INTERCOLONIAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3111, 29 October 1913, Page 27

INTERCOLONIAL.

MELBOURNE, October 22. The sentence of death passed on wm. Parker, surveyor, has been commuted to 10 penal servitude. The Federal House of Representatives passed a vote of £285,000 towards the Federal capital. October 23. The Gomonwealth Minister of Defence (Senator Millen) has announced that he has not the slightest intention of amending the Defence Act with a view to permitting liquor canteens in camp's or on warships. October 24. The Federal Minister of Trade and Customs (Mr L. E. Groom), speaking at a dinner given by the Victorian Chamber of Manufacturers, said the output of the primary industries of Australia in 1901 totalled £113,124,000. while in 1911 it totalled £134,600,000. At the triennial convention of the Young Women’s Christian Association of Australasia Mrs Albert Kaye, of Christchurch, was elected a vice-president. The Senate has adopted a resolution in favour of a referendum at the next election on the question of granting pensions to widows with dependent young children. October 25. The motor fishing smack Orme, which left Cunninghame (at the entrance to the Gippsland lakes) two years ago, and has not been heard of since, has been washed ashore near Cape Conran 50 (miles east of Cunninghame). There were five men aboard her when she sailed from Cunninghame. October 27. The imports into the Commonwealth for the first nine months of the year were valued at £57,448,595, as compared with £57,397,342 last year, and the exports at £48,785,605, as compared with £50,834,443 for the same period of last year. A proclamation has been issued notifying that the Royal assent has been given to the Navigation Act. The proclamation is necessary in order to allow the shipping companies time to effect the necessary change. SYDNEY, October 21. The weather is exceptionally hot for so early in the year. A temperature of 91 degrees was registered in the city to-day—-the highest October reading since 1910. The Rev. Mr Reynolds has been elected president of the Congregational Union. Mr Holman informed a deputation that a bridge connecting Sydney and North Sydney would be built if the Labour jrarty was returned to power. Confirmation has been received of the statement that vessels belonging to the Hamburg-American Line are entering the Australian trade. The first of the fleet of cargo carriers will reach Sydney at the end of the present year or early next year. October'22. The council of the Rifle Association decided by seven votes to six to award the King’s Prize to M'Alieter. At the annual conference of the Associated Chambers of Commerce a resolution was passed in favour of the metric money system. Henry Pepper has been acquitted on a charge of murdering Ethel Sloan, with whom he had been Jiving for eight days prior to her death, which was due to strychnine poisoning. The witnesses for the defence testified that the woman, when questioned as to her illness, replied that she had taken strychnine in mistake for salts. She Had also been heard to declare her intention to commit suicide. The heat wave has affected the whole of the State. In a number of country districts a temperature of over 100 degrees has been registered. Sir Gerald Strickland, in opening the Country Press Conference, paid a tribute to Sir J. Henniker Heaton’s penny a word cable efforts, and said this would never be a great country until communication was established as freely as speech. He hoped to live to see an Atlantic State-owned cable cheapen the cable rates. A resolution was adopted against signed newspaper articles. October 23. The weather is now cooler, with scattered, but much needed, ruin. The Psyche, the last ship of the Imperial fleet, has sailed for Auckland. She was accorded an enthusiastic farewell by the Australian fleet. October 24. In connection with the earthquake record on the 15th instant, a steamer from the New Hebrides brings news that the disturbance was not serious. No damage was done to houses and there was no loss of life. A man named James Campbell was charged on a provisional warrant with leaving New Zealand without adequately providing for the maintenance of his wife, and a remand to Greymouth was asked for. Counsel for the defence asked for Campbell’s discharge as he refused vaccination and the shipping companies refused to carry him unless he w'as vaccinated. The magistrate overruled the point and ordered that Campbell be returned to Greymouth. October 26. J. F. Bradley ran 70yds in 7 2-ssec off scratch. This is the finest amateur effort over this distance ever seen in New South Wales. Wilfred Crewe, stud groom pn Tarlee Station, was girthing up a mare, when she gripped hi* windpipe in her teeth..

Crewe sustained injuries which proved’; fatal. October 27. | At the South Sydney Harriers’ meeting | J. F. Bradley won the 100yds race easily in 10 l-ssec. Beneficial rains, which are almost general, are falling. A schoolmaster named Arthur Batten ; and a girl named Verlie Jackson, aged 13 years, who resided with Batten and hi» \ wife at Kensington, were killed by being • buried in a fall of sand at the sandhills " while they were getting sand for the gar- i den. Anxiety is felt for the safety of the Norwegian barque Lintio, which is 62 day* } out from Durban to Sydney. ADELAIDE, October 27. A storm damaged large quantities of the stock in warehouses, and heavy damage ■ was done to crops in the country. An inch and three-quarters of rain fell ■ in half an hour in some places. BRISBANE. October 22. While the steamer Suva was being berthed at the wharf a boat got under her discharge pipe and was filled. Two L seamen named Keogan and Howe were drowned. LAUNCESTON, October 27. A girl named Ledwell, aged 18 years, a daughter of a farmer at Deloraine, was found with the top of her head blown off It is apparently a case of murder. No details are available.