AUSTRALIAN.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1260, 23 April 1896, Page 29

AUSTRALIAN.

Sydney, April 21

Tho Brenner has cabled to the AgentGeneral to purchase 11 vo Maxim guns and oU.UOO rounds of ammunition.

The death is announced of Mr W. Von der Heydc, Vice-Consul in Sydney for Spain. The annual report of tho Mutual Life Association shows that the new business for the year totalled .£508,000, an increase of over 1c 100,000 on that of tho previous year. The new annual premiums represented ,£12,01i0. Tho total funds of tho Association amount to Jj1,088,000, as compared with 211,010,000 at the end of 1801. Melbourne, April 21.

When Chinese establish a secret society they take care to make the code of penalties simple, but painful, for anyone breaking tho covenant. To witness ono such mode of ejectment is calculated to inspire tho ethers with the saeredness of the oath. Eomo curious allegations earno out in an assault case heard at Bendigo, where a Chinese secret society exists. Counsel for the society explained that the members were sworn not to give evidence against each other in Court. One of the brotherhood having violated this principle was sentenced by the society to 108 heatings.

This punishment was administered with a big stick, after which ho was dragged out of the olubroom by the pigtail with such suddenness and violence that the appendage was torn out by the roots. This ended his connection with the society. A sensation was caused when counsel slated licit Ihe disappearance of Constable Kyan, lost at White Hills eight years ago, was due to the machinations of this society.

Eight Hours Day was celebrated to-day by tho usual procession of trades, with attendant speech-making. The weather was splendid. Adelaide, April 21.

The victims of tho railway accident at the Dry Creek crossing—where a train collided with a vehicle containing tour people—are young men named Hall and Thompson, a married man named Sheridan, and a single man named McCombe. The sight was a sickening one, the bodies being completely cut to pieces, and the fragments scattered along the line for a distance of 100 yards. Sydney, April 21.

Ca-ptain Castle, Naval Officer in charge of tho reserves, is a passenger for the benefit of his health by Ii.M.S. Bylades, which sailed for Auckland to-day.