AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3545, 8 February 1886, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(By Telegraph.) (Per B.s. Te Anau at the Bluff.) Melbourne, Feb. 2. Mr Gillies, member for Eodney, addressed a largo meeting of electors at Echuca on Thursday last. He briefly reviewed the causes which led up to the coalition of parties ; alluded at some length to the work done by the present Parliament; expressed the opinion that there was still work for a coalition Government, and it would be for the country to say whether they would adopt or reject the programme which would be placed before them at the elections. He made a vigorous defence of the appointment of Mr Kerford to the Supreme Court Bench, and denied that there would be a deficiency m the revenue. The Coburg murder and attempted suicide case occupied the Court on Tuesday last. It appears from the confession of. one of the daughters, that she conspired with three of her sisters to tell a young woman and her mother to kill their younger sister, aged nine, preparatory to committing suicide, m order to escape temptation. The child's throat was cut, by Mrs Hampton, while the child was held by her sisters. Then tho sister* inflicted severe cuts on each other's arms, from which they nearly bled to death. A Btrong taint of insanity runs In the family, and it is said that lately tho girls have been reading the Fall iiall Gazette disclosures,

which have affected their intellects, causing them to imagine they were all the victims of designing men. On Wednesday an inquest was held on the body of the child, but it had to be postponed, as tho sisters were unable to attend. The inquest was adjourned for a month. The eldest son of the family then showed signs of insanity, and the doctor recommended his being locked up. Since then it has been with tho greatest difficulty that he has been persuaded to consume sufficient food to keep him alive, he being under the impression that there is a conspiracy to poison him. The Melbourne Cricket Club have finally decided that their Australian Eleven shall consist of Blackham, Spofforth, Palmer, Bonnor, Garrett, Evans, Jones, Mcllwraitb, Scott, Trumble, Bruce, Giffen and Jarvis. The papers all agree that the team will compare well m all round excellence with any previous Eleven, and should bo able to well maintain the prestigo of the colonies.