AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1136, 8 December 1893, Page 19

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Melbourne, December 6. The Executive has fixed the bonus on Cheddar cheese at £6 per ton, provided it realises 50s per cwt. There is also to be a bonus of 2s per case on fruit, and Ministers have set apart a sum of £SOOO to develop the wine industry. The case for plaintiff in the libel action Speight v. Syme has concluded. The Chairman of the South Australian Railway Commissioners will be examined shortly, in favour of the system of management pursued by Mr Speight. The jury will visit certain country lines before hearing the addresses of counsel.

The Metropolitan Board of Works will immediately place on the market £200,000, being the balance of the 5 per cent, loan of £500,000. The minimum is fixed at 99, and tenders close on the 18th inst.

If Mr Reid goes to the Canadian Conference he will probably go on to London to reconstruct the Agency-General and attend to the proper supervision of the Victorian Court at the Imperial Institute. gjJThe liquidators of the Freehold Investment and Banking Company have applied to the Court for permission to accept a compromise in the action brought against the Hon James Balfour, an ex-director, to recover the amount of dividends and bonuses alleged to have been wrongfully paid. Mr Balfour, while denying the liability, offered to pay a sum of £SOOO in settlement of the claim. A member of the committee of advice opposed the application, and complained that the directors had advanced the firm of Balfour, Elliott and Co. —a firm in which were the principal shareholders of the bank—£s9,ooo on property which the company had purchased for £25,000, enabling them to receive a profit of £SOOO each ; and further, that no part of the capital or interest had been repaid.

Sydney, December 6. A steam service will again shortly be established with the New Hebrides. The Premier is doubtful if Parliament will be able to prorogue before Christmas. He declares that the Government has no intention of dropping the Sinking Fund Bill.

At a special meeting of the Sydney Presbytery it was decided that all ministers should preach to their congregations specially with the view of securing the return of God-fearing men to Parliament. Funded stock is still selling well, and over £40,000 .worth was sold last month.

The brigantine Marshall S. was severely damaged by fire last night. She had no cargo on board. The origin of' the outbreak is unknown.

The Mining on Private Property Bill has passed the Legislative Assembly.

Adelaide, December 6. At a meeting of influential pastoralists and glaziers to consider the question of legislation in connection with the frozen meat trade, a resolution against the adoption of the Queensland system of compulsory taxing of stock herds was carried, it being argued that the conditions prevailing in the colony are entirely different. Hobart, December 6. The Government has received a despatch from the Secretary of State for the Colonies stating that the request for an increased number, of delegates on the Federal Council must stand over until similar addresses have been received from the other colonies. Melbourne, December 6. A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Johnson, manager of the Melbourne Permanent Building Society, on a charge of manipulating shares to the extent of three] or four thousand pounds. Johnson is lying dangerously ill, and finder the circumstances the warrant has not been put into effect.