AUSTRALIAN.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 7487, 27 May 1885, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN.

Br ELEoraxo Telsqbaph.— Copyright, (bedteb’s telegrams.), Sidney, May 26. The dry weather still continues, and great inconvenience is felt here owing to the scanty water supply. The City Engineer is adopting measure* to increase the quantity obtainable from the Botany reservoirs. Arrived —• Union Company’s s.s. Tarawera, morning of 25th. (Received May 27» 1.15 a.m) Melbourne, May 26. The manager of the National Mortgage and Agency Company (Limited) of New Zealand reports on the local grain market as follows : —Shipping wheat is rather firm at 3s lOd to 3s lid; malting barley, a shade firmer, 3s 9d to 4s QJ; New Zealand oats, feed sorts, much steadier, 2s 9d to 2s lid; milling descriptions, slightly improved tendency, 3s to 3s Jd; New Zealand oats, under bond, 2s Id to 2s 3d; ryegrass seed, 3a Qd to 4s 6d ; cocksfoot, to 4d.

(Per City of Sydney at Auckland.) (UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Sydney, May 21. Tbe Contingent is expcctedjto return about the 12th June, when a grand parade of all the forces will be held. The strength of the permanent force now amounts to a little over 450 men, and the total defence force, including the reserves and all branches of the service, to something like 10,000 men. The water supply question still absorbs much attention. The weather continues fine and dry, and the supply in the dams is fast decreasing. Already both city and suburbs have been plioed under a strictly Intermittent system, aud meam are devised to bring water by flumes or pipes from Scarborough Park or some other locality. Typhoid is not decreasing, the circumatanc .8 being against it. Some time in June lost the Secularist paper, Tbe Liberator, was banished by the Committee from the reading room of the School of Arts. The paper in question reflected in gross terms on the Queen in what Judge Windeyer describes as a series of coarse, brutal, and infamous libels. The ’ Secularist last night asserted that they were true. Mr Charles Bright moved a resolution' in favor of the Liberator being retained, but tbe meeting by a laive majority decided otherwise. Admiral Tryon considers our means of defence insufficient, and that we should have at command something more than merely defence ships. The new cruiser Lusitania will' be taken a trip for gun practice tomorrow. A collision occurred in the harbor on Tuesday night between tbe steamer Australian, Outward bound with passengers, and tbe Port Jackson. The former was considerably damaged, and had to be beached. A collision also occurred ia Newcastle harbor on tbe same night. There is an appearance of trouble at tbe Greta mine, Wallaend, and a ballot is to be taken whether the men will go out on strike or not. The boys’ dispute in the Wallsend colliery ia not yet settled.