AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 945, 28 April 1879, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(l-1.1l WAKAIII'f AT WELLINGTON.) Sydney, April 22.

The Hatfield bushrangers were brought tip fwr .sentence, at Dcnilqiiiiu, on the l'.lth. Hobbs stated chat lie had been a .-ittli.r for nineteen years, and that he had been unlucky. Ho once narrowly escaped burning, anil had, at one time, fallen from :i ship's topgallant mast. He thought. that it would have been better if the Lord had taken him, than spared him to be hung. He said that he did not fire, although the rifle was close when he was captured, and alleged that Bcrcsford fired at him after he surrendered, and that Power galloped past and did the same. The otlier prisoners made no statement. Tiie Judge condemned them to death, and held out no hope, especially to Gorman. The Minister for Lands moved the second reading of the Land Amendment Bill, reducing improvements to 10s. per acre, extending the time to from three t» ;ive years, and prohibiting the transfer till the expiration of five years. The vintage is over at Albury. The strength, and quantity are equal to those of last vear. The demand is dull.

It transpired in Parliament that the I new committee of the Benevolent Asylum j altered the old practice of christening j foundlings. The committee consisted of I the proportion of one Catholic to two Pro- | testants, but it now consists of all Prpj testants, the Catholic committeemen being all thrown out at la3t election, it is believed by Orange votes. On Easter Monday tho Harbor was studded with pleasure boats. Tho torpedo boat Acheron, which steams 17 knots per hour, and is painted so as not readily to be seen, in taking a trip, ran down a boat containing a family, who wero submerged, but clung to the wreck. Two children were saved by a fireman of the Acheron jumping overboard. According to Vanity Fair, Lord Hardv/icke is coming out as Governor of Tasmania.

Tiio Newcastle miners held a meeting at Waratah on the 19th, and expelled the Lambton Lodge from the Association, in consequence of its refusal to accept the vend scheme.

Mi!LBour.XE, April 22.

A memorial is numerously signed to present to Sir Biyan O'Loughlen in favor of the release of Carroll, formerly afmembcr of the Assembly, and now in gaol for forger}'. He declined to interfere. Professor M'Coy has been awarded the Murchison gold medal* by the Royal Geographical Society. A large meeting of fellmongers, tanners, and mechanics at the Trades' Hall passed .1 resolution unanimously in favor of the repeal of the Stock Tax Act. It was represented by a larjje number qf men out of employment that out of nineteen fellmongery establishments, only three liorc arc doing work. It is stated illflt gome of the remanded Kelly sympathisers of Beechworth have entered an iIPtIPR against the remanding magistrate. Biscacciante, the well-known operatio agent, is dead. The yield of the Band and Albion claims for the week is 464 ozs from 176

tons of stone. This has caused great excitement in Ballarat.

Sir Bryan O'Loughlen, on taking a degree in a University on Saturday last, was loudly hooted by the undergraduates, who were very noisy. The country is in a verj' bad state for want of rain.

Queensland, April 22.

Ten leases of runs in settled districts were sold in one day. A deputation con-" sisting of the members and supporters of the late jMinistrj-, including the late Premier and the late Minister for Lands, had protested, but Mr. M'llwrnith conclusively showed them that they themselves were responsible by omissions and for not taking necessary proceedings when in office. The result was that there was no competition, and the old lessees got them at the upset price. Mr. George Thome, formerly Premier, has been elected for the Northern Downs?. He recently returned from an English tour.

At the Easter Volunteer encampment, the sham fight was so hot that the infantry charged the artillery. The gunners defended with ramrods and sponges, and there were several cases of fisticuffs. The Harbor Master at Sweer's Island reports the depth of water leading into the newly-discovered anchorage at Parkes' Point, Gulf of Carpentaria, to be thirteen feet at low water. A rush has occurred from Charters Towers to Tanning River. The prospectors got a reef nine feet wide in outcrop. There are excellent prospects, and plenty of reefs. In the action M'Donnld v. the Government, the verdict was Ll9/700 for the plaintiff, being an old claim for loss of country, improperly awarded. The original verdict was LIO.OOO. The late Government and the plaintiff were willing to compound for Lu'ooo. but the Opposition obstructed because M'Donald had entered Parliament, and, although the squatters voted against the party and with the Government, it was considered that he sold his vote. The present verdict includes interest since the first one.

The Government accepted the tender of a rate from a bank for the Government business which will effect a saving of three thousand odd per annum. There is much adverse comment. The Premier and Colonial Secretary being large shareholders—the former an ex-director, and the hitter a present director.