OUR AUSTRALIAN LETTER

Otago Witness, Issue 2104, 21 June 1894, Page 23

OUR AUSTRALIAN LETTER

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Melbourne, June 12. BORDER WARFARE.

Sir George Dibbs has created no small sensation by his announcement that he means to impose tolls on the Rivers Murray and Darling in retaliation for the Victorian stock tax. The position is that Melbourne is and always has been the natural market for the riches!; portion of New South Wales— namely, Riverina. The great item of produce from that quarter which comes to Melbourne is wool Last year the total quantity of wool exported from New South Wales to Victoria was 271,451 bales, which at £10 per bale represents £3,714,510. Sir George Dibbs puts the total value of traffic which Victoria obtains from New South Wales at £3,000,000. Naturally Sydney men do not regard this stato of things with equanimity, and the fact that Victoria shuts out New South Wales stock — cattle, sheep, and pigs — by a tax affords them the excuse for retaliation. A toll on the Murray to catch every bale of wool and bag of wheat affords the simplest method.

Of course the question is no new one. The Riverina trade coming to Melbourne has always been a thoru in the side of the New South Welshmen. Thirty years ago nearly the Vie* torian Government contracted to pay New South Wales £60,000 per year as a quid pro quo—&n arrangement that lasted for 'five years. In a notable speech by Sir John Robertson in the Sydney Assembly in the seventies, he spoke of the "contemptible" possibility of New South Wales retaliating on Victoria (which then had no coal) by an export duty on coal, or of a Victorian Government so los^ to sense of fairness as to put on a stock tax. His "possibility" of 20 years ago has become a reality these two years as far as the stock tax is concerned, and Sir George Dibbs is scarcely to be blamed if he desires to return tit for tat.

It adds bitterness to the New South Wales cup that the Victorian railways, in order to secure the Riverina trade, actually carry Riverina wool to Melbourne at from 30 to 40 per cent, cheaper rates than they carry Victorian wool. 'The Victorian woolgrower cannot help himself : he must send to Melbourne The Riverina woolgrower, on the contrary, wou'd send to Sydney if the carriage were cheaper ; but the Victorian Railway department, even though they carry at a loss, take care that it is not. Therefore, says Sir George Dibbs : — " The policy of this Government is to secure to the people of New South Wales the trade of its territory. If we find that we can obtain that end by the imposition of tolls on the rivers which pass through our colony we shall act, and act effectually "

The Riverina settlers and squatters are naturally in a great state of agitation. They are already pretty well shut out from the Melbourne markets for their stock by the stock tax. Now they are to be shut out for their produce by the tolls. So angry are they that they talk of "open animosity," and even of " bloodshed." And all the while sentimental politicians of both colonies talk of " federation." Sir Graham Berry, for instance, the author of the stock tax ! /

•There is a feeling that Sir George Dibbs is doing a little of his not unusual gasconading about this tolls question. But tbe Sydney correspondent of the Argus declares that if ever Sir George appeared to be in earnest about any thing it i* about this matfc-r. And he asserts on the authority of a member of the Cabinet that a Tolis Bill has already been prepared ; and if the Government remain in office they will certainly bring it in at the next session of Parliament.

FROZEN MEAT.

While Victoria is busy on the frozen meat question New South Wales does not intend to be behind. The Graziers' Meat Export Company, now in process of formation in that colony, is ahead of anything yet attempted in Vicboria. It will call up from the shareholders £25,000, and issue £50,000 worth of 5 per cent, debentures ; while certain of the Sydney banks and one of the large squatting companies have undertaken to take up £35,000 in debentures. This will give a total capital of £110,000, which should bo ample to establish a meat company on an extensive scale. The system to be adopted is killing and chilling at a number of inland work-?, and freezing and storing at the seaside. The stock will thus be killed as near as possible to their own pastures. No fewer than 13 different firms of squatters have taken up 1000 shares or over.

This company will not interfere with Mr John Cooke'a Riverina Company, which begins with a capital of £38,750. This company will ship, via Melbourne— that is if Sir George Dibbs's tolls do not prove prohibitive.

A QUEENSLAND TRAGEDY.

A shocking tragedy occurred at Maryborough, in Queensland, on Saturday night, when a married woman, the wife of William Spence, a slaughterman, poisoned herself and five of her children with carbolic acid. She died immediately. Three of the children died early this morning, and the eldest girl, aged 11, died after much agony this afternoon. The elder b°y> aged 13, refused to take the poison, ran away, and informed his aunt. The youngest

child, a boy two years old, was badly burut by the acid, but is expected to recover. The woman was within three weeks of her confinement. It is supposed that she was disturbed in her mind consequent on domestic troubles and the fact that her husband was out of employment.

THE BRIDE AND THE VICTORIAN RAILWAYS.

About nine months' ago Edward Bowles and his wife, a couple in humble circumstances, went for a modest honeymoon trip to Sandringham, which is on the seaside some dozen or bo miles from Melbourne. By some trains during the day passengers have to change at Brighton Beach. By the particular train which carried the just-married couple, however, no changing was necessary, but Bowles believed it wa?, and he and his wife got out of their carriaga under that misapprehension. As the train started away on its journey thi-y rushed to get aboard, and the poor young woman slipped and foil Under the train, with the result that before she was rescued her left arm was so badly crushed that it had afterwards to be amputated, and she wag otherwise injured.

Bowles and his wife brought en action against the Railway Commissioner?, which was heard this week. The wife claimed £2000 as damages for her injuries, aud the huoband £1000 for the loss of her services aud society. The plaintiffs alleged that the accident was caused by the negligence of the railway officials in failing to give proper warning to passengers for Sandriogham to keep their seats and to assist passengers iv re-entering the train, and in starting the train too abruptly ; and by the defective lightiog of the platform The defence was a denial of negligence, and a plea that the plaintiff, Mrs Bowles, had been guilty of contributory negligence in attempting to re-enter the train while it was in motion.

The judge summed up against the plaintiffs, bat the jury gave them swinging verdicts. To Mrs Bowles they awarded tbe full sum she claimed, and to Mr Bowles £600 out of his £1000. As the jury were not required to explain on what grounds they based their verdict, the Railway Commissioners are left in the dark as to the point on which they or their servants were negligent ; but one thing they are determined upon is that strict prosecutions are to follow any attempt to enter a train in motion. The general impression is that the Railway department has been hardly dealt with.

A REMARKABLE GODMOTHER.

A baby-farming case in connection with which there are some very singular circumstances has been brought to the knowledge of the Collingwood police. Shortly before 11 o'clock on Friday night Constable Roxby, who was passing along Stanley street, Collingwood, was informed by Mrs Smith, a resident in that thoroughfare, that an old woman in a state of intoxication was lying asleep in a cab in a right-of-way close by with a young infant in her arms. The constable went to the lane pointed out by Mrs Smith, and in the cab found a well-known criminal, named Johanna Delaney, with an infant as stated. Naturally he locked her up. Next day he found the mother of the infant to be a domestic servant named Mary Furlong. The child was illegitimate. On Thursday she took it to be christened at St. Patrick's Cathedral. Father Keating declined to perform the ceremony without a godmother, as the father was not present. The woman Delaney, who happened to be close by, volunteered to act as godmother, and tbe offer was accepted. On leaving the cathedral the woman accompanied her part of the way home, and in course of conversation the mother of the child intimated that as she wa« in servicejshe would like some kind person to mind it for her, and she would willingly pay 53 per week for its support. Delaney stated that she' was registered under the Infant Life Protection Act as a nurse, and resided in Victoria parade, four doors below Wellington street, Collingwood. These statements were both false, but the girl trusted her and gave her 5s as the first week's payment and the infant. Mrs Delaney spent the 5s on drink as quickly as possible apparently.

SINGULAR SHOOTING ACCIDENT.

A sad shooting accident is reported from Western Australia. Three obildren of T. Ostle, late gardener at the'Subiaco Orphanage, were present when some goods were being unloaded at their house from a cart. Amongst the articles was a gun. ThinkiDg that it was unloaded, the eldest child, a little girl aged 10, picked it up and pointed it at her sister, aged five. The weapon < xploded, the whole of the charge being lodged ju the little girl and her brother, aged eight, who was standing close behind her. Both children were terribly injured in the legs. The little girl who had fired fainted and fell into a brook close by, but on recovering her senses she scrambled out of the water. Hearing her brother and sister screaming, she went to their assistance, and pulling dff her pinafore bound up tbe leg of her brother. Then, taking off her dress, she tore a strip from it and bound up her sister's injured knee. She then carried the child to a house about 400 yards off, and afterwards went for her .brother, but he was in too much pain to be moved, and preferred to stay where he had fallen. Thb little girl then ran through the bush a distance of two miles to where her parents were, and tolcLthem of what had happened. Medical assistance was summoned, and the children were attended to They are doing as well as c mid be expected, but the girl's leg had to be amputated at the thigh.

MISCELLANEOUS,

A letter arrived in Melbourne the other day addressed " To the Richest Man in Melbourne." It was from a young German, and, written ia his native language, conveyed the following uaive request: — "Sir, — Excuse me a< a perfect stranger in addressing a petition to you. At Easter I qualified for admission to the university. In order to lessen the expenses to my parents I apply to you to lend me a sum of money, amount at your option, though it should serve me for six years. If possibly I could not repay the loan, then it would be treated as if it had been made a present to me, which as the richest man in Melbaurna could not affecfc you much. Kindly address to care of Mr W. Grobe, in Tilfurt, Weimar, Germany, with the instruction to keep the letter for me. If neither you nor any of your friends are prepared to grant my request, I would need to apply to kinder and richer people in other directions. — H H." No one has claim-ad the missive so far.

An extraordinary cisc of sudden death occurred in Melbourne la&t Saturday afternoon Thomas Kallard, employed by a cork merchai.t, had received his wages from the aceountaLt, and having counted the money had remarked that it was 5a too much, when ho fell on the floor of the office and died immediately.

The Melbourne Argus is being sued for libel arising in a curious way. On the 10th March last the following marriage advertisement appeared :—": — " Edwards — Ross. — On the 9th ult., at Egerfcon, by the Rev. Moses Bull»s, James, second bon of Richard Edwards, Esq , .Vacuna, Mair street, Billarafc, to Nor*, third daughter of the late J>,h« Ross, Arcndale " As this was a bogus advertinemen 1 ; Miss R - >ps is bringing an action for libul. The defendants

applied to the Supremo Court tbo other day to hive it declared that to state a young girl was married was no libel ; bat though the girl's real name was Maggie and not Nora, and she was the second and not the third daughter of th» late Mr Ross, Mr Justice Hodgta decided against' them. The case will, thezefore, proceed.

The trustees of tho Sydney National Art Gallery, in accordance with the agreement enterbd into with the art galleries of Melbourne and Adelaide, have decided to lend the followiug. pictures:— To the Melbourne Gallery— "Tho Defence of Rorke's Drift," by De Neuville; "Wedded," by Leignton ; "A La Jete»,"by Barquette; "The Snake Charmer," by Dinet"; "lac R 9 lief of Leyden," by Gjw ; "An Old Friend Revisited." by Marks. And to the Adelaide Gallery — "Arundel Castle" by Cole • - The Widower," by Fildcs ; "The Firstborn," ~y Gasfcon La Touche ; "An Autumn Idyl," by Baneile; "Rising Mute," by Graham; "Shrimpers," by Cooke, R.A. The collection includes some of the finest art treasures of the Sydney Galltrv.

Mr W. D. Bear, the superintendent of fir brigades in Sydney, was robbed of a presenta tion gold watch and chain, valued at £130, the other night. The thief rushed up to him ia Bathurst street, snatched the watch out of his pocket, and made off bsfore he could be detained.

The Bell-Cole concert company are giving oratorio concerts in Sydney. On Saturday night at the " Messiah" "4000 people were present and 1000 were refused admittance Mr Maloney, M.L A. in the Victorian Parliament, has made a calculation showing thab Parliament costs the country £200 per hour. 4 public meeting for the purpose of forming a branch in Ballarat of the Woman's Franchise League was held in the Academy of Music last night, and was well attended. Tho speakers favourable to the movement were— Archdeacon Stretch, Mr J. W. Kirton, M.L A., the Revs T. R. Cairns and L. M. Isitt, Canon Morris, Messrs M 'Allen (president of the Trades and Labour Council), Buley, and the Rev. Mr Fraser. The meeting, which comprised a large number of women, carried the proposals by substantial majorities Tho Bishop of Ballarat presided, but intimated at the outset that he only consented to do bo on the understanding that his attitude was accepted as one of friendly neutrality. *