LATER AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1929, 12 October 1874, Page 2

LATER AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Sydney. Mr McAllister, Premier, and Mr Thorn, Postmaster-General, arrived from Queensland on the 29th September, to confer with Messrs Parkes and Yogel with reference to telegraphic communication with Singapore, and also relative to the Torres Straits mail service. It is proposed to expand the service and employ swifter steamers. The questions, of postal reciprocity and the registration of debentures on the London Stock Exchange are also to be discussed. The City of Adelaide is chartered to take the next month's Californian mail. At the Australian Mutual Provident Society's meeting the report was unanimously adopted. The gross surplus exhibited in the quinquennial balance-sheet amounts to L 295,299, and in this is included L 24,714, the estimated increased value of Government debentures requiring re-valuation at the quinquennial period. Taken at the market price on 31st September last, the amount set apart for distribution is L 235,185. The thanks of shareholders were voted to the directors and officers. J. G. Muller, an importer, has filed his schedule, with debts amounting to about L6OOO. The new wool is coming in freely. A good portion of the Janet Stewart's teas were sold at auction to-day at up to 2s lsd. Maize is a shade firmer. Nothing definite had been settled by the conference on postal and cable matters at the first meeting. A telegram from Cardwell reports that the Leichardt cleared for Sydney with 1T,6120z of gold, and it was expected that she would receive 10,0.000z more at Townsville. A schooner, bound from Newcastle to New Zealand, has arrived here dismasted. Small sales of new wool showed a firm market on the 30fch. Adelaide. A motion has been carried for an immediate preliminary survey of a line of railway from Adelaide to a point on the boundary line between this colony and Victoria at which a junction can be most advantageously effected with the Victorian railways. Mr Forrest, the West Australian explorer, has reached the Peake, and it is proposed to give him a public reception at Adelaide. Mr Boucaut has presented a petition from the residents of the Northern Territory, complaining of the mal-adminis-tion of affairs there, stating that the Government has afforded no relief, and asking the House to interfere. Mr John Lewis, with two troopers, a man, a black boy, and seven horses, is starting overland from the Northern Territory to Port Essington, to search for the missing exploring party. The revenue for the quarter ending September 30 amounted to L 265,000, the Customs producing L 92,000, and land sales L 72,000. The "Register" points out that the expenditure for the current year will be Ll,l 62,000, or L 60,000 above the estimated revenue. Wheat is steady at 5s Id. Hobart Town, Sept. 29.. The American scientific expedition sails in a week for New Zealand, and thence to the Chatham Islands. Launceston, Sept. 29. The commercial panic is subsiding. Brisbane, Sept. 29. The Government will place boats at the crossing places on the Normanby, Laura, Palmer, and Kennedy Rivers, en route to the Palmer gold-fields, so as to obviate a recurrence of the disasters of last year. The price of flour has risen at the further camp to 4s per lb. The escort left Milchester with s?Y2oz of gold. The Customs receipts for the month amount to L 22,600. Melbourne, Sept. 29. The s.s. Otago arrived on the Ist. i Mr Anderson, moved the second reading of the Crimes and Offences Prevention Bill, a measure which has for its principal object the suppression of larrkinism. It proposes that persons assembling in ant public place for the^purpose of annoyance to others, or to the danger of the public peace, shall, unless they are under the age of 21 years, be liable to imprisonment for six months, with or without hard labor. Larrikins under that age are proposed to be dealt with by whippings, with solitary confinement added on the second conviction. Offenders under 16 years for the first offence will be liable to 20 strokes of a birch, rod, or cane ; and, on the second offence, to 30 strokes ; larrikins over 16 laying themselves open on conviction to 40 strokes. All the whippings proposep are to be inflicted in private, under thefaupervision of a magistrate or surgeon, who is given power to remit all or any portion of the punishment if he considers the offender incapable ; of sustaining it.