook, a solicitor, has been discovered among the debris of the hotel which collapsed on Friday night, he having been suffocated. The missionary schooner John Williams has arrived from the islands, and reports that exceptionally severe weather has been experienced there. More wrecks have taken place than for the past 34 years, and in some instances the wreckage could not be identified, nor was there any sign of the crews. The Federation Conference meets in, Melbourne on February 4. ( Sydney, January 6* Sailed:—Arawafca and H.M.S. Or--1 lando, for New Zealand. j| Sydney, January 7. The steamer Centennial will be appraised and sold to satisfy the claims of the owner of the collier Kanahooka.

Shares in Block 10 Company, Broken Hill, are quoted at Ll 7 10s. Reports have just come to hand from the chief wheat districts that the crops are suffering very materially from the ravages of rust. The inquest on those killed by the collapse of the old Volunteer Artillery Hotel on Friday last commenced to-day, when the jury found that the City Corporation were guilty of great negligence. The Coroner intimated to the jury that the verdict was tantamount to one of manslaughter, but the jur} 1- declined to alter the verdict. Melbourne, January 2. The Age, referring to Mr Deakin’a speech at Dunedin, says it would undoubtedly add gi’eaily to the power of anv Federation if it comprehended the great Maorilaud Colony amongst ths

rest. The dearest interests of New Zealand outside its own bounds will be better subserved by partnership than isolation. It is probably of no great importance to Australia at the outset whether the Federation includes New Zealand or not, but to Mr Beakin * belongs tho credit of setting the local politicians to consider whether it is tqually unimportant to New Zealand. Tho Age also complains that the prohibitory charge enforced on the land line "by the New Zealand Government for cables messages to the Australian press makes it a matter of moment whether it is worth white opening up telegraphic correspondence or not.

The Minister of Defence is negotia ting with Admiral Lord Charles Scott with regard to training young Australian officers on board the warships •on the colonial station. It is hoped that arrangements may be made to bring the scheme into force on the airival of the Australian Auxiliary iSquadron next July. Melbourne, January 3. The Victorian team of riflemen who take part in the Exhibition meeting nt Dunedin are passengers by the Mararoa. . Sailed—Harare a, for the Bluff. The Broken Hill proprietary have resolved to increase the number of shares to 800,000, by reducing the nominal value of each share from L2 to Bs. The Australasian draws a contrast between New Zealand and Victoria in agricultural and pastoral matters to the advantage of the former, and compliments New Zealand upon [her efforts in the cause of education, Arrived —Te Anau. Melbourne, January 4. Sailed —Carlisle and Maire, for Lyttelton. ' Melbourne. January 6. Bust is making great ravages among the Victorian wheat crops, and the estimated mean loss is half a million of money. Two trains collided at Oakleigh yesterday. N One Chinaman was killed and two persons injured. The premises of Levy Brothers and Co., general importers, Little Collinsstreet East, a five-story building, have been destroyed by fire. The damage is estimated at L 30,000. Melbourne, January 7. Arrived Ashleigh Brook, from London. The following New Zealand offices are interested in the fire at Messrs Levy’s : National, LIOOO ; Colonial, LSOO ; Union, LIOOO. Buxton’s six-story stationers’ repository has been destroyed by fire. The firemen gallantly rescued the caretaker from the top story. The damage is estimated at LII,OOO. Hobart, January 3. Obituary—Rev Dr W- W. Nicholson, founder of the Presbyterian Church in Tasmania; aged 96. Brisbane, January 3. Two school teachers, named Clayton and Smith, were drowned by a boat accident in Keppel Bay. Brisbane, January 4. - An extraordinarily heavy rainfall has been experienced in the north. At Cardwell, 950 miles north of here, 49in of rain was registered in nine days. The outlook is serious, and it is anticipated that enormous damage has been done. From Normanton several fatalities are reported. The following are the current quotations for the principal silver mine shares :—British Broken Hill, L 6 17s <Ud; Centrals, L 13135; Block 10, L 9 JOs. The rise in the latter is due to the early prospect of cutting a rich lode. June'ioiis, LS ss. Brisbane, January 6. A reconstruction of the Cabinet has taken place. Mr J. M. Macroasan, formerly Secretary for Public Works and Mines, takes the portfolio of Chief Secretary, and Mr Hugh. M. Nelson, formerly Secretary tor Bail ways, takes the Public Works Department. Adelaide, January 7. The Earl of EM,tore and his two sons sail for New Zealand next week. Albany, January 7. Arrived —Ballaarat, from Plymouth. Passemjerß for New Zealand—Messrs BaylisH, Corner, Sharland, Collier, Misses Perry, White, and Piper. Perth, January 7. By a boat accident yesterday, four me”, named i'uckey, Evans (2), and Woodhouse, lost their lives.