Intercolonial News.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 421, 6 March 1880, Page 22

Intercolonial News.

(PER arawata at the bluff.) Bluff, March 1.

The Arawata left Sandridge on the 25th at 5 30 p.m., and experienced light variable winds and fine weather for the first two days, thence fresh and strong head winds : made the Solanders on Ist March at 5.30 a.m., and arrived at the Bluff at 12.30 p.m._ She sails at 5 p.m. for Dunedin. She brings 51 saloon and 39 steerage passengers for all ports. VICTORIA. The Victoria election excitement is at its height. Nomination considered highly favorable to Opposition. Out of one hundred and eighty-two candidates, seventy-five are Opposition, eighty-one Ministerial, twenty-four independent or corner, and two doubtful, Murray Smith and J. Y. Frank. Two Opposition leaders are allowed walk-overs, and in eight other instances Constitutional candidates must be returned, as the Liberals only contest for one seat. The Ministry, the same way, gain four seats through no second candidate starting. .... The Reform League profess to believe they will obtain fifty-four seats. The Ministerial estimate is smaller, but still they _ seem sanguine of a majority, while enthusiastic Oppositionists believe their side will win by fifty to fifty-five seats. The Opposition hope to secure forty-six, which will give them a majority in the Assembly. Williams, candidate for Mandurang, states that Berry told him there was no possibility of carrying the plebiscite, and that he had disco vered"that the Imperial Conservative Government were unanimously opposed to his scheme of reform, and on consulting the Liberals, the leaders had told him not a Liberal pobticiau in England would give his adhesion to a plebiscite. , , The trial of the late directors and manager of the Provincial and Suburban Bank is proceeding, and the evidence discloses disgraceful laxity on the part of the authorities. . . A. T. Clarke, a pronounced Ministerialist, has announced that should Berry obtain a majority, the Melbourne Harbor Trust will be s "t h e a perm an en fc building for the Exhibition is nearly completed. A telegram from the London committee has informed the Commissioners that the total requirements of space for Great Britain, United States, France, Germany, and other foreign countries, will be 423,000 feet alto--6 The Australian Eleven have arrived. They are considered to have strengthened themselves much by the inclusion of A. Bannerman and Jarvis, the best bat in Adelaide. NEW SOUTH WALES. Parkes secured a triumphant majority on the principal clause in the Education Bill viz that the termination of denominational schools shall take place in three years. He admitted that the Bill would not have been so drastic but for attacks made by the ecclesiastical prelates on the public schools, which were the schools of the State. The Catholics hope to be sufficiently organised before next oeueral election to recover the lost position. The Land Bill has been re-committed in the Legislative Council, and a new clause added, providing that a squatter shall have official notice when any part of his run is free selected, and that no impounding rights shall accrue for two months, unless within that time the selector has fenced in his land. _ The second batch of Exhibition awards has been issued. Great Britain secured most of the prizes in medicines and surgery. The awards to the colonies are very few and Elder and Innes, of New Zealand, are both mentioned as exhibiting cod liver oil, but no award is made. New South Wales carried off the chief prizes for ale and porter ; Joseph Marshall, of Sydney, being unanimously recommended the gold medal for the best pale ale brewed in the colony. Victoria was awarded five prizes in this class, Great Britain six, Queensland four, Tasmania seven and South Australia none. New Zealand obtained the following :-M. Joel (Red Lion Brewery , Dunedin, mild ale, Ist ; Brown, Campbell, and Co. (Thames Brewery), mild ale, 2nd; Martin, Invarcargill, pale, Ist ; Pascoe and Co., Wellington, pale ale, 2nd; P. Wilson, Dunedin, pale ale, 2nd ; Vincent and Co., Canterbury, strong ale, Ist ; Speight and Co Dunedin, strong ale, 2nd ; P. Crawford, bottled stout, Ist ; Phoenix Brewery, bottled stout, 2nd. The Richmond river rose suddenly on the night of February 22nd, and all the lower portion of the tewn of Lismore was under water, and much damage was done. Some people were obliged to fly to the upper portions of their buildings, others to the Court House and Church. Boats were pulled through all the streets saving property. No lives are known to be lost as yet, but the river rose 40 feet. There is much distress in Newcastle owing to the depression in the coal trade. It is rumored that the Associated Colliery masters purpose reducing wages 25 per cent., and also to reduce the price of coal with a view of esabling them to compete with the collieries outside the association which are now underMr* Bachanan, in the Legislative Assembly, referred to Mr. McElhone as a dung-heap in human shape, but under subjection he was compelled to withdraw the expression. The population of the colony at the end or last year was 734,282, being an increase of 2263 during the half year.

NEW CALEDONIA. Advices from Noumea Btate that a violent hurricane has occurred, followed by a flood, which destroyed telegraphic communication. The gendarmes’ barracks at Noumea were wrecked, and the Artillery barracks were also damaged. The Governor has gone on a tour

through the country districts of the Island to ascertain the damage done by the cyclone, and render assistance in urgent cases. The convicts who seized the cutter Mondowai, recently, have been sentenced to death, and the others who were accessary, to serve five years in double chains. (PEE S.S. HERO AT AUCKLAND.) The population of Victoria at the end of December was 899,420. A number of roughs in Collingwood attacked the police, and endeavored to rescue a prisoner. At Carleton Morris endeavored to address a public meetiug, but the supporters of Gardiner, the rival candidate, swept the hall. Adelaide will be lighted with gas in a week's time.

(PEE ROTORUA.) NEW SOUTH WALES.

Vital statistics for the past year show a remarkable increase of population, amounting to nearly 40,000, bringing the total to nearly three quarters of a million. The increase was unparalleled even during the early goldfield days.

The Education Bill passed through committee on the 19th instant practically unaltered.

A Bill for the Suppression of Obscene Publication passed the Assembly. Duncan, Ex-Collector of Customs, has retired. Superannuation fixed by Parliament, £550 per annum. The report of the Inspector-General of Police states that fifteen policemen have been killed by bushrangers during the last sixteen years.

In an action for damages brought by Simpson, M.P., against Anderson, a squatter, for assault, damages laid at £2OOO, a verdict was given for £l5O. The evidence showed that an assault took place as sequel to a squabble at a ball.

George Trickett. an elderly and well known citizeD, charged with criminal assault on a girl under twelve, has been acquitted. It transpired that the girl was locked up on short commons before she would make the confession on which the charge was founded. Several trade societies have agreed to a proposition to bring forward Roylance, secretary to the Trade Labor Council, as a candidate for Parliament on the first opportunity. The same Council has resolved to protest against the intention of the Government to call tenders in England for iron pipes for the Nepean Water Scheme.

Dr. Dequer, physician, at Hillend, has recovered £250 damages from the proprietors of the Evening News and Town and Country Journal for slander.

JLinklater, a barrister, charged with bigamy, has been released, on his own recognizances, tbt Crown not having received from England the evidence requisite to prove the offence. The three prisoners who escaped from Garino Gaol having returned to hide in town, in consequence of the floods preventing their escape, were recaptured. The banquet to Sutherland, an ex-member, was highly successful, two hundred and fifty persons being present. In the sculling race between Solomon and Power, the former won by twelve lengths, but •was disqualified for passing inside a buoy, and the stakes were handed to Power.

The ease Sheppard, M.P., v. Dibbs, for slander, damages £IO,OOO, is proceeding. Great agitation exists in the Newcastle district, at intended reduction in wages, and a strike is not improbable if reduction is attempted. A company has been privately floated to copper mine in the Logan district ; capital, £60,000. The Government have ordered marble statues of the Queen and Prince of Wales and Australia from Signor Eontana at a cost of LIOOO each. QUEENSLAND. Graham Fenton, who published an obscene paper called the *• Pilgrim,” has been sentenced to a year’s imprisonment for forging a cheque. 'I om Carey, charged with larceny, was shot through the leg while attempting to escape by the arresting constable. The landlord of an hotel on the Eight Mile Plains fancied he heard thieves, and rose from his b d and seized a gun, which exploded, mortally wounding him in the head.

Bishop Quin s collection of £IOOO has been handed to the Central Brisbane Committee for transmission to the Mayor of Dublin.

r J he leader of the Government prospecting party wires that he has prospected after heads, the Cape and Flanders rivers, and west to Hawell river, but has found nothing payable. He has started now for the McKinley ranges to prospect, thence to Nicholson and Liechardt rivers.

A crashing of four tons at Crocodile digging, long abandoned, yielded 2 ounces 3 pennyweights per ton.

A serious fight has occurred at Townsville, between aboriginals and Kanakas, aad one of the latter was killed and four aboriginals were arrested.

The Queensland Government, at a Cabinet meeting on the 24th, determined to cable to the Premier, in London, to unite with the New Zealand Agent-General in making strong representations in reference to the landing of Communist convicts from New Caledonia.

The Marlborough Express states that in a day or two the formation of the railway embankment to the site fixed upon for the Blenheim station will be completed, and the hands engaged on the line will be able to set to work at fencing and several other necessary matters. All things considered, it does not seem probable that there will be many days to spare between the completion of the contract and the date of the expiration of the contractor’s term in April.