NEW SOUTH WALES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6161, 14 February 1888, Page 3

NEW SOUTH WALES.

A NARROW ESCAPE. iiast week a little boy between tlree and four years of age had a narrow escape from being drowned in the Hawkesbury River. He followed his father along an old wharf, when suddenly he fell in. The father was unable to swim, and could do nothing, there being about 12f b of water where he fell, and the little fellow would undoubtedly have been drowned but for another young lad named Tim M'Carthy, about s.?ven years of age, who was 'on the wharf at the time, and gallantly plunged in after him and held him abore the water until the father procured a boat and rescued the two. A RABBIT INVASION. Great consternation has been caused at Bathurst by a report that rabbits have ' appeared in the district. ACCIDENT TO AN ACTOR. j An accident happened to Mr G. R. j Ireland, the actor, while performing at ! Newcastle recently. A knife, which was beingr used by Miss Ida Herbert in the murder scene in "Alone in London," grazed Ireland's face and' eye. Nothing seriou3 resulted at first, but erysipelas now threatens to set in, and both Mr Ireland's eyes are affected. THE WEBLKYANB IN TONGA. The affairs of the Wesleyan Chnrch at Tonga were discussed at the Wesleyan i Confei'euse. The dsbate was carried on at ' great length, and considerable vigour was I infused into the speeches. It wa3 decided, by substantial majorities, that the Conference could not consent to withdraw from Tonga, and thus abandon a people who had been loyal to the Church, nor could it consent to any attempts being made to compel them to unite with the Free Church. Further, the Conference expressed deep sympathy with the Rev J. E. Moulton, and recorded its utmost confidence in him as one who had done honour to the Church. It was decided that despite the opposition of tho King, the desire of. the Friendly Islands district meeting for reappointment to the Tonfan Church should be granted. ° FORGED NOTES. A large number of forged bank notes are in circulation in Sydney. FRENCH CRIMINALS IN AUSTRALIA. A notorious convict from New Caledonia, named Joseph Dubois, who had been previously convicted of robberies of various kinds, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for larceny. The Judge in passing sentence strongly commented on the way in which the Colony was imposed upon in being compelled to undertake the work of prosecuting and punishing escaped criminals from French penal settlements.