LATEST AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1744, 7 March 1874, Page 2

LATEST AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

THE PALMER RUSH A FAILURE,

[anglo-atjstralian press telegraph AGENCY.]

Melbourne, Feb. 28. Parliament will be dissolved on the 9th March, and the Chief Secretary's address appears next day. For the first batch of elections the nominations take place on the 18th, and the polling en the 27th. Several candidates are holding meetings, and the elections are likely to cause a good deal of excitement. Bishop Perry left by the mail for Europe. Addresses were previously presented to him. Bishop Tuffiiell, of Brisbane, has also proceeded to England, and will not return. The Rev. P. S. Menzies, a popular Presbyterian minister, died of consumption. He is much regretted, and had a large funeral. Four membres of the Government recently visited Maryborough to be present at the turning of the first sod of the railway, and laying the foundation stone of the State School, 'Mr Stephen made a speech on the success of the Education Act. At the adjourned inquest on Mr Reynolds, nothing was elicited as to who sent the explosive material. It is believed the deceased was experimenting in compounds. The Nubia left Galle, for Australia on the 18th February, and will arrive here about the 12th March, two days late. The Englishmen won the cricket match against the fifteen of Victoria by seven wickets. The match excited no interest. Grace then batted with eleven in the field, and scored 126, the fielding being very indifferent. The Eleven have since pJayed at Launceston, and made 247 in one innings— Oshcroft, 96 j G. F f Grace, 45 j . W. G. Grace, 33; Jupp, 33. The Tasmanians in the first innings only scored 90, ten of the number making nil. In the second innings eleven wickets went down for 112 runs. After playing at Hobart Town the Eleven return here to play a final match. The people here are heartily tired of the cricket subject. The New Guinea Colonisation Movement is progressing strongly. Its promoters intend to ask the cession of 1,000,000 acres from the natives. The barque Don Diego, from Liverpool, went ashore this morning, near Mud Island. She is expected to be got off shortly. H.M.S. Nelson is to be docked to-day. Sydney, Feb. 28. The Palmer River rush is over. All are returning, many dying of starvation and

exhaustion on the way. The township is deserted. Provisions are scarce at famine prices. The'rivers are flooded. Parliament is still sitting, but business is unimportant. I The strike in the iron trade continues. Large orders for machinery are, meanwhile, being sent elsewhere. There have been heavy rains and a southerly gale during the week. Mr M'Leay has presented his natural history collection and L7OOO to the Sydney University. Hume reiterates the story about Leichardt's relics being stolen from him, which nobody believes. Adelaide, March 28. The Register estimates that 870,000 acres were under wheat, the crop being 110,000 bushels less than last year. The average yield is little over 7£ bushels to the acre. The surplus available for export is 105,000 tons. An attack was made by blacks on Barrow's Creek telegraph station on Sunday evening when all were outside enjoying a smoke. Stapleton, telegraph, master, and Frank, a lineman, were killed ; Flint, an operator, and a black boy, were seriously injured. Next day the natives re-ap-peared in force. They were fired at, and one was killed.. Since then reinforcements have been sent to that and all the stations on the overland line. Elder has despatched a well-equipped expedition to Perth to explore the country passed over by Warburton.