AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1130, 27 October 1893, Page 37

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Stdnet, October 20. The Premier states that the proclamation under the Bank Issue Act having fulfilled its duty, and as no bankers have asked for its extension, the Government intends to let it lapse, and return to specie payment within the next month. The total amount' of the Treasury notes issued during the crisis was ,£358,000, of which there was received for repayment £334,000 worth. Mr A. E. N. "Wallace has won the Chess Championship of Australia, defeating Mr W. Crane, jun., by 7} games to 3£. A sad fatality is reported from Guyra, 386 miles north of Sydney. Miss Wrightson, while visiting her brother-in-law, who is manager of the branch of the Joint Stock Bank in Guyra, fancied she heard burglars in the bank, and roused the household. Her brother-in-law, seeing a figure in the dark, fired, and shot Miss Wrightson, who died a few minutes later. There was no sign of burglars. The ketch Bound to Win, while entering J>ort Stephens, was struck by a heavy squall, and capsized. The mate, Middlemas, a seaman (Peterson) and a passenger named August were drowned. The captain alone escaped. Sydney, October 23. At a meeting of the New South Wales Rugby Union to-night, a resolution was passed, affirming the advisableness of forming an Australasian Union. The Chairman announced that New South Wales would return New Zealand's visit next year. Among the concessions made by the engineers is one which will have the effect of considerably reducing their wages. It i is that the nominal horse-power shall be calculated on the basis of a resolution passed last year by the British Board of Trade. Hobart, October 22. The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly has ruled that the Legislative Council exceeded its duty in dealing with the land tax. He cautioned the Assembly to prevent the Council encroaching on its privileges. Sir W. Dobson announced that he would Jay the Bill aside, and bring in fresh proposals for the imposition of a tax of ?d in the pound up to £SOO, and Id beyond that. Hobart, October 24. Although the Legislative Council is extremely hostile to the principle of graduated taxation, it is likely to allow Ministers' new measure to pass as a matter of urgency, to be followed by a dissolution. Melbourne, October 23. The full Court has dismissed the objection raised against the warrant in Millidge's cas«^ *m Melbourne, October 24. The Pr&jiier, Mr Patterson, has concluded a clfcespondence with the various colonies onWie question of Australia being officially re«esented at the Antwerp Exhibition. AsThe outcome of the enquiries made, the has been abandoned. ■. Adelaide, October 23. Mr M. W. Green, formerly a member of the New Zealand. House of Representatives for Dunedin, was thrown from a tricycle, and received severe injuries. He is in a critical condition. Brisbane, October 20. Mr Mackenzie Bowell, Minister of Trade and Commerce in the Canadian Government, has addressed a communication to«

the Premiers df'the vaifidus Australian colonies, enclosing a scheme from Mr Sandfotfd Fleming, the well-known Canadian engineer, for laying the Pacific cable. Mr Bowell asks the various colonies if they feel disposed to send representatives to some central place of meeting to discuss the scheme. Mr Fleming suggests four alternative routs. These include a cable between Australia and New Zealand, which it is proposed to construct under the joint ownership of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Canada. The line is to be worked as a public undertaking, and it is proposed also to take over the existing obligations of certain colonies to subsidise the Eastern Extension Company. Mr Fleming considers that the money required can be borrowed at 3 per cent., and that the interest charge will amount to £52,000 per annum. The revenue in 1897, the year after the completion of the cable, is estimated, on a tariff of 2s per word to Vancouver, to be about ; £90,000, and he expects that in seven years j the cable will cease to be a. liability to the colonies. ' Brisbane, October 24. Some changes in the constitution of the Ministry are contemplated. Sir T. Mcllwraith has decided to visit Canada, partly in an official capacity and partly for the sake of his health, and he does not desire, •under the , circumstances, to retain the Premiership. He will probably take the portfolio of Minister of Eailways.