AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 154, 20 June 1908, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

BOY MURDERER'S CONFESSION. Launceston, June 19. The boy charged with the murder of liis baby brother is named Robert Davis, not Robertson. The boy told his parents that a hyena had taken his little "brother off into the bush. When pressed, he said the child had fallen off his back. A search bv the father revealed the child 'hidden away with its head terribly battered. The baby died two hours later. Robert subsequently stated at the inquest that his brother was too heavy to carry all the way home, so he hit him on the 'head twice and then coneeale;di liiin. VESSEL'S NARROW ESCAPE. i Sydney, June 19. There was a heavy fog on the coast yesterday. The steamer Westralia liail I a narrow escape. When the fog lifted for a moment the steamer was running straight for the rocks near Port Hacking. With prompt action was swung clear, but her stern bumped the bottom wiee heavily. Received 20th, 12.33 a.m. Sydney, June 19. The Vt e.stralia. will lie ducked to-mor-row. She is leaking slightly. POPULATION STATISTICS. Melbourne, June 19. The Federal Statistician estimate that the population of the Commonwealth on December 1, 1907, was 4.107,037. The totals for the State* New South Wales 1,508,042, YvWin 1,2-18,09,), Queensland 541,575, SMh .vus tralia 302,004, Westralia 201,503, Tasmania 154.008. NEW ZEAT/ANDERS BUYING \.V" IN QUEENSLAND.

Brisbane, June I!). J The Hon. ,1. t). Ormond, the Sou Zealand squatter, of Hawkes' Bay, has purchased the St. Helens station near I'lttsworth. It Ims an area of 18,000 acre.'', Tim price was £OO,OOO. Mr. Onnttid has other Queensland properties under offer. blasting fatality. Melbourne, June 10. Tlie man Kerr, who was injured 1) the explosion .of a blasting charge in tl) Long Tunnel mine, is dead.