INTERCOLONIAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2209, 2 July 1896, Page 20

INTERCOLONIAL.

Melbourne, June 24. The Government have decided to prosecute the directors and auditors of the City of Melbourne Bank on a oharge of issuing a false balance sheet. The directors to be charged are Messrs Loader, Williamson, Roberts, and Collier, and tho auditors Messrs Burns and M'Quae. Bad weather is experienced throughout the country districts, and snow has fallen in several placed. A man- named Charles White was found dead, buried in the snow. . • June 26. Tho London Bank of Australia intends to release at once one-third of the deferred deposits, whioh are not duo till July 1900. June 27. Tbe Premier of, South Australia had an interview with Mr Turner to-day, and as a result the former will urge Queensland to adhere to the understanding at th&Hobart Conference to elect Federation delegates by the -people and not by Parliament, as Queensland now contemplates. June 28. The annual report on asylums shows that in Victoria 4000 ineane were under supervision last year, and that the present ratio is one insane to ever? 285 of the population. The cost of maintenance in the various asjlums is over L 97.000 a year. June 27. A reward of LIOO is offered for information leading lo the arrest of Geake, the absconding solicitor from Daylesford. He is believed to have left for America. SYDNEif. June 24. A sensational suicide occurred to-day. Montagrestl,-the manager of the Raymond terrace branch of the Joint Stock Bank, was recently prosecuted and acquitted on a charge of embezzling the moneys of the bank. Another charge was pending against him. While driving out he left "his baggy and blew his brains ont. Letters were found in which he protested his innooence, and complained that he was worried to death. In the Assembly Mr Lyne's motion was rejected by 63 to 32, and Mr Neild's amendment deprecating the lavish expenditure on the Dean Commission by 61 to 34. June 25. Tbe Premier has received a telegram) from the Premier of Western Australia, stating that his Government propose to immediately introduce the Federation Bill. This oompletes the chain of the Australian and Tasmanian federation scheme. The Cabinet has decided to reoommend the Governor to release the Mount Rsnnie prisoners. The Geo'rge-O. Perkins, from the Bluff, has arrived dismasted. She met the recent gale 400 miles off the land, and had a trying time. During a heavy luroh she loßt her main .topmast and lost the top hamper. Tbe position, of the ship was perilous till the wreckage was cut away. She shipped a lot of water, but the oargo of oats was unhurt, The death- sentence on the man Love has been commuted to imprisonment for life. The ground of recommendation *to mercy was that he had reoeived provocation by the sondu'et of his wife. The Mount Rennie prisoners will be released a few months hence, when they have served 10 years. The Government have appointed Professor Threlfall and the Government geologist a commission" to inquire into the fires on coal ships. June 27. News from Fiji reports that . the ship Scottish Dales, from Puget Soured to Port Pirie, timber laden, is rtotal wreck at Vatou Island, 220 miles south-east of Suva, Her bottom is apparently torn open from the bow to the mizzan mast. Her orew esoaped in two boats. The captain's boat reached Suva first, and as there were then no signs of the second boat, which was in charge of the chief officer, the warship Rlngarooma, went in search and found it. No lives were lost. June 29. The decision of the Land Board has been given in the 14 remaining cases' of alleged dummyism in connection with the Mercadool Block. The board found dummyism proven in each case, and recommend forfeiture ' of the whole of the selections, including that of Wilson, whose case was heard sqmo time ago. , Defendants will appeal against the decision. News from the Islands states that tribal fighting is rampant at Malay ta, in the .Solo.mon group. In revenge for a pi|?-stoaling expedition, a body of natives attacked a village and killed a dozen of the inhabitants, and since then the whole distriot has been es gaged in a retaliatory head-hunting expedition. \ Adelaide, June 26. . From correspondence presented to Parlia- . ment on the precedence question, it would appsar that if the matter is reported the Government will recommend that Legislative Councillors rank below members of the Legislative Assembly, and that the prefix " Honourable " be abolished on the ground that Councillors are elected . by only . a section of the community, while members of the Lower Ohambtr are returned on adult suffrage. Perth, June 29. A Swede named Andersen attempted to murder a 1 young woman named Watson to-night by shooting her. He fired two shots from a revolver, both of whioh took effect, but, fortunately, a vital spot was not struck, and there is every ohance of the girl recovering, though the wounds are severe. Anderson, after, as he supposed, despatching his victim, turned the weapon upon himself, and, the missile passing through his heart, death was almost instantaneous. No cause is assigned.