SYDNEY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume III, Issue 685, 24 January 1866, Page 5

SYDNEY.

the barque Kate left Sydney on llie wight of the 13tli inst., the arrival of the lglish llla i' l'lid not been telegraphed from Adelaide. The day for the Prince Alfred's sailing from Sydney would be the 16th, but allowing that she waited until the 17th, there would bo just possible only that she could bring the mail. We may therefore make up our minds to a repetition of the annoying delays in the receipt of the English mail which the ncgligenc and incompetency of the P. and O. Company have for some time past inflicted upon the whole of the Australian colonies. The Governments of Adelaide and Melbourne have, we see, taken the matter in hand, and are seeking redress. "We learn from the Sydney Mail of the 13th inst. that " the Peninsular and Oriental Com- " pany's defence to the Home authorities " against the complaints of the Australian " colonies, for the delays in the delivery of " our mails, is published, with Mr. Card- '' well's despatch on the subject. The Company's defence is to the effect that the Com- " pany's boats perform the service at moderate " cost, which does not justify the employ- " mcut of their largest ships. "With re- " ference to the threat of the Victorian Government that the contract will be tcrinitiated unless better conducted, the Company say they can offer no better " guarantee than theirpresent performance." The country, it would seem, is still suffering from the effects of drought, and the accompanying evils of bush fires. It is probable, however, that the rains of the last few days have been also experienced iu the Australian colonics. Priday, the 12th inst., was set apart by vice-regal proclamation as a day of lasting, and prayer for rain. The grand <>vent at Melbourne has been the Champion Race " which took place on the Ist inst. A New South Wales horse, Tarragon, has been the victor. The N.S.W. Ministry has been reconstructed since our last advices. Mr. Samuel, the treasurer, as our readers were aware had resigned. The Ministry has reconstructed as follows :—Colonial Secretary and Premier, Mr. Cowper : Secretary for Lands, Mr. Robertson , Public Works, Mr. Smart; Treasurer, Mr. Burdekin ; At-torney-General, Mr. Plunkctt. Speaking of the present position of the IVew South Wales Cabinet the Herald of the 13th instant says-.—"Mr. J. 11. Plunkctt, Q.C., returned to Sydney, from Melbourne, by '"* the steamer, on Sunday morning last. On " his arrival, it is understood that lie heard, " for the first time, that Mr. Marshall Burdekin had been appointed Treasurer by " Mr. Cooper, and immediately resigned his " position as Attorney-General in C0U8C- "" quence. He consented however to retain •' office until a successor should be appointed, " and also stated that he would bo happy to " use his influence as a member of the Logis- " lative Council, in assisting to pass the " financial measures of the Government. "On Tuesday, when Ml*. Cooper brought " forward the usual motion, declaring Mr. " Burdckin's seat vacant, the motion " was amended by Mr. Parke's moving " the addition of the following words to the ordinary motion: — 'In declaring " such vacancy, the House feels it to be " its duty to express its entire disapproval '' of Mr. Burdckin's appointment. That an '' address, embodying this resolution, bo prc- " sented to his Excellency the Governor.' After a smart debate, the amendment was " carried (against the Ministry) by a majo- " rity of 25 to 11. The House adjourned at an early hour until "Wednesday. OnWed- " nesday the Assembly again met, when Mr. " Cowper —the formal motions having been disposed of—moved that the Iloasc do " ad journ until the following Tuesday, de- " claring it to be the desire of his Excellency " that he should have such a time allowed " him for considering the present state of " affairs. An animated debate ensued, but " the ad journment moved for was eventually " carried. It is expected that on Tuesday " ;-o-xt Mr. Cowper will resign, or else that " a dissolution must take place." The Assembly has been again adjourned, upon which the Herald makes the following remarks : —" The Assembly stands " adjourned once more. The present " session was happily characterised by " one hon. member as the session of adjournments. Mr. Cowper told the " House on Wednesday, that in consequence " of Mr. Parkes' motion on the previous " evening, he had had a long talk with his " Excellency, and that the result was " that the Governor asked for time to con- " sider his course, and therefore he moved "an adjournment to Tuesda}'. There was " an unmistakable implication in the an- " nouncement, but there was no clear state- " ment. Accordingly there was a somewhat " vague debate till Mr. Martin catechised " Mr. Cowper, and drew from him, by re- " pcatcd questions, a confession that he had " advised a dissolution ; on getting which " information Mr. Martin and Mr. Parkes " both professed their readiness to adjourn. " But even then, Mr. Eorster and Mr. " Isaacs, and one or two others, objected to " adjourning for more than a day, and a " further rambling debate ensued, till Mr. " Martin again catechised Mr. Cowper, and " drew from him an intimation that it was " the Governor's suggestion that the House " should adjourn to Tuesday. Upon this " the adjournment was agreed to by a large " majority, but not till some hon. members " had expressed their opinion that a dissolu- " tion was not desirable just now. " This is equivalent to saying that a " resignation is desirable, because one or " other of the two courses is now inevitable. " Mr. Cowper cannot retract his words, and " it the Governor declines to dissolve, the " Ministry must resign." The new treasurer, Mr. Burdekin, has stepped into the unusual and delightful position for a Colonial Treasurer, that of being able to announce a surplus of £20,000 instead of a deficiency. It- would seem that the Government are about to carry a return to the ad valorem system, the working of which is to be limited to one year. The new taxes, the package duty and the stamp duty, have not it appears returned anything like the amount anticipated from them for the last quarter, the former raised a sum of i£31,2G9, and the latter a sum of £33,700. The market reports and telegrams, and other extracts of interest, will bo found elsewhere. It will be seen that a man named j McEucroe lias given himself up as the in- ! cendiary who fired St, Mary's Cathedral.

Cobomandei..—By the arrival of thoTasmanian Maid, last evening, we learn that all the Irame work and stamping apparatus in the Kapaiiga claim is finished, and they are only awaiting the arrival of the shaft. Also that on the 22nd inst., gold was struck ill the main shaft, which afterwards proved to be a rich leader (said to be the finest vet found) at a depth of 220 feet below the surface ; the leader runs north and south. Loss of the Mission Bbig John Weslkv.—ll will be seen, by reference to our shipping columns, that this vessel, so well known in Auckland, has been wrecked on the Tau reef, about IS miles from Nukualofa, in Tongatabu, having been carried on the reef by a current caused by an earthquake. Messrs. Ridings and Dowden will sell today a large consignment of Jennings white wine vinegar, the product of vinous fermentation, warranted pure and free from any deleterious ingredients, also a large quantity of spiccd vinegar for pickles or salads, also, .'l:3 firkins of fine dairy or table salt. CoitoxKit's Inquest.—An inquest was held yesterday, in Mount Fden Gaol, on the body of Jennie Finney, a female prisoner, who died on Sunday night last. It had been alleged that the prisoner was struck on the breast by another woman, also a prisoner, the deceased being very near confinement. The inquiry presents some peculiar features, and will be found at length in another column. The jury returned the following verdict:—"That the deceased died from a disease called 'pj-emia,' or puss in the blood." It was stated as previously rumoured, that the deceased had been struck in the breast by a female prisoner, believed to he insane, and the jury recommended that tbis person should removed to proper ! custody. | Messrs. Ti'hhkll ami Toxics will offer for public competition, this day, at noon, 50 bags prime potatoes, '/ bags fine onions, aud 50 empty bags. Accidents. —Yesterday afternoon about three o'clock a man of the name of ,John Fitzpatriek met with an accident which luckily did not result iu any sesious injury. He was employed at the now brick°buildings in Shortland-strect, hoisting plaster in a bucket, by means of a block and tackle, and being unden the influence of 1 drink he let go the rope and down came the bucket on his head, luckily doing no further injury- than cutting the skin and drawing a little sanguimuy lluid. About the same time in Queen-street, at the bottom of Wyndham-street, a youth named Matthews fell down in a lit, cutting his face very much. He was carried into the shop of Mr. Scott, bootmaker, and after the usual remedies had been applied he recovered sufficiently to be taken home in a cab. Olu> Fkm.ows.—The usual monthly meeting of the Auckland District Independent Order of Odd Fellows will be held iu the Loyal Good Intent Lodge Boom, on Thursday evening next, at seven o'clock. Auckland Disvensaky.—The annual general meeting of the subscribers of the Auckland Dispensary will be held on Thursday, the 25th instant, at 4 o'clock, p.m., in the committee rooms, Mechanics' Institute. Flagstaff Wiiait l* .—Messrs. Holmes will receive tenders until noon of Thursday, the 2olh instant, from persons willing to supply the necessary timber for the extension of the above wharf. Auckland Hic.n School. —The fourth session of this school will commence on Monday, the sth February. Waitemata Steam Fmtnv Company.— An extraordinary meeting of the shareholders of this Company will be held on Thursday, the Ist February. St. Axivp.f.w's Ciruncn.—Attendance will he given at this Church this evening, from halfpast eight to nine o'clock, and on Saturday evening from seven to nine, to receive payment of seat rents for the current half-year. Besipent Magistrate's Court.—The' only business done yesterday in the Resident Magistrate'siCourt was the hearing of a few civil eases. They were all of a common-place description not calling for any special notice except the case of Blierrans v. Grant. In this case plantifl" sued for £15, the value of a horse sold by plantill'to defendant. Defendant pleaded that "the plaintiff had sold the horse as agent for one Bosa Mulgrove, and that he had paid the money to her for the horse. A nonsuit was recorded in this ease.