AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

Otago Witness, Issue 224, 28 May 1896, Page 19

AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

Sydney, May 23. A storm in a teapot was occasioned by tbe alleged inbospitality of the Premier towards tbe Hon. Mr Tozer, of Queensland, during his recent visit'to Adelaide and Broken Hill. It seems that when Mr Rtid was in Brisbane he invited Mr Tozer, who intended to travel for the benefit of bis ht«lth, to accompany him as far as Adelaide. Mr Tozer alleges that he also invited him to go to Broken Hill, but the Labour members accompanying the p^rty brought pressure to bear to get Mr Tozcr to abandon his intention to go to Broken Hill. The Queensland press are bitter over the alleged slight. Mr Reid denies that he invited Mr Tozer beyond Adtlaido, he himself being only invited as a gue«t, or that any Labour member broached the matter to him. He had, however, found that one of his colleagues had told Mr Tozer th.*t the Labour members did not like the idea of Mr Tozer accompanying the party. When the latter heard of the objection he refrained from going. Mr Tozer, it will be remembered, was the Queensland Minister who took such firm steps te put down lawlessness during the labour troubles in the northern colony ; consequently it can b3 easily understood that he was not a persona grata with the Labour section. The assumed ignorance of judges on the bench in regard to current topics and events is to a layman amusing, aud at times approaches the absurd. A fine instance of this kuowno'bingDess of the judges was manifested in the Dean di force case. Mrs Dean sued for a divorce on the grounds that her husband had attempted to murder her, and the following colloquy took place between the judge and Mrs Dean :— The Judge: "Was he convicted?" Mrs Dean: "Yes." "Was he hanged?"— •• No ." " Was he pardoned ? "— " Yes " The point in the application which the jut'ge sought time to consider is whether the pardon doe 3 not destroy the ground on which the petitioner | set ks relief. The now famous pardon was presented to the judge for inspection by Desn's counsel. Ultimately the judge elected to avail I hm«elf of the wisdom of the Full Court on the point. An ifficial explanation is now forthcoming in regard to (he increased squadron vote. It is to the effect that £60.000 ia the estimated sum which the Imperial Government have to coßtribute tor the year ending 1897 in order to comply with the agreement between England and j Australia for the proper maintenance of the auxiliary squadron. It is not intended to make j any chiuge in the rcstrva ships. Whether or not there were Any grounds for a more hopeful' feeling in reference to the recovery of trade which during the past few months has found expression in commercial circles, the annual report of the Labour Bureau shows that the congestion of the labour market is increasing rather than decreasing. Last year 14,062 unemployed registered at tue bureau, and altogfther 20,200 in the preceding year. Daring tbe last tbrce years 22,327 men nave been sent fossicking at a cost for railway fares, &c. of over £50,000, of which £40,000 remains unrefuuded. The manager of the bureau considers that water conservation and irrigation works are the best and only permanent remedy for solving the unemployed difficulty. He suggests tbe establishment if industrial homes as a cure for habitual loafers, who sorely hamper the operations of the bureau. The Vice-Admiralty Court had to deal with a novel case iv the shape of an application for attachment for contempt of the owner of the ship Oakland. A warrant was issued in connection with a claim against the ship, and a bailiff placed on board. The owner was infortaed that his vessel was under arrest, but as he was just ready to sail it was too late tbat night to make arrangements for satisfying tbe claim. The owner notified that he intended tending the bailiff away. The police went iv pursuit and brought him back. In spite of the protest of the marshal the owner again ordered the captain to sail for Oakland, Mid he departed on a coastal trip, taking the bailiff as an unwilling passenger. The owner's defence was that there had been an abuse of process in the court arresting the ship just as she was about to start on her voyage with a number of passengers and a perishable cwgo on board. He expressed regret if he bad been guilty of «ny contempt of the urders of tbe court. The Chief Justice said that ib was not only guilty of contempt, but also of as.aalt, in taking away au officer of the court. At the same time when the warrant was served it was a most unreasonable time, and the owner was placed in a very difficult position. Tbe marshal, however, was not to bUme. He did not excuse tbe committing of an act of grave contempt, but under tbe circumstances he felt justified in accepting the owner's apology, and

ordering him to pay costs. He took occasion to remark that it was the duty of the watar police to have prevented the removal of the ship at any cost, though the ncvelty of the position acquitted them of any blame. Wright, teller of the Union B*nk, Las been arrested on a charge of embezzling £70. lie confessed to taking £1000 in gold from a safe, and explained tbat £70 ocly was taken on the day of his arrest. With this monoy ho went'to tbe Rosehill races in the hope of backing a " csrtainty," but instead he lost every penuy. The bank authorities were aware that the gold was misning, the accused having replaced it with a bag containing £35 worth of silver coin. In the Assembly notice haa been given by a private member to introduce a bill pubsdituting penal servitude for capital punishment. Charles Kiugnley, with "Alton Ijocke," hr.s made a convert of Mr Copelaud, a member of tbe late Dibbs Government. According to Mr Copaland it would seeoi that more sweating goes on over Government contracts than over any other. To meet the evil he wi-hes the Government to efet>bU?h a. State boot and clothing factory, where the boots and clothing of all Government employees may be manufactured. The hon. member did not care whether be was called a State Socitlist or not, so long as good resulted. In his new-found fervour he was agreeable to the Railway department having its own coal mine or a umaU arm* factory being established for the colony's usa. Therefore we m*y hope to see the civil servants clothed and booted ia a style peculiar to the Government tailoring and bootmaking shop. Whilst Mr Copeland must be given credit for the best intensions, it looks like a bid on the part of the Opposition for the vote of the labour interest. Mr Watson, as the mouthpiece of the Labour party, said that his party did not care who gave them assistance so long as it was g'von. He hoped that the Government would see (heir way to do something towards establishing such a factory. Mr Reid deprecated interference with private establishments so long as tbe Government had guarantees that they paid full wages, but he h*d entire sympathy with those who said that they ought to have their boots made in the colony. Tbe rapid spread of the serious ravageoof the tick disease among eto:k in Queensland is causing much alarm to local efcockown n rs. The mater was mentioned in the Assembly, and the Minister for Agriculture exhibited a dumber of ticks discovered in a Queensland hide found in a Sidney warehou-e. It was stated tbat the G.ivtfrnmt-nt were taking stringent measures to prewnt tbe spread of the disease into New South Wales, and had issued a proclamation prohibiting the introduction of cattle and horses from tick - infested districts ; while special inspectors of polica had been posted along tbe border to prevent stock from crossing unless they were carefully inspeded. The Queensland Government are co-op»rattng in every possible way t;> prevent fie spread of tick to New South Wales. Subsequently a bill was carried through all its stages as a matter of urgency providing for inspection of Queensland hides and prohibiting their importation from the infected districts'. Tae Queensland Government are using every effort to cheok the spread of the pest. The infested areas are strictly proclaimed, aud no cattle are allowed to be exported. They are also supplying advice and remedies to the cattleowners. Melboubwb, May 23. Some interesting work was done by black trackers in their eff jrb to trace the scoundrel who attempted to wreck a mail train. The present outrage harmonises in its details with the attempt to wreck the Bendigo train in February last by mcaus of false points made of hardwood. In this attempt the would-be wrecker ma.de no attempt to cle^r away the traces of bis work, but tha man on the last occasion must have stood by to sco the effect, and when it failed he cleared away with the wood used. Black ttackers proved that the culprit bad carried a saw, using ib as a walking stick, and traced its indentations, as well as the impressions of sewn boots, wide soled, without nails, to within a short distance of a farmhonse near by. The police examined all the farm hands, and discovered one who wore boots exactly fitting to these imprints. The man's employers, however, confirm bi« assertion that ha wag in bei at the time tb.it the devilish work was performed at the railway line. The absence of any motive prevents the police from making an arrest at present. During the week the death occurred of Mr John Robb, the well-known railway coßtractor. Deceased was conreoted' with some of tha most (important works since the foundation of the colony. It was he who removed one of Melbourne's historic landmarks— viz., Batman* Hill, wliero the Spencer street railway station is now situated. His greatest railway work in Australia was the Cairns raihv&y in Queensland, which cost an enormous sum. In one arbitration case on this line tbe costs of both parties were Bet dowa at £50,000. Adelaids, May 23. The question of precedence at tha official functions has again cropped up owing to Sir Richard C. Baker, President of the Legislative Council, having declined the Governor's official invitation to attend the Queen's Birthday dinner. Not only so, bat Sir R. B*ker also net fieri his intention to decline to attend any similar function until the table of precedence was altered. The table places the President of the Council and the Speaker cf the Assembly, not only after the members of the Executive Council arjd Cabinet, but after exmembers of the Executive who are entitled to the prefix of "honourable" to their names. The trouble is au old-standing one. In July last the Couocil sought to assert its dignity by presenting an address to the Lieutenant governor praying him to take the necessary steps to accord the President and the official representative of the Council the precedence which the importance and dignity of the Cour-cil require. The prayer of this petition was ig-iored. Interestiug correspondence on the matter is promised when Parliament metts.