AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6214, 17 October 1881, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

[PER S.S. ROTOMAHANA, AT THE BLUFF.] VICTORIA. Melbourne, October 12. The Evening Mail, issued by the Argus proprietary, is to be a id paper. The Evening World, new paper, also comes out this month. It is owned by the Punch proprietary. In response to the appeal of the Bishop, a number of handsome donations were made in aid ot the Anglican Cathedral Fund. Joseph Clarke and Henrv Miller each contributed £500. The Government are making good progress with the public business. The several Bills promised at the commencement of the session have been introduced. Mr. Alderman Ham has been unanimously elected Mayor of Melbourne. It has transpired that the stock tax has caused a loss to the railway revenue of £40,000, and the amount collected scarcely counterbalances the loss. At the sale of English frozen game grouse fetched 15s a brace, capons 12s 6d each. Mr. Pippin, wife of a selector, and two daughters were drowned by the upsetting of a dray in the creek near Kerangi. Signor Giamona was fined £5 and seven guineas costs for assaulting Alfred Moul, the musician and critic for the Age, for a criticism on Giamona's mass.

Forty-four claims to compensation in connection with the late railway aeeident received already have been amicably settled. Rain is still much wanted. The slight fall being insufficient. Two forged Crown grants have been issued, upon which £1100 were obtained. Sir B. O'Loghlen, in explaining to the House the manner the Government proposed to spend the four million loan, said two million three-quarters would be available for new railways. He estimated to construct about 400 miles of light lines or tramways, and 250 miles of main lines, or 650 miles altogether. About £300,000 would be required for new school buildings, and £25,000 for additional water supply for Melbourne, varying from 40,000,000 to 50,000,000 gallons per day additional to that already available—£2oo,ooo in the Law Courts and Parliament Buildings. These were the main items, the others consisting of £300,000 for waterworks in country districts, and various harbour works, according to Sir J. Coode's report. In connection with the forgery of the Crown grants, the work was very cleverly imitated, almost perfect. The author is said to be a clerk recently in a solicitor's office in the borough, named Hoskins. He left the colony some months ago. His death has since been reported in the Indian papers, but it is disbelieved. The second officer of the Cardigan Castle having died at sea from a case of supposed small-pox, the vessel was quarantined, but as all the necessary precautions were taken she was soon released. Two miners, Davey and Handrey, were killed in the Catherine Reef mine, Eaglehawk, by the breaking of the rope, which had been in constant use for three years. Both men were frightfully mutilated. The recent rain may have effected the saving cf late sown crops, but in many instances the early sown crops have been ruined. About a hundred and fifty horses are now in active training at Kensington. Sir Modred, Somnus, Idalium, and Hilarious are all doing well. The Hon. W. Campbell shortly proceeds to Europe. This creates a vacancy in the Council. A new line of steamers started to trade between Australia and Bordeaux. Precursor's, pioneer of the line, is expected in a few days.

NEW SOUTH WALES. Sydney, October 12. Cases of small pox continue to be reported from various suburbs, said to be due to the fact of so many persons being uuvaccinated. The Chinese Restriction Bill has passed. It limits the number of Chinese arriving in the colony by sea to one for every hundred of the ship's burden. In the new Licensing Amendment Bill the Assembly limited the honrs for the opening and closing of public houses, the latest hour eleven at night. A number of Australian bishops and Church dignitaries assembled for the meeting of the Anglican Church Synod. The Bishops of Sydney, Adelaide, Tasmania, and Grafton were absent. Seven bishops, however, were present. A correspondent states that Skutliorpe asserts that he has the diary of Leichardt, containing full particulars of all his transactions. He also has Classen's diary. Classen, he states, lived three years with the blacks, and three times attemped to escape, but was captured and flogged. Skutliorpe declares that he was taken to Classen's grave by the natives, and describes the skeleton of a man with a long black beard under a tree on which is an inscribed word. He dug, and found the box containing the relics. The Government promised to entertain Skuthorpe's claim only if bonajldc, and proved by competent persons. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. Adelaide, October 12. A man named Clarke and two sons were found dead in bed at Millieent. Clarke is ascertained to have murdered his two boys, and then committed suicide, no doubt in a state of madness. Rain will be a great advantage, especially in the northern area.