AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5368, 11 June 1878, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(VIA AUCKLAND.) Sydney, June 4, Three cases of smallpox were reported on board the Siam on her arrival at Williamstown. The vessel had been ten days in Hobson’s Bay, was visited frequently from shore, and the crew freely mixed with the people ashore. One man who«was attacked with sickness was a Lascar, who had been treated for chicken-pox. Two more men sickened, and Captain Hector believed them to be cases of smallpox, and the medical authorities pronounced them to be no on examination. The ship accordingly quarantined. The Siam was examined on her arrival at Queenscliffe, thirty days from Galle, and there was then no sign of disease. It is believed the men put on for the first time clothes brought from Bombay, in which were the germs of disease, which was prevalent there when the ship left. Melbourne, June 3. The Cabinet decided not to have a nominee Upper House, but to support the scheme of reform advocated by the League. When any measure is passed twice by the Assembly, and rejected by the Council, it shall be remitted to the vote of the people, and the result of the plebisoitum shall be final, and the measure become law. A large number of officers of the Civil Service who are over sixty years of age will shortly retire. The Executive has decided that Richard Heraghty, convicted of the murder of his wife, shall be executed. The Chief Secretary addressed fully 2000 working men (unemployed), and hinted at the desirability of levying higher taxes, for the purpose of giving work to those who were deprived of employment. Mr. Griffith Sinclair, a passenger fr»m New Zealand by the Tararua, died at sea. The Italian Opera Company has commenced a short season. Captain King, charged with scuttling the Alexander, has been discharge on bail, the jury being unable to agree. He has since been re-arrested for attempting to abscond. The Zealandia has been docked and refitted at Sydney for the outward voyage to ’Erisoo, and leaves Sydney on the 20th June. The representatives of Udolpho Wolfe have commenced proceedings against Henri Hart to restrain him from selling colorable limitations of Wolfe’s schnapps. The Colonial Mutual Life Association’s report showed the present annual income to be £50,000. The unemployed outcry at Melbourne proves to have been exaggerated. Several refused employment at Emerald Hill, alleging that the work was too hard. Eighty-pounder guns are being placed m position at Point Nepean, and two other guns await transmission to the fort commanding the right flank of Queenscliff. Adelaide, May 31.

Parliament was opened by the Chief Justioe, whose speech referred to the advantage of Sir William Jervois’ presence in England, in reference to the defences of the colony, and negotiations are in progress for the purchase of an ironclad. A Bill is to be introduced to sanction tbo formation of a small permanent force. Although tho harvest was less than, was anticipated, the revenue is still increasing, showing that the resources of the colony are sufficient to ensure its progress. Negotiations with New South Wales and Queensland for a Customs union are proceed - Bill will be introduced to alter the Constitution of the Legislative Council, in order to prevent future collisions between the two Houses. , Bills will be brought m for various railway extensions : —From Adelaide to the Government Gums River, and to Clare, and from Gladstone to Georgetown ; and also a second line of rail to Port Adelaide, and the construction of a sheltered pier at Larges Bay. A Bill is to be introduced to encourage European people to settle in the Northern Territory in village communities or otherwise. More liberal terms will be granted by u Bill to encourage pastoral occupation of the unsettled interior, and a Bill for the amendment of the land law, and also a Drainage Bill, will be introduced. Further particulars of the wreck of the Loch Ard state that a shepherd named Ford discovered Pearson on tho cliffs, and both went to the spot where Miss Carmichael lay exhausted, numbed -and comatose, amongst some bushes. Pearson was first washed ashore on a spar, and when he reached land he heard a lady screaming, and dashed into the water and saved her, Pearson says on nearing shore, about a mile east of Sherbrook, the captain thrust out his anchors, but the ship dragged, and wont down in two minutes. _ There were no indications of outlying rocks in the vicinity, but the coast was remarkably bold, with high cliffs. Had not Pearson by his heroic conduct climbed the cliffs no one would have been left to tell the tale of disaster. Af the time the vessel struck, the captain and some sailors were in the longboat disentangling the lifeboat. They went dowp,>nd were not seen any more, The Loch

Art! had 17 passengers and a crew numbering 30 hands. The declared value of the cargo was £53,700. She was insured for £13,000 in the Southern Insurance Company, of which £OOOO was re-msured ; £3OOO in the British and Foreign Insurance Company, and £IOOO in the Cornwall. I lie cargo was insured for £30,000 in various offices. The Carmichael family were coming out to settle in Queensland. Thomas Pearson states that two days previous to the morning of the Ist June the sky was overcast, and the captain was unable to take observations. At 4 o’clock on the morning of that day he saw a dangerous reef scarcely half a mile from shore. The ship was under close-reefed topsails, and running before the wind. The captain gave orders to bring the ship to the wind, but she could not weather the land. Ha then let go both anchors, but she would not hold, and dragged. When 150 yards from the rocks the captain slipped both anchors and tried to put up sail, but had only got the mainsail set when the vessel struck on the starboard quarter justat the breaking of day, and immediately the topmast fell over, killing two seamen. The captain ordered the crew to get the boats outfor the lady passengers. This was not done, the waves washing over the decks. Pearson and five other seamen got into the lifeboat, but were washed over. Pearson swam to the boat and kept on it while she drifted into a small bay, where the ship had struck, at daybreak. After a little while he heard the cry for aid, and saw a lady clinging to a spar fifty yards off, and swam out to her. She appeared insensible. He disengaged her hands and dragged her ashore. The cliff ho climbed is about a hundred feet high. From her statement it appeared that Miss Carmichael was nearly the last on board, being in conversation with the captain just before the ship went down. The captain said if she should survive she was to tell his wife he died like a seaman at his post. Miss Carmichael was bound in a cork life belt. Before Pearson came to her rescue two others were clinging to the same spar, but she aaw them washed off. The bodies of Mrs. Carmichael and her eldest daughter were washed ashore, encased in cork, and fully dressed. The body of Reginald Jones has been washed ashore.