Late Australian News.

Hastings Standard, Issue 406, 23 August 1897, Page 4

Late Australian News.

[New Zk.la>.t) Times.]

Bands of shearers on bicycles frequently pass through Sea Lake (Victoria) on their way to Eiverina. The Chief Justice of Victoria figures in the list of unsecured creditors of C. M. Watsen, solicitors, whose statement shows a deficiency of £10,744. Chronicled as an item of news, that the Bacchus Marsh Shire Council has refused to express any opinion on the utility or otherwise of the One-man-one-dog Bill. There is a great scarcity of butcher's meat of every kind at Hobart, the local supply being almost exhausted. Cattle are being imported from Eden, where the supply is also limited. Senior-Constable F. J. Knopp was fined £4 9s, or one month, at Sydney Central Police Court the other day for taving failed to report the finding of a gold watch, tue property of a Chinaman. Periodical prosecutions are instituted in Sydney for selling non-transferable railway and other tickets, the latest being two informations laid against one Reuben Israel, who was fined £2O on each charge the other dii,y at the Central Police Court. During a performance of Professor Bristol's troupe of performing horses, ponies and trick mules at Sydney Criterion, the Mayor presented the Professor with a medal on behalf of the Animal Protection Society of New South Wales in recognition of his kindness to animals. Complaints having been received from New South Wales country districts that some of the settlers are not doing well, Mr Carruthcrs, Minister for Lands, says it is nothing more than he expected under the present system of balloting by which settlers are chosen, not by an exercise of discrimination as to the best men, but by the luck of the ballot-box, which often results in giving the land to the most unsuitable applicants. Mr J. C. Williamson says plays are put on more expensively in Melbourne than in London. His firm stood to lose £2OOO with the " Sign of the Cross " before it was put on in Sydney and would have lost another £IOOO if it had been a failure. The Princess Theatre had duting the last six months paid away £11,286 in wages, £2826 in rents, £llll in printing and advertising, £1478 in lighting, £lll9 in scenery, £1452 in wardrobes, and many other items of expenditure. A question was asked by a Sydney M.P. the other night as to whether the Postmaster-General was aware that owing to the low priced contracts for carrying mails entered into by some mail contractors they did not pay their coach drivers and grooms, some of whom were married men. The PostmasterGeneral, in reply, said ho did not know such was the case, and he could not see his way clear to insert a clause in all future contracts that the sureties be liable for all wages due to drivers and grooms. A prospector from Western Australia was rescued from spielers by a couple of Melbourne constables the other day. He started on a tour of the city with 750z. of gold and several quartz specimens. Being seen in a haif-intoxi-cated state with another man, he was warned to leave him and deposit his gold in safe keeping. W 7 hen next seen he was drunk and with some spielers. The constables then locked him up, and next day he thanked them at Court for their kindness. The Legislative Committee of the South Melbourne Council reported recently that it did not consider the general adoption of voting by post desirable, but thought that in shires it would possibly be found workable. It was, however, of opinion, that provision should be made for receiving the votes of persons who, from sickness, physical disability, or absence at the time of election, were unable to attend at the polling place, under the authority of a medical certificate or a declaration. The question of placing a tax on amusements and sports in connection with the old age pension scheme of Victoria has been receiving investigation lately. Mr J. C. Williamson, the well-known theatrical manager, said it would practically wipe his firm out of existence. As a matter of fact theatrical management did not result in the acquisition of wealth. Could anyone, he asked, point out a manager who had retired wealthy ? One big failure would wipe out any profit made, and the penny tax proposed would fall upon the management. The public would not stand a rise in price even for the sake of the aged poor. When charitable entertainments were given it was necessary to give the public five times the value for their money, and then they went away with the glorious feeling of having done something for charity. A great sensation was caused at the meeting of the shareholders of the Blair Athol Goldmining Company (South Australia), when Mr Gray, chairman, made charges of gross mismanagement, negligence, incompetency and breach of faith against the directors. He said the manager of the mine was related to some of the directors, and the men employed might be classed as a family combination. The manager had obtained an overdraft from the West Australian Bank, Coolgardie, and the amount to the debit of the company was now £2OOO. One of the assets of the Company was an amount of £l7. This was advanced by the Company to pay calls in another mine, which was a private debt of the directors. There were other matters which called for the strictest investigation. Some shareholders present wanted to criminally prosecute the directors, but the meeting adjourned in order to give them an opportunity of replying to the charges. It was stated in the Victorian Parliament recently that a Melbourne merchant, whose collector embezzled sums amounting to £l3B, was still required to pay income tax on that

amount as part of his year's income. " This seems rather hard on me," the sufferer wrote to one of the members, "first of all to the money, and then having to pay" income tax on money which I never received." The Commissioner of Taxes said he h;ul merely followed an Knglish decision, according to whicha loss by means of embezzlement is looked upon as a loss by stratagem, and not one connected with, or arising out of, trade, and the amount may not bs deducted. It is a loss of income after it is earned." Mr Isaacs could give the member who mentioned the matter no comfort. Legally speaking, the money had been received by the principal by the hand of his agent, and it had become part of his taxable income before it was embezzled. The loser chose his agent in,the collection of his income, and that agent collected it on his behalf, and took the risk. The Auburn romance, which ended in the attempted murder of an engineer named McFadden. and the suicide of the young woman Willis, caused a sensation in that usually quiet locality. It appears that the girl had been following McFadden about for the last four years, but he wouldn't have anything to do with her. She had contracted a mad passion for him, and went by train from Parramatta to Auburn to deliberately hunt for McFadden. When she came upon him the girl shot without any warning and fired a second shot to make sure of killing him. Miss W'illis was well known in the Parramatta district, and possessed a very pleasing appearance. She was a very passionate girl, and on one occasion when McFadden went up the Clarence it is said that she followed him, and when he would not have anything to do with her she attempted to cut her throat in an Auburn hotel. She was continually making threats, and made not the slightest attempt at concealment. The unfortunate girl died as the result of her self-inflicted injuries next morning, McFadden recovering.