To-day’s News.

Kaikoura Star, Volume XIV, Issue 677, 26 January 1894, Page 6

To-day’s News.

MELBOURNE, Jan 25 Seven business places at Mirboo, in West Gippsland, destroyed by fire. Damage estimated at £BOOO. Bush fires still raging in Hopetown district, 40,000 acres already been devastated. Walsh, Crown Prosecutor, recom-

menos that presentment be filed against Davies, Millidge, and Muntz, in connection with Mercantile Bank failure. Walsh himself will undertake the prosecution on behalf of Crown. BRISBANE, Jan 25 Cutter Mercury, bound to scene of gold rush at Rocky Creek with number of passengers, has returned to Cooktown. During voyage a passenger, named Burchardt, began firing indiscriminately among other passengers, and after wounding one of them he retreated to hold of the vessel and committed suicide.

Report furnished by Railway Commissioners on non-paying lines shows a mileage of 174, involving loss of £B9, 000 per annumn.

Extraordinarily high tides experienced in Gulf of Carpentaria, and the sudden rise of water has destroyed the beacons along coast. SYDNEY, Jan 22

Estimated local banks in colony pay £300,000 in dividends on basis of halfyear’s operations, and that £1,200,000 will be distributed to depositors in interest.

General rains have commenced in Bourke and Western districts. Man arrested on charge of having perpetrated recent swindle on National Bank of Australasia. He visited Melbourne, but returned to Sydney, intending to go to America by R.M.S Alameda, which left on Munday, but that vessel was too strictly watched to allow of his getting on board. Annual report of police authorities shows there has been marked increase in crime, and noted decrease in number of public houses. In Legislative Assembly, Hindle has given notice of a motion to effect that Govt has earned condemnation of House by reinstating Mr Copeland. Premier declined to accept motion as one of censure, and said he would deal with it in ordinary way. The Conference of Labour members closed. Following resolution passed * That as existing constitutions of the second Chambers and present method of Party Govt are unsatisfactory, this Conference recommends the various colonies to consider question, with a view to working on common basis in near future.’ HOBART, Jan 25

Urquhart, who defeated the Speaker (Brown) for Cumberland constituency at late general election, and against whose return Brown lodged petition, has agreed to resign and recontest the sent.