AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXIX, Issue 11188, 7 May 1886, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

« (Per s.B, Wairarapa at Auokland.) (PJBR UNITED PKESB ASSOCIATION.) Bkisbanb, April 30. Mr Ballard, chief engineer of the railway in the Central District, has recigned, owing to being mixed up with railway contractors. It has been resolved to wind up the Central Queensland Meat Company at Kockhainpton. The Hon, John Douglas has entered into a oontraet for a monthly service from Thursday Island to New Guinea. Adelaide, April 80. The board appointed to inquire into the recent railway aooident find that it was entirely caused by the Degligence of the pointsman, Forrest, and that the signalman was grossly negligent. Ernest Minchin, chief teller of the National Bank, has been arrested for the embezzl«ment of £1000. The President of the Chamber of Commerce, at the annual meeting, spoke very hopefully of the prospects of the oolony, and deprecated the absurd representations which had gone abroad. Sydney, April 30. The Budget debate drags its slow length along. The House disposed of Mr Clark's proposals to tax cereals by a large majority. The Premier informed the deputation from the Free Trade Association that the Government intended to adhere to their proposals as submitted, and would not alter the ad valorem duties, against which there is a good deal of opposition on tho part of the mercantile cominuuity. The Bandwiok raoe meeting so far has been decidedly eruecessful in respect of the weather, the attendance, and the racing. The Gold Cup race was a splendid one. A grand field started, Nelson being made favourite up to tha last moment on the strength of his running in the Autumn Stakes. He failed, however, to justify the position, as he ran very forward for a mile and a half, and then suddenly dropped away, and finally finished ninth. Oerise and Blue ran a splendid raoe, and came with a grand rush at the finish, winning it in the faßtest time yet recorded for the race. Mr Oxenham, the owner, is said to have won or £12,000 by hei victory. The unemployed are dissatisfied with the wages paid at the relief works, and are again agitating. The Kaster. Gamp has broken up, It was in all respects satisfactory, and the weather was most favourable. A Berious oollision ocourred on the Paramatta Biver yesterday evening, the steamer Paramatta being cut down tc the water's edge, but the passengers and crew were resoued. Koltbas been committed on a further charge of falsifying accounts with the Bank of New Zealand. The report on the tramway shows a considerable improvement on the previous year. * ; ' Melbouene, April 30. James Lander, one of the imprisoned miners, was resoued on Wednesday night after being confined in the Duke's Consols mine for 14 hours. He waa unhurt. Governor Strahan, of Tasmania, hag arrived on a visit to Melbourne. The passengers by the Chimborazo are all petitioning for their release from quarantine.