AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 February 1927, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

.Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.]

FATAL QUARREL. * SYDNEY, Fob. 3. Tho police theory in connection with he Hill.ston dchths is that Davis shot dorris as the result of what is thought o have been a drunken quarrel.

SHIP IN TROUBLE. MELBOURNE, Feb. 3. The ship which was in distress and sent up rockets, as cabled this morning was the Helen Moore, returning from New Zealand. She'had just entered tho channel alien she was caught by a gale, and the little vessel was soon in difficulties. A.s the wind continued strong and tho crew were exhausted, it was decided to call for help. The Queensoliff lighthous sent out a lifeboat, which stood by the vessel till daylight. RIVAL CLAIMANT. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) MELBOURNE, Feb. 4. The claim of the Christchurch family, Tabley, to estates valued at £20,000,000 in Lancashire found a rival claimant in the person of Airs Collins, of Balaclava, who states she with,eight others of the Tabley family are greal-graiul-ehildrcn of John Tabley, original owner of the estates. GALE DAMAGE. .MELBOURNE. Feb. I. Much minor damage was done by the "ale* which reached it velocity of fiftyeight miles per hour. Telegraphic coinmunieatlon with various districts is interrupted. At Geelong a. man riding a motor bicycle was momentarily bli’ndded by the storm, crashed into an electric light standard and was killed

HENDREN. AS COACH. ADELAIDE, Feb. 4. Subject to negotiations now being conducted on the question of salary, Afr Hendren, of Middlesex, will he appointed cricket coach by the South Australian Cricket Association. No trouble is anticipated over the salary. CIRCUIT COURT ABOLISHED. ADVERSE REPORT ON JURORS. BRISBANE, February 4. The Government has decided that Jnnisfuil in North Queensland shall be deprived of the Circuit Court sittings. The Attorney-General in a statement said it had been represented to him on several occasions that a section of jurors at Innisfail had proved averse to bringing in a verdict of guilty, and that intimidation had been resorted to in some cases. The Supreme Court Judge investigated and reported that he regarded the allegations as true and recommended that the Circuit Court at Innisfail should be abolished. The Government therefore decided it had no option hut to deprive Innisfail of the Court. This is the second time in the history of Queensland that such an action has been taken, the Government over fifty years ago having deprived Roma of the privilege in connection with an alleged cattle stealing case, when the jury laded to convict, despite evidence which the Crown held was indisputable. I lie Roma ease was inspired by a plot ot Relic Boldiowood’s “ Robbery l nder Anns.

SHIP IN DISTRESS. .MELBOURNE, February 4. The Helen .Moore, with her sails blown away by a gale at a velocity of sixty miles hourly, drifted off Queenscliff until daylight. A lifeboat crew was summoned by the ringing of the wreck bell, which brought hundreds to the pier. A rocket from the Helen Aloore was also seen by tlie destioyer Yana, anchored,at Swan Island naval depot. The destroyer joined the search for the distressed vessel, hut fruitlessly. no further distress signals being seen. At daylight the Helen Afeoie was located apparently aground. A lifeboat was put out and brought the crew ashore.

Later a tug left to bring the Helen Aloore to port. A NEW DEPARTURE. SYDNEY. Feb. 4.

There was a new departure in job control when the Chinese crew of the steamer Alartela delayed the vessel s departure for an hour by taking exception to the European cook and refusing to man the ship while he wf.is aboard. The Company compromised by transferring tlie cook to another vessel.