INTERCOLONIAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2368, 20 July 1899, Page 16

INTERCOLONIAL.

MELBOURNE, July 11.

Sir George Turner opened the federal campaign yesterday. H_e said that he» only consented to the federal capital being fixed ia New South Wales on condition that it should be for some time in Mel-< bourne. He assured New South Wales that Victoria would stick to her agreement.

A young married woman named Jockinsen, residing at Richmond, killed her in-< fant by cutting its throat with a razor.! She then attempted to commit suicide.. She is mentally deranged.

A serious collision has taken place in th* bay between the steamers Edina and Ex* celsior. The former struck the Excelsior amidships.

The Excelsior sunk in 15 minutes.

Both steamers were. crowded witK p'dg« sengers. It is believed all are safe, though 25 were Injured by the shock. - ..

Dr Wilson, head master of the Brighton Presbyterian Ladies' College, waft serious'ig

'injured by being thrown down the companion way. The Edina is leaking slightly.

July 12. Both Houses have adjourned until August I, pending the Federal Referendum.

The woman Butler has been remanded jptl the charge of murdering her father. •

The Edina-Excelsior collision took place during a dense fog. Mr Wilson's arm is" broken and his hand crushed ; Miss Haley las a nasty wound in her thigh ; Mrs Pride a scalp wound ; Samuel Fowler, the lookout man, injured ribs. " The above are the most serious cases. A number of £he others received severe shocks.

The Edina and Excelsior have traded for years past between .Melbourne and Geelong. The Edina is an iron steamer of 225 tons net register, built" in 185*1 by Messrs Barclay, Curie, and Co., of Glasgow, and owned by iMessrs Howard, Smith, and Sons; while the Excelsior was a steel vessel of 172 tons net, ibuilt at Southampton in 1882 by* Messrs Day, Summers, and Co., and owned by the Hud-dart-Parker Proprietary.

July 13.

- The Edina has been docked. She has several plates in the forward part badly damaged. Mrs Irides's hip was dislocated.

- The Victorian Postmaster-general agrees "with the Postmaster-general of New South Wales that the Pacific cable should be in 3uplicate. If only one line is laid at first there should be an understanding that a second will be constructed in the very immediate future.

In a forecast of the Governor's Speech reference is made to federation and the Government programme in connection with the question. As soon as Victoria has passed the bill an address to the Queen will be prepared. Bills dealing with early^ closing, fisheries, friendly societies, consolidation of the mining laws (with special amendments affecting gold dredging), a Judicature Bill embodying important changes of procedure, a bill extending the area of municipal government and State guarantee, municipal loans, and Old Age Pensions Bill will be presented for consideration.

An aged couple named Shelley were ■burnt to death at Ballarat through the upsetting of a lamp.

July 17.

'As an outcome of the agitation over the Pacific cable scheme, the Eastern Extension Company have made an important proposition for an improved service between Australia and England. The company entirely waive their demand for- a -renewal of the subsidy for 20 years in consideration of their laying a cable via the Cape, and they do not ask for any guarantee against competition such as was proposed in February, 1898. They further, in addition to providing a cable from the Cape all the way to Glenelg, via Perth, agree at once to reduce the tariff to 4s per word, and will also make a further reduction on a sliding scale as the traffic increases.

In_ return for this the company only require the same privilege in Perth, Adelaide, and Melbourne as they have hitherto enjoyed in Great Britain — viz., directly distributing and collecting their international telegrams to and from the public. It is stated that the line will cost about one million and a-half sterling, that it will hs constructed of the best materials, and capable of transmitting messages at the greatest speed ; the cable to be under the joint control of the Australian, South African, and British Governments.

SYDNEY, July 11.

The Postmaster-general, in an interview, said that if the present developments are based on the old arrangement the Government would be compelled to construct the Pacific cable in duplicate to prevent being at the ;mercy of the Eastern Extension Company. ■It would probably take four or five years- tc construct the line. Meantime they must make some arrangement with the Eastern Company, whose agreement expires in April next. His opinion on the representation is that the whole committee should consist of nine members, Australia being represented in the proportion of four to five. Under the present proposal New Zealand would have representation equal to about one-third, whilst her stake was not nearly as great as that of New South Wales. He estimates that the rale, to be profitable, will have to be 4s 6d jper word.

The gale continues. Many vessels are returning to port and running in for shelter. There is a good rainfall, and it is general

throughout the colony,

The Chingtu has arrived with the first shipment of the new season's tea.

July 12.

The German warship Falke has arrived from Samoa. Her officers emphatically deny the truth of Cardinal Moran's statement that British officers were urged to fire on a Catholic mission.

July 13.

- Baker, who recently hanged his child and was subsequently found insane, sensationally committed suicide in Darlinghurst Gaol. He eluded the vigilance of the keeper, dashed up a couple of flights of stairs, and hurled, himself to the concrete floor below. The fall shattered his skull.

The Governor's Speech at the opening of Pariiaaxenfc to-morrow will propose the

establishment of grand committees to deal with some of the principal measures introduced, with the object of economising time.

July 17.

The latest proposals by the Eastern Extension Cable Company have caused surprise in Sydney. The Government have received no official intimation of them. The impression prevails that the move is taken to influence Victoria to throw in her lot with the western colonies against the Pacific route.

Leading business men here express a preference for the Pacific line, arguing thafc the Cape route will follow in the naturalmarch of events.

It is probable that the new proposals' will, necessitate a conference of delegates from the various colonies.

BRISBANE, July 11

Mr Wragge predicts very stormy weather, and that high seas are approaching the North Island of New Zealand. '

July 12.

■ During the heavy weather at Moreton Bay a boat capsized, drowning a man named Fitzgerald. Another boat, with four occupants, is missing.

. ' July 13. The Premier strongly urges that one representative should be allowed each colony at the Cable Conference, including New Zealand, with a proportionate increase for Canada and England.

ADELAIDE, July 11

News has been received that the lugger Midge, with a crew of four coloured men, is missing from Port Darwin. Itis believed she foundered in the recent gale. . .

July 12.

Fred Goold, first mate of the Ocean Ranger, has been sentenced to eight weeks' imprisonment for stealing an anchor and chain which was dragged up in the Kaipara Harbour, and for which the captain was responaible to the Kaipara authorities.

The excitement over the telluride find in the far north continues. Claims are changing hands at big prices.

July 13.

The overland telegraph line with Port Darwin is interrupted at Powell's Creek.

July 15.

• The Airlie, which lias been ashore for some time on E^ist Vernon Island, has been floated with apparently little damage. The Midge is supposed to have foundered in the late gale. She carried five white passengers in addition to her crew.

July 17.

Another extensive find of gold-bearing country is reported 300 miles north-west of Port Augusta. The specimens are rich and highly mineralised.

PERTH, July 11.

The revenue of the colony for the year is £276,000 below the previous year, and £450,000 below the Premier's estimate.

July 13.

In' the Legislative Assembly the Premier said that if Parliament amended the Federal Enabling Bill into a shape that the other colonies were not agreed upon it would be useless to submit it to the people. He suggested the appointment of a committee to consider the financial clauses as they affected West Australia.

The barque Carlisle Castle, bound from Liverpool to Fremantle, was totally wrecked at Rockingham during the night.

There is no trace of any survivors,

The ship City of York, Captain Jones, bound from San Francisco to Fremantle, went ashore at Rottnesfc Island last night.

Twelve of the crew are missing. Eight others were taken by a steamer to Fremantle.

A search steamer has' been despatched for traces of those missing from both disasters.

Much valuable cargo belonging to the Carlisle Castle is strewn along the beach.

The barque Carlisle Castle was a vessel of 1484- tons gross. She was built in London in 1868 by Messrs R. and 11. Green for Mr J. Robertson. She was 229.8 ft in length, 37.8 ft in breadth, with a depth of 22.8 ft. Liverpool was her port of registry and also her port of survey. The City of York is an iron ship of 1218 tons grosß, built in Glasgow in 1869 by Messrs J. Elder and Co. for Messrs G. Smith and Sons. Her port of registry ir Glasgow.

July 14.

The Government Actuary's report on the financial provisions of the Commonwealth Bill, presented to Parliament, shows an annual loss to the colony of at least £333,000.

HOBART, July 12.

P. Booers, of Waihou, Auckland, wins the first prize, worth £1044, and S. T. Gee, Mangaweka, Wanganui, the second prize, worth £391, in Tattersall's sweep on the Victorian Grand National Hurdle Race.

July 13.

The Treasurer read the Financial Statement in the Legislative Assembly. The revenue for the year has increased £63,000 compared with the previous year. He estimated there would be a surplus for the present year of £90,000.

KALGOORLIE, July 11.

The whole of the copper plates, containabout, £1000 worth, of cold* have been

stolen from the Kalgoorlie Mint and Iron King battery.