AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1487, 1 April 1886, Page 1

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Melbourne, March 28. On Friday evening last the inhabitants ot Lorn saw a burning ship a few miles from shore. This turned out to be an American ship named the Paul Jones, which sailed from Melbourne that day bound for Calcutta. Reports from those on board state that after leaving Williamstown all went well till about noon, when some of the crew noticed a smell of smoke, but thought it was the captain smoking in his cabin. But the increase of smoke, dispelled such a assumption, and they rushed to the captain’s cabin, but all was right there. The mate then opened the laaarette hatch, when the ship was immediately enveloped in clouds of smoke, which issued from the space below. Captain Minn behaved with great coolness and intrepidity. He ordered the pumps to be riggad, and buckets to be used. The boats were got ready and provisioned, and immediately put over the side. The volume of smoke increased rapidly, despite the exertions of the captain, officers, and crew. Soon the flames burst forth, enveloping the masts, but not till the tar on the deck was melted, and the poop swayed beneath their feet, did they entertain thoughts of giving up the contest. At last, when the heat became so intense that it was impossible to abate the fire, the captain ordered the men to leave the ship. He himself was the last to leave her. The Antiope seeing the flames, made for the ship, and rescued the men from the boats. The steamer Liguria also made to the ship and sent boats to see if any persons were aboard, but all were then safe on the Antiope, and have since been brought to Melbourne. Government steamer Dispatch was sent away early on Saturday morning in order to sink the vessel or otherwise remove her from the course of navigation. It was found that she had been burned close to the water’s edge. She gradually filled with water and disappeared. Abel Alps, r«h 23. A wholesale poisoning tragedy qccuired yesterday in the house of Mr Oliver, Bordertowu, nine persons being poisoned, two of whom are already dead. It appears that Mrs Oliver inadvertently took some arsenic left unlabelled by a painter, and put it into a pancake, of which all the family partook. Two children, aged six and seven, are dead. Two others are .. not expected to live many hours. Five >• ethers are not likely to survive. The doctors are unremitting in their attention, but the poison spread through the patients’,system before remedies rould be applied.

Sydney, March 33,

Considerable excitement has been caused here by the mysterious disappearance of Mr E, B, Holt, manager of the local branch of the Bank of New Zealand. Every nook has been hunted, but his whereabouts are unknown. He was last seen on Thursday evening. As Manager of the Bank he was most assidious in bis duties, and his business affairs were loft in a roost complete state. Conjecture cannot find a pretest for his disappearance. On hia non-appearance at the Bank on Friday enquiries were made at bis house, but Mrs Holt was in a similar state of doubt. She had received a letter from’’

her husband, bu' could give no information as to bis whereabouts. It appears ihat Mr Holt had been speculating heavily and disastrously lately on horse racing.