INTERCOLONIAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2565, 13 May 1903, Page 21

INTERCOLONIAL.

MELBOURNE, May G. Widespread rain is falling; over the State, and is particularly heavy in the coastal districts. May 7. At the meeting of the National Bank the chairman said that there was a brighter outlook for crops and grass. The reports from the wheat districts were most encouraging, and with retrenchment and economy in the States and an increased production in minerals and produce, they should have cause to be thankful at the end of the present year. May 8. Sir E. Barton states that a contract is practically concluded with the Union '"Steam Ship Company extending the {Vancouver service for two years at a Slightly increased subsidy. Sir E. Barton stipulates that one of the steamers ehall be brought up to the efficiency of the other two. The Lord Mayor, presiding at the Drought Relief Committee, read a letter from Mr Seddon covering a gift of £100 from Mr Hugh Campbell. He says : " I ■ aeed hardly state that the sufferers hare

the sincere sympathy of myself and colleagues, and had the several State Governments seen their way some months ago to accept our proffered aid I feel sure that material assistance would have ensued. The offer was intended only as a neighbourly action, and in accepting the offer there would have been no loss of prestige to Australia." The Commonwealth Government has fallen in with Mr Chamberlain's suggestion to take over the control of Norfolk Island. Sir E. Barton says that there is no great urgency in the matter, and that it is desirable that settlers should be settled before the Federal Government takes charge. May 11. The Federal Postmaster-general has arranged with the Union Steam Ship Company and Huddart, Parker, and Co. for a new tri-weekly mail service between Launceston and Melbourne. It is rumoured in Federal circles that New Zealand is trying to benefit by the Commonwealth prohibiting the conveyance of mails in steamers worked by coloured labour, and it is alleged that Mr Seddon had formulated a scheme whereby steamers, instead of coming on to Melbourne and Sydney after landing their mails at Adelaide, shall go direct to New Zealand. SYDNEY, May 5. A German steamer from the Marshall group reports the wreckage of an unknown vessel as being washed ashore. The opinion here is that it may belong to the French ship Duconedio, overdue from San Francisco, with wheat. The following team has been selected to represent the Commonwealth at Bis]ey;—Carter, Grummet, Whitehead, Lieutenant Ricwood, Matheson, Lindsay, Soden, Henan, Bradley, Lake, Lloyd, and Elwee. The team will be under the management of Colonel Oldershaw. The Daily Telegraph, in an article entitled "Ten Years of Mr Seddon," says that to turn the decade's corner in command of a bigger majority than at its start is a notable feat, and augurs luck as well as ability. Mr Seddon is to be congratulated on his fortune as well as on his achievement. The journal also pays a high tribute to the late Sir Harry Atkinson's fine "halt-calling" policy, which rescued the colony from extravagance and depression. May 6. *The Rev. Mr Main has been elected Moderator of the Presbyterian Assembly. __ j The warship Phcebe sailed for Novfolk Island, taking an assistant Administ trator, who wall make arrangements for the approaching visit of the Governor. ' May 7. Messrs Huddart, Parker, and Co.'s Victoria has been chartered to convey Cardinal Moran and party to the South Seas at the end of July. Lawson, the bankrupt mining engineer, formerly of New Zealand, having failed to appear after several recent adjournments, the case has been ad- | journed sine die. The barque Saragossa has arrived from London. She Had three outbreaks of fire in rapid succession amongst a quani tity of roofing felt, which had to be jettisoned. The fires were extinguished with difficulty. A series of gales followed, during which the steersman was so badly injured that he died. May 8. The American barque Star of Bengal and the s.s. Rotokino both report passing through a mass of pumice of great extent near the Tougan group. When the steamer Balmoral, from Westport, was entering Newcastle it collided with the tug Victoria. Both vessels were damaged. It is believed the Balmoral is severely damaged. May 9. The Balmoral had one plate above and several below her water line broken. The forepeak also was filled with water by the collision, but the bulkhead prevented any further invasion of water. The damage is estimated at £2000. May 11. Obituary: Monsignor Rigney; aged 89 years. The oldest priest in Australia. At a meeting of the New South Wales Zionist League the president said that he believed that arrangements could be made with the British and French Governments to buy some of the New Hebrides or Solomon Islands as a refuge place for Jews. He had communicated these views to Dr Herzl, the founder of the league, whohe reply, however, was unfavourable. ADELAIDE, May 7. The Bank of Adelaide has declared a dividend of 8 per cent., and carried forward £20,000 to the reserve. BRISBANE, May 7: Further splendid rains have fallen in many parts of the State. Over 4in has fallen in Brisbane in the last three days. May 8. The recruiting vessel Coquette passed a quantity of wreckage, including a large number of cases of kerosene of the Lighthouse brand, near Lihlu Reef. These may be from the Queen Charlotte, wrecked on the reef some time ago. A boy has died from plague. May 11. A boy has died from plague.

The septic tank at the Ashburton Hospital has not yet proved the success it was . expected to be.