AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2738, 17 February 1910, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

KILLED ON A TRAIN

An accident happened on the Melbourne express, on January hi, wiieu William Robert Jones, one of the railway examining stall, received injuries to iiis head winch resulted in his death a few hours later, it seems that he was engaged on the second devision, of the express, between Goulbourn and Moss Vale, and was leaning over the platform of one of the cars, examining a hot axle-box, when his'head struck a bridge, through which the train was passing. He would have fallen under tlie train but for tho help of a passenger, who pulled him back on to tho car platform. Dr. Stevenson, who had been wired for, was in attendance at Moss Vale, and ordered the injured man’s removal to llowral Hospital, where he died. Ho was a married man residin'- with his wile and family at Goulhurn, and was considered one of tho most careful and reliable men on the examining staff/ During the time tho train was at Moss Vale Station the sum of £lO w,as collected for the benefit of the family.

ELECTROCUTED. A fire, attended bv the death of an engine-driver, James Alonaphan, broke out shortly before midnight, on January 2. , at premises known as the Phoenix Biscuit Factory, Abbotsford. Monaghan, who was employed on the premises, was one of the first to observe the .fire. He and the watchman got a small hose out, and were playing on the. flames, when the wire which carries the current of electricity from the Mel. bourne Electric Lighting Company’s works to the motor engine belonging to the factory became fused by the heat, and fell from tho insulators. The wire fell upon Monaghan, who immediately collapsed. A doctor was called, who, after working for an hour in attempting to restore, respiration without success, decided to have the man removed to tho Melbourne Hospital. On a rival there life was found to he ex- „ tinct. Monaghan leaves a widow and four children. There were marks upon, the bodv .whore the wire fell upon deceased, but there is some doubt as to whether the current in itself was sufficient to cause death. Deceased was a very stout man, and it is thought probable that his heart was weak.

AUSTRALIA’S GREAT NEED. ‘At the Parliamentary Banquet to Lord Kitchener at Perth, AY estern Am>talian, on 21th January, tho guest, after expressing his gratitude for tho welcome and the hospitality received everywhere in Australia, from Port Darwin to Perth, said: “I will try to express my gratitude by doing my best to give some practical suggestions that will assist the Commonwealth Government in its desire to increase the security of this splendid country, and develop its citizen forces on sound lines. 1 am looking forward with the greatest pleasure to seeing the citizen forces in camp at Tammin, and to the opportunity of making myself acquainted with the sea. ports and their defences. “In order to reach West Australia I had a four days’ sea voyage. I wish we could have come by train. Your present isolation must hot only he a great commercial and political disadvantage, but it might at any time become a serious source of military weakness. Sir John Forrest lias advocated the construction of a tr-nk lino to join West Australia with tho eastern States. I understand this project will shortly be taken seriously in hand. I agree with Sir John on the subject. It seems to me that one of the great needs of Australia is systematic and statesmanlike comprehensive railway extension. Trunk lines, opening lip communication and developing the fertile districts of the interior of this vast country, would undoubtedly stimulate'more than anything else the growth of population, as well as foster trade and increase the means of defence. At present Australia’s expenditure on railway construction appears to be often spasmodic as well as unduly influenced by purely local conditions, instead of being guided by a steady policy for national requirements, organised and directed under a central controlling authority. While your efforts are naturally in the first place directed towards obtaining communication with the east, I hope the possibilities of extension to the north, as well as the development of the rich hinterlands of Queensland and New South Wales, will not be overlooked whenever comprehensive schemes for railway development, dealing with the country as a whole, are under consideration/”

TEX MILLION BALLOT PAPERS. Upwards of ten million ballot papers will be distributed amongst the six or seven thousand polling places in the Commonwealth for the coming Federal elections. There, are about 2,300,000 men and women electors in Australia, and each voter will receive four ballot papers. One for the Senate, one for the Representatives, and one for each referenmim. Declaration and other forms for electors who may bo voting at the polling places for which they are not enrolled will increase to fifteen million the total number of printed documents used in the conduct of the elections. From 12,000 to 15.000 officials will be employed. At each of the six or seven thousand polling places, copies of the proposed laws for the alteration of the Constitution on which the referendums are to bo taken will be exhibited. The new electoral rolls! disclose th-t in the nine Melbourne metropolitan divisions women outnumber tho male voters. In Batman there arc 16,172 women and 13,588 men: in Balaclava, 19,474 women and 14.582 men : in Bourke, 20,649 women and '17,912 men; in Kooyong, 21,677. women and 15.375 men; in Maribyrnong. 19,256 women and 17,633 men; in Melbourne Ports, 16,787 women and 12,440 men : and in Melbourne, 16,800 women and 15,432 men. In Yrietoria altogether the female electors exceed the male by about 15,000. The total figures arc 347,000 women and 332,000 men.