The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 1869. LATEST AUSTRALIAN TELEGRAMS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IV, Issue 16, 20 January 1869, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 1869. LATEST AUSTRALIAN TELEGRAMS.

Melbourne, Jan. 5. Messrs M'Meckan, Blackwood, & Co. have purchased the steamers Tararua, Raugitoto, and Claud Hamiltou, and have placed them on the New Zealand line. The reduction in the Civil Service made by the Government continue. 150 notices -were issued lu9t week to the employees in the office of Public Works and Customs. It is proposed to withdraw the Imperial Troops ancl greatly reduce the number of the Volunteers. No fresh case of small-pox lifts taken place. The last two cases reported proved to be cbicken-pox. The Tornado, which has arrived from Liverpool, with 400 immigrants on board, lias been placed in quarantine iv consequence of seven cases of typhoid fever having occurred. Captain Stack has filled up the number of recruits required for the New Zealaud Armed Constabulary. 2-10 having enlisted, The last contingent sails in the Omeo. Flour is still unsettled, and with a downward teudeucy. No wheat is offering, and it is estimated that the new crop will reach 6,000,000 bushels. Shipments of new barley from Adelaide have been sold at 3s 9d ; oats are at 3s 8d to 3s 9d ; maize has advanced to 4s 6d ; malt is unchanged. The wheat which arrived by the Aldinga, has beeu transhipped to the Donald M'Kay for England. A nugget weighing 13-|.b has been found in the Berlin rush. Latest intelligence from the South African goldfields states that numerous traces of gold have been met with ; but no payable field has as yet been discovered. The fare from Port Durban to the diggings is £20 each by ox- waggon. The Press memorial bust ofthe late Mr G. V. Brooke was formally received by Sir Redmond Barry for the Public Library, and unveiled before a large number' of members of the Press. The presentation .iddress was delivered by the AttorneyGeneral. Large bush fires have taken place in Gippsland. The Gladstone -township was entirely destroyed, and the inhabitants found refuge iv tbe mines. Tho A. H. Badger has arrived from Canterbury with a cargo of oats. Large sales of maize have taken place at 4s 5d to 4s 6d, and sales of New Zealand oats at 3s Bd. The barque Japau is preparing to sail as the pioueer of the projected whaliug fleet. The wheat harvest has been all gathered in. The crops are reported to be very good. Sydney, Jan. 4. Formal notice has been given by the Government that the Panama mail service is terminated. The Kaikoura is to be detained in quarantine for another week. Mr M'Cauley, late Police Magistrate at Wellington, who had been charged with a criminal assault on a servant girl named Mary Murphy, has committed suicide by taking strychnine. At the inquest held on the body a verdict of death by his own hand was returned. Mr Duncan, the ex-Collector of Customs, has been reinstated in ofiice, for the purpose of obtaining a peusion, by an early retirement. £400 reward has beeu offered for the capture of - the notorious bushranger, Thunderbolt. Sergeant Cleary has captured the bushranger Rutherford, near Gundobooka, after a desperate fight and chase for two dnys on foot through the scrub. Flour is at £14 a ton, nominal. Maize is quoted at 3s 7d. The Lass of Gawlor has arrived from Foo-Ohow-Foo with a cargo of tea, and

the Edith Smith from the Mauritius with a cargo of sugar. The Clutha from Melbourne, which has been long overdue, is missiug. The wool sales are active. .