AUSTRALIAN.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1217, 28 June 1895, Page 34

AUSTRALIAN.

Sydney, June 20,

Mr Grayson, of the Canadian line of steamers, is a passenger by the Miowera, which has sailed for Vancouver, and he will officially meet and interview the Hon J. G. Ward at Fiji, presumably in connection with the question of the Canadian steamers calling at New Zealand. A deputation of gardeners, furniture dealers and trades societies waited on the Premier urging him to legislate in the direction of making the Chinese amenable to the Workshops Act and sanitary laws, and also to conform to the European hours of labour.

In reply, Mr Reid warmly sympathised with the views expressed by the deputation, and said that comprehensive measures dealing with workshops and health would be among the first dealt with by the Government next session. Under these, he said, the Chinese would be made amenable to proper laws regarding health and sanitation. He approved the stamping of furniture of Chinese manufacture, and though a strong Freetrader favoured Europeans doing their best to encourage their own people. In the Redfern railway accident cases, Mrs McKenzie, who claimed .£SOOO for the loss of her husband, has been awarded £2OOO.

The case in which the executors of Edward Jones, of David Jones and Company, claim .£30,000, is being heard. Macnamara, another of the banking prisoners, has been released. A representative of a boy named Hackett sued the Railway Commissioners for £2OOO damages on account of an accident. The lad was sitting in the train with his elbow projecting, and was struck by the open door of a passing carriage. Verdict by consent was entered up for £3OO.

Sydney, June 23

A mysterious robbery of jewellery is reported from Stewart Dawson and Co/s premises. A tray with 43 diamond rings, valued at £ISOO, was locked in a safe at night, but in the morning, Mr Kent, the manager, missed several of the rings.

Two brothers named Gill have been arrested in connection with the robbery. One of the brothers was caught pawning a missing ring set with diamonds, and others broken up were discovered in his possession.

The men arrested are brothers of a man into whose death an enquiry is being held. This man died after a severe struggle with the detectives who were arresting him, in connection with a recent stolen jewellery case.

Percy Gill remains in custody, and his brother is temporarily detained, but will be released, as there is no evidence against him.

H.M.S. Penguin has sailed to take soundings in the Tasman Sea, and she proceeds hence to Auckland, arriving there on July 14. From Auckland she goes amongst the Islands in connection with the Pacific cable route. Her commission also includes the survey of the Kermadec Islands.

Sydney, June 24.

The robbery at Stewart Dawson and Co.'s was cleverly effected. The safe was not tampered with, and the goods must have been extracted in daylight, in the presence of the employees. The latter declare that no one answering the prisoner's description, which is somewhat noticeable, visited the shop. Only <£loo worth of the property has been recovered.

Melbourne, June 20,

At a meeting of the Central mine shareholders, the resolution to sell the mine was confirmed, with the provision that the company reserves from the purchasers all kaolin and oxidised silver lead and smelting ores recently discovered or to be discovered.

At a meeting of the shareholders of the Colonial Investment Agency Company a resolution was carried empowering the Company to dissolve. The report of the liquidators showed that the liquidation had produced lid 5-6ths in the £.

Statements made by the liquidators showed that for three and a-half years before the liquidation the directors did not sell more than ,£7OOO worth of land, and yet paid .£67,000 in dividends. The ringleader in the Company's trouble could not be got at, as he had carefully manipulated the minutes, and so saved his own skin at the expense of others. Melbourne, June 22.

The Age says the success of the New Zealand three per cent, loan, and the price at which it is now quoted in London, clearly demonstrate that such a stock is readily marketable, and likely to attract investors. The idea of issuing a Federated Australian stock must, for the present at all events, be abandoned, but this is no reason why the various colonies should be precluded individually from converting their various loans into one solid three per cent, interminable stock, which would immediately do away with the constantlyrecurring expense attending loans falling due. Three and a-half per cents, at the present quotations should be convertible at 94 or 95. The security in the shape of public works at the back of such stock would satisfy the most cautious investors. The Totalisator Bill provides that the machine shall not be used by proprietary

clubs. This is likely to give rise to much debate.

Melbourne, June 24.

Two men named Nettleberg and Myers have died at Port Melbourne of arsenical poisoning. They made a drink from a bag labelled " cream of tartar," and too late discovered that it was arsenic.

Nettleberg's son also had a drink, but with medical aid recovered.

Adelaide, June 22

The evidence at the enquiry into the voyage of the Aberfoyle shows that the captain tried without success to secure a second mate before sailing. He consumed 45 bottles of rum in 24 days. The vessel narrowly escaped going ashore at Shortlands. The boatswain considered that if the captain had done his duty in shortening sail during the hurricane the mate would not have lost his life.

The carpenter corroborated this, and added that the captain said if he did not sign the log he (the captain) would get into a lot of trouble at Melbourne. He would sail the ship "to Heaven or hell." He also threatened to blow witness' brains out.

Brisbane, June 24. ( It is understood that a Payment of Members Bill will be introduced this session. The amount will be fixed either at £240 per annum, or £2OO with certain allowances.

Reprisals are taking place on the Palmer goldfields between the blacks and the Chinamen. One of the latter has just been killed, in revenge for the Chinese poisoning a number of blacks with strychnine placed in the flour to deter them from stealing provisions.

Brisbane. June 25

Parliament was opened to-day

The Governor's Speech congratulated members on the improvement in trade and finances and the expansion of industries. In consequence of this the renewal of reproductive public works on a moderate scale would be recommended. Should the other colonies show any further hesitation about the Pacific cable, Queensland was so deeply sensible of its vast importance that she would take upon herself to recommend its construction and maintenance by Great Britain, Canada and Queensland alone. Negotiations would probably be concluded at an early date for a steam service via Torres Straits providing for the carriage of produce and frozen meat. The Government is negotiating for the repurchase of fifty thousand acres close to the railways in order to devote land to agricultural settlements. The proposed legislation includes the management of the railways by one responsible commissioner for a term limited to three years, the construction of railways on a system of guarantee by local bodies to the extent of 2 per cent, on the outlay, the inspection of imported meat, early closing, the suppression of gambling and the fixing of the payment of members at £240 per annum.

Adelaide, June 24.

The Women's Suffrage League has dissolved, its object, which was to obtain the politiCcil enfranchisement of women, having been achieved.

Adelaide, Juno 25.

Mr Davitt, interviewed upon the political crisis at Home, said that the defeat of the

Rosebery Government was a snatch victory, gained under circumstances which lend comparatively little importance to such a success. When army and navy estimates are debated, he explained, the discussion is generally left to those who have been connected with the services. He surmises that this was the case when the division was taken which resulted in the defeat of the Government, and he does not consider it a vote of want of confidence. A coalition Government is just what everybody expected. It is not likely they will have time to put any policy into operation. If they resort to coercion in Ireland, the Irish Party will have recourse to Parliamentary obstruction. Mr Davitt believes, however, that Mr Balfour will oppose any exasperating- policy, and will make land purchase the chief plank of the Irish programme. Mr Jackson, who is spoken of as Chief Secretary for Ireland, has already filled that position, and, for a Tory, left a very fair record behind him.

Mr Davitt's own desire is to remain out of Parliament, but he is willing- to obey the call of duty. As soon as lie knew of the crisis, he cabled to Mr Justin Macarthy, askina: if he should return to England, and

-o -- - . _ received a reply that the need was urgent, as a general election was imminent. Mr Davitt will therefore probably abandon his Australasian tour, and return immediately.

Hobart, June 20. The trustees of the Bank of Van Diernen's Land are about to make a call. Hobart, June 25.

Parliament was opened to-day.

The Governor's Speech stated that there was no occasion to impose upon the taxpayers so large a measure of sacrifice as would be necessary to meet financial exigencies. Any possible deficiency in the revenue would be met by the curtailment of expenditure rather than increased taxation.