AUSTRALIAN.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1201, 8 March 1895, Page 36

AUSTRALIAN.

Perth, February 28. A tragedy is reported from Nannie, where John Sutherland, a well-known mine manager, shot dead a friend of his ''named Harry Milcura. The two had business disagreements lately, but the shooting is believed to be purely accidental. Perth, March 1. It is stated that the Londonderry Company is negotiating the purchase of a number of blocks surrounding its claims. A sum of <£40,000 is said to be involved. Sydney, February. 27. A lad named Donald, when bathing in 6ft of water near Leichardt, was attacked by a shark. A man named Rowe plunged in and drove the shark off. The boy’s leg was horribly torn, and he died from the shock. Sydney. February 28.

The court-martial on Captain C. A. G. Close, of the New South Wales Artillery, and Adjutant of the Ist Garrison Division, has concluded. The accused in his evidence admitted that he had had intercourse with Miss Cummins on several occasions, as he believed her to be a woman of loose morals. He asked her to marry him, but never promised to do so. He absolutely denied the more serious charges made against him. The Court reserved its decision. \ _ George Samuel Hadflsld and Charles Low, who as directors of the Northumberland Building Company were sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment, have been released after serving three years. Sydney, March 1. The debate on the no-confidence motion has been adjourned till Tuesday, when the division will be taken. The Government expected a majority of 40, but there is now some doubt about the solidarity of rhe Labour Party, which may vote against the Government. This would reduce the majority to 10 only. It is understood the Labour members only venture on this course because they believe the Government is secure. If it really comes to a question of ousting the Ministry. thej would vote for them, but the position as it is at present permits them to express their objection to Mr Eddy s reappointment without necessarily defeating the Ministry. .Henry Boys has been convicted of inciting to murder, and sentenced to ten years penal servitude. Henry Boyd was before the Court on two charges of endeavouring to incite Charles G. Roylance to murder Marion Jones, and also a person named Henry Dempsey, her adopted father and guardian. Koylance, in giving evidence, said that the accused came to him and said that the girl Jones would shortly have .£l5O or £2OO coming to her ; and he proposed that they go to her house and then they could get Dempsey out of the way, after which the girl could be hit on the head with a sandbag and thrown into a fishpond at the back of the house. Accused suggested that the tragedy would

be attributed to suicide. Dempsey; it wa S suggested, should bs subsequently treated in a similar manner. Roylance Was to receive one-third of the amount realised from two estates, but he did not think it “ good enough,” and he made known the scheme to the police. Sydney, March 4. The Australian-New Hebrides Company have chartered a steamer to maintain a three-weekly service with the Group. The inquiry into the military scandal is progressing slowly. General Hutton will probably be examined as a witness on Wednesday, when it is expected the enquiry will close. A number of claims for compensation in connection with the railway accident at Redfern in October have been settled by the Commissioners. So far the maximum amount paid is .£IOOO. Some of the claims will come before the Courts, as they are considered excessive. The Rev Lamont has been elected Moderator of the Presbyterian Assembly. In the Legislative Assembly the want of confidence debate still continues. The body of an unknown man, in a muti: lated state and with the head severed, has been found near Coonamble, 375 miles north-west of Sydney. There is every indication that a brutal murder has been committed. It appears that the first reports of the supposed tragedy at Coonamble were exaggerated. The man was not decapitated, and it is believed death was due to natural causes. Melbourne, February 27.

At the adjourned examination into the affairs of the Federal Bank, John Robb, contractor, who had been a director of the bank from the start, v»as examined at great length. He admitted having paid large amounts to the credit of his account shortly before balancing days, and withdrawn them soon after. Subsequent admissions drew a reproof from the Judge, who said he regarded it as a case of a director deceiving the creditors and shareholders. Melbourne, March 1. The trial of the men concerned in the extensive tobacco robberies has concluded. O’Neill has been sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment, Colqulioun to five, and Marks to two. Mulligan and Carrah have been discharged. The Conservatorium of Music has been inaugurated in connection with the University under the endowment for a Chair of Music left by the late Mr Francis Ormond. Melbourne, March 4. The Age says there appears to be generally a more hopeful tone in trade circles, the impression being that the colony has now fairly turned the corner, and an improvement, though slow, may be expected in business during the currency of the present year. This hope is justified by the practical efforts being made to extend the export trade. Melbourne, March 5. The barque Royal Tar has! been sold to Mr J. J. Craig, the well-known Auckland merchant and shipping agent. The Customs authorities made a sensational seizure of jewellery on the premises of Kilpatrick and Co., Collins street, who, it was discovered, had been evading the Customs for a considerable time.

The whole of the large stock was seized, but was released upon the firm depositing

£3OOO aa a guarantee that it would hot be firm was ordered to pay -21000 back duty. The schooner Martha, from the Circular Head, capsized in a heavy gale while coming through the Kip. The crew, consisting of Captain Stutz; the mate, Dalmer, and a seaman named Brown were drowned. Mrs King, a patient in the Melbourne Hospital, supposed to be ill with typhoid fever, has been found to be suffering from virulent small-pux, directly traceable to the recent outbreak discovered on the steamer Cion curry on the voyage frc™ l Fremantle, Western Australia, to Melbourne in January last. One of the officers of the vessel, after release from quarantine, stayed at her boardinghouse, and she handled his dirty The other patients in the ward, and. all the occupants of the boardinghouse, have been vaccinated and placed in quarantine. The strictest precautions are being taken to prevent the contagion spreading. Brisbane, February 27. Mr<* Madden, a resident of Townsville, during delirium induced by fever, murdered her six weeks old infant, and attempted suicide by cutting her throat. Adelaide, March 4.

The Bible Christian Conference, after a protracted debate, resolved by an overwhelming majority its readiness for Methodist Union. , r Adelaide, March 5. The Railway Commissioners have prepared a comparative statement of the returns of the State railways in Australasia for the last six years. It shows that South Australia had a net surplus revenue ot .£185,000 compared with the interest and working expenses, whilst the other colonies showed” the following deficiencies: — Victoria, £2,290,000; New South Wales, £1,418,000; Queensland, £1,595,000; New Zealand, £967,000. LAND SETTLEMENT IN VICTORI.A Melbourne, March 5. The Government is considering a scheme propounded by the Surveyor-General for* wiping out the arrears of selectors’ rents. The Argm says that the selectors cannot pay the rent because they hold too land, It is proposed that if at the end ot the second year’s arrears the selector is still unable to pay, the Government shall appropriate one-fourth of the holding, with a proportionate resumption each year that the arrears continue till the holding is reduced to a minimum of 120 acres. It is considered that the selector ought then to be able to pay the rent of the smaller area* au<J turn it to better account. Selectors are to be compensated for the improvements on the lands resumed, less one-half, which goes to the Government, The incoming tenant will have to pay for the improvements in additions to his rent. As about four-fifths or the selections are mortgaged, the SurveyorGeneral proposes to deal with the mortgagees the same as the selectors, ' Concurrently with the adoption of the scheme, it is suggested that settlers in the poorer village settlements he given richer holdings near selectors with larger areas* who could find them employment. • Sydney, March 5,

The Bev Dr Strong, who is a leading spirit in the establishment of the yictorian village settlements, is visiting Sydney, He admits that the settlements are only a partial success, and says there are several causes why this is so. The Board of Management had insufficient powers in enforcing the rules of discipline, and the men ware not accustomed to the work 5 neither were they skilful nor seized with the idea of working for their own good. They showed no more disposition for selfhelp than if they were working for a master. He says they abandoned the settlements so soon as outride employment offered, or were enticed away to the cheap lands available under the new Settlement Bill. Moreover, the settlements were crippled for the want of private assistance which has fallen off in consequence of tire existing depression, §ome settlers, he thought, were doing well, and he hoped that with further Government assistance they would do good work, in spite of the fact that the hopes of the promoters had been disappointed. He believed that the scheme had been started on right lines, and that it was a severe object lesson from which good might come. He found that the great difficulty of co-operative settlement was a moral ona, x Men accustomed to werk for wages took a long time to learn to act independently, The lines of the scheme he believed to be practicable, but it would never be successful unless the management had full power,