AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Southland Times, Issue 14580, 22 November 1910, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

SUCCESSFUL AEROPLANE FLIGHT,

OVER SIX MILES IN SEVEN MINUTES. MELBOURNE, Nov. 16. At lust the airman has “made good” In Australia. Prior to yesterday all previous attempts to fly by aeroplane had dismally failed except for the partial success of Iloudini some months back. So many trials, so many failures, bad led the public to believe that there must be, as a number of would-be aviators asserted, some subtle and deterring meteorological influence opposing them. As a matter of fact, the “subtle influence” was really lack of nerve. At 7,1! last evening an excited group of “air” enthusiasts were cheering M. Cugnet, the visiting French aviator, as he soared in his Bleviot monoplane across the Altona plain. Pour minutes later he had completed what is claimed to be the most successful flight made in the Commonwealth up to date, and had earned the right to honorable mention early in the history of local aviation.

The aeroplane was brought out to Victoria about two months ago by M. Cugnet and his skilled mechanic, M. Ercole. IK is their intention to start an “aviation school” here. A large canvas aerodrome was constructed at the rear of the Altona station, in which the plane was "stabled.” It is of similar pattern to the monoplane in which the celebrated Bleriot himself crossed the English Channel. Yesterday’s flight was to have been an early morning one. When the Government launch, conveying a party of interested visitors to' the scene of the experiment, arrived, at the Altona jetty a gusty northerly wind was blowing across the plain. M. Cugnet decided not to venture "up" In the circumstance. Mr Ercole spent the rest of the day in tickling the 25 h.p. Anzane motor into working order. Shortly after 6, p.m. tHe wind began to drop, and about an hour later the' machine was wheeled across to a two-mile paddock opposite the. railway station. The atmospheric conditions were considered ideal for a flight. M. Cugnet climbed into his seat, only his head showing above the canvas. The mechanician sent the propeller twirling. An asthmatfeal cough broke from the motor. A more vigorous turn and the engine .shrieked compliance, sending the propeller round at the rate of 1200 revolutions a minute and smothering the assistants “pushing behind” in smoke from the exhaust. With a preliminary bob the aeroplane started to move at exactly 7 o’clock. It bounded along for 30 yards on Us runners, and then left the ground at an easy angle, flying west for half a mile at a height varying between 30 and 40 feet from the turf. This constituted the preliminary test.

Apparently satisfied with the running of his engine. M. Cugnet brought the plane clown and turned it east for his chief essay. A cloud of dust rose from behind the' Bleriot as the aviator switched on the motor once more and soared gracefully upwards. Cheers rang from the spectators on terra flrma ns the machine'mounted higher than ever, and passed the station af an elevation of 150 feet. Several aged horses grazing in the neighbourhood received the surprise of their lives as Mr Cugnet’s great bird hissed over them. One animal made straight for the WJHiamstown racecourse, and was still jumping fences when lost to view. Half a mile from the starting point the aviator, made a northerly course, changing to northwest and later sweeping dlagonially past the aerodrome at a great speed. The aeroplane then disappeared from view behind the ridge of pines. Here it ran into a cross curent of air, and swerved. a rush was made past the trees. By this time, however, M. Cugnet was a mile away, flying over the brcwn coal colliery in a westerly direction. He again turned east, and brought-his machine safely to earth a stone’s throw from the starting point, amidst loud “Bravos” from Gallic admirers and hearty congratulations from everybody else. The aviator made a continuous flight of seven minutes, covering a distance of slightly over, six miles.

CHINAMAN STABS A \OUNG WOMAN.

, ALBUKV, Xov. 14. Aii assault of a serious character was mad a tliis morning by a Chinese fruiterer named Tommy Hoy on a young woman 'named Loy Matthews. The girl hud been in the mbit of writing letters and doing other'Sjerical work for Hoy, This morning he went to the house of the girl’s parents, and dictated a letter, Which she wrote. He then suddenly attacked her with a pocket-knife which had been concealed in his sleeve, stabbing her twice in each arm, once in the chest and once behind the ear. He then produced a bottle,„ labelled “nitrate of silver,” and swallowed part of its contents, afterwards bolting towards Ihfl river. An alarm being given, the police started in pursuit anti arrested Hoy, The girl, who was in a weak condition and covered with blood, was removed to the hospital. The police called the Government medical officer to examine Hoy and the bottle from which lie had drunk. Hoy was charged this afternoon at the police court with maliciously wounding Loy Matthews with intent to do grievous bodily harm, and was remanded. The Government medical officer found that. Hoy had swallowed opium. When arrested accused said lie had been in the habit of taking opium every day as a stimulant. On arrest he made a rambling statement to the effect that the attack on the girl was caused by jealousy. Hoy, who has a little shop in Dean-street, has been regarded as one of the better class of Chinese. He is still ill, but is not thought to be in danger.

The girl is rather low from shock. It now appears-that she received two stabs in the chest, one under each arm, in addition to that behind the ear. The wounds are about an Inch and a half deep. The girl is conscious, but has said nothing, nor has anything with reference to the case been said to Her. AN AMOROUS STUDENT. MAKS A BRILLIANT CAREER, HONOUR AND LOVE LOST. SYDNEY, Nov. 10. At the Quarter Sessions to-day a young man named Frederick Henry Stegmann pleaded guilty to charges of obtaining two rings, of the value of £37 Is and £43 7s 6d respectively, by means of valueless cheques. Mr Gardiner, who appeared for accused, pointed out that accused’s downfall bad been due to bis love for a young woman in a better position, financially, than himself. He bad made certain statements to her respecting his own position, and, in order to create an impression, he spent hts own money, and then resorted to the practices with which lie had been charged. Accused was very well connected —In fact, be was a student at the Melbourne University. He had taken honors in medicine and science, and had won scholarships of the value of about £SOO, including one Government scholarship of £2lO. The young lady knew nothing of accused’s conduct until lie was arrested, and the one punishment he had suffered was that she had given him up. His Honour said lie failed to understand how a man could throw away his chances in such a way. Accused was remanded for sentence. blighted potato chops. uarge industry threatened. CULPABLE NEGLECT OF PREVENTIVE MEASURES. MELBOURNE, Nov. 16. As the result of the disastrous attacks of Irish blight, potatoes are high in price and poor in quality in the cities of the State, and the export industry in potatoes Is seriously threatened. The reports of the agricultural Inspectors, of whom there are now ten in the potato districts on special duty, have disclosed a situation more serious than expected. At last the department Is awakening to the need for drastic measures. On the advice of Mr J. Knight, chief inspector, it was decided yesterday that cert Ideates for removal of potatoes from the Xllowa and Southern Cross parishes should be refused, and that Hie efforts now being ini.de to stamp out (he disease should be redoubled. T'.e disease lias not only appeared in Hie tops of the early potato crops, but bus been found in the tubers. Metropolitan districts and Mansfield, Romsey, Kllmore, Waubra, Newland, Fern Hill, Dungaree and other potato districts arc yet free from the disease, and U Is to prevent its further spread that drastic steps are to be now *aken.

CANADIAN PREFERENCE. CANADA OFFERS %<I-PBR LB. ON MEAT. MELBOURNE, Nov. IC. Australia ami Canada have been very close to a reciprocity treaty within the past three years. When Sir William Lyne was in London in 1907, and conferred with Sir Wilfrid Laurier. the negotiations crystallised Into actual items. But the demands of Canada at the time for concessions on harvester machinery were considered too menacing to several Australian industries for much business to he done. , Since 1907 the negotiations have been continued, and now there is a prospect that before Parliament meets in July, 1911, a treaty will be signed between the two Dominions and submitted to the two Houses for ratification. The meeting that will take place in London at the Imperial Conference in May between Australian and Canadian Ministers will lead to the finishing tactics being put to the schedule of preferences which lias been more or less under revision for three or more years. Whatever its final form, there Is every probability that Canada will therein extend to the Commonwealth a preference of d per lb. on frozen meat and butter. This preference will. It is expected, enable Australia to beat her South American and United States rivals in the Canadian market.