AUSTRALIA.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 13, Issue 1109, 14 December 1869, Page 3

AUSTRALIA.

(! . y Hokitika, Dec. 12, Thb Claud Hamilton arrived fron-. Melbourne at 7*15 p.m., bringing news as follows':*-— . Melbourne, Dec. 6. Sales of flour have been effected under hammer at £12 2s. 6d. and £12 ss. Best flour £13; wheat ss. 7d. to 65.; maize advanced to 45. ; oats dull at 3s. 9d. to 4s. An improved feeling' is springing up in teas since thewreck r of the Marie Gabriel off Moonlight Head, with a cargo. Holders now demand l|d. advance all round. Speculation in salt continues ; ifc is now quoted at £4 55. ; Cozen's kerosene, 2s. 2d. The wool sales have been brisk. Two thousand bales have been sold at S^d. to 9sd. for greasy; 12-^d. to*ls. s^d. for scoured ; 10-^d. to 15-^d. for fleece. Bacon 9d. ; hams Is. ; a ; large sale of candles is reported at lOf d. The improvement in tobacco, is maintained. Bice is unsaleable. There is a -brisk demand for dried fruits. Figs are scarce at 8-^d. to B|d. ; muscatels, 9d. to 9|d. ; dried apples 6jd.to7d. The Claud Hamilton has arrived. The officers ofthe Flying Squadron have been lavishly feted. The Mayor's picnic afc Fern-tree gully was a great success. Four, hundred persons were present. "'"■•■ A grand naval review took place on Saturday in the presence of 20,000 spectators, ry It ■ rained all day: Four thousand school children visited the squadron. The Admiral intends visiting Ballarat to-day, and the flefet will sail for Sydney to-mor-row.; It is now determined that the squadron shall visit Auckland in lieu pf Lyttelton. The Government has received tenders for the mail service via the Cape of Good Hope; The contents have not been made public, but nothing will be done regarding the route this session. The Government intend calling for tenders for the construction of the first 60 miles of the Kor th- eastern railway ; to be lodged by the Ist February. Mri Butters has sued G. P. Smith for the recovery of money advanced to Brodie, ex MsL.A., now residing in New Zealand. The plaintiff was nonsuited with costs. The Legislative Council has thrown out the Payment, of Members and State Aid Abolition bills. There is much dissatisfaction in the Assembly in consequence. The state of the revenue is highly satisfactory. Mr. M'Culloch's estimate of income has been greatly exceeded. A motion censuring Mr. Stutfc's conduct in connection with the Land Department, has been negatived. Messrs. Levy Brothers have beeh fined £1000 for passing goods, through the customs falsely valued. A .running match for 150 yards between Bolton „nd Cummirts, was won by the latter. Mr. Bucharfc's will has been proved under a hundred thousand pounds. .--« Hugh Glass's estate has been assigned to James Moore and- John Goodman. Sydney, December 1. Colonial sugars at auction realised £34 12s 6d to £35 7s sd. HenchcliS's wool washing premises have been burned. Harper, the railway contractor, has become insolvent. Californian flour has been sold by auction at £10. Maize, 3s 4d ; wool sales active. Messrs. Parker, Martin, King, and Buchanan have been elected for East Sydney. Eleanor Carey, an actress engaged by Montgomery to appear at Auckland, has mysteriously disappeared. News from Rockhampton report the murder,' by the blacks, of all the hands on Mount Elgin station. ,' Adelaide. Mr. Salamon, has been elected Mayor. A select committee has reported favorably on the 1 Augusta railway. A disease among the vines is predicted this season. - New wheat, 4s ; old, 4s 3d ; country flour, £11. Trade dull.