LATER AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1324, 14 April 1877, Page 15

LATER AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(Perßingarooma at Bluff. )

Melboohne, April 3rd, | At length the country has been .placed in possession- ef the dates of the dissolution antb the forthcoming elections. The Assembly is f|> be dissolved en the 26th inst.; on which'day.thfe Premier is to speak at Wamambool, arid enunciate the Government policy. The nominations are fixed for the sth of May, and • tne polling for the 11th. The new Parliament will most probably meet on the 29fch of May, so that not much time will be lost after the elections. Tbe holiday period has ■interfered temporarily with the political campaign, anjl the last few days have been given up to amusement and recreation. Most' fortunately tnV weather has been fine. The encampment of Volunteers at Sunbury has consequently been a success, but there has been a falling off in. numbers, not more than 2500 of all ranks being present on the review day. The Governor, wKo was staying at the adjacent mansion of Mr W. J. Clarke visited the scene of action, but did not remain in camp as some of his predecessors have done. There was not so large an attendance of the public on Easter Monday as usual, ten or twelve thousand being the outside. The Camp breaks up to day. The Cricketers have received a very fair share of public patronage, some eight thousand or more being present yes . terday to witness the Eleven a-side match. There has been some really good cricket all round, but the ground was in' such splendid order that the Englishmen could scarcely help scoring, and they really intended it, as most of them have been keeping very straight. 'They leave for Adelaide next week, and then go Home by the next mail steamer. On Sunday information was received of a large vessel being stranded on Flinders Island, in Bass Strait, and it proved to be the Foochow, bound from Sydney to Calcutta. The wreck took place on 17th March, and the crew were rescued and taken off the island on Good Friday, and conveyed to Launceston. Just now there are two 'Australian mail steamers in quarantine — the Bangalore at our Quarantine Ground and the Brisbane at Keppel Bay. The case on board the Bangalore was a mild one, but the authorities are resolved to adopt the strictest precautions, and the passengers will remain quarantined until next Saturday morning. The Durham has again arrived from London, but inadfc rather a longer passage than usual The German war steamer Hertha is also here for 'a short stay April sth.. The Bannerman testimonial has reached' L9O. . Application was made to the Supreme Court' to strike an attorney off the rolls tor'misconduct, but it was refusedj on the gronnd that the affidavit disclosed an indictable offence, and conviction must precede any action such as that asked for. A fatal accident occurred on board the Serapis during her voyage from London. Two boys weie on the topmast when it broke away. One of the youths was killed by the fall, and the other knocked overboard and drowned. ' ' Adelaide, April 4th. The ship British Enterprise has arrived, with a number of immigrants. Seven cases of smallpox of 2 mild description occurred during the voyage — principally amongst the crew. One died, and two are yet invalided. Whooping cough aud scarlatina also were prevalent. The deaths from all causes were 10. The vessel .has been placed in slrict quarantine. .« Further .paruculara cannot be ascertained,