LATEST AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Kumara Times, Issue 2940, 2 April 1886, Page 2

LATEST AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[REUTERS TELEGRAMS.] By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. HOLT’S INDEBTEDNESS AND LIABILITIES. THE SYDNEY CUP. PAYMENT OF NEW SOUTH WALES MEMBERS. VOYAGE OF THE RINGAROOMA.— MAN OVERBOARD. BURNING OF THE SHIP PAUL JONES. THE POISONING TRAGEDY AT BORDER TOWN. (Received March 1, 3.15 p.m.) Sydney, April 1. The deficiency owing by Mr Holt to the Bank of New Zealand is stated to he about .£II,OOO, which will be covered by his private estate. His total liabilities are estimated at £35,000. It ia the intention of the bank to commence a prosecution against him. His whereabouts is believed to be known. (Received April 2, 1.15 a.m.) Forty-three horses have accepted for the Sydney Cup. (Received April 2, 1. 30 p.m.) April 2. It is stated on the best of authority that Holt’s defalcations do no exceed £16,000.

The question of payment of members came before the Legislative Assembly last night, when a resolution affirming the principle of such payment was carried by 42 votes to 19.

(Received April 1, 3.10 p.m.) Hobart, April 1, The Union Company’s steamship Ringarooma which has arrived from the Bluff, reports having encountered very severe weather on the voyage. Four cattle on board died. A passenger named Marsden, who came from Wellington, slipped from the gangway, falling overboard, and was drowned. (Received March 31, 10.45 p.m.)

Adelaide, Maich 31

The O r ient Company's steamship Iberia arrived this evening with the English mails dated February 26th.

REVENUE RETURNS.

(Received April 2, 1.15 a.m.) London, April 1. The. revenue returns for the financial year have just been published. They show a decrease in customs revenue of £500,000, and in excise of £1,000,000 as compared with the preceding twelve months.

(Received April 1, 7.30 p.m.) Adelaide, April 1. The quarterly returns published to day give the total revenue for the past quarter at £448,000, being a decrease of £213,000 compared with the corresponding period ef hist year. The railway revenue for the quarter shows a falling off of £50,000. It is considered inevitable that there will be a large deficiency at the end of the financial year.

Melbourne, April 1. The quarterly revenue returns published to-day show the total rerenue for the past three months to be £1,000,780, being an increase over the corresponding quarter of last year of £102,000. The customs and railway revenue show

an increase of £52,000 and £38,000 respectively, while the land revenue has decreased £41,000. (Received April 2, 1.30 p.m.) April 2.

The quarterly revenue returns published to-day show that the total revenue amounted to £1,630,000, being a decrease on the corresponding period of 1885 of £9600. The customs and excise shew an increase, while the land revenue has decreased.

[Per s.s. Wairarapa, at the Bluff.] Melbourne, March 23. On Friday evening last the inhabitants of Lome [lls miles south-west of Melbourne] saw a burning ship a few miles from the shore. This turned out to be an American ship, named Paul Jones, which sailed from Melbourne that day, bound for Calcutta, Reports from those on board state that after leaving Williamstown all went well till about noon, when some of the crew noticed a smell of smoke, but thought it was the Captain smoking in his cabin: but the increase of smoke dispelled such an assumption, and they rushed to the captain’s cabin, but all was right there. The mate then opened the lazarette hatch, when the ship was immediately enveloped in a cloud of smoke, which issued from the space below. Captain Winn behaved with great coolness and intrepedity. He ordered the pumps to be rigged and buckets used, and the boats to be got ready and provisioned immediately. The pumps and buckets were set to work, but the volume of smoke increased rapidly despite the exertions of captain, officers, and crew, and soon the flames burst forth, enveloping the masts. Not till the tar on deck was melted, and the poop swayed beneath their feet, did they entertain a thought of giving up the contest. At last the heat became so intense that it was impossible to abate the fire. The captain ordered the men to leave the ship, he himself being the last to leave. The ship Antiope seeing the flames, made for the ship and rescued the men from the boats. The steamer Liguria also made for the ship, and sent boats to see if any persons were on board, but all were then safe on the Antiope, and have since been brought to Melbourne. The Government steamer Despatch was sent away early on Saturday morning, in order to sink the vessel, or otherwise remove her from the course of navigation. It was found she had been burned close to the water’s edge, and she gradually filled with water and disappeared. Sydney, March 23.

Considerable excitement lias been caused here by the mysterious disappearance of Mr E. B, Holt, Manager of the local branch of the Bank of New Zealand. Every nook and haunt and rendezvous has been searched, but his whereabouts is unknown. He was last seen on Thursday evening. As manager of the Bank he was most assiduous in the discharge of his duties. His business being left in a most complete state, conjecture cannot find a pretext for his disappearance. On his non-appearance at the bank on Friday, inquiries were made at his house, but Mrs Holt was in a similar state of doubt and uncertainty; she had received a letter from her husband, but could give no information as to his whereabouts. It appears that Mr Holt had been speculating heavily and disastrously lately in horse-racing.

Adelaide, March 25. A wholesale poisoning tragedy occurred yesterday in the house of Mr Oliver, at Border Town, nine persons being poisoned, two of whom are already dead. It appears that Mrs Oliver inadvertently took some arsenic left unlabelled by a painter, pat it into pancakes all of which the family partook. Two children, aged six and seven, are dead, and two otheis are not expected to live mmy hours. Five others, however, are thought to be likely to survive. The doctors are unremitting in their intention, but the poison spread through the patients’ system, before the remedies were applied. [Per Alameda at Auckland.] Melbourne, March 25. Dean Donoghy has been appointed by the authorities at Rome as coadjutor to Archbishop Gould. Nine hundred and seventy-five pounds a foot has been refused for some building frontage in Collins street. A service of plate, valued at .£9OO, has been presented to Mr Graham Berry, previous to his departure for London. Sydney, March 25. The libel action, Stockdale, the explorer, against the Evening News resulted in a verdict for plaintiff f.r £SOO damages. Beach leaves for England on Saluv-

day. He says he will only row on the Thames and Tyne, and not contest anv open races. Last night he was baJqnetted, and presented with a purse of sovereigns.

Mr P. W. Wiilard, who arrived yesterday from Japan, intends running a Japanese village in Sydney. The members of the village, forty in all, arrived yesteiday.

A terrible crse of attempted murder and suicide occurred yesterday afternoon at Strawberry Hills. A young man, named August Anderson, in a fit of jealousy, tired at a young girl and dangerously wounded her, be then shot himself dead.

The Rev. J. B. Moultair, representative the Wesleyan Conference at the Friendly Islands, leaves by the Alameda to-day. He has received .218 towards the mission.

Nothing further has been beard of Holt, of the Bank of New Zealand. It is asserted that he only had £8 in his possession when he went away. Private speculation is said to be the cause.

Messrs Charter and \Yevin were nearly corning to blows in the precincts of the House yesterday afternoon. They were separated by the AttorneyGeneral.

Rain continues to hold off, and supplies in the dams are diminishing.

Adelaide, March 24. Xu the divorce case of Watson v. Watson and C. 0. Kingston (co-respon-dent), the jury found the charge proved, and the Judge will report the case to a hill Court.