AUSTRALIAN.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1261, 30 April 1896, Page 36

AUSTRALIAN.

Sydnky, April 22,

Four members of a family named Hoy have been poisoned at Guunodah through eating putrid meat.

Two of those who ate the meat are dead.

Tho barque John Williams is 38 days out from Lyttelton to Sydney, and anxious enquiries are made as to her safety. Twenty-nine thousand bags of Hour havo arrived by tho Warrimoo from Vancouver.

Sydney, April 25

The quarterly banking returns show the total assets to be -£18,302,000, as compared with <£19,417,000 for the December quartet. The total liabilities are <£32,540,000, compared with <£32,037,000 for the previous quarter. The deposits have increased by .£493,000, the increase in fixed deposits being .£84,500, and in current accounts £413,500. The advances have decreased by £595,500, and the coin and bullion havo increased by £527,000, making tho total holdings by banks £5,037,000, equal to 20T of the total liabilities, which is the highest over recorded.

Sydney, April 27,

At tho annual meeting of the Mutual Life Association of Australasia the report was adopted.

Melbourne, April 22

The Hospital Committee has, after a long discussion, admitted as resident medical officers at the institution tho two lady candidates who are in the honours list of the Melbourne University. It was urged that the committee had no power to reject them, and there wore a largo number of female patients to whom they could devote their attention. 31 klboujine, April 23.

Tho Crown has notified Rappiport and Baxter, ex-J.P.’s (involved in the recent Loruior enquiry), of its intention to file a criminal prosecution against them for conspiracy.

The half-yearly report of the Colonial Bank shows a net profit of £25(14. The sum of £IOOO has been added to the balance carried forward for the last half-year, and makes a total of £3537, which goes forward.

Melbourne, April 25

Mr lie id, Premier of New South Wales, who is on his way to Broken Hill, had an interview with the Premier of Victoria (Mr Turner), at which they discussed the question of federation, federal defence, and a number of intercolonial matters. A uniform railway gauge between Sydney and Melbourne was one of the matter under consideration, and negotiations on this subject havo beeu proceeding for some time. One proposal is to relay the Victorian lines on the New South Wales gauge; another to build a new uniform through line, each colony bearing half the costs in either case.

Melbourne, April 27.

Tho Premier, Mr Turner, is preparing a Bill which lie intends to introduce in the next session of Parliament providing for the establishment of a State Bank on the Credit Foncier System. Ho states that ho is fully convinced of tho practicability of a State Bank within certain limits.

Mr McEwen, the New Zealand cheese and butter expert, lias boon enlightening the producers of the Warrnambool district as to the methods pursued in New Zealand, where tho Government, ho said, did not interfere with business arrangements, but saw to tho grading and freezing of butter, and generally worked it more on educational lines than otherwise, 110 was not in favour of tho Government continuing to freeze or grado butter, but considered it should gradually withdraw these branches, and give greater assistance to dairying educationally. As a result of enquiries in England, Colonel Harmon, Military Advisor, has advised the Government to establish at a cost of from £30,000 to £35,000 a cordite factory in Australia. The previous estimate of colonial authorities was from £(5000 to £7OOO.

Adelaide, April 24,

A singular bequest has boon made in regard to city properly valued at close on £IOO,OOO. All this has been loft by the owner to tho lessees, one firm, who have thus received a windfall of between £70,000 and £IOO,OOO through being tho original lessees.

The revenue for tho quarter ended March increased by £31,000 compared with the corresponding quarter of last year, and the expenditure decreased by £43,000.

Perth, April 24

A loud explosion, followed by severe earth tremors, has taken place at Karridale. The buildings shook perceptibly.

To tho end of March Liu; revenue showed a surplus of £-474,000.

Perth, April 25.

Joseph Atkinson, a seaman on the steamer Macgrogor, was charged at the Esperanto Bay Police Court with attempting the murder of the second mate, Mr Macarthur, and, with another .seaman named Fallner, assaulting Captain Sale.

Tho evidence showed that after the steamer left Albany the men refused duty. Fallner attacked tho captain with a knife, and was only prevented from using it by a steward. In the meantime, Atkinson seized the mate by the throat, and had him nearly overboard before ho was rescued. The case was remanded.