INTERCOLONIAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2413, 31 May 1900, Page 13

INTER COLONIAL.

MELBOURNE, May 22. The transport Tropea passed Cape Nelson, and signalled " All well." One hundred thousand 'bags of ' wheat have been booked for India. The. ship- | ments extend over three months, j May 26. A 'man named Radcliffe was assisting the ( customs officer to gauge spirits at a vineyard at Ararat, when the spirits took fire and enveloped Radcliffe. His eyes were J destroyed, and he ,is . otherwise horribly •'' burnt. His condition is hopeless. MELBOURNE, M-w 27. The Premier disagrees with Mr Lyne's opinion that the federal elections are not possible before February next. fie'th : -nks they can be helcl about November. I May 28. ! Obituary : Donald Wallace and W. R. >' Wilson, both well-known racing men. The Postmaster-general states that the Eastern Extension Company having refused the colony's terms, Victoria will take no further action with regard to the Cape cable. There -will be no difficulty in the way of New South- Wales and Victoria establishing a bureau at Adelaide, thus getting advantage of the cheap rates without being bound to the company in any way. The Cape line now assured, he wants j to make sure of the Pacific, thus securing , competition and cheap rates. He to-day i cabled to Mr Chamberlain expressing Victoria's willingness to fulfil her obligations j with regard to the Pacific, and was anxious j to act in the matter with the quickest pos- ,' sible despatch. SYDNEY, May 22. The Lady Mabel, loading for New Zealand, has gone ashore at Nelson's Bay. She is not in a dangerous position. May 23. Three and a-half inches of rain have fallen during tha last 24 hours. ' News from the New Hebrides states that the Rev. Mr Paton, missionary, hearing that a cannibalistic feast was projected at lanna, went out to prevent it. He*found

one vict:m disposed oi, but rescued an- : other. J At the half-yearly meeting of the Bank of New South Wales, the report showed | that the net profits, after making the usual deductions, amounted to 599,859, which, with the balance from last half-year, leaves £119,875 for distribution as follows: — Dividend at the rate of 9 per cent., £90,000 ; augmentation of reserve, £3595; carried forward, £26,208. During the half-year the capital was increased to two millions. The chairman in his speech referred to the stimulus to the export trade owing to the war. j May 25. The rain was terrific to-day. Nearly 3in fell in 35 minutes. The low-lying suburbs ' j were submerged. During the last four and , a-half days 10 l-sin have fallen. j ] The crew of the barquentine Nielsribe, wrecked at Levuka on May 11, while on ; the voyage from Adelaide to Fiji, arrived to-day. The vessel is a total wreck. i • . May 26. The delegates from the Board of North,ern Miners, consider that the selling rate of coal should be raised 6d from July, in addij lion to the advance of Is promised by the owners in January next. Mr Warrens has informed the New Sou ..'I Wales and Victorian Postmasters-general that the Eastern Extension Cable Com pany and the Governments which have al- ; ready signed the Cape cable agreement, after careful consideration, cannot see their "way to concede the amendments asked by Messrs Crick and Watts. | May 28. . I A. H. Jacob, Chairman of the Committee ■ of the Legislative Council. Mr Crick adopts the recommendations of the commission which recently inquired into the telephone service. The principal recommendations are the adoption of a complete metallic circuit throughout the ser- ! vice, at a -cost of £200,000. It will take two years te complete and toll the system. j^H.M.S. Porpoise lias arrived from -the Savage Islands, where she hoisted the British flag in "the presence of the leading chiefs, amidst much enthusiasm. ■I- [The Savage Islands, are portion of the Sa- | moan Gioivp, and are slightly noith of the 20th i deg of- latitude. ADELAIDE, May 22. The Legislative Council elections are a rebuff to the Government, who lost a seat, j The question at issue was the reduction of J the Council's franchise. The Council elections for the Central Division, which for years returned a Labour candidate at the head of the poll, ■have this time placed an Oppositionist there. BRISBANE, May 24. , The. Premier, speaking at the Stock Exchange at the banquet held in honour of ; -the relief of Mafeking, said that the Government had in consideration the proposals for five private lines of railway in the mining districts. ■ ..The Government were inclined to extend their approval to any syndicate that would come to Queensland and build those railways and open up j those mines which were undesirable for i the Government to undertake on account 1 of the risk involved. j' - ' HOBABT, May 28. Two miners, named Cronin and Murphy j respectively, were killed by a fall of earth in the Lyell Tharsis mine.