AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9083, 7 May 1908, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

THE MURRUKUNDI COLLISION. FINDING OF BOARD OF INQUIRY. Receivtd May 6, 10 p.m. SYDNEY, May 6. The Board appointed to inquire into the Murrurundi railway accident, found tha f . the responsibility rested with the night officer, Dwyer, and the acting-signalman, Gibson, who were guilty of gross negligence. In the Board's opinion the home signal was not placed at danger after the arrival of the first division of the train until after the accident, notwithstanding the evidence of Gibson and the shunter to that effect. The Board was satisfied that the home signal was in good working order up till the time of the arrival of the first division of the t-ain. The Board makes certain recommendations with a view to improving the shunting and signalling at Murrurundi.

At an early hour on the morning of April 17th the Brisbane mail train crashed into the second division of the Glen Innes mail train at Murrurundi. None of the passengers were killed, but the drivers and the firemen had a marvellous escape. Twenty passengers were injured, two seriously. One man had his right arm and both legs broken. Another had both legs broken, while two others had legs broken. The rest of those injured were cut and bruised. >, . THE PREMIERS' CONFERENCE. Received Miy G, 11.35 p.m. SYDNEY, May 6. Mr A. Deakin attended the Premier's Conference and answered a number of questions explanatory of his financial proposals. He said that the powers proposed to be given to the Council of Finance were utrictly limited to technical control, and they oniy had to finally decide when the State Treasurers could nut agree among^themselves. A REMARKABLE SURGICAL CASE. MAN BRAINED AND YET CONSCIOUS. Received May 0, 1.48 p.m. MELBOURNE, May 6. A remarkable medical case is attracting, attention in the hospital. A man named Con.vay, u groom, was admitted m Monday with a toiribie injury to his tie id. A racing puny had kicked his forehead in, and brain matter was protruding. A portion of the brain was entirely separated, and was found floating in the water used to free the man's face from blood. In spite of the injury the man is conscious, and seems to have a chance of recovery. CITRUS FRUITS. / THE NEW ZEALAND REGULATIONS. Received May 6, 10.2S a.m. SYDNEY, May 6. A deputation of fruitgrowers protested to the Minister of Agriculture (Hon. J. Perry) against the New Zealand regulations requiring a cer-

tificate declaring that citrus fruits exported to the dominion were net grown within a mib of a fruit-fiy infested spot. The' Minister, in reply, stated that he had written to the New Zealand Minister of Agriculture suggesting that the resolutions of the InterState Fruit Conference might be accepted by him, but had received no reply. While he did not desiie to make threats, if the New Zealand Government was not reasonable, the Government of this State might try the same sort M method which it had tried successfully with Victoria. If a certificate that no fruit fly was present in the shipment was given, that ought to satisfy New Zealand. SOCIALISM AND THE CHURCH. Received May C, 10.23 a.m. 'SYDNEY, Mav, 6. The Rev. Mr Macauley, of Waverley, has been elected Moderator oc the Presbyterian Assembly. In his address 1 e stated that he real sed that Socialism was a movement t lat had corns to stay, and that it was a cause to ba reckoned with. The duty of the Church was not to stand aloof, but rather to tr> and influence this movement and thape its destinies.