AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1354, 10 February 1898, Page 35

AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

At Brisbane recently Mr C. 11. F. Yeo, a well-known chemist, dropped dead from heat apoplexy. The Australian Kerosene Oil and Shale Company, Sydney, has notified the butchers it deals with that in consequence of the removal of the candle duties and the very large influx of foreign made candles the directors are reluctantly compelled to close their works, and will not, therefore, take more tallow from them. The works are situated at Parramatta, and employ 30 to GO hands. At a meeting of the Adelaide Hospital Board, a charge of breach of discipline against Dr Russel -, medical superintendent, was considered, too alleged offence being that he refused consultation with. Dr Ramsay Smith. The following resolution was carried by the Board : —‘‘ That, in the best interests of the Adelaide Hospital, Dr Russell be requested to resign his position as medical superintendent within 24 hours failing which this Board recommends the Government to dismiss him/' The Wilcannia Rabbit Inspector reports that the heat of December and the dry weather killed off the rabbits in great numbers. The United States Agricultural Department states, in reply to an enquiry from New South Wale 3, that there is no epidemic there which- destroys rabbits at certain seasons of the year. Owing to- the recent floods having silted up the Brisbane river, all available dredges are being employed to restore the minimum depth of 17ft throughout as quickly a 3 possible. . The Queensland Moat and Dairy Board ii&s approved of an advance of for

the purpose of establishing a milk-con-densing factory at Cressbrook. The conference of marine insurance underwriters at Melbourne has terminated its labours. The principal resolutions arrived at are:—That the exchange commission between the offices themselves on reinsurance shall be left untouched, that the rebate on premiums shall remain at 15 per cent., and that sailing vessels shall beplaced in three classes foe premium rates as follows : —2O to 25 years, 25 to 30 years, and over 30 years. A rather interesting case of miscarriage of justice has been brought to light at Noumea concerning a man named Cyvoct, who was released on the 15th instant; after 13 years’ penal servitude at lie Nou. Cyvoct was condemned as being concerned in a dynamite plot at Lyons for the purpose of destroying a brewery. It has since been proved that at the moment the attempt was made the unfortunate Cyvoct was holding a conference at Lausanne, in Switzerland. He has been pardoned by the President of the Republic, and leaves for France by the Tanais. A cable, instructing the Agent-General for Western Australia to call for tenders for the pipes and pumping machinery, &c., in connection with the Coolgardie water scheme has been despatched. Sir Horace Tozer expects to be able to leave for England in March, so as to commence the duties of Agent-General for Queensland early in May. The Mayor of Sydney has received from _, Bathampton, in England, three photographs in connection with the discovery there of the grave of Governor Phillip. It is probable that a team of English amateur footballers will visit Australia in the course of a few months. The will of the late Mr Daniel Connor, of Perth, has been proved. The real estate was sworn at <£106,551, and the personal estate at <£19,052, the liabilities being .£49,019. The barque Castle Holme, from Sydney to Liverpool, which was reported overdue, has arrived safely after a passage of 130 days. If ever mortals deserved sympathy it " should be extended to the Tasmanian delegates to the Federal Convention who crossed to Melbourne in the Coogee. A rougher passage has seldom been attempted. The seas rolled mountains high. The Coogee was beaten back at every stroke of her screw, and the way the steamer rolled sent the most experienced sailor into mal de mer. Sir Edward Braddon, who is not very strong physically, states that he never spent a more unhappy night in the whole course of his life. He was terribly ill, and would have sacrificed all the advantages Tasmania is likely to derive from federation for a secure resting place on terra,firma. The Agent-General for Victoria has written to the Minister for Mines, stating that several mining engineers in London have interviewed him with reference to the bonus of .£IOOO offered by the Victorian Government for the best system of ventilation in mines. They regretted that the special difficulty to be overcome had not been stated in the announcement offering the reward, and they take exception to the conditions which say that the air supplied by appliances in every part of the mine where men are at work “ shall be of equal purity to the fresh outside ait at the surface of the mine," and that the appliances “ shall not be of such a costly character either in their erection or working as to be prohibitive of profitable mining." These conditions, when considered together, are regarded by some engineers as boing f practically impossible.” The departure of six ships of the Australian Squadron from Port Jackson on the morning of the 27th January formed an interesting and unusual sight. The flagship quietly cast off from her moorings and forged ahead, then the Tauranga fell into the Admiral’s wake, followed by the Wallaroo, Royalist, Goldfinch and Karrakatta. The Royal Arthur’s great size and her formidable appearance were prominent features in this parade of the first line of defence, and as the six ships slowly (passed down to the Heads they presented to the spectators on shore an attractive sight. Amongst the thoughts suggested to not a few minds, perhaps, the strongest was, “ Has the China embroglio anything to do with this sudden departure ?” An appeal made to those in the navy who were likely to know resulted unsatisfactorily. All that was known in naval circles was that the ships were off for an exercising cruise, and would likely return in a week or nine days at furthest. Dr Sewell McFarlane, a missionary from North China, is coming to Australia this year as a deputation from the London Missionary Society. A return of lambings in New South Wales in 1897 shows the average was tinder 43 per cent., and the number of lamb 3 marked was 3,650,000 below thoso of the previous year, the deciease being about 17 per cent. At the half-yearly meeting of the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney the most noticeable feature in the balanoesheet was the large increase in Government securities, which now stand at .£1,009,000, as against ,£305,000 held at the same time last year. The balanco-sheot of the Queensland National Bank shows the profit for the year to be .£BOOO, which will be divided in accordance with the bank’s scheme of arrangement, as follows: —Repayment to t he Government, <£2000; depositors’ repayment fund, <£1000; and reserve fund, <£2o 0. The report says the earning power of the bank has been seriously reduced during the half-year by the general lowering of the rates of interest to which it had to conform in order to maintain business, and profits have also been largely affected by the falling off in the aggregate ol : advances caused by a great many constituent;- iequiring less accommodation from the ba ik than hitherto. The severe drought also affected profits.