CABLEGRAM INTERCOLONIAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2170, 26 September 1895, Page 14

CABLEGRAM INTERCOLONIAL.

Melbourne, September 17. The revenue from railway passenger traffio waa L 450.000 less last year than in the year

1891, while the total revenue was little over L 200.000 more than 10 years ago, when there were 1470 miles less to operate. The commissioners point out that the deficit is equal to about 15 par cent, of the present revenue, and a very slight increase in traffic conld supply this -without necesoitatirg any lacreaso in oxpendrnre, Emanuol Abrahams has oonfessed that the recent illnezs which prevented bis attendance at court for sentence was a case of maM Tigering. September 19. Millers state that their returns this year prove that it takes 52 to 53 bushels of wheat to make a ton of flour, as against 49 to 50 bushels for the previous year, when the qaallty of the wheat was good. Tvkiug tho average of three bushalß additional per ton of Hour it will require over CBO.OOO bushels more to imka the same qnenihy of flour as was produced in th« colony last year, and to I that extent the quantity available for export i will be reduced. September 19. The Railway Bonrd report shows that tha net loss annually upon the ncu-ptiyiir'fr. lines fa a qunrttr of .a million, of which the suburban lines are responsible for L 25.000. They suggest a farther possible saving of 1 365,000 a jear. s At tbe annual maeticg o{ the Melbourne Permanent Building Society the direcfora 1 report showed that the net profUs had been hardly Fuflick-nt to mest tho reJaceri rafca ol inteteat under tho amended fcherap, The society had earned about 2£ per oeufc. on current debentures during the year. Debentures to the value of L 34 630 had been taken in excharga for properties standing in the society' 6 books at L 34.120. From the present condition of the real estate market the directors say they are convinced that this is the only way to clear off the liabilities to debenture-holders. September 21. Another case of alleged dummyism hi shares has been discovered here. The court has decided that the liquidator of the Mercantile Bank is liable to pay dividends on over L 24.000, the amount of uncalled capital in various companies, shares in wLich the directors of the bank placed in tho name o£ one of their clerks, who is now insolvent. September 23. Tv;o constables,- convicted of swearing falsely in the Synnot divorce case, have been dismissed the service. September 23. Mr Speight has appealed for a new trial in the Syme libel case. Argument ib proceed ing. The power to intercept gambling corres* pondence, which ha 3 driven consultation agents out of Victoria, is to be extended to letters cent to the other colonies. Sydney, September 17. Splendid vain continues to fall. Up to midnight thrte quirtera of an inch had been registered in Sydney. Rain fell generally through the lergth and breadth of tha colony, and some districts report the fall oc an inch. The rain is the mulfc of th 6 tropical disturbance which first came in afc Port Darwin on Saturday, and has Btnca travelled rapidly in a south-easterly direa* t!on. Gold shares, especially in West Australian mines, ate receiving a large and ktowlds

amount of attention. There are more Rales bow than for a long time past, and the market has a steady upward tendency. Indications of a Bpeoulative movement in 'Australian mines in London are infecting colonial investors. In the Assembly the Land and Income Tax Bill was read a third time by 54 to 24, and paeEed. Daan, who was reoently released after bavins; been convicted of attempting to poifion his wife, has been ordered to pay 12b 6d p«t wetk and six months' maintenance for bis wife. He bad previously made a voluntary offer to pay 10s and take charge of the child. September 18. At a meeting of farmers in the Junee district to adopt means to raise the price of Wheat by holding against a baying ring, the chairman stated that a New Zealand company was prepared to advance two-thirds of the price of all the wheat stored. A cable mesßxge has been received announcing that a power of attorney has been granted to a Sydney resident to take action la the Tichborne case. It is understood that when the document arrives steps will be taken to remove Cress well to E- gland ac Blr Roger. September 19. At Mark Twain's first lecture the celebrated hutnoriet had a splendid reception, the house being full to overflowing. In the Assembly the papers in referenoe to Mr Eddy's re-engagament were laid on the table. Should he accept an engagement for 8 further term of seven years at L3OOO .per annum, with a right to resign at any time by giving six month*' notice, he will withdraw the claim for arrears in respect to the promise of a former Government to give him an extra thousand a year for his last two years' term. The Premier stated that at Mr Eddy's repeated request the question of increasing his salary will not be submitted to Parliament. On the sth inst. and several following days a number of Oregon pine loers came ashore on the south-west aide of Lord Howe Island. They were slightly covered with j barnecle3, and have the appearance of hay- j Ing been in the water for about three weeks, i one log is marked "0 " on the end and another "W," io black paint. On May 5 lant there was pioked up on the south-west side of the island the glass globe of an Edison-Swan electric light. The New Sjuth Wales Legislative Assembly, in Committee, passed the Land and Income Tax Bills without amendment. An attempt to reduce- the land tax to a halfpenny was defeated, A loan bill, providing for the repayments of loan?, has passed all its stages. News from Noumea chronicles a severe drought. Consequently in some districts in Now Caledonia there is a great scarcity of grass, and cattle are dying in hundreds. September 20. Three members of two families at Lismore wore found to be suffering from smallpox. The French warship Scorff, after capturing the murderers of Fiangois Koesi, the wellknown French trader, who was shot by the natives of Santo Island (one of the New Hebrides group), had to take off the French missionary owing to the menacing attitude of the islanders. September 22. A telegram from GUbo Island to-night nays that a very heavy gale is blowing and a * tremendous sea is breaking over the island. Considerable damage has been done. The Broken Hill Proprietary Mine has j list declared the hundredth dividend. Since inception of the oompany upwards of .%6,3G8,000 has been distributed among c Bbareholders. September 23. The local fruitgrowers and exporters , .waited on the Premier urging him to use his [Influence to get the New Zealand Government to forego the duty on summer fruits. The Government medical officer declares that the Lismore cases aro not smallpox. Adelaide, September 19. The bill providing for the redaction of the Governor's salary from LSOOO to L4OOO passed through Committee in the South Australian Legislative Assembly withont Amendment. September 20. The Northern distriot, besides suffering Mverely from drought, is overrun by rabbita. ZThe mailman from Lake Hape reported that g& the last trip be saw an immense mob of

mbbita nillea wide and aa thick a» thpy could ' ran together, all heading south. They had evidently come through a gap in the Qioons-land-New South Wales border rabbit fenoe. The whole country was honeycombed with burrows, and was unsafe to ride acroes. Saptember 21. A bill has been introduced into tbe Legislative Assembly to increase the advances to village settlers from LSO to LIOO, and to give the Commissioner of Lands a power of veto in certain important matters over the decision of villagers and their boards of trustees. The latter power has been found necessary owing to the absence of a spirit of friendly co-operation among the villagers. Biusbane, September 20. Notwithstanding that a considerably large area is oropped, it is estimated that owing to the froßts, droughts, and other caueoa the sugar output this year will be 5000 tons less than last year. A good many crops are almost ruined. The directors of the Royal Bank of Queensland propose to pay off the balance of the first series of extended deposits, which are not due until 1898. This series includes 25 per cent of the whole. Perth, September 21. An important development has taken place in the IO U mine, Coolgardie. Simples gave prospects of nearly 25 jz to the ton. Hobart, September 19. A deputation of fruit -shippers and fruitgrowers waited on the Ta'.manian Treasurer, asking him to protest p gainst the New Zealand fruit duties. Tho Treasurer promised to cable to the Hon. J. G. Ward, pointing out that, if the duties were | insisted on Tasmania would be compelled to j retaliate. . __ September 21. ~|Cold weather is prevailing in Tasmania, and there was a slight fall of snow at Hobart on Friday night. The Legislative Council threw oat the Land Tax Assessment Bill.