INTERCOLONIAL. (Per Press Association.)

Otago Witness, Issue 1890, 10 February 1888, Page 13

INTERCOLONIAL. (Per Press Association.)

Melbourne, February 3. The Gcelong Cup was won by Gardenia ; Mentor, 2; ED, 3. Typhoid fever is very prevalent here, and i is increasing. February 6. Mr J. Service, ex-Premier, has returned from his European trip, but has not yet determined whether he will re-enter politics. Che steamer Australasian visited the Crozet Islands on the passage out from London. t Signals were made and cannon fired from the steamer with a view of attracting the attention of any castaways on the islands, but there was no sign of life or of recent habitation. A reef not marked on the chart was discovered some distance from the islands. Sydney, February 2. The Chief Inspector of the Stock department has forwarded to the Government a report that for the year the increase of sheep in the colony is 8,0^0,000 ; in cattle the addition has been 2,01 3,000 head ; and hor&es have increased by 27,000. This season has been an exceptionally good one for stock, and the inspector attributes the rapid addition to that. A meeting of the representatives of the Stock Board was held last evening, when resolutions were passed in favour of extending the boundaries which are now protected by rabbit-proof fences. It was also decidedto experiment with M. Pasteur's scheme of the inoculation of the microbes of the chicken cholera. Mr Stanley, a veterinary surgeon, spoke in favour of the latter scheme, and mentioned that he himself had tried tho effects on rabbits, and the experiment was highly successful. Mr Thomas Garrett, Minister for Lands, in replying to the resolution passed by the Stock Board delegates on the rabbit question, said the Government had accepted a tender for 350 miles of fencing on the border, but great difficulty had been experienced in obtaining the necessary material. The Queensland fence would be completed in about two months. He further remarked that they could not see their way to adopt M. Pasteur's dubious remedy. The Government policy was to encourage landholders to combat the scourge, particularly by means of fencing, which he found during a visit to New Zealand to be a most effective preventative there. The Eastern Extension Cable Company have decided to retain the charges of Ss Gd for the first 10 words of ordinary messages to and from New Zealand, and it is not in- ' tended to increase the rate on press messages, which is 3d per word. The United Press Association, which have now the whole of the press cablegrams in their own hands, will not be asked to guarantee a certain expenditure, which they have done prior to the end of last, year. The company trust by this liberal concession to the press of New Zealand to benefit |he general public by affording every means for increased supply of information. The death is announced of Lady Parkes, wife of Sir Henry Parkes ; cvtat 71. Foley and Burke are arranging a fight to the finish for not less than £500 a side. C.-irdinal Moran has replied to the allegations of Dr Thornton, riishop oi Ballarat, relative to the part played by the Roman

Catholics ifl the Centenaf y celebration. His Eminence denies thdt gfftcse was not said in order to please Catholics/ He expected the Governor to pronounce it,- but it Seeitis that no arrangement was made for it. He alsc states that the Catholic party were not dominant, and he personally restricted the number of: those present at the public functions to three, though a great number of prelates were in Sydney for special Catholic services. Maize has declined, Jtnd is now worth 3s 9d with the prospect of further decline. The market is dull. Potatoes, £3 to £3 103 per ton. Onions easier. Market dull at £2 15s to £3. Other lines are unchanged. February 3. The fund being raised by the Wesleyans in honour of the Centenary of Australia has reached the sum of £10,000, and subscriptions are still coming in. The Hou B. R. Wise has been compelled, owing to private btisiness, to resign his position of Attorney-general. Ifc is expected that Sir Kobert Wisdom will succeed Mr Wise, and that he will take charge of j the Government business in the Legislative Council, All rabbiters in the employ of the Government, along with the inspectors in the Rabbit department, have received notice that at the eqd of three months the Government intend to dispense with their services. These steps have been taken as Government intend to throw upon the landowners the responsibility of exterminating rabbits ; but the Government are willing to give them all reasonable assistance in doing so. The subject is to be dealt with in the Land Bill this session , Mr Lillywhite has received a cablegram from London stating that any number of Crack players can be got for the football team which is about to visit the colonies. New Zealand oats at auction fetched 2s to 2s O.fd per bushel. February L The sculling race between T. Clifford and Kemp for £200 a-side and the championship of the world will be rowed over the champion course on the Parramattn. John Grace, who was arrested on suspicion of having murdered John Stapleton, a rniuer, near Armidale, has been committed for trial. He has admitted that a pair of bloodstained trousers found by the detective were his property. February 7. Mr A. C. Douglas, secretary of the Tasmanian Postal department, who was present at the conference, caught typhoid fever here a v/eek ago and died yesterday. The lioard of Health has communicated with the authorities at Auckland and Wellington urging them to use the greatest precautions with regard to the smallpox outbreak on the Mariposa. The vessel on arriving here will be quarantined and the mails fumigated. The resignation of the Hon. R, R. Wise as Attorney-general in the Parkes Government has been accepted. Mr Wise assigns as a reason for retiring from the Cabinet that he found the official duties interfered with his private practice. Adelaide, February 2. There has been a considerable exodus, principally of farmers, to North-west Victoria. Bad reports on agricultural prospects have been received from the Northern districts and York Peninsula. Shares in the Br ken Hill mine are selling at £320*. Wheat is quoted at 3s 3d; flour (roller made), £9 10s. Oats are on the decline, and prices range from 2s Id for old to 2s lid for new crop. Stout bran is quoted at 7s Id. The sugar market is active, and good sales are being effected. February 3. Lotters to hand from Canton merchants per the China Steam Navigation Company's Tsinan, which is now in quarantine with five cases of smallpox on board, warn their friends here to look out for smallpox, as it is very prevalent in Hongkong, Canton, and Macao. At Hongkong several of the Cable Company's clerks are down with the contagion. The wheat market is dull at 3s 2d ; shippers and farmers' lots, 2s lOd ; for export, 3s ; flour (roller made), £8 15s per ton ; oats, 2s 8d to 2s lOd. Sugars are quiet, but prices are firm at last quotations. February 6. Since the Premier's return from the meet1 ing of the Federal Council at Hobart, the question of tho desirableness of South Australia joining the other federated colonies has been discussed in the Cabinet, with the result that the Government have determined to recommend Parliament next session that the colony shall enter the Federal Council. February 7. A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Joseph Clarke, paymaster of Imperial pensions, South Australia, on a charge of embezzlement. It is alleged that he induced pensioners to forward receipts and then failed to send the money. Pjekth, February 6. Extensive floods have occurred in Geraldtown district, on the north-western coast, about 300 miles from this city. Houses were submerged, and the occupants had to seek refuge on the^roof tops, where they were kept the whole of one nirrht and part of next day. The railway and telegraph lines have been much damaged by the floods. The total loss in the district is estimated at £50,000. February 7. By Hoods in the Geraldon district four persons were drowned, and several are in a precarious condition owing to exposure. Large numbers of stock were drowned, and all the hay crop has been destroyed. So severe has been the less that most of the farmers in that district are ruined.

I beer that among other reductions to be made in the Defence department (telegraphs our Wellington correspondent on the sth) will be tho abolition of tho Stores department hitherto maintained iv Auckland and Dunedin. The Defence Minister is of opinion that one central store department in connection with defence is all that is required, aud the Welliagton store will therefore be the only one maintained in future. As both the Duucdin and Auckland stores had a full staff, the members of which will now be dispensed with, a considerable saving will be effected by this change. Whatever stores may require to be kept locally in other places than Wellington will be in charge of the local magazine keeper.