AUSTRALIAN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5349, 29 August 1895, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN.

I [Special to Pbess Association.! ! DESTEUCTIVE BUSH FIEES. | SYDNEY, August 28. I The most disastrous bush fires ever known in the Greta district have been raging since Sunday, and the area covered is fifteen square miles. Thousands of acres of graes have been destroyed, and many struggling farmers are ruined. Twenty thousand acres have been burned round West Maitland. A lad has been arrested on a oharge of causing the fire. The boy states that he carelessly threw down a match after lighting his pipe. COMPENSATION FOR INJURIES. SYDNEY, August 29. Hezlett, who claimed .£3OOO for injuries in the Redfern railway accident and loss of businees, was awarded .8950. YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION. Miss Eeynolds, World's Secretary for the Yonng Woman's Christian^Association, is a passenger by the Manapouri for New Zealand. BUSH FIEES. Bush fires are raging in many districts, and causing great dettruciion of property. GOLDSBEOUGH, MOET AND CO. MELBOURNE, August 28. At the annual meeting of Messrs Goldsbrough, Mort and Co. the balance-sheet showed a loss on the year's working of -£55.800. The liabilities of the company are _&i,320,000. Mr Horefall, the colonial adviser, predicted that with a substantial rise in wool the company would pay dividends again. The Chairman stated that under the new reconstruction soheme a saving of £60,000 interest annually would be effected. The report was adopted. An extraordinary meeting held subsequently unanimously accepted the new reconstruction scheme. LAND AND INCOME TAX. HOBAET, August 29. In the Assembly the Income Tax Bill was read a second time, and the Land Tax Bill passed through committee, except one clause dealing with mortgages. CERTIFICATE SUSPENDED. PERTH, August 29. The Marine Board found the captain of the wrecked ship May Hill guilty of carelessness in not providing the latest list of coast lights, and suspended his certificate for three months. SUPPOSED WIFE MURDER. ADELAIDE, August 29. Mrs Willis was found shot dead in a house at Alma Plains. She is supposed to have been murdered by her husband, who is missing. They had only been married six months. POLITICAL. BBISBANE, August 29. In the Assembly Mr Powers announced that he had been appointed leader of the Opposition. The labour leader had pro* mised him the general snpport of his party. Mr Pound's Electoral Reform Bill was rejected by 36 to 30.

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