AUSTRALIAN CABLES.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 236, 7 January 1888, Page 1

AUSTRALIAN CABLES.

Sydney January 3rd. By the explosion of a lanrp during a circus performance at Grafton a panic ensued, many of the audience fainting. The Company succeeded in subduing | the lire and pacifying - the audience before anyone was seriously injured.

Sydney, January 2nd. i A boat capsized on the Hawkesbury • river yesterday, and one of the occupants, a young lady named Miss Cockroft, was drowned, despite desperate attempts made by Charlie Coleman, her , fiance, to save her. Coleman reached , the shore in an exhausted condition. Mr Bevan, who has recently returned from exploring New Guinea, found a system of deep inland waterways, well connected with the ocean, and navigable for a hundred miles. Mr Bevan has postponed his return to New Guinea for two months. A great improvement has taken place during the last three years in Volunteer shooting, and the percentage of merit has advanced from 26 to 63. Boehm's statue of Her Majesty the Queen was landed to-day.- ' One thousand guests are expected to be present at the Centennial banquet, the preparations for which are on a splendidly extensive scale. All the Governors of the colonies, with the exception of Fiji, have accepted the invitation to be present, and favour1 able replies have been received from nearly all prominent colonials.

, MeiißovrxK) January 2nd. Entries for the North , Melbourne Exhibition and Centennial exhibition had closed' with the exception of those from French exhibitors, to whom an extension of time was granted. The amount' of space applied for will be announced during the week. The Victorian Court will comprise fifteen thousand exhibits exclusive of wool and wine exhibits. The cricket match between Mr Vernon's team and the Australian Eleven was resumed to-day. The wicket was bumpy. Appended are the scores :— Australians — second innings : Bruce, 18 ; Garrett, 18 ; Lyons, 0 ; J. Trumble, 8 ; Horan, 2 ; Trott, 2 ; Blackhara, 13 ; Worrall, 6 ; Ferris, 7 ; Trimble, 1 ; Thorpe, not out, 0 ; extras, 3 : total, 78. The Englishmen thus won by an innings and 78 runs. The robbery of cancelled notes from the Bank of Australasia is still unexplained, no clue having been obtained as to the perpetrator of the theft. Up to the present, eleven £\ notes have been detected in circulation', insufficiently defaced. The number of the notes missing is still unascertained. It has been ascertained that in all 512 cancelled notes are missing from the Bank of Australasia, of which i number oply a few have a*: yet. been ['put into circulation. The Victorian Premier, Mr.Gjllies, 5 fco^niunicated with ifye^Qv^rn: /mo^t^of^hejq^ ' ofctfscertainjng %# they* /will& jojn^^ic[totift in inviting I/ord Wolsfley.td visit, Ling,' the foi^es/, andAcfyngt ftslwpfiiy . i adviser : to? the Governs rUQffl, jm . #erc«nj;ile,^Agej^cy vgoflty >p»ny (Limited) states .tbat^accpuntS'

from the country districts are fairly satisfactory. Consequent upon the i favourable weather for harvesting operations, more grain is coming forward. The yield so far is rather" over than underia good average, and it is anticipated that . when the heavier crops are cut it will be proved that the surplus available for export will be considerably in excess of the past two seasons. It has been arranged that the Postal Conference shall meet in Sydney about the'middlft of January. News&as been received here that a French protectorate has been formally proclaimed over Wallis Island — the French Resident, M.* Chauvet, having been appointed the Queen's Prime Minister. The revenue for the year is £7,054,000, being an increase of £393,000. The principal increases are :— Customs, £105,000 j territorial revenue, £7,000 j public works, £212,000 ; stamps, £59,000 ; miscellaneous, £10,000 ; excise duties decreased by five thousand. The revenue of Victoria for the half-year is expected to show an increase of about £220,000 over the returns for the corresponding period of last year.

Melbourne, January 3rd. The cricket match between Lilly white's team and 18 of Sandhurst was drawn. The Englishmen in their first innings scored 389. The principal scorers were Ulyetb 64, Presfcon 78, Pilling 67. Sandhurst, first innings, 165 ; second, 181 for six wicket 3. A leading veterinary surgeon, having made the assertion that he could on any day point to a hundred cases of pluero pucumonia, an inquiry has been held, and the evidence attained shows that in any district where the disease has been noticed it has been in isolated instances. The enquiry shows clearly that there is nojprevalence of the disease. Sir James Lorimer, Minister for Defence, has received information from England that Sir Garnet Wolseley is willing to make ! a visit to the colonies should the authorities of the War Department agree to his obtain- j ing the necessary leave of absence.

Adelaide, January 2. The revenue returns for the half-year amounted to £973,000, being £102,000 below the Treasurer's estimate. At the Bicycle Competition yesterday Davis won the Mile Championship, and Busst the Five Mile. Kailway communication with Brisbane will be established on the 13th with the ex- I ception that trains cannot come right on to ' Sydney until the Hawkesbury Bridge is completed. i The football association intend to re-meet to consider their determination as to the visit of an English team, but it is not likely that their previous decision will be altered, the various clubs being entirely opposed to any other course than that previouhly ; adopted by the association. Lilly white has determined to bring out the team with less men than originally intended.

Melbourne, Jannary 4. The Agent General writes to the Government that he has urged on the authorities that there is great objection in the colonies to the French ticket of leave men who have been in New Caledonia landing at Sydney. Sir Graham Berry has himself asked that such permits should not be granted. The Bulunba has been quarantined at Thursday Island, typhoid fever having broken out on the voyage. Information received by mail respecting the annexation of Raiatea by France, states that British subjects, resident on the island, have equal rights with' the French, and it is understood that France will refrain from sending convicts there. - The number of applications for space at the Melbourne Centenary Exhibition exceeds the capacity that can be allotted. The Rev. Alexander Marsh, of Scotland, has accepted the pastorship of Scots Church, Melbourne, and will shortly leave for Australia.

Port Darwin, January 4. A riot occurred here yesterday, and a portion of the Chinese quarters were sacked. A member of the police force was badly hurt during the row.

Brisbane, January 4. The half-years revenue amounted to £1,672,000. The amount shows an increase over last year of £224.000.