AUSTRALIAN CABLE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1724, 14 April 1888, Page 1

AUSTRALIAN CABLE.

Melbourne, April 11, Admiral Fairfax has given his consent to the squadron taking part in the marina manoeuvres at the opening of the Melbourne Exhibition. The V.R.O. has decided to increase the amount of prize money at the race meeting next season by £slso. The space applied for at the Exhibition is 340,000 feet. The number of feet available under cover is only 243,000 feet, and the Committee have been compelled to reject all applications for space for imported machinery. The tunnel which it is proposed to drive under the Yarra River will cost £BO,OOO, and it is intended to connect South Melbourne.

April 12.

Sailed—Mararoa, for the Bluff, The b.b. Titus, which went ashore at Warrnambool, has been successfully floated off without haring sustained any serious damage. Stdnhy, April 11. Sailed—Pukaki, for Wellington. M. Loir, the representative of M. Pasteur, has written to the Government asking for permission to introduce microbes into the colony, for the purpose of exterminating rabbits. At present he and two doctors who accompanied him from Paris are on a visit to the Mallee district, and are making investigations as to the babbits of the rabbit. It is stated that the duty proposed to be imposed in England on high class wines will not affect the wines shipped from Australia. The wheat yield this year is slightly over twelve bushels to the acre, as against an average of 14.88 for the last ten years. The cable repairing steamer Sherard Osborne leaves Singapore to-morrow for Wellington via Sydney to repair the Cook Strait cable, April 12. An underground river has been discovered thirty miles from Braidwood. There is great activity in the coal trade with San Francisco, and vessels are arriving daily to load for there. Sailed —Rotoraahana, for Auckland, Merritt, who was convicted for the Warrilda murder, has been sentenced to death. The judge said that the jury’s recommendation to mercy would be forwarded to the proper authorities, Newcastle, April 11,

The Eight. Rev. Dr Barry, Primate of Australia and Tasmania, in his ad-

dress to the Synod, defended the Church from the imputation of using backstairs influence against the Divorce. Bill, and said that whatever steps the Church had taken In opposition to the Bill had been done openly, and by petition. Ho characterised the omission to say grace at the centennial banquet as a grave error.

John Grace, who was connoted on » charge of murdering John Stapleton, miner, near Arundale, in February, has been sentenced to death, April 12. Sailed—Wentworth, for Auckland, JBeisbanb, April 11. A case of leprosy has broken out on the Croydon goldfields. The miners in the district are petitioning the Government to eject Asiatic and African aliens from the goldfields, except those who are engaged as gardeners. Vessels which are arriving from New Guinea state that during the voyage and shortly after leaving the island showers of hot ashes fell on the decks, and it is supposed a serious eruption has occurred in that neighborhood. For the next election 170 candidates are announced for 72 seats; 78 haye declared themselves Protectionists, 10 are Freetraders.

Albury, April 12.

The P, and O. steamer Oceania has been placed in quarantine, two cases of scarlatina having broke out on the voyage. Hobart, April 12. Arrived—Wairarapa, from the Bluff.