INTERCOLONIAL.

Otago Witness, 1 June 1910, Page 29

INTERCOLONIAL.

MELBOURNE, May 25.

During' the past three years thta Licenses Reduction Beard closed 32C hotels, i\n compensation for which ia borne b} the " trade," and amounts t» 5150,000. Shaw has been sentenced to two years* imprisonment for arson in connection with the Fitzroy explosion. May 26. The Mmister of Agriculture has expressed the view that the only remedy for. the want of steamer accommodation for their frozen produce was for the Commonwealth to build and run its own steamers to convey produce, mails, and passenger* to Europe. May 30. Mr Harokl Boulton and Miss Hughea have arrived from England at the invitation of Lady Dudley, who described them as the greatest experts in district nursing in the They will assist her Ladyship to establish her bush nursing scheme. SYDNEY, May 25. Official advices from Fremantle stata that the rock whereon the Pericles struck has not, as previously asserted, been. located.

May 26. Mr Sampson, a .shift boss in the British mine at Bi i Hill, overbalanced from the staging ... a shaft and was dashed to death 200 ft below. Speaking at Tamworth, the Minister of Land's, i3i claiming success for the closer settlement movement, foreshadowed its wide extension. May 27. The Liberal and Reform Association Conference adopted resolutions in favour of a return to the old system of issuing elector's rights for State elections, with a view to stopping impersonation, reform of the Legislative Council, and a reduction of the number of members to 27. Five hundred men employed on the Blue Mountains railway deviation works have struck owing to their pay being stopped for the day of King Edward's funeral. May 28. A proposal is afoot to invite the British Association to visit Australia in 1913 or the following year. May 30. In the course of an address in the Cathedral yesterday on 'Socialism, the Dean, of Newcastle declared that he was sorry to say the Church had not done her duty to the bodies as well as to the souls of those to whom she should minister. If the Church were going to stand on one side wrapped in an antique respectability, living in the past, forgetful of the present, and profoundly indifferent to the future, then without doubt she would cease to be a power and become i non-existent in time. The railway deviation works strike has ended on the men receiving payment for th> holiday on the day of the late King's funeral. The non-payment of the wages occurred through a mistake. ADELAIDE, May 26. When, Parliament meets next Thursday /Mr Verran will move a sudden death motion for the expulsion of the PeakeButler coalition. PERTH, May 26. The death sentences passed on six aboriginals on April 8 for the murder of Mr Jones, a pearler, have been commuted to penal servitude for life. BRISBANE, May. 27. Captain Strachan, master of the schooner Envy, has commenced an action against the Brisbane Newspaper Company for alleged defamation. The case arises out of a certain statement allegedly made by the- German Consul-general reflecting on plaintiff's dealings with the natives of Tobi Island. May 28. Island news states that a native employee murdered the European who was m charge of Lever Bros.' station at Marovo Lagoon (Solomon Islands). The native cook at the station afterwards killed the murderer. NORFOLK ISLAND, May 28. 1 Lord Chelmsford, Governor of New South Wales, opened the new Rawson Public Hall. At a subsequent public meeting a number of matters of interest to the islanders were discussed. Mr Macey Quintal, the principal spokesman, stated that the handing over of the island to the Commonwealth was done against the wish of the large majority of the islanders. , • SUVA, .May 24. The steamer Kilburn was wrecked on the Ethel Reef, in the Yasama Archipelago. The mate arrived at Lautoka yesterday, and will return immediately. The Amra is going to the assistance of the crew.