AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2136, 29 December 1880, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[Per s.s. Wakatipu, at Wellington.] MELBOURNE, December 22

The State School class was examined at the Exhibition in the presenoe of the Education Jury.

At Maryborough yesterday, White was garrotted by a man named Gordon. While waiting at the station to be conveyed by train he managed to loose his hands from the handcuffs and ran away. Troopers started in pursuit, and fired two shots. Ho was rearrested.

Messrs Clayton, Shuttleworth and Co., who were fined by the Customs Department, have paid £IOOO in satisfaction of the amount claimed for under the valuation.

At the Bijou Theatre laßt night, during the performance of the screen scene in the " School for Scandal," Mrs Lewis who was playing Lady Teazle, swooned, and was taken home in a semicomatose ttato. Overwork is said to be the cause by aoting on the brain. Messrs Goldsbrough and Co. have presented four cups, value £4O each, to the National Agricultural Society of Victoria, to be given as prizes at the Grain Show, held in March next, three for wheat, and the fourth for malting barley.

SYDNEY, Decembe? 22.

The apprehension of a water famine in Sydney; increase as the drought continues. The Botany dams are nearly exhausted, and street watering is now done with sea water. temporary sources o£ supply are eagerly discussed. An invention is being exhibited by Mr Cawood proving the possibility of completely isolating the mariner's compaßS on board iroii ships. Tha weather is exceasivoiy hob, and there has been no rain for three months. On Sunday the thermomatev was 107 in the shade, on Monday Jl3, Tuesday 113, end Wed.nen-. dsylia.

BRISBANE, December 22

I The schooner Annie haa started from Cooktown for Columna Island to rescue the crew of the Vibilia. Samoa advices to November 16th state that forty Solomon Islanders engaged on one G-er-man cotton plantation took to the bush, and were so hard pressed by hunger that they seized a boy who fled with them. He was tied up, . and ■ had a • portion mapped off by running a knife more than skin deep along the favorite joints. A wild pig appeared, and the Islanders left the boy and rushed after the pig. The boy was discovered in an exhausted state by some Samoans.

Sir H, Parkes has received a>telegram from Mr Berry stating that he will be able to attend the Conference on January 30th. A Parnell defence fund has been formed, and £25 were subscribed at the first meeting. ADELAIDE, December 22. The sale of old wheat, 1500 bags, f.0.b., Port Tictore, is reported at 4s 3£d ;4s sid is asked for new, without business.

In the insolvency case of Samuel de Young, merchant, Commissioner Downer characterised the insolvent's conduct as the grossest case of fraud that had ever come under his notice. Till the insolvent turned honest and disgorged the money he had secreted and made a clean breast of his affairs, a hearing would be adjourned. It might be said that this would be perpetual imprisonment, but that depended entirely on the insolvent. Bail was applied for, on the ground that the insolvent intended to appeal to the Supreme Court. The Commissioner said that nothing would induce him to let the insolvent out on bail.

The South Australian Scholarship, worth £2OO 'a year for four years, was awarded to Percy Ansell Bobin, Bachelor of Arts, Adelaide University. The Mayor issued 400 5s tickets for distribution among the poor at Christmas. In consequence of the success attending experiments in the colony with the American Defiance Bust Resisting Wheat, .the Commissioner of Crown Lands has telegraphed to a British Company at New York asking the price of a large quantity of wheat, and if the answer is favorable he will recommend his colleagues to purchase a quantity for distribution among farmers. At a meeting held in the Town Hall yesterday to consider the extra duty on tobacco, it was decided that a deputation should wait on the Treasurer, and ask him to reconsider the extra duty.