LATEST AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Kumara Times, Issue 2843, 12 November 1885, Page 2

LATEST AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[REUTERS TELEGRAMS.] By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. THE reported massacre OF AN EXPLORING EXPEDITION OP THE GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES. STRENGTH OP POLITICAL PARTIES IN NEW SOUTH WALES. ARREST OF AN ABSCONDING EMBEZZLER. FEDERATION ENABLING BILL. (Received November 12, 1,45 a.m.) Sydney, November 11. The Ringorooma arrived from Auckland last night. The statements made by the Malays that the members of the Geographical Society’s Expedition to New Guinea have been massacred at Fly River, are received with caution. Farther news is anxiously awaited from Now Guinea. The Government and Opposition leaders have taken piivate censuses of their respective supporters, and both political parties now claim to have a working majority in the Legislative Assembly. Melbourne, November 11. Arrived, this morning, the P. and 0. mail steamship Chusan. The Union Company’s steamship Te Anan sailed for the Bluff yesterday morning. The police, acting on information re. ceived from New Zealand, have arrested a man named Bland, charger! with embezzlement of over a thousand pounds from his employers, Messrs Stewart Dawson and Co., jewellers, Dunedin.

The prisoner was brought up to-day for examination, and remanded for a week. (Received November 12, 1 p. m.) November 12. The Federation Enabling Bill was read a first time in the Legislative Council yesterday. A telegram has been received from Cooktown which tends to confirm the truth of the report in connection with the massacre in New Guinea of the New South Wales Geographical Expedition. The message says the camp was surprised during the night, about 137 miles up the Fly River, and the party were slaughtered by an overwhelming force of natives.