AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIV, Issue 4899, 30 July 1877, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[from papers to the 16th inst.] Me. Barclay, a naval officer, recently arrived at Adelaide, has been engaged to take charge Jot a party to explore the. country from Alice Springs towards Queensland. Ho starts in a week. The Annie 11. Smith arrived at Sydney from New York, with 350 immigrants. Fifty cases of scarlet fever and three deaths occurred during the voyage. A successful trial has been made by the New South Wales Railway Department with gas on the railways. The Brisbane -Marine Board inquiry into the wreck of the Banda to tlie east of Brampton Shoals, found that Captain Slattery committed an error of judgment in shaping a course so far westerly, but returned his certificate, and exprsssed a favourable opinion of his conduct in remaining by the pinnace, and reaching the Queensland coast without loss of life. The loss of the ship was attributed, in some degree, to neglect of duty by the look-out man in leaving hia post without being relieved, and the Board blamed the second mate for allowing him to do so.

A Hongkong telegram, received at Melbourne, states that the steamer Ocean sails on the 23d for the colonies. The exports of teas to the colonies up to date, amounted to 0.47G,0001b5. 'Che second crop is equal in quality to that of last year. William Briefly, a Sydney butcher, was fined £30, or three months' imprisonment, for offering putrid meat for sale. It is the intention of tho Victorian Government to light railway carriages with gas a3 soon aa arrangements can be made.

A girl named Clara Clark, while baking at Gulgong, was severely burnt, through her dress catching lire.

The Victorian Government have under consideration a reduction of the inland telegraph rates to one-half of what they are now.

A mo.u named Dogherty, overseer for the Sydney Corporation, was drowned iu a sewer at Chipnndale during a storm, and another man, named Knealley, was also drowned in a sewer at Itcdfern.

In tlie New South Wales Parliament, on the motion for the reception of the resolutien.j of the committee on tlie defences of the colony, Mr. Greville moved iu the Assembly as a contingent resolution—" That the expense involved in carrying out the resolutions, and other expenses connected with the naval and military defence, be defrayed by a property tax." Mr. Greville's motion was negatived after a brief debate, and a resolution was carried to increase the Government artillery to three batteries. On the resolution that immediate steps be taken to. order an ironclad, Mr. Garrett moved an amendment that arrangements be made with the British Government for tho loan of an ironclad, to be maintained at the expense of tho colony. After a debate, tlie resolution as amended was carried by 18 to 16. The Government have telegraphed home for torpedo material sufficient lor the effective defence of Sydney and Newcastle. '

A bill has been introduced into the South Australian Parliament, authorising the construction of a new dock at Port Adelaide. An effort was made in the Adelaide As■■emiiiy to give another £1000 to the wid&w the ],ite Judge Wearing, but the motion was negatived. ofT^, dr ! dfier F illun e a raised 24,000 yardß sut last month. Epee . cll of t h° Governor of Tasmania f in _, .°j : " J " ln g of Parliament stated that the unaucial measures submitted to the late a mlfrc 611 ! 8 . uoul <*> 1)0 submitted again in sot™., - f° r ni. A liberal public works trniln i' B P romis «d, and bills are to be inaltering ti ? t alneud r th ° rninin S lliwa ' for Genpn'i V"' mro °/ office of the Afctorneyamentln'w Tu Hospital Boards, u *^ 8 .. Pn0l, ° Sohool s -^ ct . and for Th.. r-f,'?-' lon °f t ' la , Post-office laws. Ti n "' a ' ,n « ni «palitios, and th-. at 'rv P: "' !la ' nentar y ward system a g»tn broughr'forward. t0 b °