AUSTRALIAN NEWS. By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. (PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

North Otago Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8163, 18 April 1895, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS. By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. (PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

Received April 17, at 11 a.m. Sydney, April 17. Ai rived — Defiance, from Hobart. At tho conference of representatives of the Country Meat and Chilling Companies it was decided to form an association for tho furtherance of mutual interests, and those of the nastoraliats consigning meat to both local ana London markets. Tho ship Largicmore, from Rio, when in a low latitude, was for fivo daya completely hemmed in by cvn immense collection of icebergs, estimated to be 800 miles in length. Sho collided with a berg and received considerable damage to her bow. The position of tho vessel was so serious that tho boats were provisioned in readiness to leave her. Newcastle, April 17. Curran and Leigh ton have been committed for trial in connection with the Mmmi outrage. Melbourne, April 17. Arrived — Silver Cloud, from Thames. Hobart, April 17. The Council of Agriculture has appointed a committee to inquire into tho export trade of frozen meat aud butter. It i» considered premature to attempt to establish a meat trade with Kngland at presont, but it was decided to provide cool storage locally.

Received April 17, at 11.25 a.m. Brisbane, April 17. Robert Isaacs, formerly teller at the Gooigctown branch of the Bank of Now South Wales, was found not guilty, at the local District Court, of tho larceny of L 250 of the Bank s monoy. Judge Noel, addressing tho prisoner, said that tho jury had brought him in not guilty, but it was the moat oorrupt verdict eTor delivered by a jury in any Courl in Queensland. He should make it his duty to ask tho Attorney-General whether it was not necessary, for the protection of tho honest portion of the community, to withdraw from tho people of the district the right to try criminals. Isaacs was afterwards arrested and found guilty of ombezzling a further sum of LlOO.

Received April 17, at 11 55 a.m. Bhisimnb, April 17. Just as everything was ready for a balloon ascent at Gympic, the balloon caught firo and shot into tho air with Miss Essie Viola, and hor parachute. Tho wronaut, with great difficulty, maintained her scat, and wont up nearly a milo, tho fire gradually spreading all the whilo. Viola was unfcblo to detach tho paraohuto as tho ropes wore entangled. After travelling tomo distance the baioon began to tall, ana the parachute opened, but would not work. Finally, it, too, caught fire wlion iti'l some distance from the ground. When noar tho earth Viola jumped clear of the burning mass and fscaped unhurt. Tho balloon and parachute vrore destroyed.