AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 713, 23 July 1878, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(pER fc.S. ARAWATA, AT THE BLUFF.) Melbourne, July 17. Little "of importanoe has transpired during tho week. The address in reply has been adopted in both Houses without amendment or discussion. A Supply Bill for L 900,000, the largest sum yet included in any temporary Supply Bill, passed both Houses yesterday. The Government will introduce the Constitutional Reform Bill today. It i? said that they were principally i in favor of a nominee Upper House, but became amenable to newspaper influence, and thus framed the measure as it now appears. It has been no secret that the legislation amongst Ministers was by no means of a most cordial character, and during the last week there were current rumors of their resignations, but the place has been patched lip- The Minister for has been severely taken to task for the blundering displayed in the administration of his department. The Minister for Railways was most severely castigated by his own supporters on Thursday last, and even his colleagues and chief read him a lecture on the floor of the House. Mr. Woods made no reply. The Commissioner of Custpms is. not at one with, lijs colleagues on the subject of the purchase of the Hobson's Bay Railway, so that altogether it is not a very happy family. The war cry of the Reform Bill will, it ig expected, rally the soattered forces of Ministers, and once more bring them well in hand. Sir Arthur Gordon is here en route to England. He leaves to-morrow per Cuzco, as High Commissioner for Polynesia. He yesterday warned a deputation from the New Guinea Colonisation Association of the danger they were incurring in proceeding to New Guinea without adequate protection, and pointed out that the proper course was to obtain a charter from the British Government. He told them that every care would be taken for the protection of British interests and the prevention of lawless acts. Dr. Bradford is still in gaol. Qn Saturday his case again game before the Court, ; when an affidavit was read from Bradford explaining that lijs hasty nuyrrjage was due to the strong affection he felt for the young lacly, his being apprehensive that the opposition of one of the guardians would have prevented the marriage (a view which he has ginoe ascertained to be erroneous), and his ignorance that he was guilty of any contempt of the Court. He denied that he was actuated by mercenary motives in marrying the young lady. He stated the settlement he had already signed in New Zealand was made a,t the instance of the guardians, o| the young lady, and his. willingness to execute any settlement that the Court might order, AU the relatives of the young lady were stated to have expressed themselves that the marriage was a happy one. His Honor said Dr. Bradford appeared to take a much lighter view of the case than he (Mr. Judge Molegworth) did. He would himgelf pyepare minutes of the statement which the Master was to prepare hefare I)r. Bradford should be received, <;;ind neither direetly nor indirectly would Dr. - Bradford have any

dealing with the property. The decision of the Court was reserved.

Mr. Walker's New Zealand horses, engaged in the Cup race, arrived per Albion, to-day, all safe. The Stevenson case is once more coming into Court, an information for conspiracy having been laid against Stevenson, some of his employe's, and a weigher in the Customs, in reference to the removal of certain cases from the Customs' shed. The cases come on for hearing of the 15th August.

The proposal to close itp the cemeteries in the vicinity of the metropolis is again agitated, and the formation of a general necropolis on some line of railway is advocated.

Sir Bryan O'Longhlin, Sir Gavan Duffy, and Mr. Berry, are generally named, as the commissioners to proceed to England to urge the passing of the Reform Bill.

The weather continues cold, with very little rain.

" Our Girls " at the Academy of Music, and " Uncle Tom's Cabin," at the Princess's, are still running. The former has entered the seventh, the latter the sixth week. Sydney. A collision occurred between two trains at Lithow ; fortunately no one was hurt, there being no passengers in either train. A Chinaman has been murdered by a countryman at Wallerwing. The two lived in a hut together. The accused has been committed for trial.

Subscriptions are being raised in aid of the sufferers by the New Caledonia outrage.

Considerable satisfaction is felt at the extension of Governor Robinson's tenure of office.

Adelaide. The Estimates show an expenditure for the year of L 1,235.000. The Assembly has passed a resolution for the abolition of the Council of Education. Jonathan Prest, for wife murder, was hanged on Tuesday. Hobakt Town. Parliament was opened on Tuesday. The speech was congratulatory on the prosperous state of the Colony, the popu- • i<m is largely increasing, and every ii ranch of revenue shows an increase. A bill is promised to make the AttorneyGeneral's office non-political, and to create the offices of Ministers of Justice and Education.