AUSTRALIAN.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 8191, 21 April 1898, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN.

(Electric Tolegraph— Copyright— United Press Association.) SYDNEY, April 20. The chief examiner of coalfields, giving evidence at the enquiry into the Dudley disaster,' Attributed the explosion to a naked light carried by Hethorington coming in contact with gas. It was a mistake to stop the fan when no miners were working in the mine. Had it been kopb going constantly the chances of an explosion would have been reduced greatly. The famous Duckenfield Park Stud has disposed of twenty-four animals, which realised 3120 guineas. The top prices of mares were : Wildfire 350 guineas, and Naomi 240 guineas. MELBOURNE, April 20. The question of facilitating the despatch of English mails from Adelaide is engaging attention. When the steamer misses the express it delays the mails till next day's train, causing great inconvenience in the | eastern colonies, and not infrequently means missing the New Zealand steamer. It is now proposed to despatch a special train if the express has gone, the cost to be borne by Victoria, New South Wales, Queeensland, Tasmania, and New Zealand. ADELAIDE, April 21. The Government Statist lias completed the estimate of the wheat yield, which he gives at 4,014,000 bushels, an average of 2.64 bushels per acre. HOBART, April 21. Arrived : Union Company's new steamer Rotoiti, from Glasgow.