AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3719, 2 September 1886, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(By Telegraph.) (Per steamer at Wellington.) c'YDNEr. A most disgraceful scene occurred just outside the Assembly Chamber on J'uesday night. Just before the rising of the House oouio recriminatory remarks bail been made, when Mr Lyne, the Minister of Works, said that some remarks of Mr W. Clarke were cowardly, and he used the word "coward," whereupon Mr Clarke beckon>d hitn outside. Mr Lyne followed. Mr Ciarko asked him then to repeat the word, and ho did bo. Mr Ciarko then struck Mr Lyne genlly, but Mr Ljne, who is an athletic man, returned Ihe blow with interest. Mr Shepherd came to Iho rescue of Mr Clarke, and Mr Dawson made for Mr Shepherd m the interest of fair pluy. The work wus Bhorfc and Bhnrp and somo punishment was given and received. Yesterday, on assembling m ihe House, all the parties apologised and the matter was allowed to drop. Public opinion is m favour of some action being tuken. Considerable hostility is being shown towards the Income Tax. A 6hoeking ca<e of murder and suicide occurred at Darlington yesterday. A young married woman, residing npart from her husband, hung her son three years of age and then hung herself. A further case of defrauding tho Railway Department is being heard against Wright, Heiton and Co. Keith is first favourito for the Hawkesbury Handicap. Advices from Kimberley describe the goldfield as a complete failure. Governor and lady Carrington inspected the works m progress at tho offices of the " Picturesque Atlas" Company, and expressed themselves much gratified at the excellent drawings and engravings. The Mayor of Sydney gave a jubilee ball last night, which was largely attended. A conference is to be held to-day between the Seamen 9' UDion and the Ship-owners' Association. The bootmakers' strike has ended, but that of the miners at Mount Kombla continues. H.M.S. Diamond returned after having annexed the Kcrmadec Islands. Melboiteke. The Premier approved of the creation of the proposed Metropolitan Board of Works, and promised to have a bill prepared. At the sale of Tasmanian stud sheep the highest price paid was fiio hundred guineas. Tho Legal Profession Amalgamation Bill has passed the Assembly, and also tho bill enf ranch: sing the police. Brisbane. The debate on the Budget is proceeding. Mr Griffiths said that the increase on tho Estimates was very moderate, and with the improved prospects of the colony, and the steady gaining of population, there was every likelihood of its being fully realised. (Per s.s. Te Anau via tho Bluff.) MELBOURNE. On August 20th crowds of unemployed, with placards with the words "Work or Food," and banners inscribed with starring families, marched to the Treasury Buildings and demanded admission to the Chief Secretary's room. The police refused, and the mob then rushed upon them, and some of the police were roughly handled, one being cut with a loaded stick. Reinforcements were telephoned for, and the crowd wero speedily dispersed, three arrests being made. The Wesleyans are agitating for the Bible reading m schools, without denominational teaching. They also want the Lord's Prayer and decaloguo printed and hung up m the schoolrooms. On August 17th a Eeizure was made, on behalf of the Customs, of 216 gold Waltham watches, varying m value from £8 to £35. The watches, it is believed, were first imported from America to Sydney, and from there to Victoria, m small parcels. To what extent the revenue has suffered is not known, as the authorities only recently fcecomc aware that certain firms were selling gold watches at such prices as to lead to the conclusion that the duty, which is 25 per cent, had not been paid. The firm from which the seizuro was made are, it is stated, confident that they can satisfy the department thut the tariff has not been infringed, and until it has been clearly proved that a fraud has been perpetrated, tho Customs authorities will not disclose tho names of the persons implicated. Florence Morrel, aged fifteen, has been committed for trial for setting fire to the house of Mrs Perry. Accused admitted her guilt, saying she set fire to the plice becauso Mis Perry had been nasty with her. HomiißT/E CnrrLTr. A man named Field wns charged at tho Police Court with a deed of horrible cruelty, he havinp, as was alleged, thrown his ton. a boy of seven, on to a lire. The boy's body bore the marks of the grate irons, but defendant, who had conio hnme drunk, declared that the boy had fallen m the fire. The boy, however, swore tlvit Ins father, after beating him with a stick, took him by tho arm and leg and threw him on tho lira two or three times. Defendant was fined £2 with costs, and ordered to find sureties to keep the peace. He went to gaol m default of payment. Painful Suicide. On Auaust 19th the body of a young woman, named Clara Crawley, was found lying on the beach tit Elsternwick, just at th» cdgo"of tho water, quite dend, and it is supposed she committed suicide during the night. Just above hL-h-water mnrk the constable saw a small bundle, and lie was about to turn it, over with his foot when a f.unt wail came from it, and an examination showed that, the bundle contained an infant two weeks old. After the inquest, Constable Ilolland, who has no family, adopted the infant. SYDNEY. Nenrly 400 diggers bavo returned from Wyndluim field, the majority being unable to stay through tho scarcity of pronMon?. About 200 re-shipped for other colonios. The reports from tho Geld arc very conflicting. All the diggers who have been there any time are returning for supplies, several parties are out prospecting on the Urd ana King rivers. Business is stagnant. Two railway clerks named Walter itrown and Arthur Cope, who were before tho court, wero remanded for a week on a charge of embezzling Government money. It is stated that the revelations whioh will be elicited la the course of the trial, will be oi tuoh a

nature as will gravely implicate soveral functionaries of high standing. Powell, who is now awniiing his trial for the wilful murder of his wife at Stocton, behaved rationally up to August 2"Uli, when ho exhibited violent Byniptoms of mental derangement. He is now under close restraint. Tnn Eedfeun Poisoni.no ■ Cash. The inquest on the body of Elizabeth Blanche Kent, tho victim of the Bedfern poisoning, is concluded. Tho husband of deceased, nenry Thomas Kent, was recalled and questioned as to tho battle of laudanum which was found m a box m a hack room and thrown away by tho servant at his direction. Ho had previously said that he was not aware that there was any poison m the box. The coroner pointed out that this statement did n"t agree with the evidence previously given by tho witness, who said that the laudanum was kept m tho houso during his wife's illness, and wns accessible to her. The ■witness also made other conflicting statements, and his evidence wa3 the reverse of satisfactory. It transpired that Kent and his wife had lived opart at the end of 188 i, owing to deceased suspecting her husband of improper intimacy with her sister, and it was also suggested that undue familiarity existed between Kent and tho servant, Caroline Roberts, who was constantly m attendance on Mrs Kent during her illness. Mrs Kent's sislor has been staying at Kent's hous ■ Bince tho death of his wife. Further evidence was adduced as to Kent's denial of having known of any poison being m the house. The jnry returned a. verdict to tho effect " that deceased died from the effects of poison •wilfully ond feloniously administered by her husband, and that Caroline Roberts, the servant, was an arcessory, befoo the fact, to the murder." They were, accordingly, committed for trial. Tub Reynolds' Tragedy. A coroners' jury returned a verdict of wilful murder against Alfred Reynolds, whose wife died from tho effects of opium, which she stated her husband compelled her to drink. Accused said : " 1 am pleased -with theverdict, and hope that the next jury will bring m the same verdict without a rider." He is a young man of florid complexion, not at all remarkable m appearance ; m fact, as the bystanders observed, " He does not look like a murderer." During the enquiry two voluntary admissions of guilt were sworn to. Beyond stating that they quarrelled about money matters, Reynolc'i assigned no reason for wishing to be rid of his wife. Jealousy is not even hinted at, and there is less excuse for the crime than was at fii-Bt thought. Tho accused said he did not wish to make any defence. QUEENSLAND. The pilot of the It M.S. Duke of Argyle, which arrived at Brisbane reports parsing, on August 6th, the topmast of a small vessel, and next day they passed the body of a fairhaiied man, about 30. No eiamination was practicable, either of the spar or the body. TASMANIA. Mr Thurow, the Government geologist, goes to report on the Mount Lyell goldfiold. Mr H. Laphlin, tho proprietor of the King River Hotel, has arrived m Launceston with 121 b weight of coarse alluvial gold, obtained at Mount Lyell by four men m three weeks' sluicing at the spur of tho mount. Ho speaks highly of the goldfields, and considers that the anticipations of the richness of the lode deposits are not exaggerated.