NEW SOUTH WALES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 4723, 7 April 1877, Page 2 (Supplement)

NEW SOUTH WALES.

(from our own correspondent.)

Sydney, March 26th, 1877.

Contrary to almost general expectation, we have nob been saddled with tho expenses cf a general election. At the request of the defeated Minister, His Excellency granted » dissolution contingent on a vote of a month's supply, but on asking the Assomhly ta perform that important function, Mr Robertson's motion wa3 met by an amendment, put by Mr Piddingcon, to tho effect that, in view of the resolution under which the Ministry had been defeated, such a vote would bo unconstitutional, and that a Bupply be not granted. This was carried by 33 to 27. A very animated, nob to i?ay acrimonious, debato ensued on the Governoi's minute being laid on the table. That document, in referring to the necessity of providing for the expenses of the country, suggested that it was r.ot usual in the House of Commons, under similar circumstauica, to show any factious opposition to the grant, whereat tho prominent leaders of the Opposition declined to be lectured on constitutional law even by EHb Excellency, and with a firm front, carried its amendment. It was fuily expected that the Ministry would have resigned without more-ado; but tho Robertson Government had already received scores of defeats without flinching, and, true to its character for tenacity, it tried to adjourn for a week, but waa driven, in tho midst of all sorts of jeer 3 and scofßngs, io be content with a day.

On the following afternoon His Excellency took tlio initiative, aud intimated to Mr Robertson that he withdrew his consent to a dissolution, and the Government at last tendered its resignation. Mr Parkes at; once undertook the construction of a Cabiuet, and aftei one or two adjournments, announced that he had succeeded. Mr Robertson t'.ien, in deference to the wish expressed in a special message from the Governor—but not at all gracioisty—moved a month's supply, which was carried. The new Cabinet ia composed as follows :—Mr Farlu-s (whom Sir Charles Gavan Duffy lauda as the only statesman in New South Wales), Colonial Secretary ; Mr Piddin^ton, Treasurer ; Mr Sutton, Minister of Justice; Mr Hoakins, Minister of Works ; Mr Driver, Minister of Lands ; Mr Windeyer (member for the University), Attorney.Genera l; Mr Saul Samuel (of the Legislative Council) Poat-^ master-Geneirftl j and. Mr Lloyd (member fof

Newcastle), Minister of Mines. Of the eight chosen, four besides the Premier have held office in previous Cabinets, Mr Piddington was treasurer during"; the Parkea reyime. Mr Windeyer acted for some time as"Solicitor Genera', an office now abolished, Mr Samuel distinguished himself somewhat as Postmaster-General, and Mr Lloyd once held the keys of the Treasury, The three remaining gentlemen are novices in departmental work, and, at present, but littie is expected from them. Writs for the new elections are returnable on the 19th of April; the polling days are fixed for the 31at instant and 7th April, and the House stands adjourned to the 24th. The new Ministry is not, however, to be allowed to run an unobstructed course, as antagonistic candidates are already in the field to contest four of the seats, and hot work 13 looked for. Mr Parkes's election address contains the policy almost of both sides of the House, and I therefore give you the heads of it: — The extension of railway communication and the prosecution of public works ; the submission to Parliament at an early date, and in time for the next general election, a comprehensive Electoral Bill; a searching and thorough reform in the lauds departxnsnt, which is charged in so large a manner with the vital interests of the country; the consideration of a wisely-regulated system of immigration from the United Kingdom, so aa not spasmodically to disturb the relations of labour aad capital; and no change m the educational law of 1566, until the constituencies have had an opportunity to declare their views on the question, which can only be done by submitting the Bill to Parliament before the general election. The Colony has suffered an irreparable loss in the death of the Roman Catholic Archbishop Polding, which iook place on the 16"h instant. He was bom in Liverpool in 1794, and was consequently in his S3ul year. From the age of 13 he was educated for the priesthood 5 at 17 he was admitted to the order of Benedictines, and towards the close of 1835 arrived in Sydney, with the title of Vicar Apo3tolic of New Holland. He visited Rome in 1840, 184G, 1854, and 1566, and was on his way in 1569 to attend the Ecumenical Council when he was taken ill in Bombay, and compelled to return to the colony without accomplishing his object. In IS4I Pope Gregory XVI, raised him to the then newly-created Archiepiscopal See of Sydney, and the present Pope made him a Count of the Holy Roman Empire, and Bishop Assistant at the Papal throne, Dwelling for upwards of 40 years in the midst of diversified faiths and religious opinions, he kept aloof from party politics and religious discords to the last, aud succeeded in passing through a long and useful life without provoking an angry thought or making a single enemy. A brave, kindly gentleman, he maintained the affection and respect of all creeds and classes from one end of the colony to the other. His death occurring on the day preceding St. Patrick's Day, the Hibernian Society decided that the usual manifestations of festivity on the Saint's day should be dispensed with ; and 1 can say that it was the first 17th of March I have ever witnessed without some indication of Hibernian cheer. The Government closed all the public offices, and the whole day was given up to the solemn ceremonies of the interment. A procession, vehicular and pedestrian, in which were jiriges, legislators, professions, and trades, followed the hearse to the cemetery in a stream extending three miles, and between twenty and thirty thousand people gathered to do the old friend of the Colony a fitting reverence. As you will have learned ere this, the lev?l match between the All-England Eleven and the Combined Colonial Team came off on the Melbourne ground on the loth, 16th, 17th, and 19th, aud resulted in au unexpected and marked victory for the Colonials." The absenos of Spofforth, Allan, and Evans-three of the best of our Colonial bowlers-was not considered satisfactory, and instead of th well-remembered enthusiastic crowds wont t asaainblo on the occasions of tho Lockyer and Grace visits, there were but poor audiences, considering the magnitude of the event. Again, the Englishmen have not reached the standard expseiod by the colonials. The general feeling seams to be that they display too much eagerness about gate money, Yd do too litt'e honour 15 the game. Then, their many unexpected defeats, and the manner in which book-mskiog on their play has been popularised, have thrown cold water 011 the enthusiasm of our cricketers pure and simple ; and altogether they do not "go down " half as well as might reasonably have been expected. Their conduct in atracgiug the associated match without conBulling the N. S. \V. Cricket Associate gave offence in tho beginning; and the lately expressed determination, after makii another Sydney match for tiio 3 Ut, not t play it, his led the Sydney men to refuse their palrorsago and play in the prop:-s-3il combined match in Melbourne fur Ihster. Tho Melbourne men now propose to iuvite visit from ulovtn gentlemen plpyer?. .Subscriptions are being made buth in Melbourne and Sydney for Baiuiermau, and about £159 is already subscribed. Tho mutch with twenty-two B-cii-.iignjiiaiis was withdrawn, tho Sai:dlnus& a:ea evidently having tho btsfc of il

The Sydney Morning Herald now pubKshes a daily v/ratlier map, compiled from telegrams by Dr Russell, the Government Astronomer. It indicates, at a gkticu, Uw. weather state of the preceding day from nil points of the compass, and cannot fail to be a valuable guide.

Several luipoi taut legal cases have lately | been decided ia our .Supreme Court, The trespass cases—free selectors against Crown teaants—of Joachims v. O'.Shanassy, are at length decided in favour of the selectors, the full Court having refused to set aside the verdict given for the Joachims. In an important case of Campbell v. the Commercial Bank oi Sydney, a verdict for £3000 damages was given for the plaintiff. The oause of action arose from the neglect of the Bank to comply strictly with a rule under the Real Property Act, which requires that a mortgagor shall have a month's notico to renew before his property can be sold by a mortgagee. In another case, the full Court has decided against the power of the Minister of Lands to grant timber-cutting licenses in respect of laud gazetted as reserved for the preservation of timber. An interesting issue left to a Jury from the Probat3 Judge, as to the validity of a second will purported to be made by a man named Robert Hancock, an old resident of the "Scotch Jouk" typo, has just been decided in the negative. The principal persons concerned in connection with the discredited document are a Mr Ferguson, wiiilome of the Thames goldfield, where he | obtained some notoriety in companionship with the perpetrators oE the celebrated Green Harp mining swindla, and a Mr Braithwaite, a civil engineer, once of D.medin, a witness to the alleged will. The property involved and sought to be diverted from the deceased's next of kin, one of whom, a Mr Hiceksman, is in New Zealand, 13 said to amount to £100,000. The case is involved in such an intricacy of probabilities and the reverse as to make it one of our causes eclebres. Art is not healthily cultivated in Sydney. Nevertheless, we are to have an exhibition of the New South Wales Academy of Art, which opens on the 2S;h. At present there is no public gallery of pictureu created by and open for the enjoyment of the people The Government annually votes about £iCGO towards the purchase of the works of modern artists, bat in its normal condition the socalled Academy may be said to be private property—five-sixths of its exhibits (not a hundred in all) being loaned from art admirers for public view. One of the paintings purchased with Government money is "Peace bo. to this House," of which one of the English Art Unions presented its subscribers with an engraving. Triokett has not yet accepted the chal lenge of Kush to row for the championship on Parramatta River. Trickctb awaits tho arrival of the boat in which he rowed against Sadler on the Thames. On the 2nd, 3rd, (3th, and 7fch, we are to have the Australian Jockey Oiub meeting, the great evont of which will bo tho Sydney Gold Cup and 500 soys., for which most of tho renowned borsr.s of the day are entered. The latest betting prices are—Frido of the Hills, 100 to 13 ; Viva and Meteor, 100 to L 0 cich ; Deacon and Sterling, 100 to 8 each ; and from 100 to 7, to 100 to 3, v. any other. The Australian Blondin, a native of Sydney, who has been for some time successfully performing the ropo foats of the "man vho crossed Niagara," announces that on tho last day (f tho month he wPI cross one of the small bays in Middle Harbour on a ropo 1420 ft. in length at a height of 340 ft. Most of the plying steamtrs are engaged for tho occasion, and it ia expected that the .novelty and risk of the attempt will draw a farg^ocmcomse o£ sight-Gears, , ,

It may well be supposed that our late Colonial triumphs have not tended to reduce our capacity for " blow," and there is really no saying wheu we shall be satisfied to rest in claiming superiority over our English parent. Trickett's victory over the Thames waterman has now been followed up by the triumph of a Colonial eleven ever a picktd 3ricketing team from the English counties; our riflemen have beaten the Canadians, and gone near to the displacement of the som of Erin, and now we have a simple Sydney it rivalling the world-renowned Blondin, whose decorations, received from Foreign Powers, ai-e said to be numerous enough to fill an ordinary carpet bag. So high runs native feeliug, that it is even proposed to incite a native aad Victorian prize-fighter, named -Foley, to challenge Jim Mace, the champion middte weight of England, who now happens to be here on a visit, to try fistic conclusions for tho belt. Spiritualism has taken a new form, which promises a short popularity. Our latest delusionist is a youug man named Thomas Walker, who professes to be a medium, aud & trauoeist, through whom departed spirits communicate with human beings on earth, At his seances slips of paper are distributed amongst the audience, who are invited to write upon them whatever subjects they dosire a lecture upon, and the choice of the nsmination is left to the votes of the persons present. On the first nigiit the matter selected was the "Origin of Man," and persous competent to express an opinion say that the discourse on it was an excellent one, delivered in concise language, and with more incisiveness and prompt illustration than is usually found in a lecture crammed for the occasion. A second gathering took place a few evenings ago, when the subject selected was "Jesus Christ: Who was He? Where is He now?" and though the lecture on it smacked much of the Spiritualistic outpourings °' the d.-.y, ami contained nothing that we hare not all heard before, yet it was rendered with the same pointed clearness, and with singular promptitude and freedom from hesitation. After the lecture, it was stated that the tranceist had been controlled by the spirit of his great grandfather—A Dr Stuart—a Presbyterian clergyman, of Englr«nd. The seances have been attended by a !arSa number of respectable people, and there is, of course, the usual amount of easy faith and ctedulity, without which th°se performances would be unprofitable and insipid. Walker is said to be quite uneducated. Apropos of illusions, no doubt many of yonr readers have witnessed with astonishmeat Keller's ciever cage trick exhibited by the "Illusionists," and wondered how iiwas done. Here it created considerable interest, a'Jd incited one humanitarian to address the Sydney Morning Herald in the hope of stopPing tDe destruction of canaries, which, he contended, must necessarily follow the performance of the trick. Keller, however, denied that bis bird suffered at all, and offered to psrform the act of slight of hand aiiytfhere apart from the stage, aud to reproduce the canary. The secret, however, ha 3 >Jeen divulged by a discharged property man wno attended Keller, and who sued the lessee of the Victoria Theatre for breach of service agreement. It appears that the cage collapsed, and that the bird of the evening was invariably killed. Tue .Albury people have forwarded for transmission to England a petition, praying that the Governor's term of office—to expire tms year—may be extended, and in the reply> or rather acknowleginent of the letter accompanying it, His Excellency adds " tint J lB f e*red th, e Im Peria* Government maynot De 0?" 1 £0 establish an inconvenient Piecf de. n*' . Sl' Hercules has displayed so much ability m his office, and has steered so clear °. f W** coa^\ s ' t^t his merits are recognised over the length and breadth of if o.^™}"* a*"l as is known that his own °OTire 13 ** B**y,' Hpes are entertained that f? geQ«^ wish of New South Wales may »o acueued to. _ , , , . t, he oug tslkrd-°f experimental shipment; to England of Mori's fiozc-i meat is to ba ™?t »y tteaaip Norfolk, fr> sail on the !°^ ? l A} n}}- n me farm purchased 000 flocks at tly each, for tne experiment In Mudgeo too other day, a private volunteer.nam o ed Dmikwp.ter scored 79 cut oE a P°«ibloßo.. *. a?. Registrar Generals report on vital Jor February last records the death of a colonist aged 100. , r. he f,l^^ ief dl"g °f ,the thermometer d™n S that moufch was J01" and tae lowestl J; n ... , . , , lh^ Government Astronomer reports that \ O/ ™re? 'lays-tiie 21sfc, 22nd, aud 23rd March-he lm looked in vain for the hypothtt'.cal planet \ uloaii. He observed, howfl^' swcraUpow of hitherto unseen fire on the sua s surla^a