South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), Wednesday 4 November 1891, page 4


RECENT TERRESTRIAL CONVULSIONS.

The present year lias gained an unenviable reputation for seismic disturbances. The most serious of these, iud'eu from the noinfc of view of the

sacrifice 01 human lite involved, is undoubtedly that just reported frora Japan. The locality affected by the earthquake which, while destroying different towns, has according to the official report resulted in the death of 4,000 persons, is in the region of the Bay of Ovari, an inlet 011 the south 6»Je el Bonilo, the

largest island of Japan, extending from the. Strait of Maternal in a south-westerly direction for 900 miles. to the narrow channels which separate it from the islands of Ki.jo-SiooandShikoka. Nagoya, the capital of the Province of Ovari, and the town of Gifu have been partially destrrtves!. -while the towns of .Og.'.ki, Kaiio, ami iviioasiatau seem to have been entirely demolished. The f;v?fc is very . evident thafe the cart-lr.) unices at Ovari is in some senses, at all events, the most awful thing of its kind that has occurred ni Japan * for a.b least thirty years past. That is saying a great deil in view of the succession of storms ami floods, varied- by an earthquake at Kumomoto in the island -??£ Kioo-Sioo, which devastated paits of .Japan tlnring. the year 13JK). -According, fco the oilisial account of the storms and Hoods 2,503 persona were killed, 150 worm/led, orer 90.000 deprived of the means I of livelihood, over. r-0,O0Q honse3-t s«reyt away or sabmerge-d, 150,000 J acres of crops destroyed, about 0,000 1 bridges -washed away, ami hundreds \ of miles of road? broVcn up. Tiie ] Sho-Bandai-Snn eruption of the previous year, the report adds, was insignificant as compared with this. The eruption referred to practically obliterated a mountain belonging to a volcanic group m the northern p-.rb of the island deluged the country far and ncav with lava and ashes, destroyed j hundreds of lives, ami caused inimeuse j damage to property. The earthquake at ! Ovari was also, it was manifest, accout- j pauied by volcanic eruption, for it is I stated that a crowded portion of Nazjoya '? was destroyed by fire. List year a serious volcanic eruption took place in the Bingo district. Tuesa f.-uns in. turn show that Japau is well sustaining its character as a centre of volcanic convulsions, while they also show that the violeut disturbances are not iu the habit of confining themselves to any particular part of the country. But Japan is not tins oulypW-o that has been grievously afflicted by those subtcrraiieous movements. During September last the Central American Republic of San Salvador was visited by an earthquake of peculiar .severity. Whole towns were destroyed. Except along the coast, indeed, ssareelya ciiy escaped the temble eiieets of the visitation. Thoiigii tremors - were, experienced for some days previously, no particular notice was taken of them owing to their constant ©c:m*ren.ce, Sjiu Salvador itself being built npon an area of ground so ricketty thai- it. is popularly known as the ** swinging mat,' or 'haimnouk.' Moreover, the circcnistanccs that the volcanoes of Ban Salvador, San Miiniel, and Izitioo wgto in eruption was, owing to their beinirtjeucrally regarded ns safety valves, looked upon ;ts a reassuring sign. Early one morning, however, while it was yeb davit, the ground began to shake violently, and people now tlioroiighly alarmed rnshecl into the streets. The iirst shock, which lasted only a few moments, was followed by & second, accompanied by noises like thunder. Meantime the air was filled ' with a fine penetrating dust, and while tbe tremor lasted the ground rose and fell in long waves, which prostrated even the strongest men.' The capital was in places reduced to ruins. Auatyuifco and Cosinasagua .were practically destroyed. Cojutepcque, Santa Tecla, San Pcdi-o, and Jlasahuet, places with a population from two to ten thousand, suffered heavily. A large number of persons wore killed, and immense damage was done to property. Xot indeed since ISiii and 1873, so far as we can gather, has San Salvador had so appalling an experience as that which recently befell it.

Like Japan S:m Sidvador is r.y ao means a stranger to such experiences. More even than the former country has it suffered fn»:u these terrestrial perturbs -tions. All tho land is volcanic, but strangely enough, .unlike most- other 'huriiing mountains,' iis volcanoes lie iK-t in lines, but are skittered uboufc in little groups- Around the capital the ground is. it has been remarked, so seldom at rest, that- it scorns almost as if it were swinging or tossing on the surface of some vast lake. In 1591, 1658, 1S34, and 1S73 tbe town was virtually destroyed. The volcanoes of Izalco and San Miguel are rarely iuaefcive. Eleven years since, during au cruptio-i, a peculiar occnrreucc was witness*! in tho Lake of Hoping*. This o.-.m-utiiively small sheet of water ro3e between tbe last day of December, 1879, and the llth of the following January gradually four feet above its' customary level. *' At the same time tho Jihoa, a shalloir stream twenty feet broad which ilow.s out of a lake, became a rajjui;? tori-cut, and lapidly scooped out for itself a bed from thirty to thirty-five feet desp. This larger outlet soon relieved the lake so effectually that by the 6th of March itwas moro than thirty-four feet below m normal level instead of being four feeb above, as was the case two months earlier. But as the lake subsided the disturlrtnce which had been , the cause of this strange movement of the surface watera developed itself in the shape of a volcanic outburst, which heaped up debris to the

ueigUC OI xo\t icti, iu nuuitiuu lu hundreds of islet9-all around the ceuh-al cone formed by the matter shot into the air to a height of 500 feet.' During last month a severe shock, of earthquake was felt; at San Francisco, but no fatalities occurred. Quite recently a cablegram pubb'shed by us stated that a new and active volcano has arisen from the bed of the sea close to Pantelariaj an island of Italy, sixty miles from the southwest coast of Sicily. Not often, fortunately, does it happen that ?'the stable earth' exhibits so many aud disastrous disturbances iu one year. Buckle attributed the fatalistic character and the general superstitious surroundings of tho southern Latin race to the awe which the earthquake and volcano inspiro. Whether tlus be true or not, and whether the want of public spirit in San Salvador must be put down to the presence of its volcanoes or not, the sufferers by these sudden and calamitous convulsions of nature are enhHed to the sincerest sympathy of those who have the good fortune io inhabit- portions of the earth's surface which are not subject to s»uch violent and ileEtruciive visitations.

? ? ii ' ?? ? — — p— t The Iixsv Values Assessment Bill.— * ?he Legislative Council seems bent upon Huddling and delaying the Laud Values Assessment UilL It was not iu a very -erfect state as it left the House' -f Assembly, and since then jr. las been considerably modified. As it irst left the hands of the draftsman it vas intelligible. It provided amongst rther tilings 'for a pyll of the ratepayers jeittg taken on the question whether he Act should come into operation in l municipality, and for another poll being aken, if demanded, at a future date on he question whether it should cease o be in force. As regards the first )oll it very properly provided that he voting should be in all respect* he same as at a poll for obtaining the onseut of the ratepayers to a rate, ' vatcjayer' in thnt. clause meaning rate»ayer under tltf existing Act. When he Act came into operation the word rould have a slightly different meanng. Heuce to the . clause - providing ov a poll on the question whether he Act should cease to opei-ate lie farther condition -was added, ' a iitizen or elector who is not a ratepayer shall not have more than one vote it such polL' The Assembly in its risdom struck out. the explanatory words n the clause dealing with the first poll, )ut retained them in the clause dealing vith the second poll, though they struck tut tho qualification as to the citizen of doctor who was not a ratepayer. VLcn the Bill reached the Upper louse it was made to apply to nunicipaliries only, and several of the dauscs had tj be recast. When the new ilauses were brought down the one elating to the poll for the Adoption i»f he Act contained the proviso that u» ?atepayer should be entitled to mor* hau one vote. The section dealng with the second poll enacfee.l hat the voting should be in all respect* ?he same as at the former one. The Council struck out the one man ono vote in -he first instance, and afterwards agreed :o amendments specifying that the vofcing;hould he in accordance with the iC'ile fixed in clause 24 — the voting that s to say hi respect of rates or loan. But ivheuthefirst poll is taken that ; scale will not Jeinf orcc. ThematteriB very simple, and it sashame that the Bill should be muddled. i.t the poll to decide whether the new lysteni should be adopted the voting should lie exactly the same as under tlte sxisting Act. After it has 'been adopted n a miuikipality, if a poll is taken m the question whether the old system . should be reverted to, the voting should bo in' accordance 'with the provisions' of 'he Bill. In other words, the ratepayer* tor the time Jjeing should deeide in both 3ises. Surely it would 'be possible ?o introduce words thftt -wonTd make this clear. The other day Mr.. Baker succeeded in carrying a elause pm- . riding for «m appeal against tbe Jissettrment in the usual way. This is absurfl, because -under tiie t-*\v system tlm iissessment will not 1« adopted until tho appeals have been heard. ~rDn»~ clause sljould certainly be struck out- A t the instance of Mr. Copley a new clause, iras inserted amending tho Municipal CorponvtiouR Act. It would \w far berts«r . that- this should not be placed in the Bill, where it will only cause ennittsion. On the motion of Mr. . Sinipspn. ?-? provko was inserted requiring ab leash wie-linlt of the ratepayers to vote at tbe poll on the question whether the ndc system should be adopted. The object is obvious. The proviso is unusual, au-l loes not apply to polls .for rates or loans. It provokes the enquiry why jbould the action of those -who take fchu trouble to vote be centralized hy tlio neglect of those 'who aro too lazy to take the trouble to go to tho poll ? Cannot the Government arrange to get a report froni the draftsman on the amendments before the Bill is finally taken out of Committee ? Tire Meibouuk-b Cup. — The Mclbouru* Cup, the coveted trophy of tho Australasian turf, lias been carried off this year by Malvolio. The winner some timo.ago held a high place in popnlar favour, hut with the near approach of Cup Day he receded considerably in the public estimation. From first to last, however, lie ha?l admirers, and those best acquainted with him never lost faithin his capacity to carry off the prize. The race, however, was a singularly open one. The collapse *& Ciroifle, Vengeance, and Mulos suggested the possibility of the Iwokroakers making an exceptionally rich tm.^-nef ;l?.r1 flltlimifll tJllR llUS net- ?

proved l-- be the case Hie public have not scored heavily over the event. Tho lumsually lar«e number of collapsen if horses which had. been entered is indeed one of the most noteworthy features of the race. Unlike Carbine, who last yoa»: won the Cup, Malvolio liad atbiiued but little distinction prior to yesterday. Fujthe general }»ublic much of the interest centred in the prospect of Strathmore, tvho ran iirst in the Derby, winniug the Cup also. Mr. W. It. Wilson's colt, however, only managed to seenje third place. The attendance at the race was somewhat smaller than usual, but the presence of the tens of thousands a«. Flemiii.qton yesterday bore testimony to the fact that the Cup, in spite o£' depression in Victoria and in other colonies as w ell ha? abated little of its charm. The question of what is at- the root of al^ this interest in racing is ono that will always furnish an interesting subject., for reflection. Some, no doubt, are attracted to it by a. pure and genuine love of sport. These, however, form but a small minority. For by far tho greater number Lhe fascination, there is good raison fc-:-believe, lies in the chance of gain. To th« jieeOy the prospect of increasing a given smyunt an hundredfold is an irresistible temptation. It is only fair to others to say that many find attraction in racing besaus*o£ the un certainty by which it is beset. A more or less harmless desiro to increase their interest in the sport leads them t«v risk a small amount on a race, but they ara chielly influenced by the desire to make one of a crowd and to participate in its escite?ment. They donot fcToublethcirheadsabrtUU the ethk-s of gambling, and aro not concerned about the question of -whether trb«? hoi-sea run straight or have their performances regulated by tho state of the betting market. There are not ft few, however, Vno plunge into gambling with a full knowledge of tho tricks in tho racing business, aud in the hope that they will profit by them. It is this class who arc the ban© of the turf, ami cause horseracing — in itself an exhilarating and on tho whole an innocent p%stime, and » means of maintaining the heat qualities of toehorse __ to be regiirded in many quarters as ft' accuraed tMn-r. Whatever satMietion, however, can lje got iron* seeing a race xan on a pattern track by the best blo?rl which Auatralaeia enn produce, for an horaeiiso stake, Melbourne certainly un Cup Day supplies, the FlemingUm Coui'Se being almost without aa equal, and the amount of added money larger, we believe, thnn in the case of any other annual raring event in the world. Tckbdasi's Paiiltamekt. — The h;ipr-jve-} temper of tbe Legislative Council is bearing frnit in a diminishing Notiee-paj-er, and it i* not unlikely that a third sitting tbia w«4 m»y be saved. On Tuesday, November 3, th« CouncU worked heartily. The Vermin-proof Fencing Bill was read a third time and ttm National Park Bill was iakeu through Committee. There was an interwtinfr discussion as to the inclusion on tbe Board of Management of the park of tho President of the Trades and Labour Council, a proceethnj.' which secured from the Hon. J. H. Gordon expressions of warm disapproval as a contemptible trick on the part of tbe Gov«jmmeu& and a sop to tbe Labour party. Tbe Council vas equally divided about tho retention of tlia tf5kvr,!}Bi- Jlie Vbaira^w*'5 castins-yelcfa^TKe^ /

the. clause, as. ifc stood, bo aa to give the Council opportunity for further consideration. Thereupon the Hon. J. Darling moved thab the Chairman of the Employers' Union be added to tbe Commissioners. Ho wished to counterbalance the political inf.uenco whith bad been imparted to the Board. Thi3 was carried by 1) to 7 votes, tbe labour members voting for it- Other amendments were made m the Bfll, including one by the Hon. Pr. Magarey to prohibit tho sale of intoxicating Ikjuor in the park. Dr. llagarey has to utfend his clause when it is in print. The fctwnd reading of tha Administration and Ptobate Bui was moved, and the debate was adjourned. A motion by the Commissioner ff Crown Lands was carried for tho purchase of two sections at Yorketown iY-r working men's blocks. Tho Council r»-se at seven minutes to 5 o'clock. Upon the whole the Assembly kept well at w-.tk. The main business was the renewed inscttrsion in Committea of the Land Repur ?iaso Bill, one of the 'four steps' of the t lovernment policy- 2»o aggressive move worth juitintr was made by the party specially an tagonistic to the- Govenurenft, or by Mr. Moulc, as the champion of the progressive wealth vtax, which, it bad been understood, was to' form the Eubject of a no-confidence ?sw. %A new development; occurred during tba ?lajysnd a little amusement was caused by the Chief Secretary (Sir John Bray) pareu thftically alluding to Mr. Moule as the *? leader ot the Opposition.' Several amend ru»:nts were made in the Bfll, amongst them »jt .-rations throwing upon the Land Boards certain duties which had been delegated to the t^ommissioner of Crown Lands alone. The ivistponed clauses were carried, and certain iiiiwsectionswert} added, oneof them introduced t,y Mr. Miller providingthattheBillsbouldcome Jiito opcraticsn on a day to be fixed by prjola liiatioB, but nos until an Act imposing an addi tional tax on large estates acquired after the j.«d£sintrof the Bill should have also had effect. Though the Government opposed Mr. Millers ranee the Premier bad earlier in the day given a promise to somewhat the same effect. Ulti ftiatply, after many divisions, the Bill was ro -*-rt€dforare]irint. Onthemotionforgoinginto Committee of Supply the usual catalogue of sa;; yoHtions and grievairceB was gone through. Mr. O^man took the opjwrtunity of making a per .^aial eapfanation 60 that he migbc re])ly to the ii-«.i»ations made by Mr. Ash last Wednesday in reference to the Messamurry lands. The L.:n. member spake somewhat warmly, but .Mr. Afeh, who reverted to the matter later *Tn. sskI tiiat he bad noti referred to the tsi-tsS icrki'^i charge of all Mr. Haady *iiie also mentioned eosse misunder standing between himself and Mr. Asb, Other BWHibers raised questions aSTeetiug tho Oukaiiaricga. Waterworks supply, the expenses «* JParKamentary Commissions, the safety of *Ue 2fairne viaducts, and tho new main-rozds whedule. and the usual diplomatic and es tslaxjatory replies w«re given. In Supply itself the lin»3S audit, Sheriff, Registrar-General, vrinting and stationery, ga-ila and prison?, u-.triieal officew, hospitals, lunatio asylums, t-V-titute i»oor, Central Board of Health, »ad onarantiae wore passed, and jwlice ?ess postponed, as Mr. Hancock iatamated hi* intestion of speaking eihaustively on the ftdsiintstrafcion of the department anl possibly ?:I aayinjr 'sonic unpleasant things. ' There nrif; Dotliiug' specially noteworthy in tbe iils «-3sioa, and ths greatest amount ef talk was »tkxi the periodical question of the better i»!iii-a&-n of jjrisoB labour. The Council's umen&Bents ia the Agricultural Holdings BiU w«3« agreed to, am} the £It»u=e adjourned at ten winufcs past 11. Y.B.ti Svhkjr SlEsrisu. — Queen's weaihez 'secured th« celebration of tbe above dub's jsviit gala, day on TiHJsday, when tbe Md ?5i.-anie Cap was contested by a field of thirty i-jsiT horses at- Flcmington. Malroh*o, by iisicsi— ^tsdoa}i, won a fee race, cleverly i*Ating Sir William and Highborn froai the tiistaiw*^ He started at20 to 1. Strathmore, ?Jmj Derby -winner, finished strongJy third, jnsS u-^ta^ Highborn out -of pbwe by a neck. The tints w*i 3 khb. 2DJ sec During the race aa ;K'.!tk-ato---:i:rrc/J, by which the horse Cobham wit kiikd, an-1 Mesanfeone, (i'naroo, and irF&tede lost all chance of winning. The «l»er resalti* were: — Hurdle Race, Kim }.*ril^y5 Itaa»-»y Handicap, St. Blaize; fCt-BsingtoiJ Stakes, Erminie; Nursery llaiidsap, Trirste; Yan Yean St3k««, §t. Blaiw (after a dead heat with Quality), -?'tje telcgrsau announcing tbe winner cf the MoUjGnroe Cap was received at the Segisler -!fie&at-3.Si p.ia. ycEterday, is having left the cirnrte tvo uiinotos before, Adelaide time, f ?»€ secotnl ami third borses were announced io «» a few minutes later. The contents of vur feat tok^rain were annoranced to a large *«j«d va-sido the office i-robably almoat before UfV hoTseshaA retained to tho scale. The news was first nja»le nobJiu in Adelaide through the .Vrtjsrf*.rOfBce. I»I«m? ittTEO PilltlMCBaJTiEY SrEfTNGH.— Tbs ?r^u:ertHou. T. Playford) gave notice in it^3 Asscuiblu' on Tnc»day that he would move .-ui Th^rsday — ' That -during tfao reau;Mnder tri t\vs sr-aon tfesHoaso meet on each Friday ut 2 p-w., ia a«ldi^on to the other -days of liscetiog. and tis&t on tbat day Government t.«saiess take jirecedenee of other business.' TL« iK3ii»SJ was greeted witli a store: of 41noaf,' antl it is iK^Jrstuad that a strong effort will bs r.:as!e to prcv-eat Friday sittings at any rite until tbe last w«;&fe or two of the session. SC£t?i*£dS3 iKX» A5JA53CS J» THE NORTHERS 'I'siifi^ar^ — ^T4ie Minister of Education (lion. .». t£. Trtakhis'} «wd in the Assembly on Tn&s-«ir.T tia. 140 lluropean* in the Northern Terri v-ry aw in the servko of the Government %»-«d«.'s 105 Asiatics, of whorn 70 are employed By th« 'Railway Department aa way-and- works wen. Tr-o l^overasient intended to place ou tuo ?«ortbera Territory Estimates a sum to secure an in-]«m imnugration agent at Port i)»nriB, an iadkated by the Governor-Genera! «it India In a leyen* telegram. Daring the afternoon the Hon. J. L. Parsons gare notice fJiat he -would move nest clay fer leave to in tnidnce a BiM to ^ecaro a coatinnoea sapply ?jf Indian imuiigiants to the No: them IVrri tory vnder t-ertajn condiciens. fcrWaPOSEO MKHI32ES Of PaEUASKXI.— 5fr. Sokmion. M-P., t!-e Govermd«infe Whip, feas liaen mtffering ^uri»g tbe last two or threo *2ays fnwn a rather severe attack of In8ut?n3». oiHibevaBtuialtie to attend the Assembly -m T&resdaj-- 2&'- -1- R- K«ily was aJso absent for x similar reason, a»d to-day Mr. H. E. Dowaer ?v-Vsl nKive for a fortnight':* leave of absence to him. lUr. K-iHy was taken iK on Friday last and oa» been in bed ever smce^ His icedical adviser sayn that be wiJl not be ab?o to leave km honso for a week or eo. Tae Hon. Dr. Cookbnro was another mcmijer prevented by indisposition from %tten^%nce in Parliament bu T«.ics«lay. We uadtsrat-and. however, that }.» ittu-k is only slight. CsHKJAnB ok WaEAT- — A return, asked for by she B«ju. J- V.' O'Logblin, laid on th« tobk) «f tho Legislative Council oa Tuesday, !N-rteniber3, states the quantity of wb&vt car ?ie3 130 miles and cpwards ca South Aosfc^K rtsaKdiraraysas 4,851 tons. Tho Kp-Kt also wier.tion.'i tlia* tb^re were no railway stations ib «5untl» Australia from which any wheat wan forwarded wbk-b were mort* tuau W0 »i!?«?s ftout a shipping j-otz. Mokb PcoTEcnox.— The Kon. J. L. Vu-»-ns has pbc?ed on the Assembly Notioo ja»i**r U-o followiDSr entry: — ** Contingent oa the Oi^cr «jf the Day for the Committee on a tax. Wr.g placed on all roller milling- ma^hs **ry beisjc reatl by tb«? Clerk, fclia Hon. J. L. jt'wrsons touiove:— 'Tliatit bo an instruction to U»fe Oaaimittee to consider tba following : — 'That H is dcntrable that a tas should be jiteeod nps.n imported bounty-fed teetroot ?.?sg»r*' ' ~ l*-o H0AWr9-ANi- Aw-tirASTS.— Mr. CjcIj pTiced ou the Assembly Xotice-paper ou Toce«3ay tb* »uotion— ' That hereafter all »pnlicauts for lands that are to be allotted by »ay £aml Boarc' -4iall liave their names and atldreseca |'«iWb*hed twice in the tenoiai! *7ff-Trtfc previons to theappltoants being heard tm 1^;k1s allotted ; and any persons who are tJieajsrfres applkants iaayrpqr.iTCtheevideacf £Tvcn by tli** applicant to be read in sucli a jii^MJ and maunr*r a* to 1st hcanl Ijy tbe ap:-ti r r.ry*.f, and in sash a. way a? tlio?e assernW- 1 »ay u«car- and tl»irinjr the sittings of the Board : :?*«* rt shall l» compjitent for any person U: tVrsrard a. wj-ittea KiJitfaisut, either for oi r.crti»-*t a}J'-tsii»-ftt, uucing t!is sitting of th-: 'ti-c Xoktk-Wkst CotSYur.— Mr. -J. Gxc rrtf1;. m, tb«i Trigoonc-ctrical Surveyor, wbo i; »i3»sinit«Uir- north- wess cnuntry, has sent hi

lisa progress report for September. During ihe month the party travelled nearly 500 miles, beared and piled . several . hills, and found . Kiverai waterholes... Mr. Carruthers reporta that the country was the usual saltbush . fcrnbby country, with Mitchell grass here and there, and plenty of stone, which cub the camels' feet very much: Tue Mooxta Mines axd the Railway Cou hissioxeks. — There was a conference between Lhe Directors of the Moonta Mines and the : S.A. Railway Commissioners as to the railway rates and other matters of a kindred character on Tuesday afternoon, .whichlasted some time. | Sir William Milne, Hon. J. L. Stirling, M.L.C., [kTesisrs. R. Stuckey, J.P., R. Barr Smith, J.P., md J. Harvey, and the Secretary ( Mr. D. David K)n) attended as representing the mines, and ill the Railway Commissioners were present. Eventually it was agreed that the Directors should furnish details of the sidings and other ivorks which they estimated would be required in consequence of the conversion of the line from a 5 ft. 3 in. to a 3 ft 6 in. gauge. With regard to the rates, which were gone into ab ?oine length, the Secretary undertook to put in Hrriting the opinions &f the Board in the light if the discussion which took place on Tuesday. Dat Work on Blyth. and Gladstons Railway.— The Hon. J. H. Howe asked in the Assembly on Tuesday whether the Govern ment would consider the advisableness of con structing the Blyth and Gladstone Railway themselves instead of calling for tenders for tbe worl& ? The Premier (Hon. T. Playford) said that Cabinet would consider tbe ques tion. Mosbv K)R Pcblic WoEES.— The Premier Hon. T. Playford) stated in tho Assembly on Tuesday that he would not require to float a new loan to go on with the Happy Valley Waterworks, and the Blyth and Gladstone Railway. How much of the works would be carried out this year affected the question whether the balance of tho last loan would !;ave to be floated. Without that arrangement he had provided £00,000 for the railway and £25,000 for the water scheme. The Engineer la -Chief ;? a vised that tbat was all that would be necessary for this year. Destitute Amylcm and the Home for Inccrableh.— The Chief Secretary {Sir J. C. Bray) intimated in the Assembly on Tuesday that the Government) had enquired into tbe system of nursing the sick in the Destitute Asylum, bub could not irocommend the appointment of trained nurses, as the premises were entirely uneuited for hospital work. .During the last live year.? =»ven patients had been received into the Home for Incurables from the Destitute Aeylum. The Chief Secre tary had lately been in communication with the committee of the Home for Incurables, and arrangements were being made for the purpose of setting aside a certain number of beds for patients from Government institutions. Land a; the Soith-East.— O:i Tuesday afternoon. November 3, Mr. J. CoL'k presented a petition to the Assembly signed by 101 resi dents of Milliccnb and district asking that tbe Government) might be empowered to repur chase all hinds about to be transferred in their district. They state that the demand for land in th6 Soutb-East is far in excess of the supply, and the petition goes on to say — 'The fact that for forty-seven sections in the Hundred of Riddoch there were 1,500 applications shows this. A lartre area of land is now in the market for sale, most of which has been dealt with (and tbe greater portion allotted) by the South -Eastern Land Board. If these lands now in the market are offered for sale by public auction your petitioners to obtain a block will have to pay from 00 to 100 per cent. over original prices. Under these circum stanws we think the Government should step in and assist bona-fido men, viz., those requir ing land for their personal use and benoSt, these being in our opinion the pei-sons supposed to benefit by our recent land legislation.' A Poiweait. — There is on view at Wood man's a boldly executed spirited oil painting almost life eize representing Mr. G. H. Snazelle as'Tbo Robber.' It is the work of Mr. Tennyson Cole, and was presented to Mr. Snazelle by colonial Scotchmen, admirers of his qualities aa a man and entertainer. Ixtercolostat, Pahcels Post. — The postal authorities notify that after November 1 the rates of postage on parcels sent by the parcel post to the Auetralian Colonies of Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania, and New Zea iasd will be : — 'For the first lb. or fraction thereof &!. For every additional lb. or fraction thereof Cd. Thk BtEEciraoKE Arjutkatiok Cask.— The arbitration enquiry into the case of Messrs. Bletcbmore Brothers, whose premises were burnt down six months ago, is still proceeding. Tho ease for Blcechmore Brothers was closed on Monday, and Mr. Symon, Q.C., will open en behalf of the Insurance Companies to day. The enquiry has been interrupted two or three tiuies on account of bereavement and illness. Chwcs v. M.' ~\\ — This railway case, which was to i.^v;.o.!.-'-i'. iwforoMr. Justice Dunday and a JvlSkr en Tuv^-Jay morning, has been ad journed till the December Sittings. Some ArsTHAtiAN Champagne — Colonial champagne continue? to find favour, and on Tuesday M. i'oureur. of Hindmarsb, shipped four cases l-y the steamer Konoowarra, at Port Adelaide, to the Governor of Victoria, the Earl of llopetouu. Semafhohe Land Sale. — In accordance with the power3 of the Corporation, and by order of the Supreme Court, owing to non payment of rates for five years, a number of allotments of land in the Municipality of Semaphore were offered for sale by public auction at the S':napbore Town Hall on Tuesday morning. The allotments are scattered ovtr the town, most being in Gfanville 'Ward. Since the sale has been advertised a number of the owners of the land have paid the rates with expenses, so that the list has been considerably curtailed. Those remaining, however, were put np with out reserve by Mr. H. J. Pudney. Tbe attend ance was fairly largo, and bidding- was at times britk. The allotments in Exeter Ward realized the best prices, a number with a frontage of about 40 or 50 ft. fetching from £40 to over £80. In other parts of the town the general price was about £3. The sale realized over £800. liLANviUt Sccar Rekixery.— Operations in re&niissr sugar began at the tilanville Sugar Kclinery on Tuesday. The works have been virtually completed for some weeks, and the machinery has been tested ; but on Tuesday usoniiuga parcel of 25 tins of rough Java sngar was run through. About fifty men and boys have been enttaged to begin with, and the machinery was found to work for the most l«rt satisfactorily. Now that the works have been started seme idea can be formed of tbe important:-? which the industry should prove to the colony. A considerable trade with Western Australia may.be anticipated, and there i» already a. dcraaife for the Company's fcv.gariu that colony. The steamer Uedding ton was*tfll discharging her cargo on Tuesday,' and two ether steamers are 6xi-ccfeed to arrive shortly. Cost ok Coirtnstuoxs.— The Tn«surer{LIon. T. riayford) laid ou the tab!o of the Assombly cn Tuesday afternoon, November 3, an addi tion to tbe return called for by Mr. Lamshed, and laid before the House on October 21, showing tbe fotal cost of each Commission appointed since tbe commencement of last session. Paiticulars of the cost of the Inter colonial free-trade Commission are now furnished, and are as follows: — Mr. F. W. Holder, M.P., 17 .Mtiiags, expenses nil : Hon. J). Murray, M.L.C., 24 sittings, nil ; Hon. J. Darling, M.L.C., 7 sittings, nil; Sir. H. A, Grainger, M.P., 33 sittings, nil; Mr. B. Gould, M.P., 31 attlnsre, nil; Mr. W. Gilbert, M.P.. 37 sitting?, nil ; Mr. T. Hack, M.P., 23 sittings, nil ; Mr. J. Hancock, M.P., 29 sittings, nil ; Hon. J. G. Jenkins, M.P., 25 sittings, nil : 31 r. A. McDonald, Ml P., 2C sitting?, ail; Mr. J. Moule, M.P., 25 sittings, nil : amount paid to Sijcretary for services, £575 10s.; printing, «o.. travelling, and other ejqwnsos, £?£08 12a. 10d.; total, £1,084 2s. lOd. This makes the total cost of Commissions recorded within the time mentioned £13,471) la. 5ti. L the Assembly on Tuesday night Mcssr*. : Burjpiyne and Hancock took special oppor tunity to complain that the return was pre j pared in a misleading way, which gave a very : unfair idea to the public j The Parliamentary Electru: Light.— j The electric light ia the Assembly Chamber : again injured its repntation on Tuesday. November 3, tub time owir-sr to rv 'ni--h%-- to

the driving-gear. -.The failure of the illumina ion happened in such a na}- ?.s to give material for the collector of coincidences. The House lad been Buddenly plunged into darkness . ?carc«»ly made visible by the exhibition tof a sound or two of sperm err: ' -, but shortly ifter Mr. White, the member for Light, aroso lo speak tho electric light temporarily re- ; appeared, and so soon as the member for Light ?ubsided tho electric light subsided too. A. . little while later, however, the usual illumina- ! tion was resumed, after ^ irregular conduct bad been made tbe excuse for some impromptu jokes. ' 'The House of Martha.'— We have re ceived from E. A. Petherick & Co., the pub ILshers, a copy of a book by Frank R. Stockton, entitled 'The House of Martha.' If forms i Dne of Petherick's Collection of Favourite and Approved Authors, and is a most entertaining story. It is more than that, however, for it . illustrates forcibly the difficulties in the way j of the maintenance among Protestants of in- j Btitutions formed on the model of Roman ! Catholic Sisterhoods. The members may take i vows to renounce the world and devote them- j selves to lives of abstinence and charitable j labour for the good of others, bufi the special ! vocation, the adequate incentive to self-abnega- '-. tion, seems to be wanting. Perhaps tho failure of | the House of Martha to achieve its ideal may ? have been due to an unwise relaxation of tbe i rule of isolation — of destruction of individti- i ality — but the elements of disintegration were ! present in the organization itself as | conducted. Tho story throughout 13 de- j lightfully told. One cannot help feeling that f ?'' hero plays a very selfish part in pur suing so relentlessly the beautiful blue-eyed . nun, who, while acting as his amanuensis, has I stolen his heart, and has in turn conceived for j him an affection which, in obedience to a stern Eense of duty, 'she conscientiously strives to conquer ; but no true lover can blame htm for bis fidelity, or can fail to rejaice with him in the result. Railway Rates i*rom Moosta asu Wallaroo Mixes. — We have received for publication from the Secretary of the Wallaroo and Moonta Mining and Smelting Company the following letter, dated November 3, addressed to the Commissioner of Public Works : — ' Sir — I have the honour, by direction of my Board, to call your attention to a Moonta telegram in tbe BetjiiU r of this morning in which you are stated to liave assured Mr. Hooper, M.P., that tbe increase in carringe complained of by this Company was 'only fro:n tho smelting works to the ship's side, and a reduction was made from both the Wallaroo and Moonta Mines, which would more than comi-2nsate them.' { The telegram goes on to say that my Board j had coniniunk-ated a part of the truth to the Board of Conciliation. This is a. matter capable of proof either one way or another, and for the purpose of showing you that our cost of carriage is being increased I am. in structed to hand you copies of statements eent to the Commissioners of Railways on the HJth September last, amended by their latest proposals. A careful perusal of these statement*, the accuracy of which has nob been challenged by the Commissioners, will show you that while the rates proposed may be nominally lower in some cases the cost of carriage to the Company will be much more, because we are now left to do a great deal of work, such as shunting at tho Diiues and smelting works, un!iiad£n£ of ore and coal, &c, which has hitherto be«m done by the railway, and for which they have been paid in the rates charged us. Taking the cost of this work, tho higher charges on general merchandise, and 1C per cent, on the capital expenditure of £7,000 which we are required to expend in con£equence of the alteration of the gauge into account the service will cost us £1,780 per aainm more than id does at present. To bring the cost nearly equal to what we have been i»ying lately my Board has askod the Commissioners to place this Company on the same footing as the public on the Port Ade laide line, by adopting that rate for the mines haulage. — I have, &c.,. I-. Davidson, Secre tary.' The Influenza. — Members of the medical profession are nob sum whether there is an appreciable decrease in the number of victims to influenza within tho last few days. Regard ing the disease itself a local physician says that the piofession understand only its syui tcma as yet. They suspect it is due to some microbe in the atmosphere, and look upon it as a kind of fever produced by a germ. When persons are attacked with it the temperature of the body rises greatly, and the duration of the fever in ordinary simple cases is three or four days. As is well known, its effect ia to leave the patient prostrate- The malady is quitu distinct from a severe cold or catarrh, with which many people confound it. It id not the result of exposure, as many cases havo occulted amongst persons working indoors. A peculjprity is that on3 attack doas not give a person immunity from furtlser attacks. Indeed, there is a liability to a second attack, which generally is of a milder form. The epidemic lias been attended with more chest complications than mark other epidemics. Bronchitis and inflamma tion of the lungs havo been the most frequent forms of complication, though diseases of the ear have also occurred in many cases. In some instances persons have been tempo rarily rendered deaf from it. The doctors state that the best thing persons who are attacked can do to em-cre a quick recovery is to remain in bed for a few days. The debility following an attack u-.kes a considerable time to com pletely shake off. Very few serious results have followed careful treatment in South Aus tralia. 'Persons of robust constitutions, tho medical men stat?, appear to be the worst sufferers from the malady, principally because they are more indiscreet and venture too much before a sufficient recovery. The symptoms of influenza in South Australia appear to be generally the samo as those in other parts of the world, more or less modified by climatic influences and sanitary conditions. The deaths tbat have occurred have been more the result of lnsg complications supervening on tho m iiuonwi. ^Regarding the larger number of deaths in Melbourne one doctor attributed it to the defective sanitary arrangements aggra vating the disease. Adelaide Ohphees Societt. — We under stand that prave allegations are being mado against Mr. F. W. Maudsley, tho late Secre tary of tho Adelaide Orpheus Society, in con nection with the serious financial position in which the Society is at present. A committee of investigation is preparing a report for a special meeting of subscribers, to be held on November 31. GnacELc Fip.e Buicade.— On Tuesday after noon the smartness of tho Glenelg Fire Brigade was tested. Permission was given on Monday for some rubbish to be burnt on the' unreclaimed land adjoining the Patawa longa Creek, which the local Corporation usa as a refuse depot. The fire spread to other rubbish which was fouud to be smouldering on Tuesday morning, causing an unpleasant cdonr. The Corporation Inspector rang up the brigade at about 3.45 to put the fire out, with the result! that three firemen were playing water on the rubbish within eight minute* afterwards. We understand that the brigade would have been earlier had the men been furnished with a lighter reel. Pbath ok a 3tokkr of toe Karkakatta. — On Monday nsgb.6 another of the typhoid patients from the Auxiliary Squadron died in tho Adelaide Hospital. Tho deceased was Walter Malyon, aged nineteen, lately a stoker on board the Karrakatta. A funeral parti' will attend at the Hospital this afternoon to escort the remains to the West- terrace Ceme tery. Members of the S.A. Military Forces are requested by advertUoment to parade ab the Staff Office at 2 p.m. There are still four typhoid patients from the Squadron in the Hospital, and they are making favourable pro gress towards recovery. AN AUSTRALIAN PIONEER.— We regret to have to record the death of Mr. Daniel Cudmore, of Claremont, Glen Osmond, who passed away at the ripe old age of eighty years. Mr. Cudmore was one of South Aus-tralia's pioneers. He arrived with his wife at Hobart in the merchant ship John Denison, Captain Mackie, in 1835, en route to Sydney, but was persuaded by his cousin, Surgeon Russell, of the 63rd Regiment, to try his fortune in Tasmania. When the province of South Australia was proclaimed Mr. Cudmore left for the new country early in 1837. Possessed of indomitable energy and pluck, and gifted with physical strength above the average. Mr. Cudmore was enabled to endure the many rough experiences which were the

lot of the first settlers. Soon after coming to the colony he engaged in the pursuit of sheep farming in the North, being the first to take up the now valuable Yongala Estate. He afterwards acquired large squatting properties in Queensland and New South Wales. He took an active interest in exploring works. About the year 1863 he made a five months' trip into the interior of Northern Queensland, afterwards publishing a narrative of his experiences, and on other occasions he did no inconsiderable service to the cause of settle-ment. In 1864 he went to live at Claremont. He leaves a widow, four sons, and three daughters. FUNERAL OF THE LATE MR. T. MICHEL-MORE. — The remains of the late Mr. T. Michel-more were buried on Tuesday afternoon in the Alberton Cemetery. Service was first con-ducted by the Rev. J. Robertson, M.A., at the Congregational Church, Port Adelaide, of which the deceased was an old member and an active worker. The Church choir attended, and Mr. A. W. Mortimer, A.C.O., played the "Dead March." The cortége was a long one, and at the grave a large number of persons as-sembled. The members of the Victoria Lodge of Oddfellows, M.U., also attended, and their service was read by V.G. Brother Counsell. Suicide at Bowdex. — On Tuesday morning, it about 5 o'clock Mr. B. Gould, M.P., reported 0 the Ilindmarsh ]wiiee that a woman named Jarab Whitney, wife of Frederick Whitney, of iibson-street, Bowden, and a guard on the -.A. Railways, had shot herself. It appears hat; her dangbtcr, who sleeps in tho samo vom, heard a report of firearms about -1.30 urn., but took no notice of it, thinking tbat it vas her brother shooting sparrows. She soon ifter missed her mother from the bed, and fot np to look for her. She wens outside ami bund her lying dead at the back of tha rard. The poor woman had ap -arent!y placed the shot-gun in her uonth and blew her brains out. Mr. Whitney eft Adelaide on Monday in charge of the Sroken Hill express, and consequently did not ?each home till about midday on Tuesday. Mr. jould left by the first North train ou Tuesday norning to meet Mr. Whitney at Hauiley Bridge to breakthe news to him. Dteaksod iad been of wesk mind for the Lust three fears, and a little more than a month ago was m inmate of the Lunatic Asylum. Tbu Coroner sas been informed. Cur Hamley Bridge corre spondent telegraphs :— ' The greafc respset sntertained for Mr. Whitney, who for over swenty years has striven faithfully and jbligingly to discharge guaid's duty on northern lines, and the painfidnetis of tho bereavement tie is called to bear, has created sympathy all ilong the railway line for him and his young Family.' Lanee-corjioral Booth, iu his report bo the Watchhouse, mentions that the gun won lying beside Mrs. Whitney and fastened to her foot by a string attached to the trigger. Drs. Stewart and Evans were called In, and pro nounced life extinct. The deceased was forfey Four years of age. An inquest will bo held at 11 o'clock this morning at the Oddfellows' Arms Hotel, Bowden. Pahk Laxds iMPROYiarENT. — For many years the cliff below the northern wall of tbe C4overnuient Domain has been an eyesow to citizens, but there no longer remains causa for complaint. A well-known citizen called the attention of tho Commissioner of Public Works to the locality recently, and the Superintendent of Public Buildings was instructed to mako improvements there. Mr. Smyth at once set about the work, which is now almosteoinplete. The earth taken from the site of the Po?t Office additions was carted to the spot and tipped over thecliff, and theCity Council allowed the street eweepintK to be deposited there also. An immense quantity of earth was used to form the three terraces, which are now erected. One row of trees has been planted, aud later on planting will be continued. Io is also in tended to plant the newlyform&d terraces with grass. The Snneiintcndent of Public Build ings is gradually having the police paddock sloped from King William-road, so thafc in time that sido of the road inuy be mado u-correspond somewhat; in appearance with tb« acres round the Kotunda. Dlskaskd Daiht Cows. — At the kite meet ing of the Municipal Association, in the course of a discussion as to the neceesicy of the Go vernment appointing an expert to inspect '.tutry eows offered for sale in the market, it was stated by one of the members that he had lately purchased in the market a milch cow fen the use of his family. Ou placing the iurimal iu tho yard one of the f:tuiily callod attention to the strange appearance of the udder. Ii wasr«-solved that before uiilkin? the advi(je oi Mr. C. J. Valentino should be obtained. On his arrival he pronounced that the cow had cancer, and the beast was at oneo destroyed. Royal Sociktt or S. A.~The usual inonthlj mei-tir? was held at tbe Adelaide Institute, Nort-J- u-rraee, on Tuesday evening, a fait numbf! ?.-! members being present Several inte.rtetivg exhibits were displayed — by Pro fessor T:ite, mammalian remains from tlie Curramnika Caves ; by Mr. Tepper, a coscida Frenehia casuarinae: by Mr. Clark, ptisto oiythropteros, red and scarlet variations fr\-m the Northern Territory, obtained by Dr. Stirling recently : and by Mr. Zietz a tint spr-cimc-n of .-the dendvotagns {or treo kan garoo) from the Zoological Gardens. Paper! were also read as folIowE : — ' Cambrian Rocks at Cnrramulka,' Mr. J. B. Pritchard : 44Xew Species of Pnlparia,* Mr. O. B. Lower 'Introduced Plants to the Northern Tern tovy,' . Mr. Holtze; 'New Species o1 Fabularia,' Mr. W. Howchin. Extension of Eakit Gcosiku.— At presem the grocers and bootmakers of the cityclow their ahop3 on Saturday nichte at irregulai times, but the Retail Assistants* Union an trying to gradually extend to them the aysteir which has been so successfully applied in othci lines of business. The following circular tra received by several of the firm* on Tuesdaj afternoon:—' I am directed by the Board o Management of. in* Retail At-sUtantd' Unioi to a*k if you would kindly abai3t the early closing pavement by closing your establish incut ou SatiirtJ.-ty nights on the half-hourij gradual system— that is, on the lirct Satnrda in tbe Jffcw 'i'ear close at S o'clock, and half, a: hour earlier ev-jry three months until G oclocl is reac-btd. This scheme has worked sack factorily with tlie drapery bouse*, and we liav-reason to bc-Hsve with profit to the iirnw. Tin Union will do it* utmost to assist by agitatius and making kna»n as widely as possible cha this reduction of the hours of labour vril shortly takts place, and cvcrytliing will bo doni to induce people to complete their purch&9Q before C o'clock. It is further proposed tr- uav-handbills printed, setting out the names of slv early-closing firms; these reminders will tx distributed at all Trade Societies ia oonn-H;tioi with the Trades and Labour. Council wit! which this ITnion is aiiilLitcd, aud our fellow Unionists will be iuvitetltoshow thoirpraotkM support and symixitby by shopping only a tlu»e firms who favour the early-cluing move ment. — W. G. Coo.nus, Gtaitir*l Sccreiarrr-.'1' BCLAYTOX ClJCRCU STUAW!!£K&Y FSTE.— Wt see by nn advertisement tuat tbis annua festival, widen was to liave been held a* wnvi at. the Acac-iad on Saturday next, has baei postponed owing to she Illness of Sir Elwir and Lady Smith. IIketisg or Soi.-Faists. — At- 'theinstancs o Mr. A. Wnliasleya preliminary meeting of tlios. intt-restcd iu arranging for a eeiebratioa of tb jubilee of the Touie Sol-Fa fyatem w*s held i: the Y.M. C. A. Parlour oa Tuesday night. Mr J. S. Thomson was voted to the chair. Tb attendance* was siot forge, bnt each per*)! }-r»!sent expressed the tvarmust approval of Mr Walmeslfy?s action in convening the meeting Ali tbe fcpeakera spoke iu the most fivourabi. tei-ms of the systeji, and expressed tbeir pleasur in knowing that the- notation of Curwsn Li tha adopted in our State w-hools, though itwa suggested that probably many of the teacher were not sufficiently well versed in the systeti to be able to impart to their pupils a thorough knowledge of it. The convener e.v.plaiu-xl tha having noticed that alinoat in every jiart c the civilized world the jnbilee of the intrt duetion of Curwcn's system was this year cele Lrated, lie felt thas South Australia should n-j allow the o-:casion to pass witliont aoaie rec»g nition of the immense advantages afforded t 1 the public b\* tbe work of the ren-.-.vnedfounde ? of the system. The object he had in view wa . mainly to :-rr:uige for :* gathering o£ sol-faist ? with the view to ultimately form a Sooietj i which would s.-e enabled to promote the caus I they feupjwrted. After discussion it wasn solved that 'a social in commemoration of th jubilee of the introduction of the tonic sol t system should l-e held, and that music cliaul b»- coatribntcd t)v the vati-ins Hripieti^B t«kin

part.' A oomniittee,. consisting of Messrs^ Wabnesley,- King, Dale, Thamson, and Tester, with power to add to their numbsr, was elected to carry out the resolution. Mr. Waline=ley was elected Secretary and Trea surer. ? ... -JOCRXEniEX BCTCHBES' PlCXIC COMMITTEE. — A specialiy summoned meeting of this oom niittee took place on Monday evening at; the Selborne Hotel. Mr. W. A. Salkeld occu pied the chair. The Secretary (Mr. W. G. Coombs) announced that the meeting was' called in consequence of a late member of the Journeymen Butchers' Union having died. Tlie deceased omitting to keep his subscrip tions paid hr.fl forfeited all right3 to the pecuniary benefits arising out of the Mortality i'und. Tho Union considered that the ease — a most deserving one— should be relieved, and recommended the Picnic Committee to make a grant out of their accumulated funds towards the widow and family. Id was unanimously resolved on the motion of Mr. W. A. Matthews to devote the sum of £10. At the same time the committee felt that this must not act as a precedent, provision being made for Union members' families if they conformed to the rules. Sthikk is tjie Sydxey Clotihnu Trade.— According to the Sydney correspondent of the Melbourne Standard of November 3 the dis pute in the clothing trade reached a climax that morning, when over 400 men ceased work. A mass meeting of, those on strike was held at the Temperance Hall thafc morning, bub nothing in the way of a gcueral settlement was effected. A Big Lawsuit. — Tho Brisbane correspon dent of tho Melbourne Standard, telegraphed on November 2 :— The actions instituted by tbe Queensland Investment Company againsfa Sir Thomas Mcllwraitb, Sir Arthur Palmer, tho Hon. Frederick Hart, and Mr. E. Dairy, for tho recovery of damages exceeding £250,000 for malfeasance and negligence whilst- manag-ging the plaintiffs' Queensland branch, will commence on Wednesday before Chief Justice lillcy. The plaintiffs' case will be conducted by Mr. E. Lilley (the Judge's son), with two junior?. The defendants will be re presented by the Solicitor-General and four of tbe best members of the Bar. Only two actionB will be heard before Christmas,' but should the plaintiffs fail probably the other actions will be abandoned. The pleadings in the first action state that tho defendants, as Queensland Directors of the plaintiff Company, sanctioned loans to Mr. Griraley, the Secretary of the Darling Downs Western Land Company, in which the defen dants were Directors, as well as loans to other Companies in which they were large share holders, upon tbe security of lindwhieh adjoined the Company's property, and that subsequently those lands were fenced in by the Darling Downs Company, and used without the payment of rent; that advances to th? amount of £10.000 were made for tho purpose of wiyinir off Grimlcy's -debt to the l-ueenslaiid National Bank, of which h Thomas Mcllwraitb, Sir Arthur Palmer, and Mr. Hart were Directors, and Mr. Drury the General Manager. Tiie defendants raise tbe 'iciencQ thaS they eolles-. tivcly. as the plaintiffs' Queensland Directo rate, sanctioned loans, and subsequently theiv actions were confirmed l-y the Loudon pfliee,-!?© that individually they canuot bs held respon sible. The trial is expected to last six weeks. A Warning to Ick-cheav Makers. — A correspondent of the Awns issues the follow ing warning to ice-cream makers : — ' Now that the summer months are coming on I venture to think the following information may be interesting to many of yonr readais: — 'Dr. G. S. Hall (England) baa recently carried ous experiments with ice-cream freezers, and finds that electrolytic action takes -place between the freezer and tho paddles when tbo ice-cream and fruit stilts are introduced, which results iu the production of poisonous salts of conperaud ?ine. This is more than probably the explana tion of the mysterious deaths by poisoning which liave resulted from eating ice-cream. The reicedy i* easy. The freeser and paddle should be made of tho same material. : ;r .Cixaxckky Srrrs tx Acstjialu. — An iu stasce of the great vitality of aoras Jaw suite has been afforded (aiye tho Melbourne Jlcrald) by the caeo of llonan v. Anstead, which ba« being going on eiuco 1884, and bids fair to sur vive all thude who have been professionally connected with it. Two of the 'fudges who had to do with the case ju ite early slag-}=, viz., Mr. Justice Moleswovth and Mr. Justioe Webb, have gone, also Mr. Wilkinson, the solicitor for the plaintiff, and Mr. Wusawould, i the solicitor for tb« executors of the defendant, whilst tho last of tho professional gentlemen to tRkc his departure has been Sir. W. W. Walduck, who was the solicitor fur th-i next of kin, and who, it- is stated, was particularly ftnxiouR to live to see tho suit attain its Sual stage*. In addition to these names those of j two. of Ibe executors have tob«i added to the j niorluKry roll, so tliat the ca«- 3C-mus to have bwn :\ peculiarly fatal one to deal witb, Iskw Ca La ionia. — The French aothorltle--have vv- intention of relinquishing New OaJe doni.t »fc.-rite=» the Pftris correspoadeut of tho Agr. under rl«U: Septexubcr 1H} as a paun.1 jcstle ment. The Caledonia is nov.r loadiiifs with nearly 50'J cunvicte for Xouvellw, tjuc life thoce will bo kss a happy land f;ir_far, away, vhi-jit tbo inont aeoosnplished scoundrel lo.»ksd fevv/ard to as ft oountry life. Any convict ina Lome prison tb:w way attack a warder in order to qualify for ^Tew Caledonia will be rcquirud to pass his sentence isi the prison whore he committed the offence. In the ease of a capita s^ntene* inSkted by the Privy Canneil o£ the j colony, a majority of two meusbtsrs v/ili b-3 necessaiy to entail a reference homo bsfore carrying oa* tho sentence. The laws bearing on liquor shops are mado mere rigorous, and the clasaiScav.on of the conviete will bs more faithftilly observed. What is aaiias in Frem-h penal settlements is, aot the making of decree*, but tbe caiTyiug of them out. 'in the CA».e of tho neither eouutry, tha tendency i*: t-i have no { more gat''5 for juvenile offenders, hut philvi tbropic agriciiiturail colouii'* like lletfcray. F.\kj;ix» is' xks Soimi-K-isr.— The &?u?k-Eastern Star says:—' In ttse Saufch-Eist ivheatgrowist^ has pntcrtiealiy cei^vi. fio far aa the Eouthcrn end of the distries is oonccrnucl, and in the northern uiid is so jui1ii:toasly combined with othev pursuits, su.-h as .dairying s.ud gTiizing, as to render thu farmer So go:a*-extcut independent of ihc result. Tluve was a time, liowev«r. ?when wbeat wjw the ^sapW product of tlse South-Easteni fannj, aiul tbu chancre has only been bitin^ht about by slow degrees, as our latmers bavo Itjiirnod by nptu-al experiment the pobbiiuiiiy of obtaining a liveli hood by oilier means than the sole p-i«s.iis of vheat-growiujf.' I Obk Coat. Minks —Our .istraition hus b«»»i I waited to an enor in tlie article' which appear6-2 under this headicjf m Tuesday's htnistzr. Near tho end it mentions the rumoured in tention of tbo New South Wales .Vtovdrnuient to constiTict a railway at sv cost of oae and jl ha3f Bullions* sterling Ut carry ci-al to LroWcn Hpl, 5-30 milw, Rt a halfpenny per ton pee niilo, ur £2 10s. }Krr ton fur vurriage abas. This ebi-sld he £1 5a. per ton. Boy's Bkigauk.— At tba fooina in i'tankiin strees on Tuesday evening iv sale of work for tbt; bf.nditof the iiiatitntiijn wasoe«i-sd. The articles on Bale included some capital specimens of handiwork by tbo boys. Mwicsnd refresa rut-uts -wore iirovided, and tbe izHs sesiried to heartily eu Joy themselves. Jkfrxiwl'AL.— Mr, H. K. Fi'ller nr-tio6sh» cciuplianoa wth «? ri-ia«t to al:ow himaielf to be noniinatiMj as on:; of the csndidnscs for the position of Alderman at the coining vntinicijial electuuas. KECEtTiON.— At the Semaphore Town H-ill thie aftei-noon . Uio Mayoreae {Ma. F. W. Kennedy) will hold a reception. Tue KAtsrAU-— The followiug is fcUe riuit foll for tbe twenty-fonr hours end-^l at !) a.m. on the 3rd inst.: — Port Darwin, 3230. J'lOSETllOCGHT I.ECTUKE. — Mr. Joseph Symes. the well-known Secularist, w31. lecture at thu Port Town Hall this evening. Aet. — The ])ictur«» which are tho prices at the Art Union drawing to take place lo-roorrow may be hi3pceted at Moulton's, ninders-strcft. «iujohe PnKD.— W. S. M.. £2 2a.