AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume II, Issue 216, 17 October 1894, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) (Per Press Association) Received 1.20 a.m. Parliamentary Rifle Match. Sydney, October 16. In the Parliamentary rifle match, New South Wales scored 488 and Queenslaad 589. Adklaidb, Thie Day. In the Intercolonial Parliamentary Rifle match the members of the South Australian Legislature scored 610 points. Newcastle Coal Mines. Sydnky, October 16. The closing of the pits at Newcastle is due to failing trade and also to the Victorian Government largely cutting down orders for ceal. The owners state that if the Coal Mines Regulation Bill passes in its present form it will necessitate the closing of the pits. It is expected the Lambton or Burwood colliery will shortly close. No Costs. Melbourne, October 16. Tho Judge declined to allow Mr Speight general costs. Mr Speight, plaintiff in the recent libel action against, tlie Age, receives costs on •ounts on which he succeeded. The costs on either side are to be on the highest scale. Defendant has been ordered to pay shorthand writers' fees. Bound for China. Sydney, October 17. The French warehip Duehaffault ha, left for Chinese waUr,.

Sentence of Death. Melbourne, This Day. The jookey Coekroft, for the marder of hie etepeister, has bees sentenced te death. Banks Re-opening. Melbourne, This Day. The possibility of one or two of the reconstructed banks re-opening under the reconstruction scheme for the purpose of reducing the rate of interest is being quietly discussed. The New Australians. Melbourne, This Day. Commissioner Coombe, of tho Salvation Army, has received a cable from tlie Army authorities in Buenos Ayres that there are twenty destitute families who went to New Australia there, and are pleading for assistance to carry them back to the colonies. The Army is providing shelter for a numbei of unfortunate people, and Commissioner Coombe* asks that the Premier of New South Wales be informed of their wishes, and desires to know whether the Government or the public will raise funds to pay their passages baek. Received 0.30 p.m. New South Wales Politios. Sydney, This Day. The Legislative Assembly has affirmed tho principle of local option by 30 to 27, but as less than half voted the result cannot be regarded as decisive. A commission i* being appointed to enquire into the working of the Civil Service. A proposal to appoint a select committee ta enquire into the military administration was defeated by a large majority. The Government opposed the motion. Shipping. Newcastle, This Day. Sailed—Vision for Auckland ; Oraera for Auckland. The Age Libel Case. Melbourne, This Day. In the Supreme Court judgment was entered for Syme with costs in the courts in which Speight was unsucessful. This is practically a verdict for defendant.