LATE AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1323, 7 April 1877, Page 17

LATE AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(Per AVianvbra; ai HoUtiUa'. ) (from odk melboubue telegraphic correspondent.) Melbourne, March 22nd. The only indication we have yet had of tho Ministerial programme is that when it is made public people will find that it contains a bold and liberal policy which, if carried out, would greatly advance the interests of the Colony. This much was vouchsafed by the PostmasterGeneral at an agricultural dinner on Tuesday, and we may expect, before very long, to be in possession of the details. Professor Pearaon has fallen foul of the Press, and has, unfortunataly, descended to personalities. Altogether there has been a little too much plain speaking and acerbity of tempers. Day after day the columns of the newspapers are partly filled with reports of election speeches, but the matter has contained very little of real importance. Mr Grah?«m Berry, as the President of the Reform League t»nd leader of, the Opposition, is keeping up the steam by stumping all over the country, but the work is very hard, and could not be very much longer sustained. The Bishop of Melbourne is evidently no advocate of half measures, and that is evident from the manner in which.he h&s taken up the question of the erection of a cathedral. Already the subscriptions amount to about L9OOO, but that is a mere drop in the ocean to what is required. The Bishop himself gives LSOO, and Mr Justice Fellows LSOO. A proposal is on foot, fostered by the manufacturing interest, to erect permanent exhibition buildings in Melbourne, and enquiries are being made as to a suitable site. A tender of L239,438has been accepted for building the new Law Courts, which are to be of Tasmanian stone. , _ Two suspicious cases have recently come to light. An infant was found in the cemetery ! having been suffocated, 'and- with its skull j fractured. A man has been found in a quarry hole in North Carlton, with his skull fractured. Bailey and Cooper are doing an immense business, their receipts in Adelaide averaged over L6OO a day, and in Melbourne it was much the same, perhaps a little less ; they next visit Tasmania. The Italian Opera Company is only doin? fairly well, it is by no means & first-class troupe. At Easter, " Bound the I World in Eight Days," founded on Jules Venae's work, is to be brought out Sir Charles Gavan Duffy has given offence to the stonewallers by condemning their proceedings, and repudiating any sympathy, with them. Sir Charles belongs to the third party" ' in the House, with Mr Service, Mr Casey, and a few others, who neither love ' Sir' James M'Culloch. nor Mr Berry. ; -■ j 1 ,1... The will of the late Samuel Ramsden. the nailer, was proved at L 160.000. „. ,? . The Locomotive Enquiry Board, cbnsist : ng lof the Locomotive Superintendents of three \ of the other Colonies, have reported that'our i Engineer-in Chief was correct in his statements 1 about the inferiority- of the Colonial made engines, but attributes their defectivenesa in a great measure to inferior designs. The importation of a gentlemen team o'£ cricketers is being mooted now; "' • Business dull.- Breadstuffs are drerdone. Sugar maintains full price. '"• „. ' ,-,(; ' „ !, , Southern Cross won easily the two handicaps atXyneton. „ ' i ' .' -- .' ,' V . {Per Arawata, [at the Bluffj „ ( /'' j .' ■ MELBOOBNE,f'March 28fchl , . i. It seems to be pretty generally understood that Parliament will not be dissolved before th» end of April, and that the new Assembly willbe called together as early as possible after the general election. Although this has not been ' in any way officially announced, it will, however, likely be, found to be the case. „ In the meantime,- candidates are coming out in all directions, but while the;- are in the dark as to the Mimsterial programme; they cannot well sayhowfar-theycan oppose the Government on the great, questions of, the day, but, as Mr Berry says, , they haveall .pretty , well made" up' their minds— that is, those whose'mihds are opposed to the Government— no matiier'" what measures they may propose. There have been no speeches, of the slightest consequence during the week, and'perhapjs during ,the next few days of the holiday period we shall have a ces- ; satmn of political talk. •?¥ L *?g ton v - Syme libel case has been decl 1 d ? d '.« Tlle f" 11 Oourt WJ » of opinion that the plaintiff could not receive damages on both counts of the .indictment, as it was receiving damages twice over. MrLangton thereupon decided to accept the verdict on the second count, which carried L 750 damages ; and the demurrer having been disallowed as to the libel not affecting plaintiff as an auditor, the whole case 13 concluded, and the Age proprietary have to pay the amount of the damages awarded. Another combination cricket match is to be played at Easter, in which six New South Wales men and five Victorians will be engaged Evans does not play for the former Colony, but Gregory, Bannerman, Spofforth, Thompson, and Garrett are good men. Victoria will lose Horan, one of our best bats, but will have Kelly. The Locomotive Enquiry Board have brought up their report, and find that tho Eugineer-in-Ciaef was justified in his remarks upon the Ooiomal-made engines, as compared with the best English made, but they also find that faulty designs had a great deal to do with the unperfectness, and those designs were furnished by the Eaihvay Department. The result so far has been practically in favour of the Phoenix Company at Ballarat. It has been conclusively shown that but for this fostering native industry engines by the best English makers could have been obtained at a less cost, as huge sums had been expended on repairs which should not have been required. There ha 3 been a movement of Governors during the week. Sir Win. Gregory has returned to Ceylon, Sir Arthur Kennedy has arrived at Brisbane from Hong Kong, and Sir W. W. Cairns has assumed his new Government of South Australia. Ssr Arthur Kennedy, the new Governor of Queensland, has been quarantined for sixteen days, but the Government steamer Kate has been specially fitted up for hiis. Erneat Hutcheson, aged five years and eight months, is the latest musical prodigy. This child is certainly a wondsr, and is well styled the Australian Mozart. He was severely tried by a number of well known musicians, and passed the ordeal splendidly. The autumn show of the Horticultural bociety was chiefly remarkable for the magnificent display of fruit; the apples and grapes were really superb. The Victorian handball players have obtained a sign?l victory over the New South Wales men, winning every match. Business is very dull, and nothing doing. A general meeting «f the Press Dramatic Club was held at Wain's Hotel on Saturday evening. The President (Mr It. H. Leary) occupied the chair, and there was a good attendance. It was resolved — "That the performance in aid of the Wardrobe Fund be held on Friday, the 20th April next " The-, programme will comprise " Tirre Tries AH " and an original burleßque oa "Abolition,"'