AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5610, 22 March 1879, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

(PEB TAEARUA AT AUCKLAND.) Auckland, Friday. The Tararua arrived at 1 p.m. from Sydney. She left on the 15th at 1.30 p.m. She had strong head winds and a heavy head sea throughout the voyage. Passengers—Brett, Morton, Mr. and Mrs. Newton, Mr. and Mrs.' A. Newton, Baynes, Icely, Dr. Coney man, J. Cay, Massen, A. Baine, E. Fullerton, Fitzgerald, K. King, W. Parris, W. Bent, Bansome ; ten steerage. Several sailors of an immigrant ship have been heavily punished for attempts to cause mutiny, , . . There has been a searching inquiry at Sydney into the late steamboat collision. The man who was at the wheel of the Bonnie Dundee gives the following account of the sad disaster :—Went to the wheel at six o’clock, the steamer then being about opposite Bird Island ; mate in command. We steamed N.N.E. About half-past seven or a quarter to eight they sighted a steamer’s masthead light;soon after they saw another (red) light, and Dose steered about two points clear of her red light. The mate gave orders to keep off a little more ; Dose kept her off another point, and the steamer’s course was then about N.B. by N. They kept this course until the Barrabool came right abreast of them, and then they could plainly see two lights, (green and red). The mate gave orders to put the helm hard a starboard; Dose did so, but immediately after, the Barrabool struck the Bonnie Dundee amidship, just opposite where Dose .was standing ; the shock was very severe, and Dose was thrown off his feet on to bis back. The captain sang out to them to save themselves. The Bonnie Dundee began to sink with alarming rapidity. Dsse made a rush for the bows of the Barrabool, and managed to get on deck, but had scarcely done so when he looked round and saw the Bonnie Dundee going down by her nose. This was about eight o’clock or a little after. Three others got aboard the Barraboal before Dose. The Bonnie Dundee’s boat had been got out and came alongside. The Barrabool was full of men, and they were bailing the boat out with their boots. Afterwards a boat was lowered from the Barrabool to assist the people from the Bonnie Dundee. The boat returned with the body of a female passenger (Miss Brown), Also searched about in boat for about an hour, but found nothing further. The Bonnie Dundee sank about three or four minutes after being struck. The first thing done on board was to assist passengers; this was done by the captain and mate. While the boat was being lowered the stewardess caught bold of a little girl that was on board and threw her to the men in the boat, who caught her, she being thus saved. The stewardess appeared more composed than any one else, evidently unconscious df any danger. Men called out to her to jump into the boat,but she would not do so, and went dcwu with the vessel. Had she got into the boat she would have been saved, or if she had jumped overboard while the steamer was sinking she could easily have been picked up. If any of the women had jumped overboard they must have been saved, but they never left the ship. There was one passenger, an elderly lady, below at the time of the collision, but she soon came on- deck. The captain gave the women a life-buoy, and told them to save themselves. The captain stopped on board the Bonnie Dundee until after she went down; he was the last to leave the sinking vessel, but rose again and was saved, notwithstanding a broken leg. Miss Brown was about to be married to a wealthy squattpr, but was drowned like her mother. The body of Mrs. Dugdale was recovered, and identified by the rings on her finger ; she apparently died from exhaustion while floating on a hencoop. The Bonnie Dundee was partially insured for £3OOO. The captains blame each pther. It is considered a scandalous affair.

Benjamjn Wilson, usher of the black rod for the Tasmanian Assembly, has been : arrested fer procuring abortions; - Awful scenes took place at the attempted departure of the Aldinga for Solander Island with a pugilistic crew. Eventually the steamer was stopped, and the ring endeavored to have the encounter over the border. All the pugilists, magsmen, scoundrels, and roughs of the country were on the wharf, with a fair sprinkling of respectable men. Many of the crowd of magsmen bore very long faces because they were unable to procure tickets to go with the party, and others because they had no money to bet on tho fight. Both Foley and are in splendid condition, and each man is confident of winning the fight. The betting is 7 to 4 on Hicken, although a lot of Sydney money is being offered by Foleys backers.

who want 2 to 1 against their man. The Thompson crowd and the followers of Mace are backing Foley, and are very confident. There have been numerous arrivals of Chinamen at Fort Darwin, 1500 having landed In a few days. . , . . . , , Extensive revenue frauds in Queensland by means of an illicit still have been discovered. The evidence shows that the parties had on the premises a complete plant for imitating brands, capsules, and labels of Hennessy’s and Martell's brandy, and JDKZ and other brands of gin. The labels for this business have been supplied by a respectable stationer ; it is also shown that large orders for these goods have for a long time past been supplied to respectable firms. A Brisbane and country districts newspaper intends publishing names.