Long-term timing observations of four southern pulsars

Pulse arrival-time measurements made during the period 1987–1994 at the Mt Pleasant Observatory have revealed the first observed glitch in PSR B1727 — 47 and a continuation of the known high glitch rate in PSR B1737 — 30. The observations also show an unusual sequence of alternating microjumps in the rotation rate of PSR B1240—64 and the possibility of free precession in PSR B0959—54. The observations and results are discussed in terms of current neutron star theories.