AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1721, 28 November 1887, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Melbouknb November 23

A strong national sentiment pervaded The Legislative Assemniy yesterday when the Australian Naval Force Bi i was under d scussi .n After a brief de* ate the toe sure was accorded exceptional honor f having passed throng 1 ! a 1 Btnges without opjjon<!ion. Mr Gil ies moved t'te second raad t p early m the Quints n a practical *-pe--oh be p.'uce-i the detai b of the ncbeme up n at t c Coh>a -I C >nfe ence dear y within Uio gr<* p o» h» > emb* s 'li c lesuit was S'> sa'ia io oiy th t » n.hiw was plac d v. on ti e < ffieia reo rda of tli« UnuHe. soitin that th« Bi : was v- aniinnutily pa^eed. Mr W 1 tie stat ■: th t iv . ddition o - squadron uometbinß af er th- re^B la a ready maintaine »>y inland m colo: ial waters, it waß pr pose'l to eHtablish a joint naval force of fivu fa t cruisers, two toipedo gunboatu of the Archer or Kattlesnake type, at an anuua cos' to the combined coonieß of not mi re than £126,296, for aj period of ten years. In return for ths! contribution the Imperial Gover^ra nti v derto k to bu.ld the gunboats at a cost of £700,000, and ruaintsin them m times of peacu and war at a cost of £25,50 •) per antium for the first two and a-lia f y«ars and £13,200 for the remaining seveu and a-ha'.f years. The contribution of the vwrioUß o'onif s w-b fixed up n the batis of popultition, a d the ahart- of Victoriu is assessed nt £37 000 p» r a nnm In the ove> t of any of tho ye sela bfinej lost, ttioy «ou d be replaced at th* cost of th<Imperial Government. The veßßels. with the excep io i of two whiqh would be permanemly stationed ii New Zealami waterß, woald periodically v^it all the colonies. A meeting to practically assist tljo evicted Irish tenants was he ! d at the Hioernian Ball last nigr.t Fu ly 1800 porflona were pro eot Address b were delivered by Archbishop Carr and sevirnl other clrgymen, aud resolutions were passed unanimously condemning the coeroioo policy now beina enforced m Ireland. A subscription list was opened, £400 being raised at the meeting, Perth, November 23. On the 16th mat a prisoner named Win. Thompson, a notorious scoundrel, who la nodergologa life senta&oo for rape, eßoaped from Freemantle Gaol by means of a rope supplied over the prison wall by some person oataide. Next morning Thoma Hughes, a bushranger, and another prisoner named Jarvls, also effected their escape by disarming the guard. They were out with other prisoners employed m "xoavating a tank m the prison yard. A warder u&med Oralk was present m the ■ank with! tha men, and on the level ground above a guard namerf Rodgers was *t-tionad R w»«8 a.raed V» s h a d üblebarrelled u.m\. About ulna o'clock Jarvia "<ont t > the tool houf>e, and o>< eturnin. 1 , whtn two yards from Roger-* turned roood, seij?v:i Rogers roqnd the waist, and held him until Hugbes cam up and twisted tho gun out of his hands They then compelled Rogers to give v . hU cartridges and k><ys, after which the looked him m the closet. They altu treated Graik, wlio was unarmad, In ihw saraa way. They were about to get over the wall of the prison yard when a convict named Green endeavored to prevent them, whereupon Huyhes turned on him and fired, but mUsed him. They then crossed the wall. Thb prisoners m the yard rnised ao alarm atd tbe'esoapeos were ohaaed by wardesa-.and a body of police, who, however, failed t{) capture thbqi th^t day. . On Sunday^ ho»vever r two 0.-hr-iabie *olking tbrou^a tfte bui's-tlißOoverei Huches and Djfgiparing £bj. They imnae^iately sni^ad tusoonv.cts uufoce tha la ter had time fco Off ar*^p resiß auoe, ThompßOOi .tynrtravlivtllltt ws4 J