AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5483, 13 June 1879, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[PER S.S. ' EOTOEUA.' TO JUNE 7.] new south wales.

The Working-men's Defence Association, at an open-air meeting, adopted a congratulatory address to Mr. Graham Berry.

At the Intercolonial Eight-oar Eace the weather was unfavourable. The Melbourne crew was unased to rough water, and one caught a crab where it was the roughest. They pulled gamely to the finish, the Sydney crew winning by six lengths.

Colonel Georga Brown, late of the SSth Begiment, was committed for trial on issuing valueless cheques. He had previous convictions against him, and was a habitual swindler.

A woman, 70 years of age, fell into the fire at Merrina, and was literally roasted to death.

A girl, aged 4, fell into a pot of boiling soup, and died from the effects.

The tramway from the railway terminus to the centre of the city is progressing slowly in consequence of the rains.

The American Congress ha 9 voted 20 090 dollars, and appointed a Commission in cannection with the Sydney Exhibition.

A youth named Veck, at Wallerawang, fell over the cliff, 20 feet, in the dark. He was found the third day after the accident, senseless. He had dragged himself over a bulldog ant's nest after fulling, and was terribly stung. He dM not recoyer. An Intercolonial Cricket Match will be played at Sydney during the Kxhibition. At a meeting of the Cricket Association to consider Lord fl.irris'3 letter, among the speakers were Mr. Driver, a member of the Assembly, and Sir George Innes. Expressions of regret at tha disturbance were repeated, but the disingenuousness of Lord Harris's letter was severely referred to. A strong, temperate letter to the London Daily Telegraph was read, and adopted. Proposals have since been made to cable the wholo letter to London, by a public subscription. Renewed interest is being taken in the question of the shipment of meat to England. A meeting of influential gentlemen appointed a committee to investigate the best available methods.

The Premier has given notica to introduce a Bill to prevent the Influx of Criminals from New Caledonia. SOUTH AUSTRALIA.. In the Assembly Mr. Ross moved an amendment to the Address,■condemning the Ministerial arrangements and the recent sale of bonds in London. He charged the Government with engendering the opinion that they only harrowed to pay interest. Also for not making known, except to a ring of select stockbrokers, that the Government could not borrow any more money till December. Mr. Mann (Treasurer) replied. He strongly denied the last assertion, and shewed, by quoting telegraphic despatches, that the Government had exhausted all expedients before floating the loan. He said the Goverumenthad twice applied to the Bank of England for a temporary advance, and had the whole of the South Australian business in England to a leading bank if they would give the necessary advances, but neither bank was able to advance owing to the great demand for money. He concluded by stating that he had almost completed arrangements with the banks doing business in Adelaide to give the necessary advances until May. The Quakers have petitioned the Assembly in respect to the discontinuance of drill in the public echools, as being opposed to the . principles of Christianity. Captain Swann, of the barque Annie Maine, from San Francisco, was fined £20 to-day, for assaulting the steward of the vessel. He was also ordered to pay a fine for keeping prosecutor short of provisions, and prosecutor was released from serving on the vessel, as he swore that he was in danger of his life. The will of the late George Fife Angas has been proved under £543,000. W. H. Harris, auctioneer of Strathalbyn, was to-day sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for forging bank guarantees. VICTORIA. The Reform League is arranging a banquet of welcome to Mr. Graham Berry, and a celebration of the "success of the Embassy to England." Mr. Berry will subsequently deliver a lecture detailing the history of the Embassy. The new platform of the Reform League includes a progressive land-tar, letting all Crown lands upon equitable terms, the readjustment and re-letting of pastoral lands for adequate rent, the re-adjustment, and where necessary extension, of the present protective policy, electoral reform, the abolition of plurality of votes, making voting compulsory, the establishment of a national bank of issue, the payment of members, and the furtherance of the mining interests of the country. Thomas Abbott, formerly in the Education Office, at a salary of £400, but amongst the Black Wednesday victims, died from the effects of an overdose of opium taken medicinally. The Exhibition Commission has declined to entertain applications for space beyond October. It is probable that the Juvenile Industrial Exhibition will be held in one of the annexes of the Exhibition Building, if finished in time.

The trade of Victoria for the five first months, 1879, represented in round numbers about £11 per head, while that of New South Wales represented about £10. Information respecting the Kelly gang has been brought to Mansfield that the gang are in Puzzle Ranges, some 20 miles from Mansfield, and a strong party of police went off on Monday. They are said to have come on Kelly's camp, and found two saddles and other trappings. Further informatioa which may lead to their capture, has been brought in to the police. Sub-Inspector .fowtress and other members of the force are said to be on a good sceat, and their return ia anxiously looked for. All the facts point strongly to the surmise that the gang have not beon many milos out of the district, and other circumstances affording strong proof of this have been given to the police which it is not deemed advisable to make known at present. QUEENSLAND. The meagreness of the refreshments provided by the Governor at the Queen's Birthday ball was severely commented on. A correspondent in the Brisbane Courier, on the Governor's part, retorts that the ball was not obligatory, and won't be given again. All the previous Governors gave these balls and provided handsomely. The treasurer's financial statement proposes large reductions in the Police, Treasury, Lands, and Mines Departments. By repealing the clauses in the Western Kailway Act to recover for revenue purposes, £122,000. The estimated revenue is £1,655,000; surplua, £51,450. The Governmcntpropose a new loan of £3,000,000. Of the distribution, £100,000 will be devoted to immigration ; £150,000 to the construction of main railways; £300,000 for branch railways; £40,000 for telegraph extension ; for works previously authorised, £560,000. The Treasurer said an enterprising polioy of public works was not imoompatible with the strictest departmental economy. Mr. Davenport, a junior member, challenged Mr. Groom, the senior member for Toowoomba, to resign and test the public feeling. Hβ alleges that both were elected to support the Government. Mr. Groom is in op-

position because ho was refused a portfolio. -

The poHce dismissals are expected to save £15,000 annually. An investigation into the escape of Jeffroy, a French convict, recently re-captured, from gaol, shews that the prisoner accomplished it with the aid of a stipk and a piece of iron ; that while he was. locked in the cell he reached through the grating over the door, and undid the' padlock on the ontside. In the presence of the SheriOf and others he succeeded in releasing himaelf from his cell in half-an-hour after being locked up.