Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939), Saturday 5 November 1887, page 725


Current News.

BY TELEGRAPH AND OTHERWISE.

The money-order office at Jimbour has been closed. The map of the town of Croydon is now for sale at the Surveyor-General's office.

It is notified in the " Gazette" that the port offioe at Bedoliffe has been made a postal note office. The 8.1.8. N. Company's R.M.S. Almora, from Brisbane 6th September, arrived at Flymonth on Saturday last. Arrangement* have been made by the Victorian Post Office for the transmimon oi parcels to France, Algiers, Corsioa, and Tanis. The provisions of the Towns' Police Act are to be extended to the Croydon raoeoonne duringthe forthcoming race meeting at that plaoe. The boundaries of the three subdivisions of tho division of Brassall have been amended, and the necessary proclamation is published in the "Gazette." The residence of John Collins, a selector, five miles from Blackall, was totally destroyed by fire on Thursday night week, together with furniture and effects. Michael O'Brien and John Devlin were drowned at 4 o'clock on Sunday afternoon while bathing in the Condamine River, at Warwick. The bodies were recovered half an hour after-wards. A polo match has been arranged to take place at Kedron Park this afternoon between teams seleoted from the Moreton Mounted Infantry Polo Club and the Brisbane Polo Club. An exciting match is expected. The following persons have been adjudicated insolvent during the week:—Wm. Smithwick, of Bulimba, cooper; John Tatton, labourer, of Rosewood; Thomas Burns, coal miner, of Dinmore; John Mahoney, of Port Douglas, labourer. Tenders have been aooepted by the Educa-tion Department as follows:—H. Rathbone, erection of playshed at the State school, North Rockhampton, for £123 10s.; Francis and Long, for the erection of a playshed at the State school, Winton, for £104. It is notified by the Postmaster-General that Patrick Dunning, of Emerald, having failed to complete his agreement for stretching an additional telegraph wire from Nonnantonto Junction Creek, has been disqualified from tendering for Government work in Queensland lor a period of twelve months. It will be remembered that the Government agent of the Loehiel, Mr. Blaokburne, was suspended on the return of that vessel from her last voyage. This action was taken in oonsequenoe of a series of complaints in connection with a previous voyage, wnioh were lodgedagainst Mr. Blackburn* inhi» absenoe. On Monday he had an interview with the Chief Secretary, and gave so dear and satisfactory an answer to the charges that Sir S. W. Griffith at once directed Mr. Blaokburne to be reinstated in the servioe. Our Stanthorpe correspondent, writing on 27th October, says:—Though living so near the border the good people here have not the smallest idea when their majesties of New South Wales will condescend to open the Motion between Tenterleld and Wallangarra. The rails have been laid for some time, but there is no sign of any commencement being made with the station. The New South Wales side of the boundary fence is indeed as destitute of buildings as wallangarra—according at least to Sir H. Parses. He has actually been absurd enough to call our border town a " howling wilderness." It seems rather mixed to call a town with three comfortable hotels and other appliances of civilised life by such a name. Letters off administration or probates have been taken out during the week in the following estates:—Letters of administration: Abraham Markson, late commission agent, of Brisbane personalty £1129 6s. lid., to Helena Markson, widow, of Brisbane; Patrick Farrell, late labourer, of Charters Towers—personalty £100, to Hugh Farrell, labourer, of Charters Towers. Probates: Edmund Barren, late cordial manufacturer, of Mackay—personalty £1686 4s. 6d., to John M'Namara, labourer, and James Kennedy Baleer, of Mackay; Wilhelm Fried-rich Rudolph Bnokbaek, late hotelkeeper, of Bundaberg—personalty £3504 12s. 6d., to Marie Louisa Buckback, of Bundaberg, widow. The usual monthly meeting of the committee of the East Moreton Farmers Association was held in the Oddfellows' Hall, Charlotte-street, on Saturday last, Mr. J. T. Phipps, president, inthechvir. There was a good attendance. The president reported that the deputation of delegates from various sooietieH in E*ttt and West Moreton waited upon the Chief Secretary on the subject of the appointment of a Board of Agriculture, and that Sir S. W. Griffith favoured the scheme and would forward the petition to the Minister for Lands. Mr., M'Andrew moved, and Mr. Strong seconded, — " That the association write to the Minister for Lands to ask if any steps have been taken to select a suitable piece of land for experimental purposes." The meeting then terminated. By the death of Alexander John Manson, late secretary of the Marine Board and Shipping Master at this port, the colony has lost a tried and faithful servant. He was born at Chelsea, England, in the year 1827, and at an early age chose the sea for a profession. His energetic and cheerful disposition at onoe brought him into notice with his employers, and he was rapidly advanced to the positions of second mate, chief mate, and master, which positions he held for some twenty-five years, visiting during that time many parts of the world. The deceased gentleman was employed in the Melbourne Harbour servioe for some time prior to his arrival in this colony; but desirous of some change he left that servioe and took up his residence in Brisbane in the year 1860 and employed himself in maritime matters until 1865, when he was appointed shipping inspector and shipwright surveyor at this port. On the death of Mr. R. L. Drew in 1869, Mr. Manson succeeded bim ss secretary to the Marine Board and Shipping Master, which position he occupied to the time of his death, which occurred on Monday at 430 p.m., to the 60th yearoiafcift.

Counterfeit half-crowns are in circulation at Bundaberg. The pohoe in Launoeston (Tas.) have been instructed to suppress the use of the totalisator. The tender of Michael White for the erection only of the new State school at Burketown has been aooepted. The 8.1.8. N. Company's steamer Bulimba, from Brisbane 12th September, left Port Said on the 28th October for London. Lottie Milwood, 17 years of age, died suddenly at Homeboin station on the 27th October. She is supposed to have taken strychnine. Pilot Kenneth Kerr, Keppel Bay, has been appointed to act for the —rttnnt health officer, Rockhampton, during that officer's absence on leave. The German mail steamer Salier arrived in Sydney on Monday, and when boarded by the Customs officials 12,000 contraband cigars were discovered. The temperance organisations in New South Wales have decided to ask the Government of that colony to introduce a bill to give full effort to the principle of local option. Messrs. Henry Yon Bremen and R. G. Miller are to be added to the commission of the peace. The resignation of Mr. Harris Thistiewaite as a justice of the peace has been aooepted. Despatches on the subject of the new double florin, jurisdiction ot Auctro-Hungarian Consulates, and of the German Vic-Consul at Gooktown, are published in Saturday's " Gazette." 7 During the week ending 29th October, 153 saloon and 119 steerage passengers arrived in Brisbane per steamers from the Southern colonies, and 184 saloon and 116 steerage passengers left for the South. Whilst the mortality from typhoid fever in twenty of the principal towns in England, including London, in 1879 was at the rate of 2-9 per 10,000 of the population, the rate in Melbourne and suburbs, between 1876 and 1885, was 7*3 per 10,000. The following promotions In the Maryborough Central (Infants) School have received Executive approval:—Miss Tessie Adam, acting head teacher, to be head teacher; and Miss Amelia M. G. Bow, second assistant, to be first assistant teaober. In the list of Queensland scholars who have been successful in the junior Sydney Unilver-sity examination, published in page 748 of this Issue, it is stated that one of the scholars-F. O. Boys—isa pupil of the Toowoomba Grammar School. This we are informed is a mistake, as the lad was, and is, a pupil at the High school, Toowoomba. The quarterly meeting of the Queensland Typographical Association was held in the Oddfellows' Hall, Charlotte-street, on Saturday evening. Considerable disenssion took place in reference to the endeavour of a member of the Legislative Assembly to gvt some of the Government printing distributed among country offices, and it was decided to request the Trades and Labour Council to oommunioate with the Government in the matter, as if the proposal were carried out boys would be employed to do the work. *~7 . The boundaries of the Aramao and Diamantina divisions have been slightly altered. These alterations will come into operation on the issue of the proclamation.. A portion of No. 2 subdivision, Widgee Division, and a portion of No. 2 subdivision, and the whole of No. 3 subdivision, Baramba Division, are to be formed into a separate division to be called Kilkivan. The new division will have a board of six msmbms The necessary proclamation amendfog the boundaries of the Widgee and Beraaba Divisions will be issued in due oourse. The changes in the Widgee and Baramba divisions will come into operation on the Ist January next During the last voyage of the steamer Vic-toria from Normanton to Brisbane, a concert was given by a number of the passengers in aid of the funds of the Normanton Hospital. Messrs. Grattan and Taylor were very energetio in getting the affair up, and all of the passengers who were able willingly contributed their share in makingitiTsnooess. Captain Munro caused the quarter-deck to be decorated with flags, the piano was brought up from the saloon, and seats were provided for all the paswiigMs, both steerage and saloon. The Roy. Father Murray, of Cooktows, who presided; gave an earnest address, and no less than £13 was ooUeoted lor the benefit of the hospital. Our Maytown correspondent, writing on 17th October, says of the London syndicate arrived here last Sunday, and after the transfer of the Anglo-Saxon claim each shareholder received hw share of £20,000 in cash. Mr. Baraett, solicitor, was present in the interests of the purchasers. Mr. A. J. Madden afterwards visited limnrtons Creek and inspected the reef. HeU, from what I hear, highly pleased with it, and considers the property one of the beat investments in North Queensland. This is the largest transaction that has taken place on the Palmer, £11,000 oash having been paid in one day. It is stated machinery will be plaosd on the ground at Limestone within four months. A new store and hotel are in oourse of erection. The member for Rosewood, Mr. J. B. L. Isambert, on the 18th October wrote to the Minister for Land* inquiring when land will be ready for agricultural village settlement, and asking for any other information that would be of use to intending settlers. A reply has been received by Mr. Isambert, informing him that urgent instructions have been issued to surveyors to hasten surveys of such settlements at the following places:— " Gregory, about 20 miles south-west of Bundaberg; Tabinga, about 15 miles from Nanango; Banon and East Banon, near Herberton; Ossa, about 20 miles from Mackay; Whyanbul, 15 miles from Port Douglas; Gairloch, near Port Douglas; Mar, near Port Douglas; Blackall Ranges; Nunum Creek, on Durundur run; Russell River, near Cairns; Conandale run, 50 miles from Gympie; Stonohenge run, Darling Downs district. Several surveys are in a state of forwardness, and probably during the next week one or two areas may be proclaimed open. Others are being nrooeeded with and urged on bytheSorrtTor.OeneraU"

A Government savings bank is to be estab-lished at Windorah. It is expected that the lambing on Wornblebank station will this year average 08 per cent. Mr. Martin Loughlin, the well-known Victorian racing man, has presentod £400 to the Ballarat charities. In New South Wales the sum ol £2,000 bas been plaoed on the Estimates to assist in proßpeoting fur gold and other minerals. Infantile diseases, especially measles, are alarmingly prevalent among children attending the public schools in Sydney and suburbs. It has been decided by the Executive to reserve the land on Petne-terrace, known as the old gaol reserve, for public recreation pur= poses. The Ids division has been subdivided by the Governor-in-Oouneil into three subdivisions, and the Dumber of members of the board increased from six to nine. The total Customs collections at Brisbane for the month ended 31st October amounted to £44,890 lls. lid., an increase of £4806 12s. 2d. over the corresponding month of last year. The by-law No. 6 of the Broadsound division, providing for the proper conduct of the business of the board, has been approved by the Govenior-in-Council, and is gazetted aooordingly. It is understood that Captain Wright's demand for an official inquiry into the conduct of his duties as Senior Naval Officer has been refused until he has fumis ed an explanation of some of the matters referred to in the previous correspondence.Alice Alice O'Neil, an immigrant by the barque Oriana, which arrived in Maryborough about a fortnight ago, was brought before the police magistrate the other day on suspicion of being of unsound mind, and was ordered to be con-fined in the reception-house for thirty days. The following is the description of a lunatic named John O'Neill, who escaped from Woogaroo Asylum on Tuesday:—Height, 5ft. 4¼in.; age, 38; complexion, fresh; occu-pation, miner; gray eyes, andlight-brown hair. O'Neill, who is a native of Ireland, when last seen was dressed in mole trousers, twill shirt, flannel shirt, white jumper, felt hat, and elastic-side boots. The ordinary fortnightly meeting of the Trades and Labour Council was held on Tuesday. The subject of distributing the Government printing work among the oountry offioes was brought up by the representative of the Typographical Association, the objection being that an excessive number of boys are tmploved in those ofioss. It waa resolved that the attention of the Government be directed to the matter, and that they be asked to give no work to these offloee until a Factory and Workshop Act is passed. The annual business meetings of the Baptist Association began on Tuesday morning and hated all day. The annual report of the Executive Committee and the report of the Mission Committee were of more than ordinary interest. In the evening an exhaustive and powerful inaugural address was delivered by the newly-appointed president. Rev. W. Whale. An address was also delivered by the Rev. Charles Bright, of Sydney, who had a very oordial reoeption. Owing to certain reports received by the Pacific Island Labour Department, a clerk in the branch omce at Bondaberg was recently called upon to explain some denoieneies in theaooounU. The explanation does not appear to have been satisfactory, for it has been decided that the clerk in question, Mr. Laurie, is to be dismissed from thepublio servioe of the oolony, and Mr. W. F. Kankin appointed clerk in the Pacific Island Labour Omce, fiondaberg, in his stead. The Mr. Laurie in question was sseretary to the commissioners appointed to inquire into the recruiting of the Polynesians who were subsequently returned to their homes in the Victoria. The German cruiser Adler, 600 tons, 4 guns. Captain Yon Wietenheim, Lieutenant-Commander Meoss, Navigating Lieutenant Oeeear, from a cruise, arrived off Gape Moreton yesterday week, and steamed across the Bay and up the river in charge of Pilot Cloherty, anchoring in Garden Beach between 4 and 6 o'clock. She was on her way from Oooktown to Samoa, and called in for a fresh supply of ooals, after obtaining which she resumed her voyage on Monday morning. This is the first visit of the Adler to Brisbane. She is a smart looking composite vessel, barque rigged, and measures 136 ft. in length by 24ft. beam, and 10ft. depth of bold. Her draught is 14ft. aft and 12ft. forward, and she can steam at the rate of t«Mve knots per hour on a moderate consumption of fuel. The Adler was launched in the year 1881 at Kiel, in Sohleswig-Holstein, and is; manned by 130 officers and men. Her armamankeouDists of four breech-loading guns, by Krupf, each 7Jin. oalibre, aad three Hotohkus guns. One of the heavy guns is mounted on the top of the poop, one on the afterdeek, another on the foredeok, while the fourth oooupies a prominent position on the forecastle head. *^ A telegram from Sydney, dated 28th October, says:—The annual session of the Provincial Synod dosed to-day, when the report of the committee on the Centennial Fund was adopted, with a few alterations. Aooordingto the scheme adopted, the fund will have one general object of Church extension, and will consist of two branches —first, for Church extension through living agents, including the supply and maintenance of clergy in newly-formed districts, where the work is of a missionary character ; the extension of Episoopite provinces; the erection of two new bishoprics, one in the diocese of Bathunt, and the other in Armidale and Graf ton; and finally for the extension of a mission, heathen and white. The reeponsibilitv of the Australian Church on the second branch of the fund is that of church extension through material machinery, including the work of aiding by loan or grant in the erection of churches in new and straggling districts. To carry out the scheme adequately will, it is estimated, require fully £100,000, and the fund will have to be of a permanent character. The organisation and direction of the fund was provided for and at the dose of the Bvaod 4^ was smbwribfd toward, tke fund. '

The liitt of unolaimed letters for September v published in Saturday's " Gasette." A bricklayer named Thomps n was killed at Howard the other day by a kiln caving in upon him. The Government have decided to proclaim the Eidsvold a goldfield under the provisions of the Goldfields Act. The Under Secretary to the Department for Fublio Instruction invitee tenders for additions to the State school, North Pine River. The tender of Thomas Gibson for £693 17s. has been accepted by the Works Department for the erection of a hospital at Goondiwindi. The tender of Thomas Watson, South Brisbane, has been accepted for the erection of a new gaol and reception-house at Maokay for The Customs receipts at the port of Sydney for the month ending on Monday amounted to £155,559, as compared with £101,640 for the corresponding month of last year. In consequence of an insufficiency of trucks for the transit of coal between Howard and Maryborough, 160 hands at the mines frequently have to oease work for three days at a time. The Government of New South Wales are considering the desirableness of immediately proceeding with the erection of the new Parliament Houses on the site adjoining that which is occupied by the present Legislative Chambers in Maoquarie-street. Senior-sergeant Carney is to be appointed acting clerk of petty sessions at Raven*wood. Senior-constable Francis Maguire is to be appointed inspector of brands at Nanango. Sergeant E. Joyce is to be acting registrar of births and deaths at Morren. The barque Elizabeth Mary, bound from Townsville to New Zealand, was wrecked on the Barrier Reef at 2 a.m. on the 22nd October. The vessel was abandoned, and the crew arrived at Bowen next morning. The Elizabeth Mary was a wooden vesesol of 260 tons gross, and was owned by E. V Miles. The Executive have deoided to appoint Lieutenant Walton Drake, Officer Instructor of the Naval Brigade, to be also acting first lieutenant of the Queensland gunboat Gayunday. This appointment will temporarily fill the vacancy caused by the dismissal of Lieutenant Henketh. It is rumoured that the Gaytudah will be got ready for sea at onoo, and with Lieutenant Drake in command will go North on a cruise for the special object of training the crew and the naval brigades at the different ports. The third of IHb regular periodical visits has just been paid by the Rev. J. Williams, of the Ltiehhardt-street Primitive Methodist Church, to the district around Southport. Servioes were held in the houses of Mr. Andrews at Tallebudgera, and Mr. J. Andrews at Mudgeeraba, and at the provisional schools at Coombabah and Benowa. No services were being held at any of these places when first visited by Mr. Williams. At the lastnamed place during his visit a tea meeting was held, attended by over 100 persons. Mr. Hicks presided, and expressed the pleasure he had in being present at the first meeting of the kind, and hoped it would not be the last. He said he bad been a resident of the neighbourhood over twenty yean, and nobody thought they were a community worthy of religious attention until the Rev. J. Williams visited them and held servioes a few months since. An interesting programme was gone through, oonsisting of songs, duets, quartets, recitations ; and addresses were given by the Rev. J. Williams and Mr. J. Lane. The proceeds were devoted to the purchase of lamps, books, to. Mr. Lane, a local preacher, has arranged to give two Sunday night service* in the month; Mrs. Howat has also for some time eondueted a Sunday school. A new variety of coffee is reported to have been discovered in West Africa resembling the Arabian in the berry, but instead of being a slow shrub the plant grows rapidly to the height of 7ft. " * '