AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2557, 1 June 1881, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[By Telegraph.]

(Per Arawata, at Auckland.) Sydney, May 26. Yesterday the child of one Chong, one of the principal Chinese merchants in the city, was attacked by illness, believed to be small pox. The disease is not sufficiently developed to say for certain what it is. Policemen are stationed at the front and back of the house, and no one is .allowed to go or leave the building. A telegram from Wilcannia, states that the rations at Mount Brown are quite exhausted. The diggers are trying to form a co-operative society to deal entirely with Adelaide, and obtain goods via Port Augusta or Barrier. The Temora alluvial and reefing fields are alike prosperous. Laycock and Kush have made de posits at Grafton for the ensuing race on the Paramatta river. Brisbane. John Davidson alias Dickson, a passenger from India by the steamer Eowa was found dead in bed at the Palace Koyal Hotel, Ipswich, on Tuesday. The evidence showed that prussic acid was found in his stomach, while a gun was fixed to go off on opening the door of the bedroom. Melbourne. In the Legislative Council yesterday the second reading of the Land Tax Amendment Bill was moved and was strongly opposed. A petition was read signed by eighteen hundred small and large land holders against it. The debate was adjourned till Tuesday. Adelaide. The next general Wesleyan Conference will bo held in Christchurch in November 1884. A constitution for the Friendly Islands district was agreed upon. The Kev Mr Symonds is Acting Treasurer. The New Zealand delegates left yesterday. The Rev. Mr Eeid is the New Zealand representative from the General Conference to the Methodist Congress to be held in London in September.