Intercolonial News.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 422, 13 March 1880, Page 22

Intercolonial News.

(PER RINGAROOMA AT THE BLUFF.)

(T7NITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.) VICTORIA. Melbourne, March 2.

The Victorian elections have resulted in a -complete reversal of the verdict pronounced on 11th May, 1877. The voting throughout was very close. The large towns and the miners, as a rule, supported Berry. The Ballarat district went almost entirely with him, and the Sandhurst district with the Opposition. At Geelong Berry had only 53 votes more than the •Oppositionists. Mr. Langtou is likely to petition against the return of Mr. Patterson and Professor Pearson for Castlemaine, on the ground of bribery. Other seats will be petitioned against by the defeated Oppositionists. It is rumored that the Ministerial members are likely to forfeit a seat through the insolvency of the j)erson returned, when Sir Bryan O'Loghlen will try for the seat. An analysis of the opinion of members of the new Parliament, show that forty favor payment of msmhers, and five support it in a modified form, while forty-one are against payment, two of whom would ask for modification in the case of a successful attempt to revive it. Berry's reform scheme, pure aud simple, has only thirty-two absolute supporters. Four would only vote for parts of it, the plebiscite by itself, or the sixth clause by itself, but not for both. .For Mr. Service's scheme there are forty-four declared votes, and five members would appear to favor that scheme, but have not definitely said that they would vote for it. There are one or two members favorable only to an alteration of the constitution of the QXuncil, and not the joint vote and double dissolution. Of the thirty-three supporters of Berry's scheme there is one (Mr. D. M. Davies) who has said that if the Ministry are defeated he will hold himself free to vote for any other plan by which deadlocks can be stopped for the future. The great majority of members on both sides are committed to the Education Act as it stands, and are also either strong protectionists or moderate protectionists, or freetraders, pledged not to support any alteration of the tariff which would injure protected industries. Already more than one member of

the defeated 2vlinisteiial party has express!

a determination to accept the new situation, and assist in carrying out the reform scheme of the Opposition. Mr. Service is, therefore, likely to have a much larger majority than ostensibly shown by the polling. A romantic case of suicide has occurred in Melbourne. A sleady young man named Walter Henry Brace, aged 15, conceived a strong affection for a girl named Rosa Cootes, 12 years of age. Recently they quarrtlled. She told the lad—no doubt in jest —to go and poison himself, and on Sunday evening, 29fch February, he obtained cyanide of potassium, alleging it to be for a photographer, where he was employed, and he poisoned himself, On his dead body was found a letter to Miss Cootes, saying he had faithfully obeyed her command to kill himself.

The prize list of the Melbourne Juvenile Exhibition will shortly be issued, with 3546 entries. Melbourne and the suburbs obtain 66 gold medals aud 203 silver medals. For 82 entries New t-outb Wales obtains four silver medals ; South Axistralia, one gold medal and two silver medals for 22 entries ; Tasmania, three silver medals for 32 entries ; Fiji, one silver medal for five entries ; and New Zealand, ten silver medals for 172 entries. The first day of the Victoria Racing Club's meeting passed off most pleasantly. The Hurdle Race was won by Zephvr, Mullah second, and Rover third. First King won the Port Philip Stakes, with Martindale a very clo-e second, and Wellington an equally close third. Grand Prix won the Ascot Vale Stakes, with Otira second, and Haidee of the Hills third. Fourteen youngsters started for this race. Zambesi won the Brunswick Stakes, with Monarque second, and Riverton third Sixteen others started. The St. Leger was won by Caspian by a neek, with Suwarrow second, and Rivalry third. Time, 3miz>. Petrea and Belladrum were the only other starters. Barriwell won the Keilor Stakes in fine style, Sweetmeat second, and Columbus third.

Sir John Coode reports that the construction of the entrance to Gippsland Lake will cost £85,700, and the works required suitable to protect Portland harbor £175,300. Hackett, Scott, Morgan, and Fawcett, directors of the Provincial aud Suburban Bank, have been found guilty ; also, Richard H. Willis, the manager. The Chief Justice fined the directors £SO each, and the manager £250, remarking that the disgrace of the conviction was sufficient punishment without imprisonment. The fines were paid, but much discontent is expressed at the leniency. Immense quantities of breadstuffs are reaching Melbourne. Between January 1 and February 28 570,272 bags of wheat and flour were received, as against 228,214 bags in the corresponding poriod of last year. At Messrs. Findley Bros, sale at Glenormiston of thoroughbred yearlings the bidding was very languid. A filly, by Fireworks, sold for 375 guineas—the highest price realised. Sudden floods have been severely felt in the country districts. One man was killed by lightning. The railways have been considerably injured. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. Richard Hennessy, laborer and volunteer, shot his wife at Stewney. The man was not further than two yards away when he fired. The woman was wounded above the left eye, and is in a very bad state.

In the Supreme Court a woman named Green was found guilty of bigamy, but a point was raised affecting the validity of all marriages celebrated by Church of Fngland clergymen, owing to their neglecting the use of the exact, form of declaration prescribed by the Act. The point is reservei for consideration of a, full Court.

John O'Brien, charged with the murder of his wife at the Barton, on January 25, was tried before Justice Barton. The Judge ruled that the woman's injuries might be the result, of accident, and not of violence, and the prisoner got a verdict of acquittal. NEW SOUTH WALES. Sir Henry Parkes laid the foundation-stone of the new lighthouse at South Head. Sett art, Agent-General, has applied for extended leave of absence, being prevented by business from leaving for London as early as expected. The agricultural show opened at Sydney is quite complete. This colony, Queensland, and South Australia, contribute the greater portion of the exhibits. The number from Queensland is very large. The Government have decided to proceed at once with the improvements at Circular Quay, at a cost of £90,000. The work is to be carried out with a view to give employment to surplus labor at present available. The Exhibition tramway line is paying at the rate of 33 per cent. The Council has amended the Stamp Bill to remove ambiguity, which the Government admit. Mr. Samuel, the Government representative, admits they have a legal Constitutional right to do so, but he points out that the Assembly may revert to a mitter of privilege The answer is that the Assembly can have no pi-ivilege resting on a broader basis than the Constitution Act, from which both Houses derive their ri;ht, and that it would be absurd for the Council not to take the amendment which the Government itself approve of, lest the Assembly from false pride should lay the measure aside.

Buchanan, the new apostle of Protection, having offered to discuss the question with any Free' Trade champion, Mr. G. H. Reid, of Sydney, picked up the gauntlet, and the discussion came off. The hall was packed by protectionists, who, by a large majority, endorsed Mr. Buchanan's views.

Archbishop Vanghan laid the foundation stone of the Sacred Heart new schools, and made a speech replying to Sir H. Parkes on education. He repeated his statement as to public schools being the future seed-plots of infidelity and immorality, and challenged Sir

H. Parkes to accuse him before a Court of Sedition.

It is probable that the railway between Sydney and Melbourne will be constructed by September 1, except a gap of eighteen miles between Albury and Gerogery. Some experiments have been made at the instance of a number of gentlemen interested in meat preserving, tending to show the advisability of sending sheep home in a frozen state without taking off the skin aud wool. A fat wether sent down from Young on the 14th August, and frozen eight days afterwards, was skinned and found perfectly sweet. QUEENSLAND. The Postmaster-General has received a cable message from the Premier stating that he has arranged for a reduction of postage as follows : —Letters, 6d.; newspapers, Id. The reduction to commence immediately.

Joseph Wells, under sentence of death for shooting with intent, during an attempt to rob a bank at Cunnamulla, has made a written statement implicating three other men, besides a man in business in Castlereagh South, who first suggested the robbery to him. TASMANIA. The Council has rejected the Public Works Bill. Sir James Wilson, President of the Legislative Council, died on February 29, on his 68th birthday, after a long illnes3.