AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 4483, 27 March 1876, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

' : " ' MELBOURNE, March 107' The bu'lding' trades have resolved to have a Saturday half-holiday, without any reduction in pay or lengthening of hours.—The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly refrained from issuing warrant in M'Kean's case until late in the afternoon, hoping that he would surrender. The case was brought before the House last night. Between one and two o'clock this morning tho Assembly decided that Mr. M 'Kean be kept in custody. He offered a sort of apology, but it was not sufficient. The Opposition endeavoured to obtain his discharge without payment of the usual fees, but the majority negatived the proposition. M'Kean. was therefore locked up in one of the rooms of the House. Mr. M'Kean is being comfortably housed in tho Parliament Buildings, and to-day he received a sort of levee of his friends. It is the ganeral opinion that the House shoved not remit the fines in his case. March 13. Mr. John Richardson, member for Geelong, died yesterday. He arrived in the colony in 1549. Having poisoned himself, he was taken to the hospital, where he died immediately.—ln the afternoon a child of two years of age died from drinking sulphuric acid.—A man named Harry Denzerhas been arrested for the murder of one Holingworth, at Sandhurst. The man was missed on the 9th, and the body was found in a deep hole. It had a wound in the forehead. An nquest is to be held to-day. A notice of motion has been given in the National Beform League that steps be taken throughout the colony to obtain signatures to a monster petition to the Queen requesting Her Majesty to recall the Governor for the action he has taken in supporting the M'Culloch Government. The sale*of horses to-day was not a success. Only Irish Stew sold, for £135 ; Goldsbrough was bought in at £2500, Melbourne at £SSO, Bichmond at £3000, and Stookbridge at £450. A shocking accident occurred at Inglewood. Three men were driving a young colt, which bolted. One was killed, one very severely injured, and the third slightly. The Sumatra will be released from quarantine to-morrow morning at 5. It is rumoured that Sir C. Gavan Duffy is likely to stand for Geelong East. March 14. A meeting of the Rifle Association was held, to take steps for co-ope-rating with the New South Wales Association, in sending a team of riflemen to Philadelphia, and perhaps to 'Wimbledon. Several ef the best small-bore shots m the colony expressed their ti lllingness to go, if selected. It was stated that about £2000 would be required to meet the expenses, and it was resolved to ask the Government for aid. A meeting on the subject will be convened by the Mayor. It has been suggested that two members of the team should be selected from New Zealand. The resignation of Sir Eedmond Barry, as Chancellor of the University, has been deferred to.the end of May, when the annual elections take place. The Assembly to-day adjourned after meeting, and without dealing with Mr. McKean's case. Mr. Brough Smyth to-day read a long statement setting forth that in all he had done he had been solely actuated by the interests of the public service. - After he had been partly examined in his defence the Board adjourned till next day. A base coin manufactory has been discovery at the rear of the Colonial Bank Hotel, in Little Collinsstreet. A man named Edward Raynor was arrested. The Sumatra was detained in quarantine for some reason till the evening, . and then released. 11 p.m.

The cause of the Sumatra's detention was a case o£ sickness, which proved only to be acute rheumatism, and not small-pox as suspected, and the vessel was released on the

chief medical officer going down. The passengers were landed to-night. SIDNEY, March 15. The Sydney Morning Herald, referring to the death of Mr. Justice Cheeke, says :— Mr. Justice Cheeke was the son of Mr. John Mo-ley Gilbert Cheeke, J.P., of Worcestershire, and he was boru at Evesham, in that connty, in the year ISII. Having the prospect of preferment in this colony, ho came here in the year 1537. On the 22nd June, ISCS, Mr. Cheeke was elevated to the position of Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court, which he occupied until the close of his life. Mr. Cheeke has held office in this country for the long period of thirty-five years. BRISBANE, March 14. J. Archibald Martin died in the hospital at Toowoomba, to-day, having been stabbed with a knife by John Wenzell. The murderer was arrested. The tin received from Warn Ickamounts to S9 tons. It is understood that Messrs. Anderson and Co., of the Oriental Line, have obtained a contract for six years for the conveyance of emigrants to Queensland. The Queensland National Bank meeting will take place on the 4th April, and the directors suggest an increase of the capital to £1,0CD,000, by the issuo of 50,000 shares at £10 each. Eight hundred Chinese arrived from Hongkong, ex City of Exeter amlNoumea. The rate of carriage isfalling ; j>rovisions are plentiful on the fields. Many new claims have been taken up. ADELAIDE, March 14. The report of the National Marine Insurance Company shews a loss of £9GO for the half year. It is rumoured that Mr. Way is to be the new Chief Justice. Nathaniel Hales, as plaintiff in the blackmail scandal, claims £4000 from Mr. James White, M.P., for a breach of the Frauds at Auction Act. YOUNG, March 14. Great excitement prevails here in consequence of the verdict of the Coroner's jury yesterday evening in the case of Eliza Jane Davis, deceased. The verdict of the jury was, "that Eliza Jane Davis died at the Threemile, on the 11th March instant, from asphyxia, caused by her taking a dose of medicine prescribed by Dr. Heeley, of Young, and containing carbolic acid and prussic acid in too concentrated a form; and we further say that he is guilty of malpractice and manslaughter, caused through gross negligence." The coroner (Mr. Armstrong) committed Dr. Heeley to' take' his trial at the next Circuit Court, Yass, admitting him, in the meanwhile, to bail in his own recognizances.