Australian News.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2834, 28 February 1888, Page 2

Australian News.

A Demoralised House.

Sydney, February 27,

Mr Garrett has served a writ on Mr Dibbs for £IO,OOO damages for accusing him of drunkenness, but Mr Dibbs refuses to waive the plea of privilege in connection with his accusation against the Minister of Lands in the House of Assembly last week. The moderate members of the House on both sides propose to hold a meeting with the object of discussing this and other like disgraceful scenes in the House, and devising some means to restrain the disorder which now so frequently occurs. The Speaker is blamed for a good deal of tho trouble, and is generally condemned as being too weak. Mr Garrett has written to the President of the Reform Club, demanding that an enquiry should be held by the club into Mr Dibbs 1 charge of ungetitleuiauly conduct against him. The Rabbit Question.

Sydney, February 26, The Central Board of Health have drawn up a recommendation to the Government on the rabbit extermination schemes proposed by M. Pasteur, Professor Watson, and Drs. Butcher and Ellis, in which they urge that no disease for that purpose should be introduced into the Colony until it is positively certain that it will not have a fatal or dangerous effect upon human beings and stock. The report of the Board describes the scheme of Drs. Butcher and Ellis, of which thousands of rabbits are now dying in the Darling district, as merely itch, whilst the scheme of Professor Watson they consider is not of sufficiently fatal a character to make it of any permanent use to the Colony. The Government have replied to the memorandum to the effect that they propose to ask for legislative power to control experiments within the Colony, and to authorise them to introduce any disease providing it is absolutely innocuous to stock and human beings, pending consideration of the whole subject by the proposed International and Colonial Commission of experts on the rabbit question.

On Her Beam Ends. Melbourne, February 27. The barque Diamond, which arrived yesterday from Kaipara, had a narrow escape from foundering during the voyage. On the 16th inst., a terrific hurricane was experienced, which blew away all her canvas, and bore the vessel down till the water reached the middle of the main hatch, and found its way into the cabin. It was only with the greatest difficulty that the crew succeeded in righting the vessel again. The gale lasted two hours.

Shockuig Outrages. Melbourne, February 26, Mrs Oummings, one of the women who was criminally assaulted a few clays ago, was so badly injured that she had to be removed to the Hospital for treatment, but succumbed shortly after being admitted. The police have arrested three men on a charge of being concerned in this case, and in the other case two arrests have been made, while the police are searching for a third man, who it is alleged took part in the assault. The assault on the women was a most brutal one, and the clothes worn by them were saturated with blood.

Fatal Prize Fight. Melbourne, February 27. A man named Hyrqw, who was engaged in a prize fight which lasted an hour, suddenly fainted, and died in the hospital shortly aftei. Plenty of Rain. Brisbane, February 27. Tremendous rains have again fallen all over the colony, and further floods are likely to ensue.

THEEtJEOPEANSITpTIONf Sofia, February 27v / Prince Ferdinand has announced that he is perfectly willing to retire >, from the the|g£arian Throne, if the Powers can ucfaminously agree to the.nomination of another • ruler who shall he acceptable to the;' people of Bulgaria. > - '• Constantinople, February 27. . A fresh incident is reported to have occurred at the French Consulate at - Damascus, hut no particulars are; to hand. It is understood that the Porte has given an assurance that theinatter shall be settled to the satisfac-.. tion of France. Embryo Rebellion, '■■■:<. London, February 27; :.. A melee occurred at- Anglesea, where the police are endeavoring to collect tithes. Severe .fighting took place between the police and the residents, and several wore injured. Silver Mining SpecnlaticiW Sydney, February 27. ' Speculation in silver mining still continues brisk. Last week a quarter of a million of money ckangjgfoands, on'the Mining Exchange. ™ A rich silver find is reported to have been discovered at Townkey, near Carcour, and claims have already-been extensively pegged out. Colliery Casualty. Sydney, February 27. A heavy fall is reported to have taken place at the Zigzag Colliery, Lithgow. The miners had to run for their lives, and it -is feared the mine will be ruined by the accident.