INTERCOLONIAL

Otago Witness, Issue 2734, 8 August 1906, Page 28

INTERCOLONIAL

MELBOUR-NE, July 31. ■ At the hearing of the appeal of John Wren and others in connection with the charge of assisting in the conduct of City Tattersall's Club, a policeman admitted that part of bis previous evidence was false as to minor details. Thirteen members of the Collingwood Alexandras team were fined £2 each for assaulting the opposing team, who defeated them. According to the evidence the losers chased the victors off the field, using showers of stones. Two men were rendered unconscious, one having his skull fractured. It is proposed to inaugurate penny postage throughout Australia and the Empire from October next, and the system will be extended to all countries ■which agree to deliver letters at the new rates. It is estimated that this will result in an annual loss of £209,000, or £157,000 for the nine months of this financial year. August 1. The New Zealand stallion Black Diamond was sold to Mr Rowan for 180 guineas. , At the inquest on the body of the young man named MT<eod, a bookmaker, who was kicked to death at Flemington recently, the" jury returned an open verdict. The coroner held that there was no evidence to warrant the commitment of any person or to show how the dislocation of the neck, which resulted in Miveod'6 death, was caused; August 2. The City Health Officer states that in 1903 there were 22? deaths per 100,000 of population within the city area from consumption. In 1904 they fell to 172, and last year to 142. He believes that the time will soon come when the deaths from consumption will be reduced onehalf. The House read the Meteorology Bill a third time. The Penny Postage Bill will be introduced to-day. Sir William Lyne has introduced a bill providing for an increase in the Customs and for a reduction in the excise duties on spirits. It is proposed to increase the Customs duties by Is per gallon. The excise revisions are of a romple> character. The House of Representatives adopted a resolution in favour of the critical examination of all imported and proprietary medicines and infantile food. The descriptions must be clearly set out on the labels. In the Senate a petition was presented against the abolition of military canteens. The debate on the bill was adjourned for 0, fortnight. August 3. j Mr Andrew Carnegie has offered to give £2000 for the erection of a public library at Mildura, provided tne council spends ; £100 annually on its upkeep. Two more men have been arrested in connection with the death of M'Leod on the Flemington racecourse. A large gathering welcomed the Rev. Mr Worrall on his return to Bendigo. . The new spirit duties come into opera- { tion forthwith. ' In the Federal House of Representatives the Penny Postage Bill wa6 read a first time, and the Bounties Bill a second time. In committee the Minister of Defence tabled a memorandum uealing with the disposal of the Defence Estimates, which total £639,000, an increase of £49,000 as compared with last year. The Senate has endorsed the mail contract, i The steamer Flora, when entering the i Yarra from Hobart, collided with the barge Batman. The Flora emerged with a big hole in her port bow and two plates split. The barge was so badly damaged that she had to be beached. In the State Assembly Mr Bent, speaking on the second reading of the Licens- ' ing Bill, said that clubs had come into ' existence since the reduction in the number of hotels by local option. He . thought these should be placed under the same regulations as hotels. August 6. While the artillery were practising at Queenscliffe a shell ricochetted across the bay and crashed through a carpenter's shop at the Quarantine Station, doing considerable damage. No one was injured. Mr Bent states that half a million of his surplus has been shipped to England to pay off borrowed monej; I

SYDNEY, July 31. Mr Holman's final majority for the Cootamundra bye-election is 653. An epidemic is decimating the rabbits in the Lithgow district. The proposed abolition of canteens is viewed with disfavour in military circles. Under present supervision and discipline every example is set the men for moderation. August 1. The annual report of the Metropolitan Health Officer shows that the death rate in Sydney and suburbs had further declined to 10.99 per thousand, the lowest on record. The infantile mortality was also the lowest on record. The births numbered 13,769, including 531 illegitimate. The general birth rate shows a slight upward tendency. The autumn and winter lambing returns show a total of 10,376,000, or 81 per cent, increase. The markings will probably be 9,554,000. At the end of last year there were 39,507,000 sheep in Aew South Wales. It is estimated that at the end of the present year there will be between 45,000,000 and 46,000,000. The annual report of the railways and tramways shows a surplus of £440,000. The percentage of working expenses to revenue shows % reduction of 4.99 per cent. The decree nisi in the Dalley divorce suit has been made absolute. On the respondent's application permanent alimony was withdrawn. In the Sydney Divorce Court on July 25 an application was made on behalf of Mrs Dalley for permanent alimony of £3 per week. The wife, who was the respondent, had obtained a decree nisi, but had not moved to make it absolute. An order was made for the husband to pay his wife £150 permanent maintenance. August 2. The Sunday convictions for drunkenness within the metropolitan area fell from 601 in the first six months of last year to 139 in the corresponding period of this year. The new central railway station will be opened for traffic on Sunday. Strong protests against the opening on Sunday were made on a motion for adjournment in the Assembly. In cross actions arising out of the Buninyong-Criffel collision, which took place near Garden Island on May 4, the court found that the captain of the Buninyong was alone to blame. The question of the damage sustained by the barque Criffel and the costs of the action, which the Howard Smith Company was ordered to pay, were referred to the registrar. Both vessels were several v damaged in the collision. In the State Assembly, Mr Carruthers (Premier) moved the second reading of the Railway Commissioners' Appointment Bill, "and said that under the circumstances disclosed by the Royal Commission's inquiry recently the Government h?d no alternative but to terminate the existence of things which had long continned to be daii tt erous to the interests of the travelling public. In dissolving the present board the Government recognieed tint it was breaking a contract, but .t was breaking it legally and with' the sanction of Parliament. The bill proposed to give the commissioners compensation in the shape of one year's salary, to whicn would be added certain amounts arising from the pension. Mr Oliver receiving in all £3850 from the proceedings. In the Assembly the Attorney- general introduced a bill for the regulation of gambling and betting. The provisions include a fine of £100 against anyone betting on the streets or betting or soliciting bets from anyone under 21 years of age, and a limit is put to the number of racing days. All race meetings must be licensed. Besides horse-racing, the bill deals with other branches of sport. The police are given summary powers. August 3. The hearing of the charges against W. P. Crick and W. N. Willis in connection with the New South Wales Land Office scandals has been further adjourned until Thursday. Plagued rats are still being found in the vicinity of Darling Harbour. The river steamer Coorel was burnt and sank at Clarence Town. The fire spread to the wharf, which, along with two sheds, was destroyed. The damage is estimated at £5000. The Irish Home Rule envoys (Messrs Devlin, M.P., and Donovan) addressed a crowded and enthusiastic meeting in the Town Hall, and resolutions in favour of Home Rule were adopted. The Railway Bill provides for a Chief Commissioner and two assistant Commissioners. The latter will be practically officers having supreme command. The compensation proposed to be paid to Mr Kirkcaldie is £2490, and to Mr Fehon £1500. Mr Carruthers (Premier) consdered that the Commissioners were being treated liberally. They had their own stupidity to blame for what had occurred. He declined to be drawn on the question of the new Commissioners. He stated that if Mr Oliver's request to be heard at th? Bar of the House were granted the other two Commissioners would also ask for a similar concession. Mr M'Gowan (Labotn) failed to see that they would be able to get a better man than Mr Oliver for the money. He attributed the trouble to a faulty act of Parliament, and not to the Commissioners. The debate lasted till early in the main.-

ing. when the second reading of the bill was carried on the voices.

In deference to opinions expressed in Parliament, the date of the opening of the new railway station has been changed to Saturday.

August 4. The Premier officially opened the new railway station this morning. Queensland tick has been discovered

among the cattle at Tweed Heads. August 5,

Through a fall of earth at Hie Chesney mine (Cobar) a man was killed. Another had his foot cut off, and another was badly hurt.

A leading manufacturer, who has just I returned from America, says that he was" surpiised to find that many Americans j regarded Australia as part and parcel of i New Zealand. He attributes this to the J fact that Australia had neglected to adver- ( tise herself, whereas wherever one went < advertisements describing New Zealand as a touirsts' resort and a place for settlers were to be seen. A heavy percentage of Americans, ne says, regard Sjdney and Melbourne as owned and controlled by New Zealand.

ADELAIDE, August 6.

Ada Hassett has been arrested for the murder of her husband, who wa6 found m bed with his head mutilated by blows of an axe. The woman confessed her crime. Jealousy is supposed to be the cause.

BRISBANE, August 4.

A Charters Towers youth- named Aitken left a note stating that he intended to commit suicide. His charred remains, with a bullet in tfle head, were found near a heap of ashes. Evidently he had lit a big fire, then stood close by it, and 6hot himself.

PERTH, August 1.

The action of the Official Receiver in Bankruptcy' to recover £2000 from the Mutual Life Insurance Company, alleged to b« due on H. I. Blake's policy, resulted in a verdict for the defendants, the jury being of opinion mat JtSlake obtained his policy fraudulently and with the intention of afterwards committing suicide.