AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1192, 4 January 1895, Page 34

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Melbourne, December 26. Extensive robberies of tobacco bave occurred at intervals since 1892, and the aggregate value is estimated at nearly .£3OOO. The police were baffled until this week, when they succeeded in getting a clue resulting in the breaking up of a notorious gang', of whom two men connected with the Bridge street burglary in Sydney were prominent members. Two men named O’Neil and Marks have beerf arrested in connection with the latest robbery, which occurred on Melbourne Cup day. Melbourne, December 27. During a Christmas revel three brothers named Mason, residing at Carlton, quarrelled. One brother knocked another down, and the latter subsequently died of injuries received in the fall. The perpetrator of the assault has been arrested. The Japanese Consul states that several leading firms in Japan are enquiring as to

the suitableness of colonial leather for their purposes of manufacture. A miscreant threw a corrosive liquid over a sleeping- woman and child named Atkins, living at Ascotvalo. Both were badlyburned. The police have no clue to the pei-petrator. Melbourne, December 28. The vitriol-throwing at Ascotvale was evidently premeditated, the object being the murder of the child, but the mother’s promptness saved its life. Melbourne, December 31. The chemical works of Felton, Ctrimwade and Co., situated at Port Melbourne, have been destroyed by fire. The damage is estimated at £13,000, and the insurances amount to .£9OOO. The fumes arising from a burning mass of 600 tons of sulpher were over-power-ing. Mason, who was in custody on the charge of causing the death of his brother at Carlton on Christmas Eve, was discharged by the Coroner’s jury. Melbourne, January 1. The report of tiie liquidator of the Premier Permanent Building Society shows that the assets to be realised amount to £878,000; that the amount owing to secured creditors is £156,000, and that the ' claims of creditors and depositors represent £530,000. If £IOO,OOO of the assets be ultimately realised, which, however, the liquidator considers very doubtful, the result to the depositors and creditors will be the payment of a dividend of over nine shillings in the pound. If £300,000 be realised, which is more probable, the result will be a dividend of over five shillings, but how long it will take to realise the estate, or how much will be actually realised, it is impossible to say. The half-year’s revenue has fallen £6.1,000 short of the Treasurer’s estimate. In its review of the past year from a financial standpoint, the Daily Telegraph says that naturally in countries possessing bodies of legislators inexperienced in financial matters, and with largo democratic and even socialistic elements in their midst, so depressed a year could hardly fail to bring forth extensive efforts at •experimental legislation. Such efforts happily had not made* much progress exceed in New Zealand. The Telegraph predicts that when the chronicles of 1895 come to be written it will be found that the year 1894- marked the extremity of depression. Sydney, December 28. The Premier (Mr Reid), speaking at a commercial travellers’ dinner, said he hoped before many weeks were over to see a new Government Department established, whose Mission, while advancing the interests of labour and industry within the borders of New South Wales, would be to go beyond and advance the distribution of the productions of this colony throughout the length and breadth of the civilised world. The Government, who are about to undertake immediately public works which will largely absorb the unemployed, have decided to warn the other colonies of the futility of men flocking to Sydney, as work will only be provided for the people of thi3 colony. Sydney, December 30. An extraordinary case has been before the Courts, in which the Rev Clarke, an Anglican clergyman, sought to obtain a .writ of habeas corpus against his mother-in-law to regain possession of his wife. The applicant alleges that while he was conducting divine service certain persons broke into the vicarage and carried off his wife, and that he was subsequently committed to a lunatic asylum on the evidence of his mother-in-law and a medical man, but was released after a detention of 17 days. The wife, in her evidence, denied that she had been abducted, and stated that she left of her free will, and was proceeding for divorce against Clarke on the groufid of cruelty. The Court dismissed the application. An English firm is making arrangements to export timber suitable for carriage building, railway sleepers, and street paving. They have already secured contracts for the supply of several million feet, and have obtained the requisite wharfage accommodation. The firm expect to employ a large number of hands, both directly and indirectly. TI.M.S. Crescent has arrived with relief crews. - She - returns to England with 600 time-expired officers and men. H.M.S. Curacjoa has sailed for England. The new department which the Premier foreshadowed in a recent speech is to be called the Department of Labour and Industry, and will take charge of the Labour Bureau, and possess functions akin to the English Board of Trade. It is not intended to appoint a special Minister to the department, and it is believed that the Hon J. Garrard, Minister for Public Instruction, will take charge. The Hon J. Garrard leaves for New Zealand on Thursday to enquire into tho labour settlements in the Colony, and will subsequently visit Adelaide on a similar mission. Sydney, December 31. A Board of Advice, comprising six members representing the chief industries of the colony, will probably be appointed to assist the fcor in charge of the new Industral Department. Including loan moneys there is close upon £2,000,000 of cash in the banks to the

credit of the Government. The Colonial Treasurer states that the financial position of the colony is so much stronger that it is doubtful whether the Government will need to raise a loan at all. Sydney, January 1. During the year just ended there were IS wrecks on the New South Wales Coast —six steamers and 12 sailing vessels. The total value of the vessels was <£57,000, while 10 lives were lost. The total number of bankruptcies in the colony during the year was 1465, representing liabilities amounting to £1,852,000, and assets £995,900. Adelaide, December 28. The drought which has existed in the Far North for two years has broken up. Adelaide, January 1. Owing to the Liberal pastoral legislation of the Government having been dropped, several large pastoral properties are being abandoned. Hob ajbt, January 1. Exceptionally cold weather has been experienced for this time of the year. Mount Wellington and other mountains in the country are covered with snow. This is the first time for 30 years that snow has been known to fall in December. The Tasmanian loan of £750,000 will be placed on the London market to-morrow. The Treasurer hopes that it will be taken up at par. The tenders will be opened on the Bth.