AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7979, 6 March 1906, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

THE THORDIS. BUMPING HEAVILY. Received March 5, 10.20 a.m. SYDNEY. Maroh 5. TheThordis went a9hore in a gale. She is bumping heavily. The crew off with difficulty, owing to the heavy sea..

GRADUALLY SETTLING DOWN.

Reoeived March 6, 1 a.m. SYDNEY, March TheThordis is gradually settling down. The rough weather still continues. The remainder of the crew have come ashore.

AN IMPORTANT CASE. SPECIAL JURY ALLOWED. Received March 5, 11.3 p.m. SYDNEY, Maroh 5. In connection with the slander action, the W. and A. MoArthur Company against Sir William Lyne, olaiming £5,000, an application was made on behalf of the plaintiffs for a special jury of twelve. Counsel for defendant opposed the application, and asked that the case should be tried with a common jury. The Chief Justice, in delivering the unanimous judgment of the Court, and granting the speoial jury, said, if any case that had been heard in the State for many years required a speoial jury it was this, one side being a leading firm of merchants, and the other the Federal Minister for Customs. The Minister was , alleged to have charged the firm with gross fraud, and with stealing goods under false pretences. If the charge were brought home to them, it would effectually damage their character for all feme, as a firm. The hearing of the case was fixed for the 19th instant.

'THE CASE OF MALOUF.

Received March 5, 11.12 p.m. SYDNEY, Maroh 5. The case of Malouf, charged with not havng left Australia at the expiry of his certificate of exemption as a prohibited immigrant, was before the Police Court, to-day. Evi deuce was given by the Customs officials as to the issue, and subsequent renewals of the certificate of exemption, which was signed by the Acting-Collector of Customs. Counsel for the defence submitted that as no test was applied to Malouf he never was a prohibited immigrant, so that the certificate of exemption should not have been given to him. It was no better than waste paper, because it was not signed by the Minister of the Crown, or duly authorised by the proper offioer. The Magistrate adjourned .the case till Friday, iu order to examine the points raised.

A HURRICANE AT CROYDON

CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE DONE.

Reoeived March 6, 1 a.m. BRISBANE, Maroh 5. A hurricane wbb experienced at Croydon. The majority of the buildings in the town were damaged, and many wrecked, including the Catholic Church and Salvation Army barracks. The gale overblew the Anglican Church. Torrential rain has fallen, and the telegraphs are interrupted.

CABLE NEWS.

By Telegraph—Press Association.—Cooviieht