INTERCOLONIAL. Melbourne, February 23.

Otago Witness, Issue 2244, 4 March 1897, Page 13

INTERCOLONIAL. Melbourne, February 23.

i The German gte?.mer Essen had an excit-

Sydney, February 23. The natives at Aoba, in the New Hebrides, captured a white trader named Dunoan, and tied him to a tree. They kept him for three days for the purpose of fattening him, and j he was then killed and eaten. Febrnary 24. j The Rev. Mr Woolnougb has been elected i president of the Wesleyan Conference. \ Febrnary 25. Speer, the late city treasurer, has been sentenced to six years' imprisonment for embezzlfng nearly L 3700. The court also ordered the payment of LSOO onfc of his property, in wbioh event it recommended a reduction of the sentence by one year. The Great Mercury Gold-mining Company, Thames, has decided to go into liquidation with a view to re-forming with a large capital. s February 26. Shooksof earthquake have been experienced in the Bega and Cooma districts. February 27. Information has been received that the German-Australasia combination will send out a preliminary expedition to the Antarctic regions during the ooming summer under the leadership of Dr Julius yon Payer, Aroticexplorer and scientist. March 1. News by the mail states that some English papers affirm that Lord Rosebery is taking a long-intended colonial tour, that be has joined the steamer Austral, and is travelling incog, as Mr Primrose. Good rain has set in along the Darling, and will likely spread over the colony. Very cold weather is being experienced on the high lands, and Kiandra reports 3deg. below freezing point. Adelaide, February 24. The Rev. Joseph Berry has been chosen president of the Wesleyan Conference. March 1. Splendid rains have fallen throughout the colony. Oodnadatta reports the best general rain for two years, completely breaking up the drought. Perth, February 26. Sir John Forrest ha* accomplished a record among Australasian Premiers, having been in office continuously for six years. The moßt surprising stone ever produced in the field has been brought from the Ivanhoe mine. It resembles ordinary pipeclay, and a vein of copper stained with ironsand runs through it, showing fine gold. If j there is any body in the material the find is j likely to create a sensation. I