AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 931, 1 May 1883, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Melbourne, April 24.

The. principal topic; of interest in political circles since Parliament was prorogued is the annexation of New Guinea by Queensland)All the colonies uphold the action of Queensland, and have instructed the various AgentsGeneral in London to support the same. The annual demonstration of the Eight Hours’ Society took place on Saturday. Thatweather .wah propitious, and the procession imposing. Mr Graham Berry leaves for Sydney on May 1, to attend the International Postal Conference.

The enquiry held by direction of the Langridge Quartz Mining Company for the purpose of eliciting the facts under which a subscription list for the Irish League was circulated,*Was sot on foot in consequence of the Age stating that Mr Hunt, M.L.A., a director, dismissed men for non-subscribing. On account of that article, Mr Hunt brought an action for libel against the Age. The enquiry showed that the movement originated amongst the miners, and that Mr Hunt had no connection with it beyond subscribing a pound. The international subscription in aid of the building fund of St Patrick’s Cathedral closed on Saturday, having been open four weeks. It is expected that there will be a substantial result. A warrant has been Issued for the arrest of Thomas Church, the Melbourne manager of the firm of J. and W. Brown, Newcastle shipowners and coalmerchants, for embezzling money the property of the firm. Church confessed his guilt and stated that it was owing to losses in horse racing. He disappeared and has not been heard of since. Some fears of suicide are entertained.

A.n extraordinary swindle is reported. A Brighton girl, Catherine Griffin, wrote to the friends of Professor McCoy, representing herself as his daughter. She stated that her brother was in financial difficulties in New Zealand, and was unwilling to apply to his father soliciting help. Several persons were victimised. Sydney, April 24.

A stonewalling episode on the licensing question occurred on Friday. The House sat until Saturday morning at eleven. The honajide traveller radius was fixed at five hundred instead of five miles. Clubs are placed on the same footing as other houses as regards Sunday closing. The measure will probably be defeated in the Upper House.

A terrible accident took place on the night of April 23 at the Ellenborough mine, Eaglehawk, in a winze connecting the 6, 47, and 20£t levels. Eight men

,;:~nox~ —■. - —... . ■, were working at the time, when the ground gave indications of being unsafe. Preparations were made for security by the use of timber, when a great mass of stone fell, burying two men completely and pinning three others to the ground, to be only rescued after three hours' imprisonment. Andrews and _ Denso, the two who were bnried, were killed on the spot. Their bodies presented a sickening spectacle, every bone be ng literally broken. The former had only been married three weeks. Of the survivors, HaU was badly b uised; Moskin aud Bagliss also sustained severe injuries. The latter had a miraculous escape, the falling mass forming an arch over him, The accident created great excitement in Eaglehawk. Hundreds assembled about the shaft, and the scene when the bodies were brought to the surface was harrowing.