AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 3258, 15 October 1897, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

(SrEoi ally Compiled fob the New Zealand Times.) A couple of street musicians, a blind man, who was led about by a little girl, and a helpless cripple, were charged at Kedfern the other day with begging alms. They played street organs and then walked into shops depositing tin boxes for contributions. The Magistrate said ha was satisfied that the defendants had no more right to be Jinterfsred with than the German band or other itinerant musicians, and dismissed the case.

Mr G. Arrigoni, senior partner of the firm of Arrigoni, Hirsch, Gattner and Co., of Genoa, and the special representative of the Italian Government, who is travelling in Australia for the purpose of obtaining information relative to the resources of the country, is at present in Brisbane. One of the principal objects of bis visit is to make arrangements for a regular line of steamers direct from Genoa to the Australian colonies, Brisbane to, be the last port of call. Philip Miller, aged 16, was accidentally smothered in a rabbit burrow at Lucknow farm, near Bacchus Marsh. He was not missed until the next morning, when his body was found in a crouching position at the bottom of a 6tt hole. He bad been bunting for a continuation of the burrow, when several tons weight of soil fell on his back.

It is proposed to establish a system of pneumatic postal and telegraph tubes in Sydney, a rapid and economical method of serving tbs customers of the post-office. The initial cost will be between .£3OOO and £4OOO, but subsequent extensions of the system will be possible at a very slight cost, the chief item of expenditure being the installation of an engine and air-oom-pressing machinery, the letters and telegrams being enclosed in a cylindrical|box and blown through the tubes to their destination by compressed air. Subsequent extensions involve practically only the cost of the tubing, which is comparatively small, and the tubes can be laid from point to point by way of the telephone tunnels at slight expense. The saving will be in the wages of messengers, operators, horses and other expenses. Not only will it be an economical method of conveying letters and telegrams in the city, but it will also be a great convenience to the public in expediting the delivery of correspondence. The man John 'Williams, sentenced to death at Mudgeo for assaulting bis daughter, aged 15, received the edict unmoved. The Judge remarked that he was horrified to know that in tho colony of New South Wales so awful a homo could exist as the evidence disclosed the prisoner’s to be. The Williams family, numbering 10, lived in a two-roomed hut, and slept huddled together in a manner known only in savageiy. The girl upon whom the offence bad been committed stated in her evidence that she had never seen a clergyman, and knew nothing whatever about religion. The late Sir William Windoyer expressly desired in his will that bis body should be cremated, and this has probably been done in Italy, though doing it there will not have tho same effect as he desired, which was to aid the cause of cremation iu New South Wales.

A young man named Robert Walwick sheltered himself under a log from a storm in the Logan (Queensland) district. The log was some distance in the ground, and was burning at the time. It collapsed, and Walwick was killed.

A peculiar case was heard in the Adelaide Supreme ’Court in Banco the other day. Mr J. H. Gordon, on behalf of the executor, moved for the (granting of probate of the will and codicil of the late Harriet Maria Birrell. Deceased made a will which she kept under her pillow, but a few days before her death, while in mortal agony, she tore the document and swallowed a portion of it. She was seen tearing the will with her teeth. Previously, when of sound mind, she had expressed entire satisfaction with it. The Court granted the application. The reduction in the telephone rates in Melbourne so far has not resulted in the increase of subscribers that was anticipated. . The postal authorities now fear that the reduction will mean a considerable loss of revenue.

A seaman named William Brooks committed suicide last week , under circumstances of a'remarkable nature.- The deceased became enamoured of a.woman in Sydney, and he asked -the captain of the Hartford for his discharge, so that he could marry and settle down. The captain declined. Then Brooks stole a coat from a shop in view of a constable. His object was fo, receive a sentence sufficiently long'to. prevent hfen joining the vessel before proceeding on her voyage. He was fined £2 or 21 days, and as the fine was not forthcoming he was imprisoned. The vessel was got ready for

sea and the captain paid the fine out of the wages due to deceased, and requested the police officers to conduct the seaman aboard. Brooks went quietly to the vessel, but upon meeting the first mate he informed him that did not intend to sail. After a short conversation with some of his comrades the deceased walked to the forecastle head, went over the bows on to the back ropes, and folding his arms behind his head, dropped overboard in a most determined manner, and sank without a struggle.

A Frenchman named Henri Gilbert, who is engaged in a pedestrian tour round the world, broke down on the trip from Albany to Esperance, After 14 days' wandering about in the bush, suffering from hunger and exposure, he reached Mr Andrew Morris' station at Saltwater xiver, in a efcate of collapse. In Sydney House of Parliament the other night Mr Eden asked the Colonial Secretary whether ho had seen a report that a clergyman named Mr Isltt had deliberately stated that the police had stood by while men had put revolvers in the faces of other men and threatened to blow their brains out, and that a certain ministt r was prepared to swear a serious charge against the police. Would there be enquiries into the matter? H© had communicated with the Minister of Justice on the matter. The Colonial Secretary, in answer, said ha would have all the information he could on the subject. Mr MoEihones Is this the same parson who went about making a statement about another parson having been found drunk . The Colonial Secretary: I know nothing about Mr Isitt. Mr McElhone: And we don't want to know. The Roman Catholic missions in Polynesia and PapUa are about to receive a substantial increase in the clerical and teaching staff. Eight rev fathers, five brothers and eight sisters are leaving Sydney shortly for the various mission stations in those localities.

The death of a Dapto (N.S.W.) resident, Mr Andrew Blanchard, occurred in a most extraordinary manner. He had just concluded at a concert his favourite song, “Their Heads Nestled Closer Together," when he fell on to the floor off the stage. The audience believed ho was acting, and consternation prevailed when it was discovered no artifice had been resorted to.

Mr Herbert Godfrey, a well-known Melbourne barrister, was charged at the District Court with having refused to obey an order to " move on ** under the by-law, and was fined £2 with 21a costs. The Melbourne theatrical slander action, Herbert Terry v. Frank Thornton, was settled out of Court. The defendant paid the plaintiff .£l5O, and withdrew his counter claim of ,£54 in respect of certain law costs.