AUSTRALIA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5505, 4 March 1896, Page 3

AUSTRALIA.

[Special to Pbess Association.] INTEREST ON DEPOSITS. SYDNEY, Mabch 3. • A meeting of banters decided to reduce the interest' rates on deposits to 1$ per cent for six months and to 3 per cent for twelve months. PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY. SYDNEY, March 4. The Hey Mr Tait has been elected Moderator of the Presbyterian Assembly. THE FEDERAL BILL. MELBOURNE, Mabch 4. The Legislative Assembly altered the Federal. Bill . to permit voters unable to vote on polling day to record their votes next day. EXPLOSION IN A MINE. An explosion .of fire damp occurred in the Golden Age Extended Mine, Smythesdale. Four men were badly burnt. i : VICTORIAN RAILWAYS. i The Departmental Board totally denies Mr Price Williams's statement as far as the examination of 95 per cent of the line is concerned. ; INTERCOLONIAL HEALTH CON- | ' FERENCE. I I The intercolonial conference of Boards of Health has drawn up a number of xesolutions'for submission fco the Premiers of the various colonies.' The •'; conference rrecbm 1 -;; n^ends uniformity in ctuarantineja^sj tliat". all' incoming ' ships bailable 1 to "tioh, -that three • qualified^ experts, be stationed' at Albany,. Adelaide and' Thursday Island, and if necessary one at Port I?arwin ; that a federal supply of calf lymph be kept at each place ■as well as at Colombq,and that the expense be borne by the Australian Governments on the basis of population. PHOTOGRAPHING THROUGH SOLED BODIES. ; Professor Lyle, of Melbourne University, has made a number of very successful experiments With Professor Routgen's photographic process. ' THE NORTHERN TERRITORY. • ADELAIDE, Mabch 4. Mr Pritchard Morgan, M.P., who is on a visit to the colony, has during the last three months'- obtained five thousand square miles of land in the Northern Territory for pastoral purposes, with a special permit to prospect for minerals. He agrees to pay i>sopo per annum, in wages, and to permanently develop the ■country. If gold is found on the land taken up, Mr Morgan is to pay the Government 5 per cent on the net profits of any 'mine. ■