AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume II, Issue 240, 14 December 1894, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. (Per Press Association.) Received 1 a.m. Sydney, December 13. Day and Ballman have been sentenced to eighteen months’ imprisonment for defrauding a firm in Germany whom they represented. Ballman was brought back from Canada. The frauds involved the firm in a loss of AT2OO.

The Bankruptcy Act Amendment Bill, which has been introduced in the Legislative Council, provides that a certificate of discharge does not release a bankrupt from liability under judgment of the court in cases for seduction, libel and slander or respondent or co-respondent in a divorce suit.

The Lambton and Back Creek collieries have virtually usseuted to the reduction in the hewing rate. Melbourne, December 13.

A phonomenal crushing is reported from a claim at Rocky Wood Junction, where 501bs of quartz yielded 112ozs of gold, and 32 tons of scone from the same claim yielded 807ozs of gold. Adelaide, December 13.

Owing to inability to pay the interest on the debt it is expected the deficit of the Northern Territory for the ourrent year will swell to £30,000. Received 10.30 a.m.

Sydney, This Day. Arrived—Markworthy, from Kaipara. The Legislative Assembly sat eontinuously for 32 hours discussing the estimates. Very few reductions were made. Melbourne, This Day.

In Committee on the Land and Income Tax Bill a proposal was made that LSOO exemption should apply to mortgagees as well as owners. The Premier agreed that in mortgages up to £IOOO the £SOO should be deducted, and this was carried. In the section providing for an income tax the Premier moved that the tax on income derived from property be doubled as follows ; —Bd in the £ up to LI2OO ; Is in the £ up to L 22,000 ; Is 4d in the £ over the latter amount. The motion was carried. Hobart, This Day.

The Premier confirms the cablegrams from London that the Government are about to issue a lean, and says it will be placed on the London market about the first week in January. Received 10.45 a.m.

Adelaide, This Day. In the Legislative Assembly the Colonial Treasurer stated that the Government would not contribute towards the defence of Thursday Island until the Queensland Government agrees to assist in defraying the cost of protecting the Port Darwin cables.