Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939), Saturday 28 January 1888, page 125


Current News.

BY TELEGRAPH AND OTHERWISE.

Mr. Morgan intends to seek re-election for Warwick. The late Mr. Holmes, of Malvern, Victoria, has left £40,000 to the Bendigo Hospital.

The Toowoomba Turf Club intend to give trotting prizes at their race meetings in future. Henry Ahlers, of the Prince of Wales Hotel, Croydon, has been stabbed severely by his Chinese cook. The B.I.S.N. Company's R.M.S. Merkara, from Brisbane 29th November, arrived at Ply-month on Tuesday last. A requisition is being numerously signed asking Mr. John Donaldson, M.L.A., to stand for the Bulloo electorate. Messrs. A. Petrie and C. Atthow have been elected members of the Toombul Divisional Board for subdivisions 1 and 3 respectively. Mr. W. E. Parry-Okeden, Immigration Agent, is, we regret to learn, suffering from an attack of measles, and is confined to his bed at his residence, Kangaroo Point. The Southern and Western Railway earned £332 less last week than during the same period last year, and the total earnings for the year are £1678 less than last year. At a meeting of the Breakfast Creek Bridge Board, held last week, the tender of Overend and Co. was accepted for the erection of the new bridge for the sum of £8341 16s. Captain Jekyll, governor of the gaol, who has been suffering from a severe attack of typhoid fever, was reported on Tuesday to be out of danger. His medical attendants say there is now every hope of his recovery. For some time past there has been a move-ment afoot in Ipswich for the establishment of a girls' grammar school. Another step to wards that end has been taken by the Execu-tive by granting a reserve of ten acres on the Queen's Park, Ipswioh, for the purposes of the proposed institution. The New South Wales Railway authorities having suggested that return ticket holders by the overland route between Sydney and Bris-bane shall be accorded the same privileges in regard to the break of journey as holders of single tickets, the Minister for Railways has consented, and all tickets will therefore be available for seven days from the commencement of the journey. The following nominations were received on Wednesday for vacancies on the Indooroopilly Divisional Board:—Subdivision No 1, James Brimblecombe, Thomas Moon, and Charles O'Brien ; subdivision No. 2, Isaac Brier, Samuel Dart, John Graham ; subdivision No. 3, George Carr, William A. Wilson. A poll will be taken on Friday, the 10th February. Mr. J. A. Mills was elected auditor of the divi-sion, being the only one nominated. The Acting Government Resident at Thurs-day Island (Mr. Milman) reports to the Chief Secretary, by wire, that he returned on Sunday from a visit to Murray Island, where he had found everything going on well. The light-ship keeper at Piper Island reported to Mr. Milman that three Frenchmen had landed at a station near there on the 3rd January. They were in a very emaciated condition and re-mained for a few days. They then left the station with the intention of making the light-ship, but up to the 16th instant they had not arrived. Mr. Milman adds that he had been informed the men were last seen in the vicinity of Forbes Island. Land will be thrown open for selection on 6th March next as follows:—Bundaberg dis-trict, parish of Euleilah, on the resumed part of Taunton run : ten unsurveyed agricultural farms, ranging from 120 to 315 acres each ; Mackay district, parish of Hamilton : four unsurveyed agricultural farms, ranging from 135 to 136 acres each ; Beenleigh district, parish of Boyd : two unsurveyed farms, 145 and 160 acres each respectively ; Cunnamulla dis-trict : farms on the resumed part of Coongoola run (two unsurveyed grazing), 17,400 acres each ; Hughenden district, parish of Hughen-den, on the resumed part of Hughenden run : sixteen agricultural farms (unsurveyed), ranging from 80 to 560 acres each. A meeting of the ratepayers of the newly formed division of Kianawah was held on Satur-day night at the Wynnum Hotel. Mr. Maynard was elected chairman, and proceeded to explain the object for which they had met—to decide upon the names of six gentlemen to be submitted to the Government for approval as the first board for the division of Kianawah. He reminded those present that it would be necessary to be careful in their selection, as the successful working or otherwise of the division would depend upon their action, and he hoped that they would not at all events make the same muddle of their affairs as had been done at Bulimba. It was moved by Mr. Cannon, and seconded by Mr. H. H. Payne,— " That the names of Messrs. Stanton, Adams, Arnold, Jarvis, M'Carron, and Wilde be submitted to the Government for their approval as members of the first board for the division of Kianawah. This was carried and a vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the proceedings. The people of Mount Gravatt had an unusual treat afforded them on the evening of the 19th instant by an excellent entertainment Siven by • minstrel troupe got together by Mr. aokson. They numbered fifteen, Mr. Augstein being centre man, and Messrs. Jackson and Thompson bones and tambo respectively. The performance took place in the schoolroom, which was found: to be so much too small that the programme wan repeated on the following night, when all school children were admitted free. The overture was rendered by cornet, piano, trombone, two kettledrums, tambourine, bones, and triangle, and was very effective. The piano was presided over by Mrs. J. A. Miles, of Indooroopilly. Araomrthosongs, " Rather' by Mr. Jackson, and "Those Girls at School" by Mr. Thompson, were much appreciated. The ohorufleß were very well rendered, the jokes pointed, and several good local hits eliotted loud applause. Mr. Albert King's hornpipe, and Mr. Bell's Irish jig were received enthu-siastically.

A provisional school is to be established at Wallangarra. Grape crushing will commence at several vineyards in the Roma district in a few days. An unsuccessful attempt has been made at Stanthorpe to resuscitate the Mining Associa-tion. The Toowoomba Turf Club has decided to hold its autumn meeting on 81st May and 1st June. A lad named Fred. Baker shattered his hand at Stanthorpe last week while playing with gun-powder. Mr. P. J. Macnamara, of the Southport Bulletin, contests the Albert electorate in the M'Ilwraithian interest. Nine Chinese who left Cooktown the other day for Hong Kong had with them 34oz. of gold and 340 sovereigns. Sir Arthur Palmer nas been appointed to act as Deputy-Governor during the absence of his Excellency Sir Anthony Musgrave in Sydney. Senior-constable Robinson, of Caboolture, has been seriously burnt about the face through some spirituous scent being thrown at him while he was smoking a cigarette. Charles Munt, 16 years of age, son of the gatekeeper at die Bungeworgorai railway cros-sing, was hut week thrown from his horse on an out station of Mount Abundanoe and killed. The Bishop of Brisbane, Dr. Webber, left by the overland route on Tuesday for Sydney, on his way to England, to attend the Pan-Anglican Council. He will probably be absent from the colony for about eight months. The Education Department have accepted tenders for works as follows:—Additions to State school, Esk, G. H. Byers, £167 18s.; play-shed, Mount Perry, Phillips and Smith, £134 18s.; play-shed, St. George, R. Carter, £135; play-shed, Yeulbah, John Williams, £87 12s. The vital statistics for Sydney show that during last year the births were 3777 and the deaths 1942, or 57 loss births and 282 less deaths than during the previous year. In the suburbs the births numbered 9638, or an in-crease of 343, and the deaths 3616, or a de-crease of 429. The reports for the last quarter showed that the health of the city and suburbs was generally satisfactory. No merely formal acknowledgment of the receipt of the "private and confidential" circular now being issued by the Civil Service Commission, for the guidanoe of those to whom it is addressed is nooeesary. The communica-tion is self-explanatory, the object being to obtain information as to existing abuses in the public service, arising from any cause, and also suggestions calculated to promote the more efficient working of departments. Unless an officer has information of this kind to im-part a reply to the circular is practically use less. A fire took place at Samford last week by which a waggoner named Quince, in the em-ploy of Mr. Pratten, lost the whole of his furniture and effects; he and his family nar-rowly escaping with their lives. It appears that a girl who was staying with them was awakened about half-past 3 o'clock in the morning by the flames reaching the curtains of her bed. She speedily aroused the other in-mates, who made their escape in their night attire only, being unable to save anything. The house was totally burned down in about half-an-hour. It is probable that some steps will be taken by the inhabitants to relieve them. No cause can be assigned for the fire. The Rev. J. Macpherson paid a visit to St. Helena yesterday week, and returned on Tues-day to Brisbane. At suitable times the yards in the stockade and the hospital were visited, and also the warders' oottages. On Sunday two services were held in the large workroom. They were well attended by the prisoners. After one of the services some of them offered prayers on behalf of their fellow-prisoners. The prisoners' choir, accompanied by the harmonium, led the singing in their usual hearty manner. The afternoon service was held in the schoolroom, and was well attended by the children. In the evening divine service was held in the schoolroom for the officials, their wives, and children. The attendance and attention were all that could be desired. Between 1 o'clock and 4 o'clock on Tuesday morning some burglars entered Kelso House, Petrie-terrace, and left again without disturbing the inmates. They seem to have climbed the front veranda, and then gained access to the bedrooms on the upper floor by the door. These rooms they went through and took from one a gold watch and chain, a pair of gold framed spectacles, and a diamond ring, and from the other a silver watch and a gold chain, some money, and a pair of braces, and other articled. Their search, however, could not have been a thorough one, for in the pockets of some clothes near those from which the gold watch, chain, spectacles, and ring were taken was over £50 in notes, and even in those which had been handled everything of value was not taken. Several persons have since been arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the robbery, and a portion of the stolen property was found in the possession of one of them. They were brought up at the Police Court on Wednesday and remanded. Harvest thanksgiving services were held in some of the Brisbane churches last Sunday. Bishop Webber preached at St. John's pro-Cathedral in the evening, the service being so numerously attended as to necessitate a large number of additional seats being provided. The Bennon in the morning was preached by the Rev. H. M. Bannister. The church was strikingly decorated with flowers, fruit, and cereals, the tasteful work of some of the ladies of the congregation. Sheaves of wheat, one on either side of the altar, were very noticeable objects. Special lessons and Paalms were read and appropriate hymns were sung. The special harvest thanksgiving services held at St. Andrew's Church, South Brisbane, were attended by large congregations both morning and evening. In the morning Bishop Webber preached the sermon, and in the evening the service was conducted by Archdeacon Dawes, the rector of the parish. The church was tastefully decorated with wheat sheaves, baskets of fruit, and flowers. Special services were also held at Christ Church, Milton.

Mr. Francis Kates seeks election for the new district of Cunningham. The yield of gold at Ravenswood for 1887 was one-ninth greater than the previous year. Mr. T. A. Kirk wood has been killed at Bin-gera plantation by falling into a tank of boiling molasses. The annual subscription to the Brisbane Stock Exchange is raised to £10, and the en-trance fee to 50 guineas. Mr. J. F. G. Foxton, M.L.A., intimated at Stanthorpe on Saturday that he would stand for the Carnarvon electorate. Mr. A. M. Rheuben has been appointed to act as sheriff's bailiff at Townsville during the absence of Mr. W. E. Blackwell, on leave. The only death in the Benevolent Asylum, Dunwich, for the week ending 14th January, was that of George Kenny, 60, labourer, native of Stralsund, Pomerania, Germany. Public holidays will be observed at Warwick on Bth February, when the Warwick show will be held, and at Laidley on 2nd February, when the first day's meeting of the Laidley Jockey Club will be held. The building occupied by the Suburban Butchering Company on the Park-road, Mil-ton, was burglariously entered between 9 and 11.30 on Monday night,'and the sum of £71 stolen from a drawer in a room on the first floor. The nominations received by the returning offioer of the Yeerongpilly Divisional Board (Mr. M. Freney) were as follows:—No. 1, P. J. Byrne and G. Grimes; No. 2, W. Lyons and G. Strong; No. 3, N. J. Hessels. Auditors : H. Luoook, A. Brodie, and S. Hales. A poll will be taken on the 4th February. George Long, aged 64, was found dead at his camp, near Thargomindah, on the 19th in stant. He left Curruoanya public-house on the 18th, where he had been drinking heavily. J. H. M'Lennan, a storekeeper at Cloncurry, also died suddenly on the 19th instant. The Thargomindah police report that James Wm. Jefferies, late a publican at that place, died suddenly at Boorara on the 17th instant. A meeting of the shareholders in the Reid's Creek G.M. Company was held at the com pany's office on Monday morning. Sir Thomas M'Ilwraith occupied the chair. Resolutions were passed winding up the company volun tarily, and appointing Sir Thomas M'Hwraith liquidator. A further resolution was passed authorising the liquidator to sell the company's mining olalms, leasehold properties, plant, tools, on, &c, to the Mount Perry Copper and Reid's Creek G.M. Company, receiving interests in that company in compensation for the purpose of distributing amongst the shareholders. Great interest Is being manifested in the election of board members for the new division of Balmoral, lately No. 1 subdivision of Bulimba, and it is not unlikely some little friotion will occur. It is stated that one section of the community will call a public meeting, at which the names of Messrs. M'Mah, Berry, Demack, Bell, Nuttall, Higgins, E. Griffith, and J. Thomson will "be proposed en maue as suitable gentlemen to be appointed as tho first members of the new division. There are others, however, who have names of other gentlemen they would like to see on the board, and havo signified their intention of opposing most of the gentlemen mentioned. The Commissioner for Railways states that the telegram of our Clermont correspondent published in this issue docs not convey a fair idea of his action in regard to tho request mado by residents of Clermont for a speoial train to Barcaldine. On the 20th instant the commis sioner wired to the traffic manager, Central Railway, that a special train could be granted if a fair guarantee was given, but the amount offered by the Clermont people was not much more than Is. per mile, while the dis tanoe over which the special train would have to travel is 510 train miles (265 miles each way). In the commissioner's last annual re port the average cost per train mile was 3s. 7d. No further proposal having been received from the traffic manager at Rockhampton, the commissioner on Monday wired that offioer that the train would be granted if £50 was guaran teed, and provided that there was "a fair prospect ot additional traffic being available." An attempt at burglary took place at the reeidence of Mr. George Harris, Newstead, Breakfast Creek, early on Monday morning. Mr. J. E. Harris was awakened about 2 o'clock by a falling bolt in a spare bedroom next to his own. He soon realised that burglars were in the room, and after vainly searching for a weapon, he opened the door of his room. The burglars had, however, become alarmed, and were about to leave as stealthily as possible. Mr. Harris at once gave chase along the veranda, and had nearly reached the last of the three men, whom he saw distinctly, when un fortunately he fell over a chair and the burglars escaped. The noise roused the household, and a careful search was made. It was found that all the drawers in the spare bedroom had been opened, but, as they only contained clothes, nothing had been taken. A candle, which had evidently just been blown out, and a large number of wooden matches were found on the floor of the room. For a short time past some comment has been made upon the absence from the colony of Mr. Geo. Bashford, the well-known railway con-tractor. A variety of rumours —some of them of an extraordinary character—have been set afloat. It is stated that matters in connection with his only unfinished contract, the South-port and Nerang extension of the South Coast Railway, have not been proceeding to the satisfaction of the Railway autho-rities, and in support of this is the fact that yesterday week the Chief Engineer for the Southern and Central Division formally took possession of the works on the Southport Railway, and all the contractor's plant at Coomera. Mr. Stanley also gave the necessary instructions for the work to be carried on under the direc-tion of Mr. Raff, the District Engineer, pend-ing other arrangements. This action was taken by the authority of the Minister. An advertisement appeared in Saturday's Courier headed "Naumberg v. Bashford," inti-mating that the sheriff, in satisfaction of a judgment of the Supreme Court, would cause Mr. Bashford's saw-mill plant, &c., at Pimpama to be sold by public auction on Wednesday last.

Rabbits are reported to have boon seen at Cecil Plains, fourteen miles from Dolby. The residence of Mr. Smith, schoolmaster at Mount Baupal, has been destroyed by fire. Tho licensing meetings at Harrisville and Tenningering will in future be held monthly instead of quarterly. Thirty-nine boys and eight girls have gained the Government scholarships from State schools to Grammar schools. The ratable value of property within the municipality of Brisbane is stated by the oounoil to be £558,278. The half-yearly balance-sheet of the Queens-land National Bank shows net profits £53,584 ; dividend, 12 per cent per annum. The powers of acting land commissioner and acting land agent at Thargomindah have been vested in Mr. P. W. Pears, police-magistrate at that place. During the week ending 21st Instant 160 saloon and 138 steerage passengers arrived in Brisbane per steamers from the Southern oolonies; ana 234 saloon and 211 steerage passengers left for the South. A young girl at Toowoomba the other day while watering a horse at the public well over* balanced herself and fell a distance of 80ft. She grasped a bucket that was in the water and was hauled to the surface comparatively unhurt. The Secretary for Mines and Works, ao« oompanied by the Hydraulic Engineer (Mr. J. B. Henderson), left Brisbane on Saturday for tb* North by thee.s. Maranoa. Mr. Hodg-kinson's visit will extend as far as Croydon and Nonuanton, and he will probably be &sent about two months. The attention of our readers is directed to the prospectus elsewhere of the Freehold Bank and Building Company, Limited, with a nominal capital of £260,000. The shares are £1 each, but it is intended to call up only 08. It is proposed to issue 60,000 shares in the first instanoe, and many applications for these have, we understand, been already re oeived. The directorate contains some good names, and with judicious management there can be little if any doubt of its ultimate suo oeeding as older institutions of a similar character in the oolonies have done. The Beaudesert Bridge on the South Coast Railway was tested during last week by Mr. Annett, principal assistant engineer. The bridge in question is of 60ft. Plato girders, and spans Water's Creek, a tributary of the River Logan. The result of the tent was eminently satisfactory, the deflections being underthe usual standard. Anenglne and tender, weighing when loaded 44 tons Bowt., was used for the test, and the bridge was tested as nearly as possible at one ton to toe lineal foot. The contractors having now got their engine over the bridge were enabled to proceed at onoe with the platolaying to Beaudesert, a distance of only H mile, and it was anticipated that this work would be finished by Thursday last. The usual quarterly meeting of the United Bris-bane District Ancient Order of Foresters washeld last night week at the Chambers, Treasury building, Elizabeth-street. Bro. W. M. Watts, D.0.R., was in the chair, and representa-tives from all courts in the district were present. The quarterly report and balance sheet werereadand adopted, tho funds showing a good increase, the total worth of the dis trict being a trifle under £5000. The officers wore also congratulated upon the fact that no funeral claims had been made upon them during the quarter, which speaks well for the general healthinens of the members. The membership shows a good increase, part of which is due to the formation of a now court in the Albion and Lutwyche locality, which was re presented at the district meeting for the first time. Considerable correspondence was read and dealt with, including letters from Court Cleveland, at Townsville, and .also from Bro. Grimish, of Toowoomba, respecting a new court which he is trying to form there, thus showing that the order was progressing. The D.C.R. reported that the revision of tie laws had been completed, and they were now in the hands of the D.S. for compilation. A long disoiwsion took plaoe on matters affecting the general welfare of the order, after which the D.C.R. read his closing address. Our London cablegrams -have announced the appointment of Dr. Charles Ryan as Turkish Consul in that city. The doctor is a son of Mr. Ryan of Derriweit Heights, Mace don, Victoria, who was senior partner in the well-known and respected firm of Ryan and Hammond, stock and station agents. On the completion of his studies for the medical pro fession, Dr. Ryan, before returning to Mel-bourne, entered the service of the Turkish Government as an army surgeon, and served in that capacity throughout the Russo-Turkish war with conspicuous ability and with the most loyal devotion to the brave and suffering soldiers who were for the time his comrades. The doctor's admiration for the gallant de fender of Plevna (where he was stationed during the famous siege) and for the troops under his command was expressed in the strongest terms in his clever and interesting letters from Plevna published in the Melbourne Argus. Mrs. Rowan, whose water-colour studies of Australian wild flowers are so much admired, not only in these colonies but also in England, is Dr. Ryan's elder sister. A younger sister, Miss Ada Mary Ryan, was married in 1883 to Lord Charles Scott (fourth son of the late Duke of Buccleuch), who came to Australia as captain of the Bacchante when the young Princes visited our shores.