AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 787, 9 April 1910, Page 12

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

COMMONWEALTH'S NAVY. ! Sydney, March 31. The long decks of the R.M.S. Otranto at Adelaide on' March 25 were enlivened by the uniformed figures of some 70 or 80 officers and men of tho Permanent Commonwealth Naval Force, bound for England, to man the new Australian torpedo-boat destroyers Parramatta and Yarra. South Australia contributed 25 of this number, and the remainder were drawn from the Eastern States. Every member of the contingent has been subjected to a thorough training in the duties which are to be undertaken. The first destroyer will not' be completed until about Juno 14, and in the meantime the seamen will have two months' instruction at the. Royal Naval Schools in gunnery and torpedo work. The stokers will learn to handle the oil fuel to be used in the furnaces. There will' be training on board the Parramatta until the Yarra has left the builder's hands.

'Before the departure of the Otranto His Excellency the Governor (Sir Day Bosanquet), of South Australia, visited the Outer Harbour to say a few words of farewell to the men. His Excellency was met at the gangway by the officer in charge of the contingent (Lieut. Warren), and the Naval Director (Captain Creswell), who, it is expected, will leave for England at a later date. His, Excellency reminded the men, as they lined up on the boat deck, that they were specially selected for special work, and should ever uphold the prestige of their profession. As an Admiral he ! had had opportunitiesof coming into contact with Australians serving in British' men-of-war. They had always been men of sterling worth, and some had done remarkably well in-their examinations. He hoped that the. men of this contingent would worthily uphold the name their pre-, decessors had made, and he wished them a pleasant voyage to England, and'a safe return.

A NEW ZEALAND CRIMINAL. # A .fecial interest for New Zealand lies in the recent Fitzroy tragedy. John William Crabtree, the grocer.injured on. Saturday, March. 19, by -the explosion in his shop in Fitzroy, died in the Melbourne .Hospital on Saturday, March 26. Hia , advanced years, the shock of his injuries, and the certainty of being placed upon his; trial for incendiarism' all combined against his recovery. '".';.; ' The police, prior to Orabtreo's death, had learned from Charles Shaw, his assistant, that Crabtree was probably known, to the. police in New • Zealand. The records of one John William Crabtree were thereupon sent across from the Dominion, including a photograph and description. ' The photograph, though taken about 30 yeaTS ago, shows considerable resemblance to the dead man. In 1883 the original of the photograph was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment in ■ Christohurch for horsestealing,, and three years' for larceny. The description of this criminal includes mention of a wen and the marks of an abscess on-.the left jaw, both these marks being prominent \ upon the face of the deceased. After two years of the Christohurch sentence had been served the offender .made a sensational escape from Mount Cook .Prison, but was recaptured, and received an additional sentence for his escape from custody. The police are confident that the dead man and the New Zealand' : criminal are identical.- Crabtree seems to have begun life in Tasmania; according to the records. He kept a store at Lefroy, and; afterwards went to New Zealand:" JEeaving'?'New Zealand, he crossed" and, after a short stay there; came to Melbourne a few months ago. '. His finger-prints bave.been taken by Detective Jenkins, of Melbourne, and. copies wiH be sent to New Zealand.

NEW THEATRE FOR SYDNEY.. Sydney is to have another, fine theatre, and it is claimed that this will not suffer' by comparison with any other in the city. It,is to'be erected an George. Street, opposite. Christ Churchy for Mr. Spencer, of ithe Spencer Theatrescope Co., at a cost of £50,000, and will be opened on Novem-, ber 1 next. ;'; Building operations will be started ~ immediately. *

' The theatre will be a large one, and will.hold a license to seat 2000 people. It will be built on most modern lines, with all the, latest accessories for an up-to-dato theatre. The main entrances will be from George Street/ and the auditorium, dress' circle, and galleries will be Teached from" Bpacious grand vestibules and marble staircases. The seating'.accommodation .will be of the latest, and the exits numerous and in full compliance with a very stringent Theatres Act. .They will open into George Street and right-of-ways on both sides. ,

The acoustic properties have _ been carefully considered, ; and the all-impor-tant question of ventilation has been well attended to.' A very large sliding, roof is to'be installed immediately above the auditorium. The theatre will be ■ prettily decorated, and when completed should be'an acquisition to Sydney. It: is being specially built to suit the requirements of the Spencer Theatrescdpe Co. Plana for' another large city theatre are in course of preparation, -

A NOVEL STKIKE-GOLFEBS AND CADDIES. . As the result of some new regulations adopted' by the Royal Melbourne Golf Club affecting the management of caddies, a great deal of discontent has lately permeated that important juvenile'body during the past week, which, however, was not made known to members until Saturday, March 26. That morning an unusually large company of golfers assembled to compete for a certain trophy. Between 40 and 50 caddies also attended and spsawled out on the grass; muttering to one another. When the time came to commence play, the gentlemen- called for caddies, first indifferently, then authoritatively, and at length wheedlingly; but not a caddio stirred. .' Something '■ was evidently wrong. ' There ensued talk between leading players and some of the boys, and it was elicited that the lads had decided not to carry unless the current rate was raised from Is. 6d. to 2s."'per. round. The contempt entertained by the boys for the new regulations framed for their guidance was expressed most picturesquely,, and they persistently refused to budge from their 'demand for an increase. They remained lying on their stomachs upon tho turf in obstinate inertness, watching tho players starting on their rounds staggering under the unaccustomed weight of their woll-fillcd bags: At length a member crossed over to the .caddies' camp and made overtures on behalf of the club. After an animated' palaver a compromise was effected which applied to the day, and the .caddies took on tho game subject to the matter being thrashed out and equitably settled the following week. . •A. JAPANESE ROMANCE. . Sub-Inspector Waters, of Port Darwin, who is also a registrar of marriages, had a singular oxperiouco with one of the Taiyuan's passengers. A coloured lady, resident in Paimorston, called on him about 7 p.m., stating that there was a young Japanese lady on board, who was on lior way home after four years' residence in Queensland. Since arriving in tho Taiyuan, however) this lady had discovered an old -"•veetkeart in. "v'jouna Japweso diver

employed on one of Captain Edwards's pearling luggers. The ashes of an. old passion had been rekindled, : and sho earnestly desired to marry him if it could possibly be arranged. After soma objections regarding the lateness of the hour, the kindly snb-inspector agreed to make the twain one if they would; make their appearance before him. . Tho intermediary hurried off, and in a short time He-turned with the amo> ous couple. The lady is described as about 25 years.of age, and more than ordinarily beautiful. The ceremony, was duly performed, and tho roniantio couple had just left the office, when the acting-sub-collector of customs came hurrying along k. search of the'lady,' having, just received an official intimation that sho was a prohibited immi« .grant, who had been landed at Thursday'lsland somo weeks previously from a steamer in which she had.stowed away, for detention until an opportunity c«y curred of deporting her. It is pre* sumed that the motive .for the hasty marriage was some hazy notion that by this means the alien restriction clause' would bo rendered innocuous. _ If the bridegroom had been, a naturalised British subject tho point might have been somewhat difficult of adjustment, but he is only,a permit man, subject to' deportation at the end'of his term. Tho blushing bride continued the voyage in the Taiyuan the nest morning, and the bridegroom has sailed for the pearling grounds.