AUSTRALIA.

Press, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4515, 20 January 1880, Page 2

AUSTRALIA.

[association special.] ADELAIDE, January 19. Sufficient shipping to carry grain to England is not procurable, freights have greatly risen.

[Via Bluff.] MELBOURNE, January 14.

The Government profess a desire to terminate the seesion of Parliament g;uicMy,in *iew of aa immediate dissolution. The Governor is favorable to this course. Theie is a probability of a very stormy close to the Parliament. . , . , . Mr Berry, speaking at Geelong, defended the nominee clause in very qualified terms, although recently he described it as the kernel of the reform scheme. Now he cay« he attaches much less importance to it than to the lixth clause, which he was recently willing to abandon, and the plebisoite, which he described as at beet only a necessary evil. The Orient company have arranged for a regular fortnightly service to and from the colonies, alternating with the P. and O. vessels, commencing on February 20th. The Orient steamers will prooeed direct to Naples. Franco, Italy, Belgium, and other countries are intimating that the space applied for in London exceeds the amount originally anticipated. Mr Berry instructed the Exhibition Commissioners to provide another hundred thousand feet of space at an additional cost of about £15,000. At Emerald Hill, Wade, lately a fireman on the steamer Save, endeavored to enter a home where a servant girl ramed Driver lived. She was once engaged to him, but had broken it off. She refuted to admit him, whereupon he twice fired at her with a re* volver. She escaped to a seighbour's houeo. Wade, after trying to gain admittance, blew out his own brains.

Campbell, Messrs Bell and Coleman's repre*entative on board the Strathleven, telegraphs that the meat reached Aden in good order. He expeote to land it eafely in London.

The difficulty between the Government and Banks ii still unsettled, the latter declining to amend their proposals. The Japanese Government have granted £7000 to secure efficient representation at the Melbourne Exhibition.

The "Argus" estimates the yield of Viotorian gold last year at 715,000 ozn, being a decrease of 38,7843z5. The Mining Department estimates the yield at 760,355cz», but their data are known to be unreliable.

The Melbourne Irish Famine Fund amounts to £3000. J. J. Clarke gave £500, and a number of gentlemen £100. The Goulburn Valley railway, tapping the richest wheat country in Tiotona, was opened on the 13th inst.

ADELAIDE, January 14. The Government offer to provide publio school teachers with the apparatus required for teaching science at half cost. ■ The revenue shows a deficiency of £16,000, compared with the oorreaponding quarter of lset year, chiefly in land revenue. The medioal men are endeavoring to obtain a legislative disqualification of unqualified men from praetiring. SYDNEY, January 14.

A numerously attended meeting of protectionist* was held at Sydney, apparently to enable Mr Buchanan, M.L.A., to renounce hie free trade opinions. It i> considered doubtful whether the Government will aucoeed in carrying the whole of their fiscal policy. Wine and spirit merchants strongly protest agoinet inoreated taxation in their business.

The quarter's revenue ehowa a decrease of £291,575. The revenue for the year is £4,481,665, showing a decrease of £510,263 on the previous year. The Exhibition Commiision has. deoidod that the jurors are simply to olaaaify meritorious exhibits according to four grades, leaving the Commission to determine what medals shall be allotted. All expenses of the management of the Exhibition are recouped. The returns show that there have been 600,000 admissions.

Two women were killed at Sydney in a thunderstorm.

The Bobycito, from Dunedin to Hewcastle, took fira off Fort Stephens on Jan. 6th, owing to a pot of tar upsetting and setting fire to the deck houee. The foremast wet burned and fell over the side, carrying away the maintopmast ar.d mizzev. When towed into Sydney the forepart of the Teasel was all burnt, and half the deok.

Sootfc received intelligence that the Executive refused to reconsider -his case. He has written an autobiography, which he has entrusted to Mre.Amess, who alleged that she was affianced to him. Further efforts are being made to save Bogan. The Sydney Irish famine fund exoeeds £2500. A number of gentlemen, including Archbishop Yaughan, subscribed £100.

A woman named Baker, while bathing a child throo years old, upset a kerosene lamp, which exploded and buret both to death.

BBIBBANE, January 14. The Lnnny poet and telegraph master, Charles Ville, was fined £20 for telling a housekeeper the contents of a telegram received by him.

Mulligan, after three months' prospecting at Grahnm'e Creek, North Palmer, was unsuccessful. ' '",.,) : -'■ .'

The revenue for the lest quarter shows a comparative deficiency of £35,000. The expenditure during the half-year exceeds the revenue by £140,000. The barque Soottish Knight, bound from Boekhamptoh to London, was wrecked off Bustard Head, Gladstone. No lives were lost. It will bo necessary to discharge the vessel to slop the leak. HOBABT TOWN, January 14. There are thirty-three horses in the Hobart Town Cup, including Petrea, Bst lib; Avernus, 7*t 13ib; His Grace, 7at 91b; Boeworth, 9«t 31b; Biohmond, 9st 41b. Bishop Bromly proceeds on a visit to Ed gland.