INTERCOLONIAL. MELBOURNE, December 5.

Otago Witness, Issue 2389, 14 December 1899, Page 13

INTERCOLONIAL. MELBOURNE, December 5.

The Age considers that the defeat of Sir 6. Turner robs Vict6ria of the first Federal . Premier, and is of opinion, that the honour"' . will now go to New, South Wales. December 8. At the Kauri Timber Company's annual meeting a satisfactory report a«d balance sheet were submitted. "A dividend at the rate of 2£ per cent, was declared. The ' liquid assets amounted to £96,929, and current liabilities to £101,913. The assets ' increased by nearly £17,000, and the liabilities decreased by £25,000, compared with the previous year. Since August, 1898, the amount owing to the bank has been reduced by £35,367. A terrific hurricane swept over Bairnsdale, unroofing a number of buildings and ruining crops. The township of Lindenow also suffered great damage. December 9. There is intense heat throughout the colony. The thermometer registered 103deg in the shade in Melbourne, and it is much higher than this in other districts. Four young men, named Kiley, Davis, ' Mead, and Sutherland, were bathing at Murrumbidgee. The first two became en- ! gulfed in a quicksand, and the others went to their .assistance,- but all four were.' drowned. The Legislative Assembly adopted a motion giving the House power to elect any one of its members Deputy-Speaker if the Speaker and the Chairman 'of Committees both happen to be absent, thus ■ preventing a repetition of this week's "' count out." SYDNEY, December 7. The Premier promised to see what could . be done to hold an exhibition in Sydney in 1902 to celebrate the birth of the Aus1 tralian Commonwealth. December 8. A movement is afoot, backed by the ' Seamen's Union, to obtain an increase in ' the wages of firemen and seamen on the coastal and intercolonial traders. Two sisters named Evans, who were out of work and in distressed circumstances, took chlorodyne. One is dead and the other is in tha hospital at present. December 9. The steamer Gladstone, from Manawatu, ! has arrived. A fire amongst her cargo I was discovered, and the lime thrown over- 1 i board on reaching the wharf. The damage to the vessel is very slight. j One of the Evans girls, who were out of work and took chlorcdyne, was a cripple. It is supposed that they recently came from Wellington. Sir Matthew Harris has been re-elected Mayor of Sydney. ; December 10. ' The warship Tauranga sailed yesterday for Auckland..

December 11. It has now been discovered that th« name of the girls' who took poison was not Evans, but Gibbons, and that some years .since they lived in Wellington. Eastern news to hand states- that a small force of French troops, when reconnoitring in the vicinity of Kwang'-chan-wan, were attacked by bands of armed Chinese. A spirited engagement ensued, but the Chinese were ultimately routed, leaving a hundred dead and wounded on the field. The French had three men wounded. Eastern news reports affairs in the Philippines as very quiet, and that there had not been any fighting during the wefc | season! The country is one vast swamp. Official opinion at Manila is to the effect that the insurgents will ba practically defeated by the beginning of March. 1 ADELAIDE, December 5. The Registrar-general estimates the j wheat yield of the colony at seven bushels I an acre. 1 PERTH, December 8. ' The alluvialists charged with stealing washdirt have been granted bail.COOLGARDIE, December 5. A miner has told an extraordinary story to the police. He states that he was ascending the x mine when another 'miner 1 , beat him back with a heavy stick. He , "tried* s'cveraPf lines to J "ascend, ''but was' ! similarly treated,, and was then kept imprisoned for -two days> and three nights. His opponent also threw down three plugs ! of dynamite, with a burning' fuse /attached. Finally, after reaching the top, he found' j- his assailant gone. He was taken to tho hospital, almost dead from thirst and hunger. A man has been arrested on a charge of attempted murder. HOBART, December 8. In the Legislative Assembly the Premier" stated that he expected the revenue for the year to show a surplus of over £597,000. LAUNCESTON, December 5. The steamer Lynalder has sailed for , South Africa with 10,500 bags oats.