VICTORIA.

North Otago Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2250, 15 July 1879, Page 2

VICTORIA.

Parliament meet* on July 8. The Governor's speech will probably state the financial arrangement! to meet the deficit, and reform question* will constitute the chief work oi the session. The depression of trade is admitted to be aggravated. However, there has been an exceptionally bad season, and a low price for wool. Itissanguinely predicted that it will be of short duration, a« already there are signs of a good harvest, and an inoreased yield of gold. Should the Government carry the noform Bill, the following measures aro to be submitted ; Electoral Act to prevent plural voting; Bills to amend local government and mining and laws to establish Government life asauranoes and annuities. The deficiency between the rovonuo actually received last year and Mr Berry's estimate amount* to L329.G08. The Age advocates the the adoption of the principal points in the Budget submitted by Mr Service in 1875. It believes that 2s per gallon on imported colonially distilled spirits would jiold LBO,OOO, besides assimilating the Victorian tariff to that of New Zealand. An excise duty on colonial tobaccos and an increased duty on imported tobacco would yield L 50,000. A duty on hosiery and the extension of the protection to a few other industries would yield LBO,OOO. The stamp tar would yield 144Q.000. The Exhibition scheme has been approved by the Government. It affords a space of 543,658 feet. The Commissioners estimate of the cost of the building at L 164,550 : management, L 51,00 0; Br°"8 r °" expenditure, L 218.735. But the Government has materially reduced the estimates on the building, excepting the inaugural ceremony. The rate of admission will be uniformly one shilling. No exhibit pan bo exhibited exoept through the Commissioner of the colony from whioh it armies, Jt is ostii mated that seven hundred thousand persons will visit the Exhibition. M'lvor W. Clarkes, agricultural chemist, considers that rust in wheat is an intermediate stage of mildew, arising generally from irrational farming. The Melbourne Chamber of Commerce and the Manufacturers' Association waited on Mr Berry, who replied that the staple products of Victoria were already well known, and therefore there would be no advantage gained by sending specimens io £he Jjjxhibitjon. IJo had declined to commit his government tq thp proposed expenditure. the Building Societies and similar institutions propose to form an association for their oommon advantage, 0. and E, Millars tender of L 70,800 has been accepted for the construction of the Murehison-Shepparton seotion of the Goulburn Valley railway— a distanoe of 31* miles. The Viotorian team again de/eatod the South Australians at football, winning four goals to one. The Wimmera Shir© ascertained that the wheat statistic* issued by the Govern* ment are inaccurate. The produce of ' their district last season was 663, 500 bushels, instead of only 335,150 bushels. The weather is colder than for the last twenty years. There bave been severe frosts and ice.

The case of Woiberg and Pearoe it now before tho City Police Oourfc. The detootivos assort that Weiborg oonfoased hi« complicity in the robbery of tho Avooa gold.