AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8258, 11 October 1906, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

ALLEGED CUSTOMS FRAUDS. Received Ootober:10, 10.32 a.m. [ADELAIDE, October 10. During the hearing of the case aaainstjjOharles Tinker in connection Customs frauds the Commonwealth Crown Solicitor dtatud that in conversation with Tucker the latter said that a man named Forwooa, whose name has been mentiond in ooaneotion with the proceedings, had run his agency Business for 13 years. He gave blank cheques to Forwood, whu filled them in. YOUTH DROWNED. Received October 10, 10.32 a.m. MELBOURNE, October 10. A youth named Monk was drowned while resouing cattle from floods at Oobran. MELBOUBNE'S LORD MAYOR. ' JReoeived October IC, 10.32 a.m. MELBOURNE, Ootober 10. Councillor Weedoo has been reelected Lord Mayor of Melbourne. INQUEST ON GROHN. Received' October 10, 10.37 p.m. SYDNEY, October 10. At the inquest on Qrohn, to-day, the Crown counsel stated that the original certificate of death had been posted to the Registrar, but went missing, and apparently never reached him. The undertaker who buried Grohn, at the Registrar's request, supplied particulars two years later. The undertaker, in his evidence, said that urohn, to every appearance, died from the effects of drink. He Baw no wound on the head. Morris repeated the evidence given by him at the criminal trial. He added that he had not stopped Norton once but a thousand times from knocking Grohn down. ( Norton treated Grobn more like a dog than a man. The inquest was adjourned till Friday. THE BALLING TRAGEDY. BROWN SENTENCED TO DEATH. Received October 10, 10.3 a.m. » SYDNEY, October 10. The young man Brown has been sentenced to death for the murder of the O'Keefes at German Creek. The Government medical officer, in his evidence, said he bad had several conversations with BrowD, who stuok to the statement that he killed the O'Keefes in ore!er to carry out the idea of a White Australia. He intended to organise a revolution, and kill all coloured people in the cause of liberty. The doctor considered there were no symptoms of insanity. (The crime for which Brown is to pay the death penalty was a brutal one, the victims being Daniel O'Keefe, a pioneer oane farmer, his wife, and a farm labourer named Gilliok. When he was arrested, Brown stated that he went over to the O'Keefes" plaoe, not with the intention of murdering them, but to get money and arms. He took a bayonet, also a bag filled with sand and stones. He hit Mrs O'Keefe with the hag, but it broke, and he then drew the bayonet. Mrs O'Keefe screamed for help, and her huaoand came to her assistance. Brown also stated that be stabbed bim with the bayonet again and again, and then the man Gilliok came out and hit Brown with a bottle. Brown went for them with his bayonet rigbt and left. "1 suppose," he concluded, I'll be hung for it.")

THE FEDERAL CAMPAIGN. SPEEOIi BY MR REID. Reoeived October 10, 10.32 a.m. MELBOURNE, October 10. Mr Q. H. Reid has ODened his election campaign. In a speeoh delivered afc Warrnambool last night he deolared that only two parties were possible. Mr Duakm'a party, he added, was impossible.

THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN I CRISIS. Received October 10, 10.32 a.m. ADELAIDE, Ootober 10. In the Legislative Assembly, Mr Price, wbo was summoned to reform a Ministry, announced that he had agreed to carry on on the understanding that ho was granted a dissolution when he asked for it. He requested the House to grant Supply so that an appeal might be made to the country on the frauoblse question—the source of the trouble with the Legislative Assembly. The debate is not finished. AUSTRALIAN RACING. Received October 10, 11.1 a.m. PLBMINQTON, October 11. Gladsome has been definitely retired to the stud. Solution is very Arm for both OUPB—6 to 1 for the Oauifleld, and 3 to 1 for the Melbourne Cup. The others are unaltered. Received October 10, 8.50 p.m. MELBOURNE, Ootober 10. Solution has eased to 7 to I for the Caulfisld Cup. Melodeon has been backed for £I,OOO at 100 to 7, and Poseidon (all available money) at 100 to 10. For the Melbourne Cup Proceed has been backed for £2,000 at 20 to I,'and Blue Spec at 1,000 to 250. " u>

CABLE NEWS.

By Telejraph—Press Association— CDpyri?ht,

NEW SOUlfl WALES SCHOOLS. DECREASE IN ATTENDANCE. Received Ootober 10, 10.32 a.m. SYDNEY, Ootober 10. The report of the Minister of Education for last year shows that 180 now schools were opened in the State and 203 closed. There was a decline in both the metropolitan and country school attendance. He attributed this to the diminished birth-rate. The Minister estimated that for the next four years there would probably be a continuous decrease, averaging 2,300 per annum, in the native-born children of school age. By that would be reached. The figures point to an increase then oC two thousand per annum. SOUTH AFRICAN PREFERENCE BILL. Received October 10, 10.32 a.m. MELBOURNE, Ootober 10. The Federal Senate has passed the South African Preference Bill through all its stages.