INTERCOLONIAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2152, 23 May 1895, Page 19

INTERCOLONIAL.

Melboubne, May 15. The work of the income tax assessors in Victoria is almost completed, and it shows that tho total received from the tax is not likely to exceed L 160.000. The Treasurer (Mr Tamer) is disappointed at this result, as hia estimate was L 200.000. One interesting fact is that civil servants' salaries contributed L 50.000 of the tax. Under the agreement made by the Victorian Agricultural department frozen meat shipped to London by the Blue Anchor and Aberdeen Shipping Companies will be carried at f d per lb up to September, and thence to the end of May at |ths of penny. For rabbits, ponltry, and similar produce 70s per ton will be the freight to September, and 72s 6d after that date. May 17. The Hon. J. W. Taverner, Minister for Agriculture, will submit a bill next session to give comprehensive aid in developing the beet sugar industry. It is proposed to afford State aid to growers by means of a share in guaranteed loans for erection of sugar works and mills in local centres on the lines followed in Queensland. The Government

analyst is conducting experiments, and, pea& ing granting assistance, the Govern men! advise farmers to grow beet for cattle-feed-ing purposes. Mr Tavcrner is convinced tha colony can produce the sugar required by it, for which it now has to psy a million per annum. In connection with the outbreak of plenro on the Perthshire the Minister for Agriculture states that the greatost care was exercised in Victoria in examining expori meat and cattle, whereas there is no Government oversight in New South Wales or New Zealand. He is communicating with the other colonies urging the adoption of a uniform system of inspection and the positive necessity for guaranteeing Australian meat thoroughly wholesome. If disease is found on arrival in England it will 6icite a prejudice against it generally without regard to any particular colony. Two corporation contractor* havo been fined for paying smaller wages than the minimum stipulated in their contracts. The Age states that the Railway Standing Committee, as a broad result of its investigations, has practically come to the conclusion that not one of the lines suggested in the several parts of the colony presents a prospect of yielding a profitable return. The probability is the committee will recommend to Parliament the construction of one or two of the moat promising lines with the object of findiDg work for the unemployed. The Minister for Public Works is strongly opposed to building lines simply in order to provide work. He intends to utilise the narrow gauge where necessary, and will possioly effect a saving by converting a number of non-paying lines from broad to narrow gauge. The directors of the Goal Greek Company, Victoria, replying to the charges of the Argus that money paid to the company by the Govornment, to assist in the development of the mine, has been distributed among the shareholders in dividends, explain that it was not anticipated that imported coal would fall to present prices, and as there was such a want of money during the time of depression, they deemed it advisable to pay a dividend, bo as to give faith to the further development of the coal resources of the' colony. The Age says ono indication of the improvement of trado in Melbourne is that the factories throughout the city are working at such high pressure that the Minister for Lands is constantly receiving applications for exemptions from the Factories Act in order that employees may be allowed to work overtime. These applications are much more numerous than has been the case for a long; time. At a meeting of the Trust and Agency Company of Australasia the chairman said that the outlook was encouraging, and he congratulated the company on being able to maintain the payment of a dividend ont of. actual profits and refuse money at 3J per cent. Daring the year the sum of L 46.000 had been paid in advance calls and the amount of their debentures reduced by L 17.000. The Aberdeen and White Star liner Ninoveb, which will bo the first steamer to ship produce under the new agreement, leaves Melbourne on June 1. May 18. The Argas, in referring to the perrißtent insistence of the Agent-general of South Australia for colonial representation on the Monetary Conference, says that If by any fluke South Australia is allowed to send a silver delegate Victoria, Queensland, and New Zealand will have to eend gold delegates, as those colonies canuot permit their exceedingly large gold interests to be ignored for want of proper advocacy. The paper adds : " Th« peculiarity of South Australia's action is that that colodv produoes no silver and scarcely any gold ; and further, England cannot allow colonies to modify her polioy with regard to her own monetary standard. No doubt she would assent to any colony choosing a standard for itself, and would not pretend in the slightest degree to interfere . with its liberty of action, but she would claim the game liberty of action for herself." As a result of recent investigations and the Victorian Government giving notice to tho Coal Creek Company of the termination of their contract for the supply of railway coal, tenders have been called for the supply, as it is considered that it can be obtained much cheaper. May 19. A Ministerial visit has been paid to the villnge settlements in Bendigo district where many of the settlers were found in a destitute condition. Few attempts have been made to properly develop and cultivftle the land. Tbe Minister for Lands was greatly dissatiefied, and says the settlement has failed to accomplish the purpose intended by Parliament. May 20. The railway revenue for 10 months of the financial year shows a decrease of £132,000 as compsr&d with the Fame period la&t year. The Government have .received information that spuriona diplomap, purporting to be issued by the High School of Engineering affiliated to Ghent University, are being circulated. May 21. The Minister for Railways stated in the Legislative Assembly yesterday that unless there was to be a change in the gauge of tho railways the work of construction might be regarded as at an end for the present. Tbey could not pfford to construct lines at the cost that bad been obtained in the past. Sydney, May 15. The statement of the public debt of New South Wales colony shows that at the end of Docember last it totalled L 58.200.000. The annual interest payable thereon is L 2.205.000. The total interest paid since the first lean was raised has been L 30.373.000. May 16. The last American mail brought a large number of applications from American sportsmen and speculators for shares in tho St. Albans stud lottery. May 17. A large business continues in Sydney In silver stooks, but prices are irregular. No less than 13 actions involving heavy claims for damages are on the tapis against the Railway Commissioners in connection with the Redfern collision in October Im4»

May 19. Lady Doff has le£b Sydney for Melbourne, where nbe joins the steamer Victoria en route for London. An influential meoticg of Sydnsy citizens decided to erect a national monument to the late Sir John Robertson. May 20. The troopship Tyne, with relief crews for H.M.B. Dart and Mtldura, has arrived. Claims for compensation on account of tbe Eedfern railway collUion range as high bb 1,30,000. Fifteen cases have been settled at a total cost of £3600. Claims for LIBOO are still pending. Mr Wileon, one of those who was seriously injared, withdrew all his claims, declaring that the accident was unavoidable, therefore ifc was unfair to ask for compensation. May 14. The Postmaster-general has received a cablegram from Vancouver from the agents of the Canadian mail steamers asking if he will allow the Warrxmoo to call at Auckland on the return trip to land the Hon. J. G. Ward. This is believed to be the thin end of the wedga to getting the Canadian line of steamers to call regularly at New Zealand. Adelaide, May 15. Messrs Blackmore and Palmer, New Zealand pomologists, are visiting the fruit-grow-ing districts of South Australia. They will endeavour to obtain as many samples of dried fruits as possible, and exhibit them in New Zealand. May IG. Mr M. Davitt delivered his first lecture in the Town Hall, Adelaide, on Wednesday evening, and received an enthusiastic reception from an immense audience. Sir G. M. O'Rorke, who is at present on a visit to Adelaide, is Rtrongly of opinion that the treaty between Sooth Australia and New Zealand will be ratified by the New Zealand Parliament. May 17. There Is a miniature boom in the shares of Borne Broken Hill mines known to contain sulphide ores, owing to the discovery by Mr Ashcroft, electrician of the Proprietary mine, of a successful process of extracting the zinc by electrolysis. May 18. As an outcome of the Chicago Exhibition, U world's transportation commission, who are making a toar of the world, have arrived here. The commission are making an inspection of all known railway systems, and collecting information for establishing a system of correspondence, which, it is hoped, in years will become of great service to all countries. The commission have already visited France, Egypt, acd India, and after touring the Australian colonis^go to New Zealand. May 21. Mr Hawker, who is reported in to-day's cablegrams as to be included in tbe Birthday honours, 1b dying. Brisbane, May 15. The directors of the Royal Bank of Queensland are arranging, by the issue oE 4 per cent, debentures, to pay off the deposits looked up under the reconstruction scheme. One-half of the first instalment has already been paid, although it is not due till 1898. The second half will be paid shortly. The bank last year reduced the amount due to the Government by L 160.000, as the directors considered that the operations fettered the reconstruction scheme. Rabbits areawarming over the New South Wales border into Queensland and devastating the country. Consequent en the outbreak of pleuropneumoma on the steamer Perthshire the Government of New Zealand have advised tbe Queensland Government tbat vessels from Queensland with cattle on board will be prohibited from calling at New Zealand ports. An important discovery of coal has been made at Gawrie, in the Toowoomba district. A seam of good coal, 3£ft thick, was struok 40ft from the surface and traced for two miles. May 19. Mr Wragge has established an experimental observatory on the summit of Mount Wellington, Tasmania, and claims that if a proper observatory is erected it will prove as much value to tbe Southern Hemisphere as tbe one on Ben Nevis is to the Northern Hemisphere. May 20. The two kanakas sentenced to death for the murder of a white man at Bundaberg were executed in Brisbane Gaol to-day. In each case death was instantaneous. Hobart, May 18. Tbe Treasnrer intends enforcing the payment of LBO.OOO of Government funds locked up in tbe Van Diemen's Land Bank when the bank collapsed. The Government had arranged to allow the claims conditionally to stand over, but the Treasurer now says that tbe trustees failed to fulfil their agreement, and it will be necessary to enforce payment. Tbe bank pretest, and tbe matter is being referred to tbe Law department.