AUSTRALIAN NEWS. JOTTINGS FROM SIDNEY. THE ESCAPE OF GASPARINI.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 293, 25 August 1888, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS. JOTTINGS FROM SIDNEY.

THE ESCAPE OF GASPARINI.

Sydney, August 16. Thk To Anau, which arrived here from Auckland on Monday, brought another valuable freight. She was crammed full of passengers and cargo, the total freight being estimated at some 13,000.

DISMAY OF JDETEUTIVE WALKER. Tnere was considerable excitement here to-day on the arrival of the steamer Wakatipu from Wellington. When the vessel was signalled the French Consul and his assistant repaired to the Union Company's wharf, with some of the water police to receive the escaped convict, Oasparini, who was known to have left Sydney in charge of Detective Walker. Wnen the stoamer reached the wharf Detective Walker's manly form was seen on deck. He was covered with dirt and coal dust. He looked very dejected, and was not inclined to converse with anyone. Some whispering took place between the detective and the authorities hero, and one of tha passengers at the same time communicated the intelligence that Gasparini had jumped overboard. Upon making further inquiries I learned that the escaped convict had been permitted to have his liberty during the voyage, and was in bed when Detective Walker turned in about 12 o'clock. Dining the night the Wakatipu encountered a heavy gale, and at two a.m. Gasparini was keen on deck by the purser. He has not been seen since. Detective Walker lose at daybreak and went as u&uai to say "Good morning " to his charge. He searched his cabin, and everybody else's cabin, but in vain — Gasparini could noc be found anywhere. A regular search party was then organised, and kept up until the arrival of the steamer at the wharf, but no trace of the missing man could be found. The general impression is that the man jumped overboard during the night, but Walker is not satiefied, and will make further search as soon as the fires aredown. Ho thinlcsbemay yet find him either frizzled or suffocated in some of the pipe* or the stoke-hole. The water police have instructions to remain by the ship all day.

THE GREENWOOD FAMILY, %vho left New Zealand and more especially Auckland with many well wishes for the success of their debut in Australia, and also many who had doubts of their being good enough for a critical audience, have now been here some weeks, and have, I am sorry tosay, met with a very discouraging reception. They gave their concerts, but the papers were so adverse that they could not go on, and recently the musical talent here tendered them a benefit, which was also very discouraging. Now one of the children is dangerously ill, and it seems as if they were going to have anything but the smiles of Fortune. Mrs Greenwood, I am informed, still intends to go < n to Melbourne as soon as the family ara well.

AUCKLANDERS IN SYDNEY. You can scarcely stand five minutes in George or Pitt-htreet without coming across an Auckland face, and it i& giatifying to note the success of those who have -journeyed tv S\ dney to i-eek foibune Mr A. 11. Collier, known in connection with Messrs Sargood, 15 wen, and Co., and also as a member oi St. Paul's choir, lias been singularly successful. He is a member of the hrm of Collier and Co., accountants here, and has already floated two companies. His latest effort has been the getting off a large brewery at Paddington (Marshalls) with a capital of 1 150,000. It is stated that Mr Collier and his partner pocketed over £10,000 in this one transaction. He is, I learn, soon to join the ranks of the Benedicts, and in December make a tiip to Britain. | Mr J. Ansenne, solicitor, of Auckland, is on a visit to Sydney, and he intends spend ing a tew months in Melbourne before returning to New Zealand. He is going in for cricket in the Victorian metropolis. Mr J. K. Randorson has been in Sydney during the past few days, and returns to Auckland by the Te Anau. Mr the ptomoter of the Civil Service Supply Company, came here by the last steamer from Auckland. I believe he goes on to Melbourne. Mr and Mrs John Roberfcon will return to Auckland in about a fortnight. They are both looking remarkably wel', Mr Roberton's health having much improved with the change. Mr and Mrs Workman from the Thames are on a visit here, and leturn to Auckland shortly, Among other Auoklandeis who have good prospects here is Mr C. A. E, Abbott, who will be remembered in connection with the running of the s.s. Hannah Mokau to the Mokau River and Kawhia. He holds a lesponsible and lucrative position in the head office of the Australian Joint Stock Bank. He recently obtained the prize awarded by the " Banking and Insurance Record" for an essay on banking.

THE MAROTOTO MINES. The new- froni the Marototo is not likely to encourage the Sydney pepple, who have embarked a large amount) ot capital in developing this district. However, I do not think that the ground will be left unproved as the companies interested have ample funds to work the ground. I may mention that Mr H. S. Meyers, who floated the syndicate to purchase the properties is a passenger by the To Anau. and goes down fco arrange for tho working of several pioperties in which ho i? largely inteiested, njtably Crawfords lease at (irahamstown ond claims in the Marototo district.

A BIG ORGAN. Sydney can boas£; of having Lhe fineab and most powerful electric light in the world, and is now, ifc is said, going to havo the largest organ in the world. The instrument is being built in London by the celebrated makers, Messrs Hill and Son, and | will be used in the Town Hall, which building will soon be ready for its reception. A brief description of it may be of interest. The organ will consist ot five manuals, with pedal otgao, cpn trolled by fivo manual claviers and onp pedal playier with tubular pneumatic action, Each manual is tp have a compass of 61 notes from CO to C in altissimo, and the pedal organ is lo have a compass of 30 notes from GCC to F. There are to be 28 stops on the great organ, 24 on the swell, 20 on the choir, 20 on the solo, 8 on the echo, 26 on the pedal, to which have to be added couplers, &c. The tone's that this instrument will produce will be finer than any other that have ever been produced in Australia, if not in t he world, and already the building of the organ is causing much comment in England.

H.M.S. ORLANDO. There is a New Zealander on the new flagship in the Ausbral&n sfcabiqn, H.M,s. Orlando, which splendid warship arrived in Australian waters this week, He is Mr Stanley, who belongs to Dunedin and hasfriends in Auckland, and is serving as a Oftdeb on the iron-clad. Captain Lake,

( well-known- in p New Zealand, has* brought the Orlando out, and takes H.M.s. Nelson ' Home in September. The ■fleet returned from Melbourne on Tuesday, and H.M. ships Nelson, Calliope and Rapid are now lying in Farm Cove.

LONDON GAIETY COMPANY. The advent of "the London Gaiety and Burlesque Company in Sydney is expocted to create quite a futore, as Miss Nellie Favron and* Mv Frank Leslie, the stars, have bosii all the rage,in the Victorian capital for weeks past. They open in tho Theatre Royal on Saturday. The unusual spectacle of having the boxes and dress circle seats sold by auction for the opening night took place on Tuesday, when the boxes roalised as much as £12, and 18s for the circle seats.

LECTURES ON JERUSALEM. Miss Finkelstein, a talented lady who comes from Jerusalem, is lecturing to crowded and highly fashionable audiences in the V.M.C.A. Hall, and her accounts of life in the Holy Land and the East avo well spoken of. Mr X, S. Smytho ("the much -travelled ") has the management of fche tonr. The lectures*? wuh "at home" the other afternoon, m hen tho leading lights in Sydney society wcic leceivcd. I Miss Piukelstein will visit Auckland in October.

MR HEAN. The inspector of the National Bank of New Zealand, Mr David JHeun, is on a visit to Australia, having arrived here by the last steamer from Auckland. Ho is en route to Brisbntno, and is on leave of absence on account of bad health. He is, lam informed, largely interested in the quicksilver depo&its at the Bay of Islands. It is intended shortly to place the property on the London market, with a view to floating a company to work the rich deposits of sinnabar that exist. The property has been examined by the eminent mining engineers and experts, Messrs Uox and Seaver, and favourably reported upon.