AUSTRALIAN.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8052, 30 October 1897, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN.

Prcsß Association— Electric Telegraph Copyright; SYDNEY, Oct. 29, „' The Government entomologist reports that San Jose scale is becoming widespread among the orchards of the colony, and the pest is traced to a nursery which imported stocks from California some years. ago. At the Rifle Association meeting Commanders Keating, of the Naval Reserve, and Lindsay,' of Woolohgoug, with scores of 348, tied for the Queen's Prize. In shooting off for the Queen's prize Lindsay won. Keating missed all his shots. The intercolonial teams match resulted :— Queensland 1119, New South Wales 1117, Victoria 1102.

Out. 30.— The Agent-General has been making enquiries amongst buyers of Australian horses with reference to the effect of climatic conditions upon them. He has forwarded a number of letters to the Government, including one from the DirectorGeneral of the Indian Army Veterinary Department, which states that lately NewSouth \Yale3 horses sent to India show signs of unsoundness, ring bone, and roaring, which are ascribed to the indiscriminate use of unsound stallions. Apparently this is one of the reasons which induced the British Army authorities to purchase Argentina remounts in preference to Australian,

It is understood that tho Labor party intend to move an amendment to Mr Lyne's motion of censure on the Government to omit the word "Government" and insert the word "Warden" instead.

At the half-yearly meeting of the Colonial Sugar ■ Company • the profits for the six months were shown to be £85,000. A dividend of 10 per cent, was declared, and £8900 carried forward. The ohairman stated that in consequence of the. removal of duties they had cancelled contraots with cave growers in New South Wales, but would continue to crush during the seasons 1898 and 1899, When the mills were closed they would hare to write off 4450,000, This, added to the loss of the mill owners and depreciation of the value of land in the sugar districts, meant a loss to the colony by the end of the year of a million pounds, If however. Federation became an accomplished fsiot thp industry would be able to take care of itself, as the duty under the Federal tariff was certain to be sufficient to enable them to continue growing cane. MELBOURNE, Oct. 29. Tenders for the Board of Works' half a million 3£ per cent, loan have been opened. The total amount subscribed was £794,000. The public subscribed £544.000. , The average of the accepted tenders is £100 5s ljd. Tenders over £100 Is (id received in full, The annual report of the liquidator of the Mercantile Bunk of Australia shows that at I lie ond of December last 138 accounts remained open, the debits amounting to £350,000. The losses totalled over £238,000. So far 6s 8d in the £ has been paid in dividends. The Governor has forwarded messages of sympathy to the Queen and Duke of Teck, HOBART, Oct. 29. The' Government have accepted Mr Clark's resignation. Sir D, Urquhart will probably • succeed hlln. The debate on the motion of J censure on the Government has not finished. The position of the Government is critical, though it is probable they will have a bare majority. BRISBANE, Oct. 29. Obituary : Bishop Hutchison, • Vicar Apostolic of North Queensland, from dengue fever. In the Legislative Assembly, the Premier stated that it was not intended to curtail the tick quarantine area, and the Govern)! ment would make no compensation for losses of stock by owners, ■ PERTH, Out. 29. At the inquest on Mrs O'Brien a' verdict of wilful murder against her husband Mas returned. O'Brien has confessed to murdering his wife. Out. 30.— O'Brien stales that he had a quarrel with his wife. She threw a cup at him and he knocked her clown, and tho fall killed her. He then uuf her body up, intending to remove it.