AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6272, 23 December 1881, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[rER f.S. KOTORUA, AT PORT CHALMERS] VICTORIA. . •: '' ! ' Mei.bourse, December 16. v,, The Minister of Railways introduced the' Railway Bill to the Assembly,, but it is not intended to proceed with it thia,session. - The' Betting Prevention Bill has been introduced,- but little progress has been made. It is sought to make betting a misdemeanour. ■ -.-..-■ -."■"• .-- ■i'.Offing to the presence of the phylloxera all the vines in the Geelong district had to be destroyed. •- ■• --» > The. old English Fayre at the Town-hall was an immense success. Visitors numbered over 10,060 S3 ailyj and hundreds were unable to get admission. The proposed amalgamation of the new Federal Bank with the Economic Bank lias fallen through. The crops in the various parts of the country reported on are looking well. NEW SOUTH WALES. Sydney, December 16. Sir H. Parkes' will transact important public business during his visit to America for the Governments of all the Australian colonies, with ths exception of Victoria. They have authorised him to use his best endeavours to secure the free admission of Australian wools into the markets of the United States. He thinks success' will crown his efforts, and hopes to induce the a merican Government to unite with New Zealand and New South Wales in subsidising the San Francisco service. .•■.,'

A testimonial is being subscribed for a memorial os T er the grave of the late Michael Fitzpatrick. QUEENSLAND. Bkisbase, December 16. General reports on'his trip over the proposed transcontinental' lide that it is a successful- country • to' , traverse,* and he found it to answer the previous description pretty closely. " . SOUTH AUSTRALIA. Adelaide, December 10. Atßaltane, a.'tent'cohtaihjng a woman and four children took fire. "One , child escaped, and the others were burned to death.