INTERCOLONIAL. MELBOURNE, March 10.

Otago Witness, Issue 2661, 15 March 1905, Page 27

INTERCOLONIAL. MELBOURNE, March 10.

The dwarf girl Robina Hubbard, recently acquitted of ihe charge of poisoning her mother, has confessed to giving her quicksilver and arsenic at intervals, because her ( mother ill-treated her. She alleges that she has made this confession in order to clear innocent people. March 11. The Minister of Customs informed the Methodist Conference deputation that the Postal Department was taking every means lo suppress the sweep correspondent evil. A fire is raging in the 1850 feet level of the Carhole mine, Long Gully. A large quantity of old timber is ablaze. The fire , drove the miners out of the Carhole arid adjoining Unity mine. j March 13. ' The fire in the Carlisle mine has been vubdued. N A 3'oung married woman named M'Leish administered strychnine to herself and her two children. One of the latter died, but , the other is recovering. The woman is ( demented. SYDNEY, March 8. Before the Navigation Commission evidence was given that Germany had spent £6,000,000 in Australian goods, and sent out in return two and a-half millions' worth. The New South Wales imports last year are_ valued at £13,134,000, whereof £9, /80,000 worth was from British possessions, New Zealand's being £862.000. The exports were £23,089,000, products and manufactures representing £15,230,000 and gold £4,958.000. New Zealand's share was £925,000. March 9. | N.ews has been received of the death in London of Mi- Alexander James Malcolm, chaiiman of diiectors of the firm of James M'Evran and Co. Tlip appeal of the laser r svtman against his iec-"'iit conviction for bunging a walking stick ashore and f-elling it v. as dismiss.' d. The 2vlf.lhui.list Conference carried a lesolution against the employment of bai maids. Professor Agassiz rppoiis that his surveying expedition to the south was sucecss-

fully carried out. Its chief objects were tc take deep-sea soundings, and to determins the age and origin o* some ancient statuary on the eastern inlands. March 10. The Methodist Conference adopted a resolution denouncing racing sweeps and the liquor traffic. Mr Carruthers has declined the request of the Lord Mayor's Committee to contribute an additional £1500 to the Bu?h Fires Relief Fund. Herbert Rogers, manager of the Bank of Australasia at Wallsend, has been committed for trial for embezzling £500 of the bank's money. Owing to an explosion of rockets stored in the captain's cabin of the tug Leveret the captain was slightly and the cook seriously injured. Speaking in the country, Mr Carruthera said he hoped that before he deliveraJ the next Budget he would be able to ask Parliament for money to construct three or four railways. The Government woul.i not issue any more 4 per cent. Treasury bills, but reduce the rate to 3£ per cent. Mr Carruthers, the Premier, states that a loan policy of one million to a million and a-half will meet the requirements of the counti-y for development purposes. When he took office the amount at credit in the Treasury was £300,000. To-day the surplus is £1,400,000. March 11. The extensions of the telephone to the country on the condenser system are proving satisfactory. The health authorities consider that the plague is stamped out at Clarence River. Twelve days have elapsed sincA an English mail was delivered in Sydney. The nexl is ekie on Monday. A public meeting to protest against delays is being organised. March 12. The negotiations between representatives of the Orient Co. and the Postmastergeneral over the mail service have terminated without result. March 13. The case of Corbett v. O'Brien, to decide who is entitled to the Sydney Thousand Cycling Handicap, rode last March, has commenced. Corbett was disqualified, and the prize awarded to O'Brien. Plaidtiff claims that the inquiry into his running was improperly held. Some remarkable evidence was given showing that some of the competitors met before the race, and arranged how the first prize should be cut up among them. BRISBANE, March 8. Another plague patient is dead. March 10. Another case of piagne is reported. PERTH, March 8. Hodge was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for stealing £3000 from the Westralian Bank. The China brought a heavy English mail, including 27 bags for Xew Zealand. March 13. The Morning Herald has changed -hands. It commences a crusade against gambling by announcing that in future no betting or turf information will be published in its columns.