INTERCOLONIAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2240, 4 February 1897, Page 13

INTERCOLONIAL.

Melbotjbne, January 26. The preliminary Government returns of the wheat harvest estimate the yield at 6.775,000 bushels, being an average of i 12 bushels to tbe acre. January 27. The report of the Broken Hill Proprietary Company shows a profit for the six months ended November of LI 53,000, of which LH4.000 was distributed in dividends. Armstrong, the missing steward of the Oceana, has surrendered himself to the police. He states that he knew nothing about the robbery. He has been detained as a deserter from the steamer pending inquiries. Febrnary 1. An old woman named Johanna Hurst has been arrested for tbe murder of her husband at East Kilmore. Both had been drinking heavily on Saturday night, and the woman alleges that she left her husband sleeoine off the effects on tbe floor. The

police found the man de.-\d next morning, with wounds on his head, and t-lso dißOOvered a pickaxe covered with blood. ( Sydney, January 26. Mr Fred Gartis, assistant-purier of tha Waihora, died suddenly while swimming at the Natatorium last evening, f The Hon. J. N. Brunker (the Colonial j Secretary), not Attoruay-general Want, will { be the third Ministerial caudldate for thu Federal eleotions. ; January 27. , The Tanais brings details of a tragddy at ' Noumea, An ex-conviot employed by Mr Lavergne, the Government interpreter, i armed with a gun and axe att&oked Mrs Lavergne, who took refuge in her house. Nothing daunted, the man out down the door twice and shot the servant, who oim« to her mistress's assistance, and with one blow of tho axe cut off the woman's arms. At this juncture Lavergne's son, 12 years ot age, shot the man dead. January 28. Sir J. Thurstou is rauoh improved iv health J and visits Sydney in tho coarse of a few dayf. January 29. With a view of combating tha phylloxera pest the MinUter for Agriculture has decided to import 100,000 Cufctinga of phylloxera-resisting vines to replace tbe old stock. Ab th« half-yearly meeting o! tha Joint Stock Bank the report was adopted. It showed that p.fter providing interest on deposits and inscribed stock and other i charges there was a loss of L 48.200, Against wbfoh a balance of L 21.264 bud beer brought forward from the last half-year, leaving L 26.933, which had been written off the old ' reserve fund. The ohairman explained that tha loss was the result of the high interest paid on ftx«d deposits. An interesting discovery with the Rontgen rr>y« has been made by Mr Filmer, eleotrical engineer to the Railway department, J Hitherto the radiographs produced showed \ foreign substances in bodies, but failed to j demonstrate the depth they were embedded. Mr Filmer shot a bird and took radiographs from two different angles. He developed these in the usual way and placed them in an ordinary stereoscope, and obtained a dear, well-defined stereoscopic view, giving an excellent perspective, and enabling him to locate to a nicety tbe fatal pellet. The whole internal arrangement of the bird was oloarlj defined. The discovery will, to a etreat extent, obviate the probing of wounds now necessary. January 31. The final returns of the voting on the Methodist union question in New South Wales show : For union, 10,617 ; against union, 3387. The total voting papers issued amounted to 23,183. February 1. A railway accident occurred at Redfern j I station to-day at the same place as tbe ; previous disaster. An incoming passenger i train wae pulling into the platform when an outgoing passenger train dashed into the front car — a smoking carriage, containing 12 passengers. The oar was smashed and unroofed and toppled over. The passengers scrambled throngh the roof, four or five being very slightly injured. Tbe second car, containing Eix passengers', was partially derailed and damaged. Fortunately both trains were going slowly and palled up quickly. A petition is being prepared to present to Mr G. H. Reid, the Premier, signed by the leading shipping and commercial men in Sydney, asking for co-operation with Victoria to provide a mall subsidy to tbe New Hebrides. The petition refers to the strong effort being made to oust Australian interests in the New Hebrides. This effort, it is alleged, ; is a political one, supported by a foreign i nation, and will culminate in annexation by ! the destruction of Australian interests, which j have hitherto proved an effective bar. Adelaide, January 26. An intoxicated man named Drummond fatally stabbed a railway olerk named King at the Semaphore railway station. Drummond has been arrested. A -woman named Hammey committed suicide by pouring a tin of kerosene over herself, and than locking herself into a room and setting fire to her clothes. The Oceana has arrived here. The detectives are still without a clue to the robbery ; but it is reported that the steward who joined the vessel at Sydney is missing. • Jannary-28. - - The Oceana hag Bailed for Home. There is still no clue to the gold robbery. Pbeth, January 27. A sensational find of alluvial gold is reported near Eemowaa, A prosoeotor

naiced Hurst found a 6Ooz nugget and aeveral smaller pieces. All the surrounding country has been pegged one. A shocking tragedy has occurred at Wagin. Priscllla Rawaon stabbed and killed h«r father. When arrested she said that her father was constantly ill-treating her, and that her attack on him was prompted by a blow with a broom handle. Brisbane, January 26. Mr Moorebead hat iiaued a olrontar to the shareholders of tbe Queensland. National Bank stating that he is a candidate for reelsctior. to tha directorate. Tbe announcement is regarded as an indication chat the commission's aobeme of reconstruction has noc been fully adopted. Janunry 27. A doable murder Is reportei at Dunwioh Asylum. Tommy AnJgo, a Soulh Soa Islander, attacked and killed two other inmates — Thompson and Seeong, a Chinaman— with a heavy iron rod. Anigo afterwards attempted to out his own throat, but was prevented uoiag himself muoh harm. The Chinaman was taunting Anigo, who turned on him anc attacked him. Thompson bad gone to the assistance of the Chinaman. Hobabt, January 26. Mrs Blackwell, a passauger for Wellington by the Kaikocra, jumped overboard on the voyage out and was drowned. ' Mr Joseph Parker was found dead in hi* bed at Stockwell, apparently from illnes?. His wife was also found dead shot through the head. The pffair is at present wrapped in mystery, January 28. H.M.S. Orlando and Royalist have sailed for New Zealand. The Royalist replaces the Wallaroo as senior vessel on the New Zealand station. January 29. The half-yearly meeting of the Bank of Van Diemen'a Land was held yesterday. The report showed that the indebtedness bad been reduced to LIBI,OOO. It was intended to ask depositors to accept a reduction of tbe composition of 10a in the pound for the balance of thtir indebtedness.