AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 5832, 24 February 1906, Page 13

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

A PAINFUL GUN Af'UTDKNT. A terrible accident happened at Jiftn. ;'i. M'Canghey’s Coommg Station t.-siy;; the Wnggii “kxpr<«s’’i. the victim Airs Anna I 1!. Kiikley, wife of -Mr A. Kirkloy, malinger ot CiHiminK, arm daughter of Mr George Seymour, of Wnntabtulgiwy Station. We;'..;;. It npjifiirH that Mrs Kirklcy w; i* in •' sulky, mid her Imsbuml, with a lond- d i;im in hie ham), proceeded to mount into tho vehicle. An he did so. the •'ini exploded, end t.bo 101 l charge, at the distance of a few indies, til ruck imii of 'Mrs Kirkley’a lutnds. shattering it frightfully. Mr Kirkh-y drove, bus wife with all bade to Urana llorpitnl where JJr. Mueknight found her hand to severely injured as to render amputation imperative. An operation was ncoordinidy la-rformed. and at late t iwlvicK* Mn K irklf.v is •** U'i can bo expected. ADVUNTLMtF-S OF “ADA.” Tim practice by an unknown woman of an old and mean device for the di - bonest procurement ol money was lately cxerclidng the minds of the Melbourne police. Several cases have recently been reported of which tin* following as told by the "A-' of I'eh. PI may hi* tak-n .. Ivme.d:-- “Ada" hai attain been wic!-e.‘ofu! in her operations. This time her appearance was [ in Aliiert Park, where yesterday morn-j in" she relieved a ten-vear-old e.irl of i hail a iiovereign. ’i 1m ehihl. Dorm' Xdiipp), foul been sent on a nui.-a;;-' by a neighbour, and carried flu* eoin. in her hand. She wan stuppd by tin* nnnornpnUnu "Ada,” win* asked her where sin* iviw going. “tin a mvicige, replied the child. Adopting her Usual tactics, the woman asked the Filth* oiio’h name, and on hearing it replied, “I know yunr mother well. I'm Ada. I want you to ip* a message for mo. Go to a shop in Coventry Street, and auk for Miss Ada's bodice. 1 will take caro of your money for you.” tX.lainjng the coin, tin* woman i;rvi* (In* elnlil a piece of brown paper folded tip. and fold her the number she was It* go to.

Tim little girl went away a for yards ttlid than looked hack. Notiftng that thu woman had disappeared alio returned homo and informed her mother of the occurrence. On Fob. 13 “Ada'’ iv.is noticed oti the St. Kilda hy a smart boy who had road her description in the papers. Ho followed her, and raw her stop and question various children. Ilya strange coincidence a small Kiri, who noticed tile* attention with which he wan regarding the woman, infonned him that the latter had taken some money from her once. Noticing the buy following hep, “Ada,” after pot coting, took » tnt.ni towards the city. Out the news was circulated hy telephone to the various police stations, and she was shortly aftcrwartls arrested at. South Melbourne. whither she had divergedto put the police off her track. The woman, who gave her name as Kato Tiloomlield, and her ago as 23, was locked up on the two charges. As about 50 other similar cases of imposition had been reported to the (mime during the last few weeks “Ada” mast Jmvo been a fairly busy woman. The accused said she lived at 03 Staffoid Street, Abbotsford, and Constable (luntor ascertained that for some time past she bad renled a room at (Imf address. ile searched Ibe room later in tho day. ami brought away the girl’s wearing apparel, including several hatsCOMMONWEALTH COMMERCE ACT, The above named net, passed in tho last session of tho Federal Parliament, will como into operation by proclaimitdon of tho Minister of Customs on Juno 8 next. Tho effect of this proclamation is merely to bring into force on that date that portion of the act only which relates to voluntary descriptions, and is a practical transcript of tho British Merchandise Marks Act, and generally similar to legislation which is more or loss in forro throughout the British dominions. In Victoria, for instance, a State law (Part XI. of Trade 'Marks Act) is, and has been for many years, in force to the name effect. The portions of llio Commerce Act in regard to which them was so much discussion when tho measure was going through Parliament, ami width introduces novel legislation, does not become oporativo until reguliitionn are mado which render them so. Some timo must necessarily clajwo in any caao before such can be made. In regard to several classes of goods it does not at all follow that it may bo deemed necessary to make any change ,for a long time to come. Tho position on Bth Juno will, therefore, bo this: In the first place there is no obligation to placo ar.y trade deBcriptaon upon goods. Next, if ono is placed on cither imports or exports, it must not bo untrue in any particular. Regulation* winch may bo made hama-ftor can go further than this, and require na to certain classes* of goods, and those only, that a trade dasoriptiou of the land set. pbont in such regulations shall bo affixed to all imports and exports. Tito classes of goods which may be affected by regulation arc the following:— 1. Articles used for food or drink by man or used in tho manufacture or preparation of articles used for food or drink by man. 3. Medicines or medicinal preparations! for internal or external use. 3. Manures. 4. Apparel, including boots and .shoes and tho materials from which such apparel b manufactured. 5. Jewellery. 6. Seeds and plants. It will bo observed that, whilst there is no exception for any goods which may bo voluntarily described by numufooturcrw, tho compulsory marking of goods is limited to tho articles mentioned. Tho act confers ample power on tho Customs department to waive any penalties or forfeitures. It b not anticipated that any attempt will bo made—at any rate at first—to enforo it with extreme rigour. Tho advantage, however, of compulsory marking is well illustrated by tho example of leather. When regulations relating to leather are issued, it will bo impossible to export leather which is not up to tho proper standard, unless the full extent to which it is weighted or adulterated b properly set out on tho packages. A PLUCKY WOMAN. During a squall in Hobson's Bay on Fch. 0 a boat containing two youths was upset near the South Melbourne baths. Tho occasion gavo opportunity for a fine display of pluck hy Airs Ada Judson, a lady residing near tho stone of tho accident. Ono of the youths. 'Arthur Herrington, apparently, could

not swim nr’, be immediately ran!.', ami j did not, rise again. Hi'- eoaipamcn. * David Moore, a lair i.wiemi-:'. =-'ro-!. j out for tin. ‘.bar.;, 1. it < !o- wa*-r had ; become very roni;li. roliiii,: in break":;., j Fort mutely for Mocve, w:\ . ' '■■■■‘•rv-J cd bit! ling wilh ‘.bo wave; by A! re J .ImlKOti. v-ho im-lnd into the ...a ,•> thei visit UN a .-istanee. A fat rorm; twin* ; in a heavy sea led eha-W .aci.:; aw ed | .Moor**, and 1m vans h-big hulo-'ad in (In* breakers, which (hri-nfelied In sweep him hark to deep water again. Mrs .foal..on. however, went fe;il- iv out lill ?,ho readied the i apidly v.t ikeiiiu,': j ■-e.vimiiinr, and caught hold of him. Ihoj lad-,' '..aie. then so far out that the water was lapping her chin. With her e.v-U----aliee In* was able t.o pain the Dior-, comph telv spent. hut uninjured, lie • onn iceovcivd and“was conveyed to his home. In ovutra-distiiictien to the bravery of (ho lady, who, incornmnd - i as she Was with her heavy (railing garments ri-l'.ed ln-r life to ,j.,v> one in immioeot peril, wa.. the behaviour of number <;f men v.dm w.-r.- fishing of? lie* wor-dworl: that forms the eld of the Pieklei Hired. (Iraki. They naw i too whole (;(-l:w:* ion.d iiaj 'ji( :ii Mg. ho' not. Olio of 'hem was man enough to thoU'di it wa; plainlv at oil- time jus; a mere dmi,':* whether re-filer ae.d receii" I would or would nol he t:d:en out by the backwash. THE SYDNEY TRAGEDY. Til-* CormieiV inpue-t on the body ef .Mer.—.■ Gregory. stubbed to death in lee Royal if.de! tie- previous. week eoneluded cu February V. The mist i;nj.ortant. evidence was as fellows; Dr Taylor, Guvtvnmcm, medical officer. said’ there were two cuts in the she,-; of the l»d. and the opinion he (i.id formed v.-.i.s that del rawed was struck v.lieu she was lying down. Two of the I.lows went pieht 'througji chert and nightdn w. Tim wound below the heart, was made when Mrs Gregory was lying down. Aft'-r .Mrs Gregory was .‘•truck ,-he in list have made for the door.

Defective Malone gave evidence i garding a further confe-i-ion nun!i’ to him by Quinlan. Acon.-cd asked witnon: it u policeman wan in cliargea.il the tinto until limy too!; Mrs Gregory away. Witness replied, ‘‘l believe so.’’ Qnin--1-111 limn said, "Well. J could nut have got my lint and hoots if I had gene up for lln-in. I thought they would have t.ikon her hotly away as Mien ;:o they fonm! she was dead. Tii".v generally do tli;if. In all tlm caws I know of they took lho body away at once. That doc- I lor said alio was stabbed nino tines. I Hover stubbed her nine times. I only stabbed her liiroo times, unco in the breast as aim wan getli;:g out of bed, and coming at me with a bottle, and twice after who had fallen back on the bed. I know I was roinit to be caught. I am sorry notv t did it. When I was sitting in the lift reading I was trying to make up my mind to go in and rob that room, but I eonid not make up my mind to do it. I wont upstairs and got under the bed. After a while she came into tho room, and I heard her going to bed. After going to bed she road a while. I tliink she was reading. I could hear the paper crushing. Then 1 I fell asleep. When I awoke the room was in darkness. I thought of rushing out of tho room and not committing any robbery, when I thought of being out of work, and t was worried. I took my limits off. I took my money out and put it on the floor, as I thought it would rattle. Then I crawled from under the hod. t must have made a noise, for she lit. a candle. I laid flat on tho floor, and I didn’t think she would .soo me. Sho must have, for she jumped out of bed with a bottlo in her hand. Then X jumped up and pulled out my knife, and when sho kuiv the knife she rushed at mo. I hit her in tho breast, and sho fell back on the bed: then I hit her two or three times on the lied mid cleared out of the room. I wont down to tho next floor, and along to tho back stain*, and down to -the billiard room. She had been screaming ‘.Murder,’ and it drove mo mad. The , lift passed mo as I was going down. I got over through the billiard room window and dropped into the yard. ’ I climbed over into tho back of Hordern’s, and hid tinder the iron over tho , cisterns in one of tho lavatories. I saw the watchman come around and look , at all tho doom and locks. I waited until I thought he had gone, then X \ climbed back into the hotel yard again i and got along the piping into tho billiard room. I thought of going up to ' got my hat. and hoots. I went down into tho cellar, hut tho door was locked. 1 I waited until twenty minutes to seven, j when 1 knew Alf would bo upstairs with tho tea; then I went along tho passage and out into tho lano to George street. I wont to the Domain baths and washed ! my hands. Then I went out to Cook’s [ River. I was going to go away from , Sydney altogether, hut I changed my mind. ’ I knew I was going to bo caught; I know my hat and boots would bo , found." Quinlan explained that ho got tho i knifo as ho was going to be a sailor. , The coroner returned a verdict of • wilful murder against Quinlan, who was i committed for trial. 1 Quinlan’s mother, writing to tho Syd- ' nov “Daily Telegraph,” after giving an ’ outline of her own financial misfortunes ' which drove her and another son to 1 seek work in tho far interior and pre--1 rented her from keeping her family 1 under her own immediate care, proceeds : ,

"Poor Tom got only 7s Gd. He helped to pav for his young brothotls’ board out of that, and paid 2s 6d for a room for himself. I tried to write, and always he telling him how hard myself and his brother had to work, and advising him to keep good, and put away any few shillings ho could, and how miserable I was up hero slaving, every penny going for tho children, and that I would have nothing left to bring me back again in April, when my time was up. I daresay this nil played on his little mind, and through this wretched liquor act he lost his place, and he knew work was m hard to get, especially when he would have to pay for his meals. Anxiety Ivan preyed on his mind, and he has simply lost his head. A hotter hoy no mother ever had; ho was a good, affectionate son. and up to the time I loft, him in Sydney ho would not touch a thing belonging to anyone. ITo would scorn such an act, and ho was as proud of his reputation as it was possible for a child to be.

‘■Unfortunately, I hare not tho means nt rny disposal to (to down to Sydney. This place is 600 miles from Sydney, a fearful road to travel, and it t ikes nearly £T to (tot to Sydney from here. As I said before, 1 have been drawing my wages to send down to my children, so I have nothing coming to mo. I know nothing about tho case until I saw it in tho paper on Monday, but tho little follow sent me a wiro cn Saturday morning saying. ‘Tom in terrible disgrace.- ’ This is all tho news I have had so far. I am trying to get down as soon as possible. Tho shock nearly killed me. and X know ho is there friendless, without a soul near him to girS him any

little comfort, or to warn him for his own rood, and <h t( c'.iv' ■- all around, via:; all Guy can on- ot tin* poor lii ■ W hoic.rie mb!*. It- who, sh eving r.r I.lovi of show, arc allowed to leave

lo |,e ;pie. Yd, my poor hear; inn-I pc torn i“ elin" such n perm as appi ar in till- d.tdy pr.ev. about, the pocr wr- :c!wd jup to get his hrc.ikf.isl in I ho- morning lie'] pay hi. Iniidiadv. G<yl help poor v.d*o I.re comp* lb *1 to 1.-..v.s thch' eiiilde n to earn llim'r daily bread ia place like .Sydney, wlnr.* the mid: buman bilicie-s has, never run amongst its prop!.-, wijere i.a very !■>!,- ticiaios make law. wiiicb maimtacl me criminals. Tlmre is sometiiing behind j, c '.on (hat only I will be .able to cel: at. A gentleman here from Gm Maticti wired (o his solicitors to defend Tom. f b'tppe*; they will rco him by Saturday.

"Now T have given ynu a correct no roll at fe.r von r 'elves I dont wish people to third; poor Tom is a rmlmn. b'verv one o‘ irt children has lieelt ..i I! and care full v lironghl "p. too innoeenllv. pi rhaps. thercferc all the easier made 'thin;. loin in'.-nnca 10 -v .iii-l onvs to u:y h.iving administer..! at. ovejtli.-e o' ehlurodyne to him when a child. He was nm-inveicu, for 1W hours, and the doetm' Slid Ui,!e.s e-irefnidy mile led under beavv ..ceilement he might lose Ins reaem. ’ I touk great earn of him all tneso veil-..', hit Was fot'tcd m the end_ to Icavn' him to litis awful fate. A nor J,.,,., r sr.-med to ho the only one that .Pf'led hum.—l am simerely. 1 N. QUINLAN.”

sncinH of dr rouge- ■' ' Mu.vr.

\ Le-di’.i ek correspondent rr-r-ort-s that A. M. Smith, who shot him\'r\f ~i 1 Vdiuuk'.tta, Centra! Australia, a‘few weeks ago. was the son of an Fn-dish clergyman. and war. none etiici than the notorious do llougmnont. who brought himself in--" promineure nj publishing in the “Wide World Magaicr.c'' iiis'fictit ions advent urea in Australia and the South Sea-. He recently left, Adelaide, having, it is wild, received a commission lo go to T.imada in scaich of material for another journalistic veil-i„-c Funds am Iwkevcd to have run one at, (hiditadatfa. and Ins English remittance* were. late. , Tt is Slid til It Smith was a wonderful sld-v’ teller, and kept his li-tenors inmimdv intcre-ted with Hanes of ins alleged adventures.

PLAGUE AT FREMANTLE On Fob. 12 Dr. Black, President cf the Central Board of Health, nyiy-.-d n telephone message from Dr. Anderson. tile plague expert at I*rcmantle. stating tint three (uses cu Ini home plaonn had been discovered at a wine saloon in Packcnham Street. Fremantle. The patients were the proprietor ot the saloon, a man named Ftono, ins wite and a. child. One of the cww was .stated to he very serious. The patients were removed to tho plague hcepital on the stino afternoon, and the premises were thoroughly disinfected, three health inspectors having been sent from Berth to cany out this work directly after Dr. Black received the message. Tho infected area is situated in Beckenham Street, and lieu right _in tho centre of Fremantle- The wine .saloon has a second hand _ .‘lmp and Chinese laundry on one side and a Japane.se laundry on tho other side. Tim building has given the health authorities trouble on previous occasions, and an a result tho back yard w.;s asphalted eomo time ago. Ficrio was tho first, to show any signs of illness. On Feb. 0 ho was suddenly stricken down, and he had been suffering till tho detection of the case. On tho XOtii inst. a hoy named Frank Hogan showed signs of illness, and next day (suddenly foil down in a faint and had to ho carried to la d. Tho woman was taken HI cm the llth inst. and wan taken away ns a contact, the doctors deciding that sho was not suffering from the disease.

A wire from Bortb in tho eastern papers of Feh. 10 adds: Alarm was created at Fremantle this morning when it wan known that another ease of plague, attended unhappily with fatal results, had occurred. Dr. Anderson received information that a small hoy wan seriously ill in his house at Barely, within 20 yards of the plague-stricken wine saloon. Hie doctor found that tho case was hopeless, ami half an hour after he was called in tho patient expired. The child's name is Donald Gilmore. and his ago is three. Five contacts have been removed to the quarantine station, including three grownup people and two children. Fiorio Covnnini, ono of tho proprietors of tho Australian wine saloon, situated in Paokenham Street, who was removed to the plague hospital on Monday, died at Woodman’s Point quarantine station at 0 o’clock last night. The remains, together with those of tho child who died, Imre boon cremated.

SUCCESSFUL LOCAL LOAN. The Victorian 3j per cent, loan of JCI.GOO.OOO, tenders for which woro locally invited proved a great success. The tenders were opened on Feb. 9, tiiat operation alone taking some 80 minutes. Tho amount subscribed totalled £2,037,390. Tenders at 2-, Gd premium were allotted full amounts, those at 2s premium received about 50 por cent, of tho amounts tendered for, while no allotment was made to lower tenderers. It is believed that the principal tenderers wore the following: F. Thonemann, about £900.000, Goodall ami Co. £250,000, A. Noall £150.00, South Australian Savings Bind: £IOO.OOO, a Smith Australian resident £IOO,OOO. The Melbourne Savings Bank took up a little, and some small offers canto from New South Wales. Details of prices are given in tho following text of a cablegram, shortly afterwards sent hy the Premier to the Victorian Agent-Genera!:— “Local loan of £1,G00,000 at 3J per cent., to redeem 4 per cent, bonds falling duo Ist July, 1906, in London, option given—in stock, redeemable in 1917 or thereafter, minimum £93; in debentures. 192 G-1941, £9G; in bonds, 1910. £97. Tenders opened to-day. £2,037,390 offered, independent of. underwriters. Average price:—Stock, £93 Id- debentures, £9O is ml; bonds, £97 os. No allotment under 2s premium."

During the afternoon mooting of the Stock Exchange of Melbourne tho chairman. Air A. J. Xoall, said ho was much gratified at tho splendid success achieved in tho flotation o; tho conversion loan. (Hear, hear.) It was a fino thing for Victoria. Ufoar, hear.) Over i'.’.000,000 had been submitted in tenders by tho public, altogether outside tho underwriting. Tho success of tin's issue meant that tho people of

Victoria vrurn paying their ; u, i!,-. r.M foai'iry to the cMlctit <i -tin* !ir-( tim<* ;-:"i'!i ;i ilit'tx !,•:<! 1m..-., (Mi-af, Irar.l ch.iimMi o: *h" i.r. i h ui;;e. *"■ r'd r.lrealy c .'ti'trit aha i-d ‘hr T-.-.r nrcr. .-li' It.-in, a ‘.i.e : : ■* * °1 the lean, ill- i-idi n-d ill'.- Stork V.'tohanj'o of M.'lhotiriK- (••bon'd ;ii <> lr- c<m''ratii!:il<‘d i-jiaii the vdiieh bid at tend .-d i.i:« effort -i <1 im-mlxTs in thi-, matter. Well over of the loan had ijiii’ii sitl);crihv-d tliroiiKh thn agi-m-v nf iiwmliors of the Stc-dc Kachan Re. (Il.iar, h^ir.;

At; tim afternoon meeting of the Stork Exchange of Melbourne th« iw Governin'nt .'it percent. securities were onetefl a.'* follr-.v: Stock, buyer .€!« 2s flit; <;el>-i!t(ires. buyer £!)(! A-, setter t!l7: ami bomb, buyer £O7 iVt. A DISAPPOINTED FARMER. Air A. Or-lfnis. a wi-li-knmvn farmer, recently rf .‘■'hepparton. Victoria, tviio went to ViVst'-n Australia mini' time ago. attract',! by "lie glowin': inducements b'-kl e;;i. by tee Government of t':at. SGito to farmer.,, in writing to a friend in a way (ha! is ealcniet; I I i suites:—

"I went through No; tham, Vo:!:, Narrogiu, Kal.mning, 15r<»v.au fill!. Beverley and I’ingeily, which are, I think, the main tannin:; district;; ol West', rn Australia. There are thon.".inils of acre:; taken up, l;nt the ! Hid is pateiiv. and fanner.. 1-.111 ctiiy cultivate jiatches of 10 urns or so, as the land is so hilly and etor.y. Tiio cultivation land is between the bills. There is said to ho .some r.piemlid land on the Midland line, it belongs 1;> a t-cmi-pauy, bnt the Government intends to acquire it. Old farmers t.ay it in tiie piek of \Wten, Australia. All the nn-ocenpif-d lands that 1 have entire overran with poison weed, of which there am scvitj! ddfemnt kinds. Farmers cinnot let their steel: lease on the land t;Mill it in well cultivated end the weeds destroyed. I was offered a farm cf ."itKI acres for £.30 at Pingelly, but the laml was ef no account. Oil inquiring of the fanners about the capabilities of the land titey told me that it required manuring from the start, r.s it is very sandy and op-it. and requirea lot of rain. Farmers who have been on tiio lands for yean; told me that it require: !t0 !b of wheat and KK> lb manure to the acre. Then the yield is only one stall: per reed, and when i: ripens only If.St the head is matured. Moat of the crop is cut; fer chaff. 1 used to watch t.ho trains, and I saw all the freight was inland from Perth, and little coming down from the country. Farmers import most cf their wheat, grain, and fodder. If wo conk.! only get moist t-easons here CWcolgarra) we conhl do very well. There are seme splendid vegetable gardens where they can get water. I have seen some wild oats o feet Idgh in a garden manured with xtabi-.i manure. I am disgusted with "Western Australia. It rains young men, as it is all drink here.”