AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6296, 21 January 1882, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[FEB S.S. ALHAKBBA, AT THE BLUFF.] VICTORIA. Melbourne, January 14. Mr. Lalor, the Speaker of the House o< Assembly, is about to pay a visit of severa' weeks to New Zealand. It is stated on good authority that if th< Government cannot appoint Mr. Murrarj Smith or Mr. Francis as Agent-General, tne existing arrangement whereby Colonel Paisley represents the colony will be con' tinned. I The importation of grapes from Europe is prohibited by Order-in-Council. The reason of this step is the large quantity recently imported by one of the Orient steamers. The Government are taking step 3 for the proper representation of the colony at the Bordeaux wine show. Several exhibits are promised. A special commissioner will be probably appointedi A seaman named Barry, of the schooner Zephyr, from Greymouth, missed his hold while aloft, and fell on the deck. Death ■was instantaneous. The ship Allen Shaw, from London, arrived, and reports that a seaman fell overboard. A boat was launched, and proceeded in search. The boat filled and disappeared. The second officer clung to the boat, but a seaman -who accompanied him also was drowned. The Hon. James Henty, M.L.C., one of the oldest pioneers of the colony, died suddenly on the morning of the 12th of apoplexy. He rose as usual, and entered notes in his diary, and was found shortly afterwards lying across his bed quite dead. He was buried to-day in the cemetery at Kew. At a special meeting of the Melbourne Cricket Club, the proposal of the Hon. Ivo Bligh to bring ouc a mixed amateur-profes-sional team was unanimously adopted. The committee of the club were empowered to make all the necessary arrangements. The recent action of the Commissioner of Railways stopping free passes is unfavourably commented on in the Press. It is a3knowledged that the system has been much abused by many, but the passes are stopped in cases likely to cause annoyance, and unfavourably comments on other colonies. The report of the Board on the storage of explosives advise the newly-invented explosives are not to be permitted to enter the colony until they are reported on by an expert. They consider that glycerine compounds should be stored below the surface oi the ground. The committee of the Melbourne Hospital adopted the report of Dr. Miller, declaring an Tl- 4.U-4- iU -

liospital is saturated with eryispelas is much ixaggerated; nevertheless, it is decided to iold an inquiry into the general question of ;he sanitary condition of the luilding. Steps are about to be taken to deepen the South Channel, owing to the difficulty with .vhich the largest-sized steamers enter Port Phillip. The Nelson is unable to visit Meljourne, owing to the shallow water. The .wo last outgoing mail steamers lost several lours from the same cause. The Khedive, with the English mails, enlountered severe weather in the Bay of 3iscay. Hence she arrived after contract lime for the mails for New Zealand to go 'orward by the Alliambra. NEW SOUTH WALES. Syd.n-ky, January 11. The s.s. Garonne arrived on the 12th with about a hundred passengers. Every precaution is taken at the quarantine. No fresh cases. It is expected they will be released in a fortnight. The Russian cruisers left to-day for Hobart, thence to Melbourne. Sir John Robertson was elected forMudgee unopposed. He met with an enthusiastic reception, and triumphant arches were erected iu the streets. The heat at Albany during the week lias been intense, greater than ever before experienced. Rain has fallen at Wileannia, where the heat also was excessive. The Herald special reporter visited the Hanging Rock, and records that there is nothing further to report. The rich yield recently obtained is from the smaller patch, about an acre in extent. Much prospecting is being carried on. A regatta under the auspices of the Russian Admiral took place on the 10th. The Russian sailors won every contest except one. The Wolverene was formally handed over to the Government of New South Wales as a gift from the Home Government. The railway returns for the past year are published. The net income exceeded the expenses by £673,000. The public debt incurred for all purposes is £14,5D7,000. The railways yielded an excess on the working expenses equal almost to the entire interest on the debt of the colony. QUEENSLAND. Brisbane, January 14. The Government telegraphed the AgentGeneral instructions re immigration that the vote was increased to £10,000 annually. They are also endeavouring to arrange with the British India Company for an additional vessel. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. Adelaide, January 14. The first case of small-pox occurred at the quarantine ground on Torrens Island. Johnston, a steerage passenger, after sickening three days, developed the disease. The guard round the island is doubled. WESTERN AUSTRALIA. Perth, January 14. It is stated that Joubert is in treaty with the Government to construct a narrow gauge line to Albany on a land grant of two millions of acres.