AUSTRALIAN.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 87, 12 April 1881, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN.

— «««-r.__.-__v_k__>J_l__L__,J.! t Melbocene, April 5. The Torpedo AccideDt Board sits daily. The members visited the Cerberus on Thursday, and examined the scene of the accidept and the electric apparatus used, also inspected the store where, the, explosives were kept. They found a parcel ot dynamite not entered in the book. Doyle, a member of tbe corps, stated that there had been dynamite on the binnacle stand of tho Cerberus on the day of the explosion, tending to lead to tbe conclusion that it was placed with a quantity of gun cotton lying about in the torpedo, thus causing tbe accident throughexuding from the cartridge. John Sergeant, late temperance caterer of : the Exhibition, committed an asßault yesterday on James Munro, opposite the Ar^us office. He struck him with the ring finger on the eye, knocking Munro into the gutter. He was pursued aud finally arrested. | A cable-message recently informed us that Sergeant had been sent to prison for two months.] The Lusitania brought two tons of fish frozen, which are now being retailed by Melbourne fishmongers, at 4s per lb for turbot, salmon, and soles, and.ls 6d per lb for haddocks. The fish is of excellent flavor,' and well preserved. Another freezing experiment was recently made by the P. and O. Company's vessel, the Kaiser. It took frozen meat from London to Calcutta and back, the voyage occupying four' months. When finally, eaten it was found perfectly sound and'sweet. Mauritius papers report the prospects bf : the sugar crops good ; they are expected to exceed- the average by 30 per cent. The market is firm; Mrs Elizabeth Petrovitz, wife of an artist who has for five years been* paralysed, shot herself dead with a pistol on Friday morning. The doctor recently told ber that ber husband might die at any time, and it is believed that this preyed on her mind, promptiog her to the rash r o t, !

'- Syoney, fith April. ; The Mount Browne diggings are stated to , be a failure. Lets than 10 men are now > making wages ; the finds of have been greatly , exaggerated, and the road'is execrable. The ) dirt must be carried 10 miles for washing. A telegram from Mount Poole Bays that • five men nearly died frcm thirßt near Burkes track, where there is no water for 120 miles. A number of larrikins at Newcastle bailed up a mail boy named Gordon, aged 15, who was riding by, and took his whip and commenced pulling bim about. He threatened them if they did not leave him alone that he would shoot at them, ancl finally drew a revolver, shooting one among the crowd named George Ramsh.w, who was wounded iv the i face, but not seriously. Ramsbaw haa sicce been arrested for highway robber/.The committal far trial of the Mayor of Burwood, a municirality near Sydney, for entering a polling compai.t_leht v. iti a voter while acting as returning officer, has been .alien notice of by his brother aldermeD, who, by resolution of Council, unanimously record their deepest sympaihy with Mi Archer aed family iv their Bevere trial, aud (jxpifess a hope that Ihey may experience a 9peedy and satisfactory termination of theit iroubid,' _ At Adelong, a miner nariied Williams re-Gei^-ed illclifceir In which some bafd Bubstancc was enclosed, lla bal rfeeci*e4 a threatening letter before, and opened this one-cau-tiously..- It contained no writing, but half a sheet of paper coutaiuiug dyflattiUc aud f* percussion cap, with a tin tack placed in tbe cap. The Postmaster iv stamping the lettei would run a great risk had he struck the capj or tb'e recipient, had ha pressed the tack, wou'd bave caused an ttfplo.lofl. Afc Temora, a nugget has beea found in Forster'jp claim, weighing 120o_a.