INTERCOLONIAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1500, 14 August 1880, Page 9

INTERCOLONIAL.

Melbourne, August sth. Sugar supplies are small, and sales are progressing firmly at Id higher. Soudry, the Frenchman who was shot by Greer at the Opera-house a few nights ago, is now better, and has left tho hospital. ISTed Kelly will be put on his trial at Beechworth. Mr D. Gaunson will defend the outlaw. August 6fch. The Government have quashed the Commission which was appointed to inquire into M, W. Ford and Bain's railway works case. The Kelly inquiry has commenced at Beechworth. Mr Gaunson claimed a remand, which was refused. Constable M'lntyre was examined, after which the Court adjourned.

August 7th. The Government have decided to issue shortly the balance of the laßt loan. August 9th. The Governors of all the Australian Colonies have accepted invitations to attend the opening of the Exhibition. Sir Hercules Robinson has, of course, been obliged to decline. Captain Payne, harbourmaster, has been suspended from his position for neglecting to notify the removal of a foghorn from the harbour. Melbourne, August 10th. Mr Berry addressed his constituents at Geelong last night. He said he would strictly adhere to his latest views on the Eeform question, and would introduce a bill to abolish plural voting at elections. He proposed to meet the existing deficit by retrenchment, including 20 per cent, deductions in salaries of Ministers, of future Governors, of judges, and Civil servants. The Police Department would be reorganised. The existing deficiency is £648,000, while the assets, including selectors' rents, amount to £502,000. Tho deficit will be further reduced by a readjustment of accounts. Only a moderate increase of taxation would be necessary. The Ministers who are being opposed for re-election are Messrs Berry, Vale, Williams, and Eichardaon,

The libel action Syrae v. Punch haß been settled. The steamship Durham will go direct to Lyttelton on her next trip from England. Adelaide, August 9th. The P. and 0. Company's steamer Maliva and Orient Company's Ohimborazo have arrived here. Sydney, August 6th. Hennessy's brandy (bulk, quarters), 10s 3d to 10a 6d ; kerosene (diamond), Is 7£d to Is 8d per gallon ; New Zealand wheat, per bushel, 3s 9d ; New Zealand oats, per 401b, 2s to 2a 3d j maize, per 601b, 2a 2d. It is stated that the Hon. Saul Samuel, | Postmaster - Ganeral, will accept the Agent-Generalship in London. Last night the steamer Omeo was observed signalling as if in distress off Newcastle, and has not been seen since. Great anxiety is felt for her safety. Sailed : Union Company's steamer Wakatipu for Wellington, on the 4th ; and Te Anau for New Zealand on the sth. August 7th. The steamship Omeo has arrived safely at Newcastle. She reports that she was struck by a sea, and her engines were disabled owing to a hawser fouling her propeller. She weathered the storm with difficulty under canvas. A clerk in the Lands Department who was sent to a bank yesterday for £700 has disappeared.

■ . ♦ [The following messages have already appeared in Melbourne papers :—] (Special to the Melbourne Age.) London, July 26th. The Sultan has greatly increased the strength of the Turkish forceß in Albania, with the avowed object of overcoming the resistance o? the inhabitants to the fulfilment of stipulations of the Treaty of Berlin. The number of the army is now 50,000. Grave doubts are entertained as to the bona fides of the Porte in making bo unusual an augmentation of Turkish forces. • In anticipation of hostilities with Turkey the Greek Government are endeavouring to negotiate a loan on the London Exchange and Pariß Bourse, in order to provide for the expenses of war. The difficulties raised in reference to the rectification of the Greek frontier remain unsettled. In answer to the mobilisation of the Greek army, the Turks have already increased their forces on the frontier, and an army corps up to full strength has been posted there. Mormon missionaries have been labouring for some time past in many German towns, and have secured large numbers of converts. Complaints having appeared in the Press, the attention of /the Government was attracted to the movement. In accordance with instructions from the Berlin authorities, the Mormon propagandists have been expelled from Germany and the emigration of their converts Btrictly prohibited. July 27th. Hostilities have recommenced between the Montenegrins and Albanians. No engagerrunb baa taken place between regular troops, but bauds of armed Montenegrins have made raiding iocuraiona into Albania. Several villages have been sacked, and bloodshed has taken place. A number of persons implicated in Nihilist outrages in Russia having taken refuge in Roumania, the Russian Government have addressed a demand to Prince Charles for the surrender of the fugitives. Having consulted with the Ministers, Prince Charles has returned a firm but conciliatory reply, refusing to surrender any fugitives-who have Bought shelter in his territory, and who are charged with crimes of a political character only. July 28th. Satisfactory accounts are received respecting the harvest prospects in Ireland. In the agricultural districts in the South and West the crops give promise of a splendid yield. The distress which was so widespread among the peasantry is gradually subsiding, and demands for relief can be readily met from funds administered by central committees in Dublin. Agrarian agitation is still rife in tho weattrn counties in Ireland, and resistance to evictions for non-payment of rent is general. This attitude has been encouraged by the speeches of tho more extreme Home Rulera, and in anticipation of Mr Gladstone's Irish Tenants Compensation Bill becoming law, landlords in many instances are desirous of securing possession of their lands, in order to avoid having to pay tenants compensation should the measure pass both Houses of Parliament. July 29th. The measures taken by the Cape Govern- i rnent to suppress disaffection amongst the Bas'utos have been attended with success. The natives were in rebellion owing to the determination to enforce the disarmament of the native population. Troops were despatched to the country, and conciliatory j measures adopted with the chiefs. The disturbances are subsiding, and will be over- j come, it is believed, without having recourse j to extreme measures. The race for the Goodwood Cup, two miles and a-half, was run to day, with the following result:—Mr O. Perkins' c f Dresden. China, 4 yrs, by Highborn—Fortrose, Ist; Lord Bradford's b h Chippendale, 4 yrs, by Rococo—Adversity, 2nd. Her Majesty the Queen some days ago addre sad a private communication to the Sultan urging him, in the interest of his own Empire and the general peace of Europe, to accede to the proposals of the Great Powers by the execution of the unfulfilled provisions of the Treaty of BerliD. The Sultan has addressed a reply to her Majesty, acknowledging In cordial terms the receipt of her note, aud promising to use his influence to give effect to the wishes therein contained. July 30fch. The remonstrances made to the Porte concerning the non-fulfilment of the undertaking for the cession of territory to Montenegro are Lk;ly to lead to a satisfactory settlement upon Vat' basis of the proposals laid down by the Great Powers. Tho Sultan haa expressed his deaire to comply with the demands, put forward,

The preparations made by the Powers for a naval demonstration to be held for the purpose of impressing upon the Porte the desirability of arriving at a settlement of the Montenegrin difficulty are developing. The French Government, however, are vacillating, and exhibiting a disposition to withdraw from the contemplated movement. August 2nd. Mr Leslie Griffith, political agent at Oabul, has had an interview with Abdul Rahman, the new Ameer, and consulted with him concerning the future government of the country. Abdur Rahman expressed himself as desirous of meeting so far as lay in hia power the views of the British authorities, and his demeanour throughout was of a very friendly character. The result of the interview is regarded as' highly satisfactory. London, August 2nd. Major Evelyn BariDg, British Controller of Egyptian Finances, succeeds Sir John Strachey aa Indian Finance Minister. August 4th. The British troops, under the command of General Roberts, ordered to relieve Candahar include the 60th, 92nd, and 72nd Infantry Regiments, and the 6th Regiment of Lancerr. The Select Committee of the House of Commons appointed to consider the question of water supply have condemned the agreement made by Sir R. A. Cross, late secretary for the Home Department, with the j Metropolitan Water Company, and suggest the propriety of considering the best meanß I of scouring a supply from other souroes. I '

(Special to the Melbourne Argtjs.) j London, July 27th. It is announced that tiw naval demonstration by fleets of European Powers will be | made simultanously off AntivanandSalonica. The Afghans generally welcome Abdur Rahman as Ameer. Lord Listowel and the Earl of Zetland have resigned their appointments as Lordain- waiting to the Queen, in consequence of their disagreeing with the Irish Bill adopted by the Government. A Royal Commission, with the Earl of Derby as president, has been appointed to inquire into the management of the city companies. The Jockey Club has decided, after investigation, that the Duke of Westminster's colt Bend Or, the winner of the Derby of 1880, was not oharged as a yearling with Tadoaster as alleged, and has overruled the objection raised. Much excitement has been caused at Wimbledon by the charges of collusion between the markers and those engaged in firing in the matches. An official inquiry has been instituted. July 28th. The death is announced of Vice-admiral Rowley Lambert, C.8., who waa formerly Commodore on the Australian station. The number of Russians entering the Bulgarian service is increasing, July 30th. Earl Granville, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, haa confirmed the report that her Majesty had written to the Sultan of Turkey urging him to yield to the wishes of the Great Powers and give effect to the decisions of the Berlin Conference. July 31sfc; Theg, a Ohineao plenipotentiary, has arrived at St. Petersburg to reopen the Kuldja Treaty. August 2ud. The Powers are still divided as to the best means of ensuring the carrying out of the terms of the Berlin Conference in regard to the_rectification of the Greek frontier.