INTERCOLONIAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1892, 15 May 1890, Page 16

INTERCOLONIAL.

(Per Press Association^

Melbourne, May 8.

The Right Rev. Samuel Thornton, Bishop of Ballarat, in his address to the Anglican Assembly, which is at present sitting at Ballaiat, directed the clergy and laity never to avail themselves of the Victorian Divorce Act, and he especially exhorted the clergy on no account to re- marry persons who had been divorced under it.

May 10.

In Parliamenta third party has been formed under the leadership of Sir Bryan O'Loghlen. The principal members associated with him are Messrs T. Bent, Bowman, and Dr L. L. Smith. Sir Bryan O'Loghlen explained that he had renounced supporting Mr J. Munro owing to the latter having supported federation.

The Bishop of Melbourne has instructed the clergy not to celebrate the marriage of aDy persons divorced under the new Victorian Divorce Act.

May 12,

Sir Charles and Lady Halle have arrived at Albany.

May 13.

A criminal summons has been sworn against the directors of the Premier Permanent Building Society, charging them with conspiracy to defraud the shareholders. The directors include Messrs J. K. Dow (Minister of Agriculture) and J. Nimmo (ex-Commis-sioner of Works). The former has written to the press disslaiming all knowledge of fraudulent intent on the part of the late board.

Sydney, May 8.

In the Legislative Assembly last night, Sir Henry Parkes moved that the federation resolutions passed at the Melbourne Conference be agreed to. He explained that it was necessary that the delegates chosen to represent New South Wales at the next Fedwation Conference should not be violently opposed to federation proposals, and that was the reason Mr G. R. Dibbs, member for Murrumbidgee, had nob been included in the list. He assured the Opposition that Mr Dibbs had not been omitted because of any personal or political feeling. The motion was adjourned for a week to consider Sir Henry Parkes' speech.

The Rev. William Kelynack, D.D., has been elected president of the General Wesleyan Conference of Australia, which has commenced its sitting.

At the conference the question of the right of making interchanges has been threshed out at some length. It arose through the action of the Victorian conference in giving the Rev. Mr Edgar a circuit in Victoria in opposition to the decision of the general conference, which had transferred him to New Zealand, A resolution was carried by 51 to 46 regretting that the wish of the general conference had not been abided by.

The Railway Commissioners have purchased Rogers' patent railway ballaster for £4000.

The Lubeck, from Samoa, brings news that the American trading schooner H. L. Liernan foundered at OfEan Island. Eleven native passengers were drowned, but thd crew were rescued. Two email vessels belonging to Macarthur and Co. were also lost, with three lives. The American warship Iroquois has been taken to America. The German warship Alexandrine has arrived at Samoa with la grippe aboard.

The Egeria mutineers who were convicted by the court martial will be sent Home to serve their sentences.

May 11

Nearly £13,500 worth of pre-Victorian gold has been received at the Mint, the net lose on the transaction being £269. The average loss in the weight of sovereigns was^2 # 45gr and of half-sovereigns 2*935gr a-piece. May 12.

At the Wesleyan Conference to-day the debate on the powers of the general conference was resumed. The Rev. Mr Fitchett, of Victoria, thought a compromise was possible, and submitted a scheme delegating to the annual conference discretionary power to deal with its own requirements and such matters as were specifically remitted to it. The Rev. Mr Lewis, of New Zealand, pointed out that the scheme in its present foim would not suit New Zealand. The question was referred to a committee.

May 13.

While the mail train from Brisbane was shunting at Farley, near Maitland, the mail train from Sydney dashed into it. The force

of the collision was terrific. Two cairiages of the Brisbane train were thrown from the line while a horse box and two carriages of the Sydney train were smashed to splinters. A jockey named M'Falyin was killed outright, and among those who were injured are the drivers (Sandersen and Farren), Messrs Strickland and Faley, Misses O'Kellar and Rose. A racehorse in the horse box was killed. It is said that a heavy fog obscured the signals. A great loss of life was only averted through the enginedriver backing the stationary train.

At the sitting of the General Wesleyan Conference to-day the Rev. George Brown was re-appointed special commissioner at Tonga for another year. The Tongan committee is composed of representatives from the four conferences.

Adelaide, May 13.

At a meeting of shareholders in the Commeicial Bank of South Australia, which is in liquidation, it was stated that the total losses of 'the bank were £600,000, which is nearly double what was estimated when the institution first collapsed. It is intended to make a fresh call of £2 per share.

Brisbane, May 8.

The Amalgamated Shearers' Union will guard the New South Wales and South Australian borders with a view of preventing shearers from those colonies from joining the non-union men, and they are arranging for a mounted patrol of 500 men.

If the other colonies agree to the proposed postal reductions, Queensland will not object to join, but will reserve a right to institute a penny postal system by a British India steam service, the latter proposal only to apply to the sea route. May 9. There is a very general feeling of consternation throughout the .colony at the possibilities of a strike, as trade for the past three months has been very bad. A conference will be held on Monday between the Labour Federation and the squatters, when it is hoped that an amicable arrangement will be come to. May 10. Speaking at a banquet at Bockhampton, the Premier said it was a serious outlook for the colony with certain agitators going about sowing seeds of dissension between employers and employes. If a contest was' to come he thought it would be better if it came rapidly, as disease of that sort could be better met in its first steps than when fully developed. Eegarding federation the Government would follow the course adopted by Sir Henry Parkes. He thought it probable that the budget would show a deficit for the year owing to the recent floods and drought. May 12. Pending a meeting of pastoralists on the 15th inst., the British and India Steamship Company have decided not to ship wool shorn by non-union men. The New Zealand Seamen's Union and the Melbourne Trades and Labour Council have promised support to the union shearers.