AUSTRALIAN.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 8410, 9 January 1899, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN.

» (Electric Telegraph— Copvtlglit— United Pruaa Association.) SYDNEY. Jan. 9. Mr James Boms, of Bnrns, Pliilp, and Company, has retiirned from an extended tour abroad and in the East. In an interviewhe stilted it was intended to shortly make an improvement in the Canadian-Pacific service. He could safely say it would be made a three weeks' service, but whether even more frequent present arrangements would not warrant him in saying. He does not think there will be any extension of the Japanese mail line to New Zealand. It would not be remunerative. He thinks Sydney will always be the terminal port. The question of including New Zealand in the Canadian-Pacific route is under review. Certain offers have been made by the Queensland Government, and if these offers are accepted New Zealand will be excluded from the course of the steamers, which come right on to Sydney from Queensland. He was impressed with the possibilities of extending the Australian trade, d.s there is a prospect of the present American oil trade being challenged by petroleum development. Mr Burns says his firm will probably sink 30,000 oil plantß. (Received Jan. !), 9.25 a.m.) By a fire at five o'clock this morning Connell and Company's large wholesale grocery stores in Kent street, consisting of four floors, were gutted and the roof destroyed. The fire is still smouldering. An immense stock was badly damaged. Another batch of Austrians arrived by the Orizaba, and will be forwarded to Auckland by the Mokoia on Wednesday. (Received Jan. 9, 9.35 a.m.) The members of the Funafuti expedition have returned, and state that the operations have confirmed Darwin's coral theory. The Bishop of New Guinea reports that the late cyclone did great damage to the mission stations. (Recieved Jan. 9, 1.30 p.m.) The fire is well in lmnd. The fourstorey building has been completelygutted. Fireman Roberts had his ribs broken, and was badly shaken, through a ladder slipping. ADELAIDE, Jan. 9. The Rev. Leslie Burns, incumbent of St. Paul's Church of England at Port Pirie, was found hanging in his wash-house dead. He was a despondent sufferer from insomnia, and told his wife attempts were being made to blacken hia character. He dreaded taking the services.