LATEST AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1266, 4 June 1896, Page 23

LATEST AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

By the Lands for Closer Settlement Bill introduced in the Now South Wales Legislative Assembly, the Government is authorised to spend .£300,000 a year in tho purchaso of laud. A miner named Wallace working at Blaynoy, Now South Wales, tired a blast in the bottom of the shaft;, a.id as it did not go off to time ho put his head over the» shaft to ascertain if the fuse was burning. Ho was enlightened in less time than it; takes to tell it, for the charge exploded, sending up a largo piece of rock, which, itruck Wallace close to his right eyo. Fortunately he was not otherwise injured. During a sham fight at the Lytton. encampment, Queensland, somono tired a. ball cartridge as Captain Harvey, of the. 2nd Regiment, was leading a company, tha ball striking his sword scabbard about 12in above his heel plate. The incideub has been reported to the officer commanding, and a searching enquiry will ba made.

The Aubrey Bowou Surgical and Operating Thuatro at (lio Melbourne Hospital has boon opened. Tlio cost of tho thcatro, JJIioUO, was paii] by Mrs Aubrey Bowun. Tho Sydney Coronor hold an inquest at Coogce ou Monday week on tho body of Mrs Noalds, who died from burns. Tho evidence, was to the effect that a lira occurred in deceased's bedroom on Sunday morning, and that it was supposed to have been caused ly a lighted candle coining into contact with somo curtains, lfeforo the (lames were extinguished Mrs Noalda was so .severely burned about tho body that she died two hours afterwards. I'. Mills, a prospector, who was lost in tho bush for 20 days, has turned up alive at Mount Jteid, Tasmania. Ho endured great privations, which affected his mind an well as his body. He was unablo to givom< coherent account of his wanderings. As a caution to teamsters, a bullockdriver has been lined Jjl() and costs at Muttaburra, Queensland, for crossing with a team of bullocks south of the 21st parallel at Torrcns creel;. Sir George Dibbi writes regarding tho I'ark'.'s grant that the sum of X'Bo pee annum for the children savours of being penurious, lie suggests that Parliament m.ilie it JJb;O until they attain the ago oE 21, and for Lady Parkes «C2OO per annum for life. It is understood that the Prince of: Wales is largely interested in several companies at Kalgoorlio. The Commissioner of Customs at Melbourne dealt last week with a cose of smuggling cigars from tho Changsha, Four quartermasters concerned in tha ail'air were ordered to pay a fine of £25. Frederick Logerhopo, assistant-steward on board the Prinz-Kegent Luitpold, has been sentenced to six months' ment for stealing a diamond ring.iVoma lady passenger. The ring was valued at £l2O. At liondigo, Albert Vinco, aged 14, expired while under chloroform for a dental operation. An inquest which was hold showed that tho heart and other organs were sound, and that death was due t$ shock.