AUSTRALIAN TELEGRAMS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 10612, 12 May 1896, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN TELEGRAMS.

Melbourne, May 11. The Brunner relief fund now amonnt3 to over £800. * Melbourne, May 12. Mr Bryant, manager of the Union Bank at Egeiton, has been arrested on a charge of fraud in connection with a cheque for £900. '' Sydney, May 11. Hereford's story is found to be a fabrication, though there is reason to believe he is not altogether unacquainted with Now Zealand gaols, and the authorities of the latter colony believe he is identical with a prisoner who escaped from custody some time ago. News has been received from San Francisco that the barque Centaur was destroyed by fire at sea. She was bound to Brisbane with a cargo of wheat. Sydney, May 12. Taßker, chief mate of the barquentine Rio, from Napier, was knocked oterboard during the voyage while slackening the mizzen sheet, and drowned. The Speech from the Throne at the opening of Parliament is expected to be of considerable length, and that it will embody the policy- enunciated .by the* Premier. One of the subjects receiving; early attention will be the construction of light railways, also the introduction of a measure for the extension of the Chinese Restrictions Act to' other colored races. A bill to facilitate the resumption of largo estates for the purpose of promoting closer settlement will be brought down, aud while Parliament will not be invited to deal comprehensively with local government, ' a palliative in the shape of improvement in municipal loans and for municipal loans under Government guarantee will be introduced..,', Brisbane, May 12. Captain Bird, of the Miowera, is negotiating with tho Govern-nent, on bahftlf of the Huddait Parker Co., to extend the Vancouver service to Queensland. If sufficient inducement offera Brisbane will be made the first port of call and the last of departure. Captain Bird presented two proposals, one for a thirty-ono days' service with two steamers, or a tri-weekly service with three steamers. The Company is anxioua to extend is operations'^.Queensland, but Captain Bird says, if tha Government is not willing to meet him,. he will most likely arrange to make NewZealand a port of call. Ho thinks th« Queensland trade preferable, because it. i» more in the line of route than NewZealand . It is understood that Captaia Bird asks not less than £10,000 a year for seven years. The Cabinet is believed! to be favorable, but it has not decided] what amount of subsidy to give.