INTERCOLONIAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1911, 6 July 1888, Page 9

INTERCOLONIAL.

(Per Press Association.)

Melboubne, June 28

In the football match against Maryborough yesterday the Englishmen were defeated by four goals to three.

The Chinese residents are protesting against the decisions of the Chinese Conference recently held in Sydney.

The Master of the Mint deprecates the proposal that the colony should produce its own silver coinage, on the ground that the cost would defeat the object of the proposal.

Captain Schuht, of the Geelong steamer Excelsior 1 , was to-day arraigned charged with tl\e manslaughter of Charles Proner. The charge arose out of an accident on Easter Monday, when the steamer Fxcelsior, on the voyage from Geelong to Melbourne, ran into a fishing boat anchored off the mouth of the Yarra, the occupants of which were thrown into the water, and the boy Proner was drowned. After hearing the evidence the jury found a verdict of not guilty, and accused was discharged.

Melbourne, July 1.

During the whole of the day great excitement has been prevalent in the city, it being thought that war had broken out. The excitement evidently originated owing to the sudden interruption of the two cables between Port Darwin and Banjoewangi. It was so currently reported that war ,had broken out that the authorities here have wired on the subject to Admiral Fairfax, of H.M.S. Nelson, who is at present in Brisbane.

Melbourne, July 2.

The Printers' Society have given a week's notice to the employers that unless their demands are acceded to they will go out on strike. They ask that the " stab " rate shall be increased to £3 per week, and the wages for piecework to Is 2d per 1000.

A barmaid named Honora Campbell died here yesterday under suspicious circumstances, and at the inquest to-day the medical testimony pioved that an illegal operation had been performed on the woman. Th° jury returned a verdict of "Wilful murder against some person or persons unknown."

Melbourne, July 3

Duting the year ended May 81, 270 companies, with a nominal capital of fifty-two millions, were registered in this colony.

A man, who has not been identified, has been brutally murdered at Elmore, Bendigo.

The charge ,of murder preferred against Mrs' Spann, who was accused of administering poison to a lodger in her house, was, heard in the Supreme Court to-day, when the jury returned a verdict of " Not guilty.'*

[Briefly stated, the facts in connection witH this case were as follows : — A man namsjj Gillett, possessed of consirWablfi means, wbo was drinking bimself to death, had been stayingfor some time in the restaurant kept by Mrs Spaon. He visited her private house, and in a muddled condition took from her son's room a bottle containing poison instead of a sleeping draught he had been ordered. After returjfing from a drive with Mrs Spann, Gillpfct askeq for brandy, but agreed to take his sleeping draught. Mrs Spann took a bottle taken from her son's room out of a bag and gave Gillefct a dose of acetic acid without lookiiig at the label, the time being just about dusk; Giljott drank the mixture, but at once noticed thn rristako, and said he was prisoned. All efforts made to save him wore in vain. An inquiry wb<? held, when it transpired that Gillett had h»ffc all Ms property to Mrs Spaun, ami this, topelher with the fact that the acid had a stronp pungent smell, which ought to have led to its detection, i o doubt influenced the jury in bringing in a verdict of " Wilful murder," a verdict reversed in the Supreme Court.] f SrDNEY. June 28. Hanlan has issued a challenge to row Kemp for £500 a side and the championship of the world ; the race to be rowed three months hence.

The Payment of Members Bill has passed through all its stages in the Legislative Assembly

Parleying has ceased between the captain of the Alameda and the maritime labour union, who refuse to unload tbo steamer whilst the Chinese crew an ov boaijd. l ( Captain Morse has agreed to cable" -iv> Messrs Spreckles as to the course to biftfiirsueri. Meantime the Alaraeda's cargo tif undischarged. / Sydney, June 29.

The Daily Telegraph this moriiiftg has a loading article on the tariff debase in tho New Zealand Parliament. The article states that the Government had to face > d\e thankless task of straightening the finai ses of tho colony, and were entitled tolenienfl criticism. Protection has been brought in no*, openly as a change of policy, but as a mec^ns of proP

viding revenue, which is the 'best safeguard against an insidious approach, to Protection.

The difficulty with the Wharf Labourers' Union, who demand Isd an hour for humping bags of grain, hafi been settled by the owners of vessels conceding the extra 3d demanded.

A difficulty has arisen over the Chinese Restriction Bill, th(j Legislative Council and the House being it variance on three material points relating to the exemption of naturalised Chinese 1 from mining and license fees. The Council .insist on the amendment of these points, a/ d the House is again considering the questi' m.

Kemp has acceyted the challenge issued by Hanlan to row for the championship and £500.

A bill framed on the resolutions of the recent conference; on the Chinese question has been introduced into the Assembly, but is meeting with sJvong opposition. . ft Sydney, June 30.

The Government have withdrawn the subsidy for rabbit destruction, owing to the methods adopted /being ineffectual in their results, and have abolished the Inspector of Rabbits department.

The Postmaster-general has informed the Oceanic Steamship Company that the employment of Chinese on board their mail steamers may militate against a renewal of the contract for the carriage of mails to San Ifyujioisco. The local manager of the Eastern Extension Company states that there is no ground whatever for believing that one of the cables was broken before Friday last, and the fact kept secret. The official statement declares that on Friday, the last time they spoke to Singapore, the signals became small on the new cable, and that the old cable was all right on the same day. It is thought that the break of the cables was caused by an eruption in the Straits of Bali, which are near Java. .Oisturbances which have hitherto been frequent in this locality have been the cause of 'the cables being interrupted on previous occasions. The company have made arrangements for at once repairing the break*, and it is expected that one or two of their vessels are available for the work. The new cable broke 100 miles from Java, and the old 'one 500 from Port Darwin.

July 1.

The derelict vessel which was discovered some days^ago off the harbour of Newcastle still remains in the same position, her anchors Holding firmly. The steamer Alhambra was chartered to endeavour to remove (be, obstruction, but although she has been engaged for the past week trying to tow the derelict into port, she has not succeeded Yesterday a steamer entering the port ran foul of tlie ill-fated vessel, and was so severely damaged that she sank in a few minute.^, the crew having but a few minutes in which to save themselves. The South British, Insurance Company have a risk of £6000 on the sunken steamer.

j Sydney, July 3. 'fhe question of the ownership of the Murray river is again in dispute between Victoria and New South Wales. The former colony; claims jurisdiction over half, and the latt/er colony claims jurisdiction over the whjOle of the river. The dispute has been revived by the action of New South Wales in priolaiming the river closed for net fishing for 12 months.

In the House of Assembly this afternoon, Sir Henry Parkes, the Premier, stated that a judicial inquiry some years ago had determined that the Murray was the property of New South Wales, and he assured the House thiit the Government was unlikely to do anything which would impair the- authority of the colon y over the river.

Owing to the interruption of the cables tile captain of the Alameda has been unable to obtain a reply from Messrs Spreckles as to what action he should take with reference to the request of the Maritime Labour Union, that all non-unionists and Chinese <jn board tho stenmor should be discharged before the union will agree to work the ship. Under the circumstances, the captain efferedif he was allowed to depart |that he would undertake not to return with /the Chinese portion of the crew. The union, 1 however, will not agree to this, and insist on those to whom they object being dis- ' charged now.

Brisbane, June 29.

Dicks, the prospector, who was reported to have been murdered by the blacks at New Guinea, has turned up safely.

The new gold field reported to have been discovered at Pine Creek, near Brisbane, turns out to be a " duffer."

Brisbane, June 30.

In consequence of the hostile altitude of the European population, all the Malays at Normanfcon have been sent to Thursday Island.

Hobaet, June 29.

The lonic which arrived here yesterday, brings from the Cape news confirming the foundering of a vessel of? Cape L'Agulhas. The Drummond Castle remained by her as near as possible, but at 3 30 a.m. on the 4th inst. the disabled vessel suddenly disappeared. No one was scon on the wreck, and it was impossible to lower the Drummond Castle's boats owing to the heavy sea running at the time.

HOBAItT, July 2.

The proposal to impose a land tax has been carried. The Treasurer announcp.d that if all the taxation proposals of the Government were not agreed to, an appeal would be made to the country.

Perth. July 2.

News has been received that the Kimberley reef in Jackson's mine ha 1 ? struck unusually rich stone. Seven hundred ounces were obtained from a small quantity of quartz in two or three days.

Adkt.aidf,

A further rp*t marie by the authorities shows that both cabins broke r-lr>«p together. The fault in the old cable is 858 miles from Port Darwin, and in the new one 40 miles further.