AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 215, 6 August 1884, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

(Per s.s. Ringarooma at the Blnff.)

(UNITED ?REPS ASSOCIATION.) July 30. A scare has bjeen laired. lately jrfyafc the discjpjinp at Pentridse Prison m la »c, »nd that danger existed of an outbreak of the convicts. Aft in vestig;<tion has been held, with the result of many changes being made m the officials. The Bank of Australasia is now lighted by electricity.

Juines Hawthorne lias been found ! guilty of the murder of his brother at Brighton m March last, and setenced to death. Edmund Marshall, the actor, and j brother to Frederick Marshall, the well known comedian, was knocked down on Saturday by a heavy lorry with furniture. The wheels passed over h\< chest, and he died m the hospital shortly after his admission. Deceased leaves a widow and a family. Unqualified success attended an experiment m rabbit extinction m the western district, A plough furrow leu miles long was made along the frontage of Mr Gibson's station, from Curdie's Inlet to Gellibi-ands River, and laid with phospnoru>ed oats. Mr Gibson vow reports that there are not a dozen rabbits left alive between Port Campbell and Gillibrands. A very discreditable state of things has come to light m conueotion with the Cranbourne Shire Council, a bogus amount being put m as the total received for rates, m order to get the Government subsidy, and contracts having been carried out for the benefit of councillors, without regard to the interest of ratepayers. The Government have stopped payment of th« subsidy. Government have made most complete arraugements for isolating arid healing any cases of small- pox which may arise. Adelaide, July 30. At the annual meeting of the Malcolm Ostrich Compauy, tho report showed the condition of the birds to be good. The state of the industry altogether is gratifying to the shareholders. It is -stated that the company has received several orders for birds from New Zealand and New South Wales. Brisbane, July 30. The Marine Board has concluded it reports on the collision between the Vanguard and the Farningham. It will i c brought up m a few days. •The Vanguard has been seized by the owners ot the Farningham, pending an action which has been brought m the Vice- Admiralty Court to recover damages. At a large meeting of the Planters' Association, held at Mackay, it was unanimously decided to reduce the wages of all white mon 10 per cent, forthwith, and to request the Colonial Secretary to make arrangements to supply 2000 agricultural laborers at 10s per week, on a twelve months' engagement. ' ,