LATER AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1341, 11 August 1877, Page 15

LATER AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(FBOM OUR OWIf OORBESPOKDENT.)

Melbourne, August Ist.

The Financial Statement is not likely to be made before Thursday, 9th insfc., as it is said that the Treasurer finds himself surrounded with difficulties in rearranging the tariff. In the meantime, the long delay in dealing with the, question of official reform is having a prejudicial effect on trade.

It is likely that the Government will propose a new loan in order to, meet th«> expenditure in carrying out the defence recommendations, and also for replenishing the railway rolling stock, which is much below what it should be, and in the course of the next few months several additional railway lines will be opened for traffic. The Eailway Construction Bill had absorbed the principal attention of the Assembly. The Government carried their proposal for *a direct line to Oakleigh, through the Botanical Gardens and close beside the Governor's residence and the Observatory, not decided to stop short at Princes bridge, by which a saving of L 130,000 was effected. This sum enabled the Government to propose t\ro additional lines, one from Geelong to Queenscliffe, recommended by Sir William Jervois for defence purposes, and another in the Ballorat district, on the question of which there is much opposition. The Oakleigh^ line has also given rise to numberless petitions from the citizens and others, who did not wish to see a railway running right through tho Botanical Gardens. The Ministry, however, are obdurate, and tho majority back them up. The Council will have yet to deal with the question, and the petitioners still have hope that their prayer may be heard, and the public gardens be s^ved.

The railway extension from Geelong to Colac was formally opened on Friday last. The .trovernor was present, and made one of his most characteristic and flowery speeches, but Mr Berry and Mr Woods ' Would "insist upon touching upon matters of a debateable natu-e, and raised the ire of those present ; and it was no wonder that, the Ministers complained 'of the coldness of the reception given to them. The Chief Secretary and the Minister of Lands afterwards had the bad taste to leave the room before the Governor had proposed tho toast of ' buccess to Colac," and the Argus, in alluding to the matter, says—" It is generally understood amongst politicians, who art at the same tune gentlemen— that is, who possess gentlemanly instincts irrespective of social positionthat, on certain occasions, no allusion should be zaade to matters concerning which strong differences of opinion may exist. Everything which takes place in which Ministers have been conoerned goes to show that Mr Berry and his colleagues have lost their heads. We oannofc blame them, of course, but it is not pleasant to find that the_ representative men of Victoria for the time being are ignorant of the ordinary amenities which should regulate sooial intercourse."

The Elections and Qualifications Committee, whica found that Mr D. M. Davies was not a mmwtflr of religion at the time of his election, have declared that Dr Macartney was, and ousted him from his seat, Mr Davies was a Methodist, and actually celebrated a marriage t\ cW r ya ° efore kk nomination as a member? Dr Macartney was at one time a clergyman of the Church of England, and the evidence 'of the Chancellor of the dioce.se, Dr Keam, the Registrar of the diocese, and the Rev. Canon Hadfield, was to the effect once a priest always a priest, and that Dr M'Cartney could at the will of the Bishop, be licensed at any time. Seeing that Dr Macartney, since he ceased his sacerdotal functions, has once befere held a seat in the Assembly, has been called to the bar, and performed a variety of other functions rather the opposite of priestly, it seems rather.hard upon him. Mr Maclain, the member f or the Wimmera, who was also petitioned against, but on a totally diffn-ent ground, has been confirmed in his seat. I fc w as stated in ths Assembly the other eight that the loss which- had occurred in working the Government railways during the last five years r/as over a million sterling. Victoria has resolved' to apply for 5000 ft. of space at the Paris Exhibition. Mr Angus" Mackay has been returned for bandhurst by, a majority of 207 over Mr Blackham, the gentleman who resigned the seat he never possessed, as he was unqualified at the time of his election.

It is stated that the Government intend to bring in a Bill to amalgamate the two branches of the legal profession. The following, from the Education Report presented to Parliament, shows the progress which has been made. The average attendance for uhe year was 106,758, which 'is the largest number yet obtained. It is estimated that there are 196,047 children of school age in the Colony, and of this number 152,147 are attending the State Schools, 22,863 are attending private schools, 7000 are taught by tutors governesses, &c, and there is a remainder of 11,463 classified as "educated up to the com-pulsc-ry standard, untaught, or not otherwise accounted for." Since the Act came into operation, 579 new schools have been built 141 schools have been enlarged, and 133 are now hi course of erection. The Waterloo Coursing Cup, worth LSOO with a silver cup, was won by Mr Gore's Gitana • and tne Australian Cup, valued at L 350, with a silver cup, was won by Mr Thos. Lempriere's La, Eapide. The total stakes at the Waterloo Cup Meeting amounted to LI6OO. The legitimate racing season will commence this month with the Hawksbury Meeting on the 16th.

The Mayor of Melbourne is to give a fancy dress ball on the 23rd of this month. Signora . Antoinetta Link, the new prima aonna, has arrived and can be pronounced a success. She possesses a fine voice, has a good presence, is not unprepossessing in appearance, and is a very excellent actress. The season has commenced and bids fair to be successful. Miss Ada Ward and Mr Chaplin are at the Theatre Royal. An unfortunate dispute between Mr Aarons, ,the proprietor, and Mr liewis, the lessee, of- the Academy of Music, is to occupy the attention of the law courts in a few days.

The Tan j ore left Galle three days in advance of her contract date, and as she is one of the fastest boats of the line, she will probably reach Melbourne about the 13th or 14th of the month.

It is a question now M'hether her news will anticipate that of the Lusitania, which ia looked for the same time nex*; week.

The ship Aluinbagh, which left here some days ago for India, has put buck leaky, as the crew declined to proceed in her, and compelled the captain to put back. This is the same ship about which there was some mystery as to the two captains' deaths at sea.

Mr Ulrich, our Geologist, it seems, has not received any formal offer from New Zealand, but has merely been asked if he would go, presuming an offer was made to him. Messrs M'Meckaa and Elackwood have sold the Aldinga to the Adelaide Steamship Company, talcing cho value out in shares. There is no competition in the Adelaide trade, and M'jVleekan and Blackwood will be the agents here.

Since the recent decisions of the Elections CoHnnittee ? it i§ the intention of the Govern

ment to bring in a Bill permitting ministers of religion to be elected to Parliament, provided that they do not act as ministers while so elected. This, it is said, will, if possible, be passed before the time arrives for Dr Macartney to be re-elected, but the Upper Chamber may not be in such a hurry. The principle of the new Mining on Private Property Bill is that the Minister treats in the first instance with the owner, and failing agreement, an appeal is to be made to the Court of Mines.

Every fresh debate in the Assembly shows how absolutely subservient the majority is to the Government, and every question is made a party one. This was strongly the case last night with the Railway Bill, when the Government did just as they pleasedWheat mm at 7s 5Jd. Oats in more demand.

A magnificent meteor was seen on the 31st j it was unusually brilli<\nt.