AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XV, Issue 5063, 7 February 1878, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[Frlo:>i r.-.i'EKS to rue olsr jA.su/-i:y.] Fur.Tiirr. j particulars of the murder by the blacks .-it .Somerset, Eta to that a Malay labourer, -who was asleep outside, was awakened by her.riug blows of a tomahawk, lie hurried icto the hur, ami found it filled with ualivcs. lie forced his way out with a knife after being severely wounded, and at night swam to the liihiug station. Popular feeling ia Victoria appears to be opposed to the introduction of a s> stem of restrictive .Sunday ti ailing which has recently been attempted to be enforced. The .Attorney - General of New South Wales has eiuifed a nolk- p,-o<i"jui to be entered in the case of Kegma -ea-titu Professor Wells, the aeronaut, committed for trial for negligence during the recent balloon ascent, by which a iaa:: Hr.rding died froui injuries received. The Sydney City Council have decided to expand i'J.jOu in j.'l:u;tiug trees ia streets of the city. The Sydm y l'.uis Exhibition commissioners have purchased aud shipped goods to the Villus of .C2JOO, and are negotiating further ijuriiha-.vs of gold specimens. Laycock declines to rev.- against Tiiekttt in the outrigger race at the forthcoming anniversary Rfgatta. 'J'riekett will therefore have a walk over. A man, named Ftr.nk Siddons, aged (iU years, has escaped from Harcourt's private Lunatic Asylum, Victoria. He has not yet been recaptured. The Mercantile Banking Company hae declared a dividend at the rate of 12A per cent, per anuum, aud carried forward £13,592.

The manifesto of the New South Wales Political Reform Association embraces the following objects :—Anti-immigration, protection, land law, and electoral reform, and the development of the mineral resources of the colony. The remains of a ir.an, name unknown, have b"ien found, on the banks of the Maranoa River, Queensland. He apparently perished for want of water. The Sydney Sugar Company have reduced their prices £1 to £2 per ton. The dry weather still prevails throughout the Liverpool Plains aud Gwydir districts, and great distress is felt. Kennedy, one of lieu Hall's gang, has been released from gaol, after serving 11 years. Advices from Hongkong state that the four Mariana Maud women picked up at sea some time ago have safely returned to their island home. In the Now South Wales Legislative Assembly the Estimates have been laid upon the table of the House. They include the sum of £70,000 for immigration purposes. The Sydney Trades and Labour Council intend to hold ail auti-immigration meeting shortly. •The Government of Victoria have called for teudtrs for the construction of 100 torpedo casce to defend the channel, somewhat on the plan suggested by Sir William Jervois. As forts canuot bo constructed, the Cerberus mutt be relied upon to protect the torpedoes. The offer of Mr. "Walker to transport the heavy guus to QuecuscUff, and mount them there was also approved. The Nelson is to be taken into dock, cut down, and converted into a frigate, to act in concert with the Cerberus. 'L'ho Victoria will be transferred from the Outturns department to tliß Treasurer's, and will be placed under the command of Captain itlandeville. No more war multri'd will bs ordered from Eugland until some information lias been received as to the proceedings in the war question of the Imperial Parliament,