AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1160, 25 May 1894, Page 34

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Sydney, May 14

It has transpired that during 1 certain military manoeuvres at Newcastle on Saturday last, one of the hydro-pneumatic guns was ruined, involving a loss of between JMOOO and «£SOOO.

From what can be gathered, it appears almost a miracle that a similar calamity to that on board H.M.S. Cordelia did not occur.

It is believed that a shot carried away the whole rifling of the gun, and that the missile very nearly jammed in the barrel. The official journal published in connection with New Australia contains a cablegram to the effect that tlie new Constitution was declared on May 1, and that Mr Frederick Kidd was elected Director of Affairs.

It is surmised that Mr Lane, the original administrator, did not contest the position, as he desired to rnako an extensive tour in England and Canada on behalf of the settlement.

Sydney, May 17

News has been received from the New Hebrides of the destruction by fire, on the sth of April, of Dr Lamb’s mission station at Ambrym, including the whole of his equipment. Fortunately the new buildings recently sent to the island by the New Zealand Church had not been erected, and therefore escaped destruction. The mission party has returned to Sydney. The charges brought by Sir Samuel Griffith, of Queensland, against the missionaries in tho Now Hebrides have been investigated by the Presbyterian Synod, and disproved. Sir John B. Thurston, High Commissioner of the Western Pacific, has also enquired into the matter, with results satisfactory to the missionaries. Sydney, May 18.

The mysterious stone-throwing on residences situated in Charles street, Enmore, which has been going on for some time much in the same manner as the mystery in the Maclean district about 12 or 14 months ago, has been elucidated. It turns out that a girl, aged twelve, a servant in one of the two houses attacked, is the culprit, and was detected in tho act.

Sydney, May 20.

It is understood that Sir George Dibbs has a new plan of federation, which he will disclose during his address to tho Tamworth electors.

The principal points are said to be the unification of those colonies that may come in under the Federation. Ho is not hopeful that more than New South Wales and Victoria would form the Federation to begin with, but he is confident that if these lead the way the other colonies will be compelled in their own interests to come in later on. He is entirely opposed to a commonwealth, and proposes to dispense with Provincial Governors and State Parliaments, to have only one central governing Legislative authority, ono Governor, one Ministry, Parliam nt, Railway Commissioners, Post and Telegraph, Defence Force and Customs tariff. Sir G. R. Dibbs has privately communicated the outlines of the scheme to tho leading politicians in other colonies. Tho Rev Lamb, of New Zealand, in tho course of an interview with reference to missionary work in the New Hebrides, states that the ono thing needful in tho group is annexation by tho British. Under the present restrictions, he says, the wonder is that Britishers were ever able to got a footing in tho group. So griovously do the restrictions operate in connection with obtaining labour that the English, he adds, are almost ready to support French annexation. Referring to labour recruiting, the rev gentleman says that although undoubtedly there is a marked improvement in the method, there cannot possibly bo any guarantee in the laws of Queensland of proper conduct of traffic among islands. He strongly urges the establishment of stringent quarantine regulations to prevent the Pacific Islands becoming decimated by diseases introduced from outside.

The cable repairing steamer Sherard Osborne has arrived from Wakapuaka (Now Zealand). The delegates who are to represent the various Australasian colonies at the Canadian Tariff Conference left for Vancouver

by t he Huddart-Parker steamer Arawa this morning.

Sydney, May 21

H.M.S. has arrested 13 natives of Nova Island, in tho Solomon Group, for being concerned in tho murder of Captain Donald Guy. The Agent-General for New South Wales has wired that the Imperial Government docs not feel justified in pressing more than .£2500 as tho amount of the first claim in the Costa Rica Packet case. H.M.S. Wallaroo has sailed for Auckland.

H.M.S. Crescent has sailed for Plymouth with time-expired crews from tho Australian station.

An extraordinary phenomenon was witnessed at Koroit, a township about 180 miles south-west of Melbourne. An enormous quantity of cobwebs rained on everything,and gave tho appearance of acovoring of ice, while the ground became alive with myriads of small spiders.

Adelaide, May 17. Tho Wesleyan Conference has decidod to take steps to preach the Gospel to the coolies in Fiji, who at present are stated to exerciso a serious influence on the mission there. The Rov Mr Williams, of New Zealand, in the course of a spooch, stated that Womanhood Suffrago had given tho liquor trade such a severe shaking in New Zealand that a retail business was not worth more than six years’ purchase. A General Committoo appointed to consider tho union of the Methodist Churches throughout Australasia recommended tho appointment of local Federal Councils for the removal and prevention of difficulties in the way of union. Tho debate on tho report was adjourned.

Adelaide, May 19.

At tho Wesleyan Conference, a motion in favour of tho union of tho Methodist Churches throughout Australasia was carried by 101 to 14, and a committee was appointed to report on the basis of union. Considerable fooling was exhibited throughout tho dobate, and the proceedings were at times of a noisy character. Adelaide, May 21.

In tho election for tho East Torrens seat, readered vacant by the resignation of Mr T. Play ford, who has been appointed AcrentGeneral for the colony in London, Mr Packham was returned, defeating a Labour candidate.

Melbourne, May 20.

The two men Watson and Douglas have been sentenced to death for the murder of the Frenchman Eugene Possett. Sufficient progress lias been made by the Tariff Commission to enablo an accurate forecast to be published regarding the recommendations which will ho included in the report to bo furnished to Government. The Commission considers all duties have been raised to a point which should not be exceeded, and in many instances a reduction should be made. Future legislation should be directed towards the gradual modification of the fiscal system, and it is suggested that the ad valorem system should be applied to the cattle and sheep duties, while horses and pigs should be admitted free. Tho tariff on textile fabrics should bo lowered, and tho primage duty removed, on the ground of interference with colonial trade.

Launceston, May 16.

A young man named Bryant shot his mother dead. By nature he was of weak mind, but his intellect became more unhinged through reading an account of tho Barabba tragedy.

Perth, May 20. Fever is assuming alarming proportions on tho Murchison goldfields. Four doctors are on the field, ono of whom is down with tho disease. A large number of patients are without proper attendance, and it is feared that there will be heavy mortality.

Hobart, May 17.

The Budget estimates that the present financial year will show a surplus of nearly ,£OOOO. The revenue for tho next year is estimated at .£783,000, and tho expenditure at .£755,000. An ad valorem duty of 10 per cent, is to be imposed on all articles at present exempt; the duty on articles now paying 5 per cent, is to be increased to 10 per cent., and all others are to be uniformly charged 20 per cent. Heavy retrenchment is to be effected in the Civil Service, commencing with the

Ministers of the Crown, whoso salaries are to bo reduced from .£7OO to .£6OO. A Bill will bo introduced to impose a tax on the unimproved value of land. Steelo, the defaulting accountant of the Hobart Coffee Palace Company, has been sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for ombezzlement. A man named William Chandler was sentenced to four years’, his wife Anna and daughter Bertha to three and a-lialf years , and°a woman namod Norah Dim to three years’ imprisonment, for the manslaughter # f Thomas Budd. , r , Q • Hobart, May 18. A marvellous gold discovery is reported from a locality near Mount Lyell. A gentleman named Samuels, addressing a meetimr, stated that a survey of the find disclosed 20,000,000 tons of stone and he offered to forfeit .£SOO to any charitable institution if any man failed to get a prospect from a dish of stuff. The officials of the Survey Department think the man s story is worthy of some credence. Hobart, May 19. The Premier has informed Mr Seddon that Sir Robert Herbert, Agent-General for Tasmania, has been instructed to cooperate with the other Agents-General in supporting New Zealand s representations in regard to Samoa. The Government Geologist has been despatched to the scene of the new gold discovery near Mount Lyell. Practical prospectors think the find might be payable if worked on a very large scale. Hobart, May 21. The Opposition party is quite disorganised through a breach between the Hon H. Dobson and the Hon J. Henry. A meeting of the party was called to consider the situation, but broke up without electing a leader. Brisbane, May 21. Chief Engineer Snell, who has just joined the Karrakatta, was washed overboard and drowned on the voyage from Sydney.