AUSTRALIAN CABLE SUMMARY.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXI, Issue 6464, 27 January 1896, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN CABLE SUMMARY.

(Br Electbic Telegraph—Copyright. ) (per united press association. ) Sydney, January 25. the weather. Along the coast cool weather with rain has predominated during the week, though it became more oppressive at the close. The unfortunate dwellers on the plains, however, had not even the satisfaction of the small mercies doled out to the coast residents, for the thermometer maintained a consistent desire to remain above 100. Little relief comes when the sun sets, for the sun-dried earth gives off sufficient heat to make the nights almost unendurable. Many families availed themselves of the railway concessions to reach high lands and search for a more temperate zone. If statistics go for anything there appears to be an immunity from the heat in some religious persuasions over others. deaths from heat. Of deaths last week attributed to the heat in the metropolis and suburbs the Church of England contributed 79 and the Catholic 60, while the Wesleyans and Presbyterians more than doubled the average. On the other hand the Congregationalists seem to be the greatest heat resistance body in the community. They had only four interments, which is below the usual average. Throughout the country the death-rate was alarmingly high, and far exceeds anything of the kind through disease or epidemic which the colony has ever experienced. Two pathetic instances are recorded from Bourke. Mrs Wright, while attending her aged dying husband, became seriously ill, and shortly expired. Mrs Honeysuckle succumbed to the intense heat, and her son-in-law went to Bourke to engage a railway carriage to convey the body to Mudgee for burial. After returning home he had just completed soldering the coffin lid when he was stricken down and died within an hour. The carriage which he had ordered conveyed his body also. Over 200 deaths were recorded in the country alone, Bourke heading the list with 50. A GHASTLY SIGHT was witnessed by the crew of the Brigautine Handa Isle on the voyage from Kaipara. The lower half of a human body, supposed to be the steward who jumped overboard from the Rotomahana, was passed 250 miles east of Sydney, and a "Sock of seagulls were screeching and fighting over it. the pacific cable conference ended in the selection of the senior Agents-General as delegates. In football parlance, the Daily Telegraph barracked vigorously for Mr Reeves, not because he was Agent-General for New Zealand, but because he left the colony with ideas on the subject up to date. However, the Conference probably did not wish to tread on the corns of the gentlemen selected by placing a younger man before them. The fitness of one of the delegates appointed may be gathered from the fact that he has only visited the colonies once during the last fifteen years. METHODIST FNION. A step forward in the cause of Methodist union has been made. The Federal Council appointed by the Wesleyans, Primitive, and United Free Methodists is drafting a scheme of union for submission to the several conferences of the churches named in New South Wales. The Primitive Methodists' Conference has already agreed to the proposed union. The Council state that after complete investigations into the commercial strength, finance, and properties, no barrier to union is disclosed. Believing that it is of vital importance to fix a date, the Council recommends that union be effected not later than the year 1900. From the moment of union ministers' circuits or stations will form one body with a common name, funds, laws, and equal rights. All ministers joining will become members of the Wesley an supernumerary fund, unless satisfactory provision is shown in some other way. The report deals in extenso with the distribution of circuits and other cognate matters. SWIMMING. The New Zealand swimming representatives had rather a bad time from a competitor's point of view. Whether the men were outclassed by their rivals, or were out of form through the severity of the climate, is uncertain. Allan, the colony's crack diver, had rather an unfortunate experience in the diving contest on the Parramatta River. After covering 70 yards he rose to the surface, and then suddenly sank from exhaustion. Several bystanders sot him out, and he soon recovered. The North Island contingent have sailed for home. The remaiuder journed to Newcastle to participate in the newly formed federal cluhs' gala, when Fox," of Christchurch, with 10 seconds start, won the 120 yards interclub handicap in lmin 4Ssecs. The Canterbury representatives, with the exception of Fox, leave for home to-day. Melbourne, January 25. RETRENCHMENT. In the recent retrenchment scheme are a set of victims who have some reason to congratulate themselves. The defence force felt the effect of Premier Turner's pruning knife pretty severe!}', and now that we are face to face with the European situation, the political gardener feels he has seriously weakened the chief means of defence, and steps are being taken to rectify the matter by bringing the present artillery up to its original strength, with a preference for trained men, who were dispensed with. Those who have not obtained other positions will find themselves reinstated, after receiving compensation for loss of employment. It will be impossible- however, to get all the men back, and the necessary recruits, with perhaps little knowledge, will fill the vacancies. The latter cannot be said to bring up the force to anything more than its numerical strength. PARLIAMENT got to work again after the Christmas recess, but the session, if all goes well, promises to be of short duration. The Railway Bill will be the chief measure of the session. It is understood the Government will invite applications for the position of general manager in Europe and America (which is a clear indication that the Cabinet does not think a good man can be obtained locally to extricate the railways from the chaotic state into which

.'xy' have drifted.) The Argus puts its finger on the weak spot in the railway administration. It says half the railway troubles have arisen from political in fluence being used and political orders given, while at the same time a demand was made that the railways should pay. Parliament shirked the responsibility of its acts, and gross demoralisation has been far-reaching. When the Bill came up for discussion in the House an amendment by Mr Hancock that Mr Speicrht be first Commissioner raised the fighting spirit, and an acrimonious debate followed, Mr Turner .intimating that he would retire rather than make such an appointment. The amendment was ultimately withdrawn, though it was supported by the Opposition. Another amendment demanding that the selection of a Commissioner be made within the colony produced another hot debate, the Opposition carrying the point by 40 votes to 37. On the clause fixing the salary at L 3500 the Government received another rebuff by a reduction to L2OOO. A discussion ensued on a new Government clause for the appointment of a departmental board to hear offences against employees. Tins was the - Labor party's chance, and they succeeded in carrying an amendment to have the workers represented on the board. The political horizon looms darkly, and there

is a feeling of unrest which, may culminate at any moment in an attack on the Government. The rift in the Opposition lute is the only safeguard the Government has, and if the Opposition can arrange matters with the recalcitrant corner the fate of the Government is sealed. A rumor is industriously circulated in the lobbies thi»t the Premier came to an understanding with the leader of the Opposition by agreeing not to go outside the colony to make railway appointments, but Mr Turner emphatically denies the truth of it. A railway Juggernaut has crushed ministries before, and it looks as if it would add Mr Turner to the list of victims. COMPANIES BILL. Another important measure to be dealt with is the Companies Bill. If it is true that Mr Chamberlain is about to introduce comprehensive legislation on the same subject in the Imperial Parliament, it would be wiser to await his Bill with a view of bringing colonial legislation into line on the subject. The idea will have for its chief benefit the advantage of rulings in the highest judical courts in the United Kingdom. What is wanted now is a tentative measure giving companies power to write down their capital to the actual existing amount. When the Bill reached the Legislative Assembly its second reading was carried, but in Committee consideration was postponed for a week. This may be regarded as a virtual abandonment of the Bill. After all the Bill was a crude one, and the wisest course has been pursued. The Council set down a small Bill permitting companies to write down their capital, so that they could pay small dividends. This much needed reform will in a measure satisfy requirements till a fuller measure is introduced. The Premier, however, threw a wet blanket on the Bill by declaring there was little prospect of its passing because members feared it would prevent a larger Bill imposing additional responsibilities on directors. The Company Promoters Bill was formally committed, and progress reported, which may be the end of it. DEFENCE. The Government defence proposals same before the House. Mr Moule opened fire by saying the Government had first demoralised and disorganised the service by an amateurish method of retrenchment, and after doing the mischief they were trying to retrace their steps. He suggested that the Cabinet should obtain an Imperial artillery officer to take charge of forts. " Try a Boer or two," suggested Mr Hancock. Adelaide, January 25. the ■weather has been intensely hot, and 111 in the shade was registered on Thursday. One or tvro cases of sunstroke occurred, but without fatal results. a chieese giel. Miss Yan Qua, the heroine of the Celestial romance, is a bright intelligent girl, and talks English fluently. When taken to the Government Office the Executive was sitting, and the Governor requested to see the girl. She chatted freely with the Governor and Ministers. She states she was sold in Canton for 103 dollars, and accompanied her purchaser to Adelaide ; but there is the reverse side of the picture. Way Lee, in whose house she was found, is one of the most respected Chinese merchants here. His account is that the girl was not bought but adopted, and the money paid to the mother being advance wages. The girl is of a wayward disposition, and this is borne out by the statement of several ladies with whom she was brought in contract. Way Lee, at the request of the girl's adopted father, took charge of her until she could be returned to China. Accordingly he detained her, and kept a careful watch on her, because lie was afraid she would run away and contract a European marriage. Such a catastrophe would, under the Chinese law, make it necessary for the foster father to have his head removed by public execution. To avoid this unpleasant consequence was the reason for the girl's incarceration. Way Lee seems to have had a lot of bother lately with Chinese ladies. Another Chinese custom permits a man's mother to find a wife for him, and Way Lee's mother having a suitable bride in her mind's eye for her son, persuaded the lady who brought the sjirl out to go to Adelaide to decorate Way's hearthstone. Unfortunately, Way is already married, and he thus found it necessary to ship his mother's choice back to China.