AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY. (PER ARAWATA AT BLUFF.) Melbourne, 23rd April.

Evening Post, Volume XVII, Issue 405, 28 April 1879, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY. (PER ARAWATA AT BLUFF.) Melbourne, 23rd April.

Political matters continue dull. There have beon no Ministerial utterances during the week. The Cabinet has been engaged in the preparation of measures for the coming session, which it is anticipated will be very exciting, as an appeal to the country on tbe Reform question is inevitable. The Governor made two practical speeches —one at tho distribution of prizes at the Church of England Grammar School, the othor at the University dinner. Lady Normanby is BUticiently recovered to hold a reception which was very numerously attended. At the annual commencement of the University on Saturday, Sir Bryan O'Loghlen, on coming up for his degree of M.A., was loudly hooted by the undergraduates, who are more than usually noisy this year-^so much so as to call for the condemnation of the Chancellor, who threatened to adjourn the proceedings. The Governor afterwards in a speech referred to the definition of a gentleman. His remarks were evidently prompted by the noisy conduct of the undergraduates. The weather has been beautifully fine and summer-like, but disastrous for tho country, as agricultural operations are at a standstill owing to the want of rain, and in many parts water is not ovou available for domestic pur- i poses. Tho railway department has scarcely water for locomotives, and complaints are numerous of ruin to crops. Arthur M'Cody, warehouseman and importer, has been sentenced to nine months for fraudulent insolvency. Sir William Jervois'a defence scheme has undergone several import int modifications. Instead of a pile fort and armaments in tho Bay there are to be shore batteries, to be armed with tho new ton-inch Armstrong guvs \ Althongh all the Hatfield bushrangers have beon sentenced to death, probably only one, , Gorman the ringleador, who fired tho shot by ¦ which Power was wounded, will be executed. Professor M'Coy, of the Melbourne Uni- : versity, has been awarded the Murchison medal by the Royal Geological Society. s The late shareholders of the Hobson's Bay i Railway Company have been paid the value of their shares. Those held in the colony amount to £301,353. The largest shareholder was W. . J. Clarke, close upon £100,000. , Nothing has been heard of the Kellys. The I ten men known as the Kelly sympathisers, Biter being kept in gaol five months have been discharged, as no evidence was brought against them. The eight hours' demonstration on Monday was very successful, fully 15,000 persons attended the iete; several oi the Ministry wore t present. The Victoria Fire and Marine Insurance | Company is to be wound up, and a new company formed; the assets which amount to ' nearly a quarter of a million, are to bo divided i amongst the shareholders. Four vessels have been chartered to load breadstuff* for Callao, and 1800 tons flour, and 1600 tons wheat are baing conveyed to South America. This is in consequence of the war i between Chili and Bolivia. i Business stdl continues very dull. i All places of amusement continue to be well . attended, especially the Opera, where tho average takings are nearly £1000 a week. Captain Barica of the Royal Navy, lately ' attached to the Postal Department, is dead. There is some suspicion that his Heath was hastened by an over-dose of narcotic, administered by his attendant. , Cook and Kilkenny have concluded their billiard matches, and will proceed to New Zealand after visiting Sydney. Tho P. & O. Company intend issuing return tickots at reduced fares during the Sydney and Melbourne Exhibitions, allowing threo months' stay in Australia.