AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LV, Issue 2068, 29 November 1893, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

BiJ Telegraph.—Press Association.—Copyright. Sydney, November 28. The Government has decided to construct , a new tunnel through the Blue at a cost of .£250,000, thus doing away wi th , the great Zigzag Line, which, though-a',; stupendous engineering feat, is the . re-' verso of economical from a railway point of .view. .i -,'j

An analysis of the coalobtainecf from the Cromorne borings shov. r s that it is a good household article, with excellent steaming properties. Mr Barton emphatically declares that- the Federation Bill will bo introduced ift.the Legislative Assembly before the termination of the sesson.

The Lambton mine is idle, owing to the refusal of the wheelers to work, consequent, on several members of. the union, being.. fined for breaches of the rules. In .the face of the keen distress which is prevalent, tliq men affected show considerable irritktion at; the action of the wheelers. :"'y .L{ . c Sir George Bibbs says the Government intends to oppose the third reading of the Abolition of School Poes Bill, as Ministers , regard the. measure in the light of an electioneering cry. 1 The Government < 1 oCB not intend to drop a single measure it has in hand, consequently it will be impossible for the session to close before GhristpipfL . Perth, November 28. A police party has discovered'''magnificent pastoral country in the vicinity of the Osmond River. It is well grassed, timbered and watered. The blacks: are the finest physically in the colony, but extremely hostile. A half-caste, supposed to bo a descendant 'of one of Leichhardt's exploring p'arty, was found in one tribe. ■ Melbourne, November 28T ~ • •The. Minister iof. Trade andcGustomr is making enquiries as to what effect-it would have on revenue-if - the proposal-to-make Melbourne a free port were carried out. Last year the pilotage and tonnage dues of vessels arriving in ballast amounted to a little over .£IOOO.

At the Rifle Association meeting, the intercolonial match—which will in future be known, as the Federal Match*—was won by the Victorian team, with a score of 1419, New South Wales coming second with 1415. The other scores wore South Australia, 1397; Tasmania, 1333.; Western Australia, 1328; Queensland and New Zealand—did not compete. There was excellent shooting between the two leading-teams.-- Stack, of Sydney, made 49 out of a possible 50 at the 500yds range. Mr Justice Hood has granted an applies- ,■ tion for permission to. make a call on' the shareholders in the Anglo-Australian Bank, though he expressed the opinion that it was ’ scarcely worth while making it, as the: liquidator stated he .expected to receive; only' .£275 out of the, total liability ,of -£i50,000.. . , . , ■ Brisbane, November 27. t A severe gale swept over the unity, and i much damage was done. At Goodna nearly i every window was broken by hail, and the ' crops in the..district were severely dam-i aged." • - ‘ - 1 ■ •-’•■'-■■ : Adelaide, November 28. As the result of the discussion on the : importation of Chinese into Australia,; the Orient Steamship Company has decided to’ introduce no more Chinese passengers from Colombo. , Woods, a Labour member of Parliament,' has requested the police to investigate the charge of bigamy which has been made against him. The authorities are communicating- with the English authorities on the matter. , .. . Received November 29, 1 a. m. Sydney, November 29. Owing to the proposed reduction in the selling price of Newcastle coal, two leading southern collieries have notified a reduction in tho hewing rates’at the end of the year. A meeting of owners and men tomorrow is generally regarded as a prelude to universal reduction. The Legislative Assembly is discussing the third reading of the Bank Notes Bill. ’ Melmtone; November 28. ' The Stock Exchange,-has decided that the deposit receipts, of the various reconstructed banka and other- financial institutions shall. be placed on the list'from December 1. Tho rate of selling commission has heou fixed at 3d in the 22 on tho face value. . Tho Southern Cross, a religious journal, handies Mr Seddou hotly, on the alleged ground that ho perverted the opinions of the paper on the question of women's franchise ia tho course of a recent speech. '