AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 1444, 2 September 1885, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

(Per s.s. Waihoi'a at the Bluff.) (PKR JNITED PRESB ASSOCIATION. Melbourne, August 25. Considerable sensation has been caused by the revelations before the Lunacy Commission m reference to the management of the Ararat Lunatic Asylum. Serious allegations have been made by a former warder of the drunkenness of the warders m charge. Dr Brierly, late of Beechworth Asylum, gave evidence that since the advent of the Salvation Army there has been an increase of mania caused by excitement there. George A. Sala will be a passenger to New Zealand by the Tarawera on Ist September. He will be accompanied by Mr R. S. Smythc, his well-known manager. The sixpenny telegram has resulted m a great success. During the months of June and July the increase is reported to be nearly 38 per cent on the number of messages. Mr Service has received from Mr Griffiths the draft of the Federal Accepting Bill which has been prepared by him. A proclamation m the Gazette announces that New Caledonia and Fiji are infected with jungle fever. Vessels from these ports are liable to be quarantined. With reference to the decline m telegraph business between Victoria and New Zealand, it may be stated that the number of messages transmitted from Victoria to New Zealand m 1882 was 698G, which decreased m 1883 to 6208, and last year 5932. During the same period the number of telegrams from New Zealand to Victoria decreased 1123.