AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 26, 10 July 1880, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

* i i [Reuter's Special to Star.]

Melbourne, Friday.

Mata has been backed for the Melbourne Cup to win £10,000 at 100 to 4.

Sydney, Friday.

In the Legislative Assembly last night, the House went into committee on- the Wool, Coal, and Stock Taxes Bill. After a debate a division was taken on the clause fixing an export duty of one farthing per pound on greasy, and one halfpenny per lb on washed and scoured wools, when the ayes and the noes were found to be equal. The Chairman, however, gave his casting vote with the ayes, and the clause was passed. Sir Henry Parkes, Premier, then moved that progress be reported, and that the chairman leave the chair. The motion was carried, and the House adjourned. Sailed — Wakatipu, for Wellington. Cooktown, Friday. . The Eastern Australian mail steamer Bowen has arrived from Hongkong and Singapore with the Torres Strait mails, and states that on her upward voyage to Hongkong, a piratical plot to seize the vessel was discovered among the Chinese passengers by a conversation being overheard. The passengers were mustered, and all hands being armed, 250 Chinese were arrested. Boxes containing loaded revolvers, and packets of powder, with fusees attached, were discovered. On the arrival of the vessel at Hongkong, the prisoners were handed over to the authorities.