AUSTRALIAA NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIV, Issue 4902, 2 August 1877, Page 3

AUSTRALIAA NEWS.

[from papers to the 27tii ult.] A STATEMENT has been made in the Victorian Assembly to the effect that the loss incurred during the last live years in the working of the national railways is over a million sterling. It is reported that at last a genuine salmon has been caught in the Derwent Liiver, sent to Victoria, cooked and eaten at the Victoria Club, Melbourne, and declared to have, all the flavour and colour of the salmon. Twelve hundred immigrants are expected to arrive at Adelaide before November. Further exploration is contemplated in South Australia. Mr. Barclay, uaval officer, recently arrived, has been engaged to take charge of a party to explore the country from Alice Springs towards Queensland, and is to start in a week. A Chinaman has been robbed and murdered near Byerstown, Queensland. Mr. Cracknell carried out a series of torpedo experiments in ?'ioretou Bay. The South Australia , ! portion of the telegraph line, from Adelaide to Western Australia, is completed to Eucla. When the whole line is finished to King George's Sound we shall have telegraphic mail news by the V. and 0. steamers four or live clays earlier than at present. Great objections are being raised in Melbourne against the proposed railway through the city and the Botanical Gardens. Two children, named Walker, have been burned to death at Adelaide. They be longed to a man working on the Burra and Hallett Railway. The extensive carrying firm of William McTuUoeh and Co., Melbourne, lias been dissolved and re-modelled. It is said that the retiring partners received £100,000. Alexander Symons, late chief officer of the steamer Somerset, committed for trial recently on a charge of having murdered a Chinaman, has been released on bail. Tlio discovery of a rich lode- of copper is reported from Bingora. It is said to be five feet -witlo. £500 lias been received from Mr. T. ("J. Waterhouse, in England, towards the Prince Alfred College. A tire occurred early this morning at Ilotham, on the premises of Messrs. Liddicoot and Lott, furniture dealers. The property ia insured for £400 in the New Zealaud Office, and £200 in the Victoria. An unpleasant fact has been mentioned, that lunacy is on the increase in New South Wales out of proportion with the increase of population. The present average number is 1 in 350. A new loan -will probably be proposed by the \ ictorian Government shortly for defences and railway purposes. Spark has beeu scratched for the Melbourne Cup. The Government have accepted the tender of the PhcFiiix Foundry Company at Ballarat for seven heavy goods engines, at £24,010. There is an increase in the Queensland railway receipts for the half-year of over £22.000. The motion for a bonus of .£IO.OOO for tho discovery of coal has been carried in the South Australian Assembly. Sir William Jervois has left Melbourne for Sydney. His report on the defences will be laid on the table of the Howe. He recommends two forts, with torpedoes, near the entrance to Port Phillip, the outer anchorage and passage to ho defended by two laud batteries ; the Cerberus to act with the forts for the protection of the channel ; any posBible attack from Western Port to be met by a field force. The naval and military forces to bo maintained as follows : Permanent artillery, 200, officers and men ; naval reserve, 200; volunteer garrison artillery, 200 ; torpedo and signal corps, 100 ; field force, 2000 ; the Cerberus, 100 officers and men.' This in times of war; a reduced establishment in time of peace. Ho recommends a swift gnn-vessel to take the place of tho Victoria. The total land force should be 2700, for which there is to be a staff of thirty-five officers; and instructors are to be provided. The total cost is £350,000, and the annual expenditure €73,000.