YESTERDAY'S CABLES.

Evening Star, Issue 7751, 24 October 1888, Page 4

YESTERDAY'S CABLES.

Australian.

The Committee of the Legislat-'ve Council of South Australia have had under consideration the Chinese Eestriction Bill.. The tonnage limitation of Chinese immigration to the Northern Territory has been reduced to one Chinaman for every fifty tons. The clause preventing Chinese travelling from one colony to another without a permit was struck out. In his report on the defences of South Australia, Major-general Downes says that owing to the low condition of the reserves they are quite unreliable, and he recommends that the compulsory clauses compelling men between the ages of twenty and twenty-four to serve in the active militia for three years should be rigidly enforced, and afterwards they should be compelled to remain in the reserve corps until attaining the age of thirty. The New South Wales Parliament was opened by Governor Carrington, who said that proposals for the establishment of an Agricultural College and experimental farms would be submitted, and a Bill be introduced giving the Government power to arrange for the construction of irrigation works. He mentioned that although it was not intended to enter into a discussion on any large measures, a Bill would be brought in providing for a reform of the electoral system, and another to amend the existing form of local government. These the Government confidently hoped would be passed early next year. It afforded him much pleasure to announce that there was a marked improvement in the revenue of the colony, as members would see from the Treasurer's Statement, which -would be delivered before the end of the month.