AUSTRALIAN.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1260, 23 April 1896, Page 36

AUSTRALIAN.

Sydney, April 15

During the voyage of the Norwegian barque St. Jorm from Delagoa Bay fever broke out. A sailor and the third mate died, and four of the crew were taxon to the hospital on tho vessel’s arrival here. Recent arrivals in Australian ports report heavy weather in the Tasman Sea. It has been particularly rough between Melbourne and the Bluff.

The City Council will expend £IO,OOO upon extending the electric light to private consumers.

Two hundred out of 260 of Hudson’s employees have refused to accept the new agreement, and remain idle. Sydney, April IS.

The President of the Chamber of Commerce has received a reply to the joint protest against the Berne cable code. The Postmaster - General of England roferslto the reply of Mr Hauhury,Financial Secretary to the Treasury, to a question in the llouso of Commons in August last year as an indication of the lines which the British delegates would adopt when the code was finally discussed.

Mr llaiihury’s reply was to the effect that tho Government recognised the inadequacy of the code and its probable damaging effect on the interests of the country. Ho promises to give the fullest consideration to the arguments against its adoption. As a protest against the action of the University Senate in prohibiting the carrying of banners and the indulging in their usual pranks oil Commemoration Day, the undergraduates refused in a body to attend the University commemoration parade. Tho honours men also left the hall as soon as tho degrees were conferred. H.M.S. Orlando, accompanied by H.M.S.'s Ringarooma and Wallaroo, sails for New Zealand on 14th May. Owing to a proposal to increase the freights between Colombo and Australia by the mail lines, it is expected that the Clan line of steamers will run a threo-wookly service from Calcutta to Sydney, via Colombo.

Alarmed at tho enormous legal expenses and waste of time over tho first of tho series of the Mercadool laud dummying cases, tho Crown and counsel for tho defendants, aftor lengthy negotiations, have come to an arrangement by which tho remaining fourteen cases on all the main issues will be hoard as one. Tho evidence submitted in tho first case, unless objection be raised, will be accepted in the others, the further evidence being restricted to the individual merits of each. Tho findings of the board, however, will bo separate in each case. Two Now Zealanders figured in a breach of promise caseat Dubbo, in which Cordelia Compton sued Harry Tyer tor breach of promise. The defendant, it was alleged, deserted tho woman and her child, and

after an absence of four years tho woman traced him to Dubbo, and discovered that he had married another. Tho jury awarded the plaintiff £3OO. The adoption of the Gothenburg system of controlling tho sale of liquor has been urged upon the Premier by a deputation of tho General Assembly of tho Presbyterian Church.

Sir lieid, in replying, said the Gothenburg system was one which put the whole question on a footing more favourable to reform than any proposal made by the Prohibitionists. The prospect of getting a majority of Parliament to legislate for Prohibition was so remote that he heartily welcomed the action of the deputation, as it brought the matter within the reach of practical politics. Personally, he was opposed to local option, for ho did not think any member of the community had a right to prevent anyone else from drinking moderately ; but the proposal of the deputation with modification was quite feasible, lie thought this was a matter which the Government should take up. He intended to introduce a Bill next session dealing with adulteration, including intoxicating liquor, bub he thought it impossible to promise any general measure of temperance reform next session.

Apropos of drink reform, Judge Murray, passing severe sentences on two men convicted of brutal assault at a drinking club, said these clubs required most stringent legislation and mucii more strict control than the police were at present allowed to exercise. They held out temptations to working men to spend money and gamble, and they took the worst form of the oldfashioned, uncontrolled public - houses. The Judge referred to the larrikin pushes which infest tho city as “ congregations of human jackals which wanted wiping off tho face of the earth.” Sydney, April 20. The steamer La Caledouie has reached Noumea with 471 convicts. During tho voyage nine of tho deportees died. The Attorney-General (Mr Want), who has returned from his tour in the East, says ho does not fear any great influx of Japanese into Australia,, as the Government is strongly averse to their leaving the country. The threatened inundation of Australia by Japanese goods is, in bis opinion, a mere bogey, and there is little chatico of increasing (lie Australian trade with Japan for a long t ime. Tho railway revenue for tho March quarter shows an increase of =£lloo as compared with the corresponding quarter of last year. Tho expenditure shows an increase of =£3870, owing chiefly to the damage caused by floods. Brisbane, April 15.

A t the enquiry regarding the Pearl disaster, tho Marine Board cancelled the certificate of Captain Chard. Brisbane. April 17.

The Department of Agriculture is to constitute a new portfolio as soon as the necessary enactment has been passed. Brisbane, April IS.

A small steamer named the Arakoon has been wrecked on the coast, and tho captain, a sailor and a passenger drowned. Melbourne, April 15. Tho Adelaide express train was derailed early this morning at Dimboola. The passengers, who wore asleep at tho time, were much shaken, but none were injured.

Tho report on tho distilleries of the colony shows a generally-increased output. Tho stock of spirits on Ist January exceeded that of the previous year by 79,000 gallons. The shipments of brandy to the United Kingdom increased by 15,000 gallons, and the export to New Zealand increased by 802 gallons. The total export of wine amounted to 318,000 gallons, and 13,725,000 gallons of beer were brewed. The financial editor of the Argus, dealing with tho controversy as to which city should be supremo in the South Sea Island trade—Auckland or Sydney —says this laisus the question why should Auckland, with its limited stocks, be able to compete with so great an emporium as Sydney, or as Melbourne, if the latter would only enter the lists. Melbourne, April 16.

Tho passengers by the Adelaide express train derailed yesterday had a marvellous escape. The train was travelling at tho rate of 30 miles an hour. The engine ran on tho sleepers for 40 yards, then plunged over an embankment three feet high, and ploughed up the ground for 50 yards parallel with the track'. The engine took the two mail vans with it, but tho carriages remained where the permanent way had been. The line at the scene of the accident was completely destroyed, the carriages are more or less broken, and pieces of the wheels, brakes, and axle boxes are scattered about. Tho passengers were hurled about tho carriages. The sleeping-cars were completely embedded in sand and clay. Tho driver and fireman stuck to their posts, and were the first to assist tho passengers.

Melbourne, April 18. Tho Government contemplates purchasing fivo Maxim guns and 2000 Leo-Metford barrels, which will be fitted with Martini stocks. The Colonial Treasurer, however, fears he cannot find tho money. Tho libel action brought by Air James Minims against the Argus, to recover £IO,OOO for a statement published some months ago in reference to the Premier Permanent Society and its directors, has begun. The defence is that the article was fair comment. Melbourne, April 20. Air Trenwith, the Labour loader, who goes Homo to have an operation performed on his eyes, sailed fomLondon on Saturday by the Yarrawonga. The value of the Great Victoria Colliery Company’s property at Queen’s Ferry has been greatly enhanced by the discovery of ft seam of bright black coal over 3ft in thickness at a depth ot 193 ft. Tho discovery is important on account of tho easy access to deep water.

Perth, April 15,

The natives have been troublesome lately in the Murchison district. Several who were arrested escaped, and a party started in pursuit with a black tracker. The latter went ahead, and was afterwards found with his skull split open and his body a mass of wounds.

The Federation Bill is to be introduced in the West Australian Parliament next session.

Perth, April 20,

Air Piesse, who received tho portfolio of Aliuister of Railways and Public Works, has been re-elected unopposed. The population of tho colony increased by 16,(D0 during tho Alarch quarter. Adelaide, April 17.

Owing to tho hospital trouble, fifty patients have left since last week. In one ward all who were able to walk left. Since the doctors ceased attendance those awaiting operations have gone to private hospitals.

Splendid rains have fallen throughout the colony, with the exception of the Northern districts, and they have greatly improved the agricultural prospects. Adelaide, April 20.

A train collided in the dark with a vehicle containing four men at the crossing at Dry Crook. All weie killed.

Fitzgerald is a tramp who on three occasions recently has deprived the inhabitants of this part of the globe of cable intelligence by cutting the transcontinental line. Whenever Fitzgerald got off the track ho found it easier to cut the wire, in order to discover his whereabouts, than to try to rectify his mistake by other methods. A sentence of six months’ imprisonment has been meted out to him as a hint to desist from such piactices.