Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), Monday 20 January 1896, page 4


NEW SOUTH WALES.

SYDNEY, January 15.

A deputation of compositors out of work asked the Minister of agriculture yesterday for employment at forest thinning. Some of the deputation represented that only about 20 men were out of work as compositors, but others asserted there were nearly 200 unable to find my kind of employment. It was explained that, owing to the introduction of labour saving appliances, as well as the employment of boy labour, the work avail-able for compositors had become greatly re- stricted. The Minister, in reply, asked for a list of names, particularly of those in urgent need, but stated he could not pro-mise to employ them in forest thinning. He

would see what could be done.

An important conference of graziers and farmers owning property on the northern table lands was held at Armidale to-day. Resolutions were passed in favour of the re-duction of the rent on conditional-purchase selections from 1s. to 6ri. per acre per annum, the abolition of interest on con-ditional-purchase selections, the reappraisement of conditional-lease selections, and the repeal repeal of the land tax. A resolution was carried against the adoption of the system of local government at present, on the ground that landowners could not afford to pay two taxes. Motions in favour of pay-ing interest on railway construction out of the consolidated revenue, of carrying farmers' produce on the railways any dis-tance at a maximum rate not exceeding that charged for 200 miles, and of abolishing the levy collected from sheepowners for the prevention of scab, were also adopted.

A woman has been brought to the Bulli Hospital in a demented condition, suffering from sunstroke. She was tramping the roads, with her husband, two days before, when she was prostrated by a sunstroke. Her husband carried her through all the sweltering heat to Bulli, taking two days over the journey.

The trade of Newcastleis particularly brisk. Over 40 vessels, are awaiting their turn to be laden with coal. It is probable that the Seaham colliery, which was closed some time since on account of an outbreak of fire in the workings, will be re-opened shortly, and 300 men will thus be given employment.

A case in which the magistrate expressed his belief in strong parental punishment was heard at the Redfern Police Court to-day. A cabman wai charged with assault-ing his son, aged 14. Dr. Puton, the Government medical officer testified that the boy was brought to him on the 14th, and bad a contused eye and excoriation of the right cheek, besides which his legs, and the lower part of his body were badly bruised. The injuries might have been caused by excessive beating with a heavy stiup. He thought the punish-ment had been too severe, evidence was given that the lad had been kept chained up at night. Mr. Johnson, S.M., said there was too much morbid sympathy shown in regard to these cases. He had no doubt that the punishment in this instance, if it was severe, was well merited. It was better for the boy to be chastised than allowed to run about the streets and sleep out, and if there was no other way he could not see anything wrong in chaining him up. He would therefore discharge the accused.

Nowa from the New Hebrides staten that

Ihe dtuughl, whicil has existed tar the past nine months, his quite broken up, hut nut until great distress had been occasioned.

ALBURY, January 15.

The returns prepared locally indicate that there wa« only a «light falling off tilla eeaeon in the quantity of wool exported fruin New Sou'h Wales ria Albury to Viototia. The total number of bales exported from July 1 to December 31,1895, was 29.358, as against 30,574 btle« for the corresponding period of

1894 Tbis shows that the efforts of the railway commissi.'ners to divert the Riverina wool trnffic to Sydney have been to some

extent succe-sful.

It is now positiveli known that the yield thi-i season »ill be 250 000 bushels of wheat from the Albury distiiot. This is greatly in excess of the yields of former seasons, aud the fsot is attributable to the favourable harvest and large area cropped under the shares piinoiple. As an instance of the productiveness of some of the new land beld under the Bhates principle the following yields from Mr. C. L. Griffiths, of Benambra, station, are given:-Wheat atriuped, 26 bushels to the acre ; wheat thraahed, 28 bushels ; Algerian oats, 50 bushels ; English burley, 20 bushels ; and Cape bailey, 28 bushels, Thtse are average yields for a large atea.

BATHURST, Janunry 14.

A butcher named Lanfruuohe was killed to-day whilst attempting to aluughtor a bul-lock. He- speared the animal irom a plat-form about 14ft, high, when it reared up and struck him eff the platform. In falling Lanfrancho sustaiucd fatal injuries to the

brain,

BROKKN HILL, January 14.

At Mcinnes' seiectiou ou the Darling

River, near Meniodie, a aod fish weighing j 1811b. was reoently caught. Two m n

pulled it out with fencing wire, and ¡ dragged ii into a billabong.

WILCANNIA, January 15. I Reports to hand from the Lakediokout ! ' Station, at Momba, states that millions of I

fish of various descriptions have perished j

in Copago Lake through last week's terrific ?

heat, the wutcr in the Uko being almost at j

boiling poiut. Large flocks of pelicana were

on the soene devouring tho fish on Monday I , Charles May, manager of Netallie Station, j

reports that whilst driving in from Fulham Station he picked up a man on the track suffering terribly from thirst. He took ihe man on to tbe Govornmmt tank 20 milis from here. He is an Italian named Petor Biroffi, and about 30 years of ago. He started from Cobar last week on foot for Wilcannia, for tbe pur-pose of trying to get work on the river steamers. He left Fulham Station rn Monday at noon, and his water bag became exhausted on Tuesday at midday, und waa -{licked up by May yesterday at 11 a.m., lnving been 23 hours without water. Baruffi deBoribcB his sufferings as something ten iblo.

Ho started to undress himself about 9 o'olook j yesterday morning. He took everything off but his trousers and singlet ana walked barefooted for miles. He laid down about 10 a.m. with his tongue and Ups swollen terribly. Barelli states that he intended to end his life by bleeding himself to death with a sheath knife if left an hour longer, as he oould not possibly have lived through-out the day. He haB been seven year« in tho colony and never had such a terrible ex-perience before iu his life.