AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

Evening Post, Volume XVII, Issue 382, 31 March 1879, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

(Per Pbsss Agency.) Mblbouknb, 26th March. Politically and socially nothing could have been duller than Melbourne during the last week or two. Some of the Opposition members, in addressing public gatherings, indicate a little more vitality in Opposition tactics in future. They all speak of freedom of education. Mr. Service remarked that in olden times the liberties of psople had to be defended against monarchs, but they might hereafter hare to be defended against people bearing other names. It mattered not whether the person who took away a people's liberties was a Czar or a Chief Secretary. Mr. France", at Newham, said Victoria, and indeed all the Australian Colonies, had so much inherent strength that they could endure a great deal of bad Government. Patience would yet bring about a better state of things. The colony had been singularly troubled by afflictions other than political, such as deficiency of money, which existed in all the colonies at the present time, the losses b/ drought, and the fall in wool. Some little scandal has been occasioned by Government obtaining telegrams in reference to the embassy and other matters interesting to the colony, and giving them solely to the Age. That jiurnal, it is alleged and not denied, has used the telegrams supplied to it by Government as from its own London agent. The Governor appears to be making himself very popular. To-day he pays his first visit to Sandhurst. Lvly Normanby is not yet sufficiently recovered to receive visitors. The want of rain has been severely felt all over the colony and probably many settlers will have soon to leave their houses to search for water. TII9 rain totals for the year are far below the average of former yean. The weather has been quite as hot as in the middle of the summer. William Dalton, B A , Trinity College Melbourne, gained a classical scholarship at the Melbourne University. The Princess Theatre has been purchased by a company for £10,000, the capital being iv 200 shares of £50 each. It is said that half the reauired capital has been privately iub3Cribed Young trout have bsen Been id the YUTi, evidently making their way to sea. Twenty thousand salmon ova for Sir Samuel Wilson arrived per Durham, and will be placed in Ballarat waters. The inquest on the man Scott, found murdered at Murphy's Flat, near Donnelly, resulted in an open verdict being returned There is no trace ot the murderer. The sum of £24 was found under the flow of deceased's hutr. " William Cook, the champion billiard player, arrived to-day. Dam pier, the actor, has returned to tbe colony by the s.s. Durham. Rose Hersee and other members of Lystsra's Opera Company made their debut on Monday. The prima donna and baritone were t decidd success. Yesterday afternoon the steamer Macedon run into and sunk the steamer Dawn in tbe Yam, as the latter was steering off from the bank. The Dawn was insured for £1,400. Business is very slightly improved.

Why is a pawnbroker like a drunkard?— Because he takes the pledge, but cannot always keep it. Jt was a Boston girl who modestly referred to Lord Beaconsfield's new honour as " the Order of the Elastic."