INTERCOLONIAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1905, 25 May 1888, Page 22

INTERCOLONIAL.

(Per Press Association.) Melbourne, May 21. A youth named William O'Brien has been sentenced to death for robbing and wounding the rate collector at Oakleigh. A cowardly murder was perpetrated near Inglewood on Saturday. A number of men were proceeding along a road when a wellkaown criminal named John Dillon jumped out of the scrub, and struck one Coghill a terrific blow on the head, killing him on the spot. Dillon immediately made off into the scrub, but was subsequently caught and arrested. The evidence of the cause of death of Gillett, who died in a restaurant- recently, under somewhat suspicions circumstances, reveals the fact that the deceased had made a will leaving the sum of £3000 to Mrs Spaum, the proprietress, who subsequently poisoned GiUett by administering water acidulated by drops of glacial acid, which Mrs Spaum admits that she gave bj' accident as medicine. A verdict of wilful murder was returned against Mrs Spaum. May 22. Particulars of the Inglewood tragedy show that the murder of Coghill by Dillon was the result of a quarrel between the men. Dillon has been brought before a magistrate and

committed for trial, on a charge of manslaughter. Sydney, May 21. The lad Spragg, who daring a quarrel killed another boy named Compton, has been committed for trial for manslaughter. John Tait, a well-known sporting gentleman, dropped dead to-day. The bricklayers have struck for an increase of wages ; but to this the employers demurred, and are filling up any vacancies from the ranks of the unemployed. Kemp declares that he is willing to meet Teemer on the Parramatta river, but states that so far he has not received any communication from Teemer, and that nothing can be done until a challenge has been received. Hanlan states that he was commissioned to back Teemer against Kemp on the Nepean river. May 22. The Daily Telegraph publishes the full text of Professor Mainwaring Brown's paper on " The Wealth and Resources of New Zealand"; and, in an article criticising the paper, says that whatever the outward aspect of the prosperity of the colony, the productive interests of New Zealand will stand the strictest scrutiny. ' Bad management and exhausted finances will not lessen the resources of a country which still goes on producing, while its wealth accumulates though stagnation may be general. Thus in the end a genuine state of prosperity will be brought about, resting on a more lasting basis than the expenditure of money borrowed abroad. At a conference to-day between the Land Industrial Alliance and the Commercial Industrial Association resolutions were carried protesting against clause 18 of the Land Bill, which provides for giving autocratic power to Ministers. The conference propose that the land board should be elecLive, and that a court of land commissioners should be established — two of whom should be experts in matters pertaining to land, and one a legal expert. The City Council propose to apply to the Government for permission to raise a large loan for the purpose of widening the main streets of the city. Adelaide, May 21. A fraud has been discovered in connection with the South Australian Central Broken Hill Silver Mining Company. The promoter of the company stated that the reef to be operated on was 20ft thick, but on examination by the directors they discovered that there was not the slightest trace of silver in the reef. The moneys already paid in calls, &c, are to be returned to the shareholders, and the promoter will probably be prosecuted for fraud. Bbisbane, May 21. The elections for the Legislative Assembly though as yet not complete, give a majority against the Government, and it is expected that to-morrow the Premier will place the resignation of his Government in the hands of the Governor. A settler named Kirkham has given his son, aged 19, into custody for the charge of murdering a girl earned Jilley, who, it is alleged, had first been outraged. It is said that the youth was in the company of the young lady on the afternoon when she was discovered murdered. I