AUSTRALIAN TELEGRAMS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 10655, 2 July 1896, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN TELEGRAMS.

Melbourne, July 1. The revenue, returns show a decrease of £251,000 compared with last year, and are £842,500 below the Treasurer's estimate. The railway receipts show a comparative decreaso of £186,000. Last quarter's revenue decreased by £117,000 compared with the previous corresponding quarter.

The retiring Railway Commissioners have presented a report showing that during the two years and a quarter which they held office, a saving of £270,000 was effected, \ihich, in con. junction with the reconstruction and retrenchment introduced by the previous board, resulted in an annual reduction of £945,000 in the working cost of the railways since the end of the old regime in 1892.

Sydney, July 1. The Customs duties will be remitted from to-day on the following articles : — Butter, cheese, chicory, chocolate, cocoa, coffee, fish, preserved milk, rice, salt, cement, and timber. The duty on kerosene and other oils will be reduced by threepence per gallon.

Perth, July 1. Twenty heavily laden waggons, together with a guard's van and r passenger carriage, broke away from a mixed train at Leon Mild station. The only passengers were Messrs James Morgan and John Fawkner. On breaking loose the runaway train travelled at the rate of about 50 miles an hour for nine miles. Urgent messages were sent along to keep the line clear, and 1 though this was done a train only just managed to get into a siding betbro the runaway came tearing along. The latter subsequently came to grief at a curve, being wrecked completely. Morgan was killed j instantly, while Fawkner was" badly injured. Seven horses, in wagons, were killed.