COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2691, 22 December 1909, Page 5

COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS.

NATIONAL MUTUAL

United Press association —Copyright ADELAIDE, Dec. 20.

. At the annual meeting of the Nation, al Mutual Life Association, the chairman, in moving the adoption. of the report and balance-sheet, congratulated members on the progress made. The 'new business including special transactions with the Ausralian Alliance Assurance Company, exceeded three millionc. Tho income for the year constituted a record, being £1,219,980, and the expenses were £5195 less than last year. The interest earned was £4 14s 2d per cent., against £4 13s 3d on the preceding year. Additions to the funds totalled £612,876, and the total funds are nearly £6,000,000. The report was adopted and the retiring directors re-elected. - N.S.W. HARVEST. SYDNEY, Dec. 21. The Government statistics of mid-' harvest give the estimated wheat yield at 25,000,000 bushels, an average of slightly over 14 bushels. A THRILLING EXPERIENCE. MELBOURNE, Dec. 21. The steamer Ardgyfe, from Bahia, Blanca, had a thrilling experience for a maiden voyage. On November 16 a fire was discovered in the bunkers. It was got under after fifteen days’ continuous hard work. A total of 300 tons of coal wa s burned or jettisoned. The vessel was not damaged. HEAT AND* DROUGHT. SYDNEY, Dec. 21. The weather is very hot. The drought is beginning to be severely felt in some districts. SON SHOOTS HIS FATHER, SYDNEY, Dec. 20. Donaldson, a settler near Inver ell, got into debt through wagering on his sons in a boxing contest, and consequently attempted' to shoot his family, who lived on his son’s farm. His daughter was injured, but not seriously, and he missed his wife. His son got a gun and exchanged shots with his father. The latter ran away, and was found dead, having been shot twice in the back. His son has been arrested. THE EDEN’S ACCIDENT. SYDNEY, Dec. 21. A survey of the Illawarra Ck ,in P an y ,s steamer Eden, which crashed into a high cliff at Cape £>t. George during a dense fog, shows that the vessel had a narrow escape from destruction. The whole forefoot of the vessel was turned right over. All the plates of the stsm were fractured. The accident is attributed to the unusually strong set of the current carrying the steamer out of her course. A LUCKY MINER. Scott, a member of the Strike Congress, as a descendant of the late Duke of Buccleuch, ha s , together with his sisters and brothers, been left an estate at Selkirk, valued at £IOO,OOO. He ran away as a cabin boy, and served in the Boer War. He afterwards went to New .Zealand, and thence to Newcastle. A HANDSOME FIND. A rich reef has been discovered at Guard’s Creek, Tenterfield. The dish yielded over 21ozs. of gold. There has been extensive pegging of claims.

TEMPORARY INSANITY VERDICT

The woman Streit was found not guilty of the murder of Healey, on the ground of temporary insanity. ° On July Bth a tragedy was discovered at Newcastle. The police entered a house and faund the, dead body of a man named Healy 5 'while a woman named Streit was lying beside him. As the constable entered, the woman placed a revolver to her ear, but . the weapon missed fire. She had also taken chlorodyne, but not in a dangerous quantity. Tne police had received a letter intimating that both mtenaed to die together. Th© woman. Streit stated the man had shot himself. She had not the courage to do it. Healy was a married man with five children. The woman Streit i s also married and living apart from .her husband, who is believed to be in New Zealand. A further report indicated that the woman had shot the man. • _ BIG FIRE InTwILLIAMSTOWN. MELBOURNE, Dec. 21. " A -fire swept out; a block of thirty .weatherboard buildings . andv shops., in Verdon, Parker, and Railway streets at Wiliamstown. It spread with tremendous rapidity. The occupants were mostly workmen. 1 They saved very little.' There wore some narrow escapes. The damage is from £IO,OOO to £12,000. Another fire destroyed the Children’s Convalescent Home at Hampton.