AUSTRALIA.

Press, Volume XXXI, Issue 4260, 25 March 1879, Page 2

AUSTRALIA.

Bbisbane, Maroh 24. Sir Maurice O'Connell, President of the Legislative Council, died yesterday. [SPKOIAI. TO GLOBB.] Sydney, Maroh 24. There is a good firm market for New Zealand potatoes. Maize is easy at 3s 3it J. Enormous returns from the Barring ton goldfield are reported. The Bishop of Newcastle is dying. ["Via Bluff.] Melbourne, March 18. The Gevernor last Thursday attended the agricultural show at Lancefield, and made a good practical speech to the farmers. He remarked upon tbe advantage of teaching the science of agriculture. In the course of his speech he said—"ln the colony which I havo ju3t left the general yield of wheat is something perfectly astounding, bat then most of the land has only been cultivated for a short time. As much as fifty, sixty, seventy and eighty bushels to the acre are not uncommon there. lam happy to say that in some parts of that colony they have introduced a better system of farming than is usual in a young country. I trust that you will follow tbe Fame example, and tbat you will recoup the land for that which you take from it. If you do that you need not fear. But to cultivate land well requires a certain amount of capital." The Governor will shortly visit Sandhurst. Yesterday he was present at the Kyneton races, and on Saturday at the regatta, so that he has been fnl'y occupied since his arrival. The levee was one of the largest ever held here. The Commissioner of Public Works having accused the associated Banks and tbe " Argus " of endeavoring to ruin the credit of the colony, and obtaining.an advantage for themselves, the Banks wrote to the Government, asking if they endorsed such stat: ment a. Tbe acting _ Chief Secretary returned a reuly that the Minister was not responsible for his language to anyone outside of Parliament. The Banks then telegraphed Home, when a meeting was held, at which Mr Berry was present, and he gave a written repudiation of his colleague's charge, which has since beeu published in the colony. The want of rain has been very muoh felt, but within the last day or two there has been a partial dowafall in some parts of the colony. A heavy thunderstorm at the close of last week cleared the air. It is stated that negotiations for the mail service have been suspended, in the hope of inducing all the colonies to eater into some combined arrangement. The Exhibition building is being rapidly proceeded with, and advices from Europe are favorable to the project. France will send exhibits by a war ship. Belgium and Holland will also send exhibits. Walter Lynch, said to be one of tbe Kelly sympathisers, who was some time ago arrrested for sending a threatening letter to Mr Monk, near Mansfield, in the name of Ned Kelly, was tried at the Criminal Court yesterday, found | guilty, and remanded for sentence. | A young man named McCrammon, one of the prominent cricketers belonging to the Melbourne I Cricket Club, was arrested last week for stealing money and a diamond ring from tho pockets of. members in the pavilion. At the Police Court the charge was not pressed against him, but he was sentenced to seven days' solitary confinement. Miss Augusta Dargon, now playing at the Theatre Royal, made a great success. She is one of the best actresses who has visited Victoria. Business continues very dull, but there is a little animation in wheat for export to England.