INTERCOLONIAL.

Otago Witness, 25 December 1880, Page 13

INTERCOLONIAL.

(Rbuter's Special.)

Melbourne, December 16th Arrived : Union Company's steamer Arawata, from the Bluff.

It is expected that an animated discussion will take place on the Reform BUL and it is probable Parliament will be summoned soon for its discussion.

December 17th. In consequence of the Liberals objecting to any delay with the reform of the Constitution, Mr Berry has abandoned che proposed prorogation of Parliament on the understanding that the Reform

Bill shall be immediately discussed. It is expected, therefore, that the recess has been indefinitely postponed, and Mr Berry and Mr Yale will be unable fco represent Victoria at the Intercolonial Conference at Sydney next month. The Government have doubled the duty on oatmeal imported into Victoria. At a Cabinet Council held to-day it was resolved to ask the House to pass supplies, and then adjourn for a fortnight : otherwise it will sit daily during the Christmas week.

m December 19th. lne Commissioner of Trade and Customs has fined a merchant £1500 for passing false invoices, the prices being below the value of the goods represented.

December 20th. The Government have decided to make a call of the Houae for January 18th on the aecond reading of the Reform Bill in the Assembly. Melbourne, December 21st. Sailed: Union Company's s. s. Arawata, for the Bluff.

The Australian team won the match against South Tasmania by five wickets. Sydney, December 16th. Parliament has been opened by the Governor, who, in his speech on the occasion, promised the introduction of bills dealing with municipal and local self-government, the inspection of seagoing vessels, regulation of the liquor traffic, fiaherieo, also oyster fisheries, consolidation of criminal law, and for the law relating to contempt of court being placed on a more satisfactory footing. He further stated that an increa.se of revenue amounting to £600,000 was shown since July Ist as compared with last year. He referred slightly to the extension of existing railways, and concluded by making reference to the intercolonial conferences lately sitting. The members present were : — Ministerial supporters, 20 ; Opposition members, 28. Absent, 10.

December 17th. The produce and other markets remain unchanged. A number of working men have been arriving at Newcastle from New Zealand by recent vessels. They state that New Zealand is in a very depressed condition, and that hundreds are waiting a chance to quit.

Sailed : Union Co.'s steamer Hero, for Auckland.

December 20th. Arrivals : Australia, from San Francisco, via Auckland ; Union Company's steamers Wakatipu, from Wellington on Saturday, and the Rotorua, from Auckland to-day. Fcom information to hand it is stated that a rich leader has been struck on the Temora goldfielda.

Adelaide, December 17th. Wheat per bushel, 46a. The tone of wheat ia generally quiet. Adelaide flour, £10 153 ; country, £9 10s. Freight to London by sailing vessel, 50s ; freight to United * Kingdom, 40s ; freight to United Kingdom from outports, 62s 6d. '

Reuters agent has supplied us with the following correction of a message published on Saturday :—

December 17th. New wheat, 4s sd. Freight to London (sailing vessels), 45a.

December 20th. The South Australian Parliament meets on January 4th.

(Special to the Melbourne Argus ) Lokdon, December 7th. Mr Parnell and the other Irish members of Pariament against whom proceedings have been instituted will attend Parliament and ignore their trials. If they do they will be arrested in the lobby of the Hou«e. It w rumoured that the Pcrte intends to cede the island of Crete to Germany on the same termsthat Cyprus was ceded to England. It is now stated that the marriage of the Baroness Burdett-Coutts with Mr AahmeadBartlett has been abandoned.

The antagonism of the Orangemen in Ireland towards the supporters of the Land League increases.

Large importations of arms continue to be made. One Dublin dealer admits selling 200 revolvers this week.

An Irishman has been murdered in Birmingham for announcing bis secession from the Irish Land League. The murderer has escaped. December 11th.

The insurrectionary movement is extending amongst the Irish peasantry. The League courts are decreeing punishment against perBonß failing to subscribe to the League, or trading with adherents ef Boycott, or paying above Mr Griffith's valuation, or in any way violating the rules of the League.

Mr Justice Fitzgerald, one of the Judges of the Irish Bench, has been threatened. There is increasing public dissatisfaction against the Government.

December 13th.

The Times declares that the condition of Ireland is such as to require the Executive to assume coercive powers, asking subsequently for an indemnity. There ia no time, the leading journal urges, to wait for legislation.

There has been a great subsidence of land in the salt districts of Cheshire.

(Special to the Melbourne Age.)

Lokdon, December 7th. The^ southern counties of Ireland are in a condition of incipient rebellion. Outrages are of frequent occurrence, notwithstanding the strong force of police and military now stationed in the disturbed districts. During the past week continuous attempts have been made to wreck the police barracks at Castle Gregory, a small town of about 600 inhabitants, situated in the pariah of Ballyleigh, in the county of Kerry. Owing to the vigilance of the polico these a^te=a:»tß have been frustrated, but a very uneasy feeling exists.

December 9th. A destructive fire has taken place at Arentil, aßeaprrU.owuinXf.rway, 35 miles north east of Clirujtiari'-.nd. The eosU.ifiee, a ii.=. b ailuingv',c t' tsily -'--- -o^td, hiA li> !uiu»f>s %?oro tata* mL C tf]e c * nn ' l & r! *tion cou <i bo txtinguished. Ihe rativc3 in Pordoland who havi joined tho Eabutoa in leoslliou v/ero altackwi L>y the Oape tioop3 and utterly routed. The country

Another agrarian outrage is reported from Ireland. A bailiff, who had been engaged in the Drocgss of evicting a tenant on a farm near Cookstown, in the county of Tyrone, Ulster, was murdered. The murderer has been arrested. There is no reason to doubt that the outrage was agrarian in ita origin.

A stormy session is expected when Parliament meet 3on the 6fch of January. It is believed that the Irish members will continue their policy of obstruction pursued last year. The Standard asserts that the Government intend to introduce alterations in the forms of procedure, which wiil enable them to suppress promptly any organised attempt at obstruction.

Laycock has not yet gone into steady training for the match with Hanlan. Yesterday he visited Newcastle, and was accorded an enthusiastic reception from the Tyne vowing mcD, his victory in the Hop Bitters Regatta having made him a great favourite.

An attempt has been made to intimidate the Bench in Ireland.

The Colonial forces in the Leribe district, Caps Colony, have been obliged to retreat, the insurgent natives being in overwhelming numbers. Great efforts are being made in Caps Colony to strengthen the army in the fielJ. so that operations of a decisive character can be undertaken.

Affairs in the Transvaal are very disquieting. The Boers, who are dissatisfied with the annexation, are assembling in large numbers, and have adopted a menacing attitude. They are suspected at relations with the insurgent Basutos. The Administrator is taking precautions to preserve order.

B--.yd, a well-known English oaraman, has challenged Hanlan for the championship. H&nlan expressed his willingness to accept. The contest takes place after the forthcoming match with Laycock.

Latest Afghan news, dated Bombay, November 19th, states that uncomfortable uncertainty still prevails regarding Cabul affairs. The latest accounts received by the Government of India represent matters as being entirely satisfactory ; but a considerable time has elapsed since the date of that intelligence, during which various rumours derived from native sources have been current.

Prom Candahar information has been received thr.t disturbances have taken place at the capital, and that the Sepoys there of the late Ameer's army refuse to serve under the new Ameer. No reliable information is yet received, and positive intelligence is awaited with some anxiety.

Ayoub Khan is at Herat. It is reported that he is trying to get a force together to make another attempt either against us at Candahar or against the Ameer at Cabul. He is represented to be very popular, and it is likely he may yet give much trouble. Gsnerai Koberts has arrived in England. Capetown, November 21st.

The rebellion in Basutoland is still raging. The Colonial forces have for the most part acted on the defensive. It is probable that the colonists will be able to quell the outbreak, notwithstanding that the ranks of the rebels have been swelled by the addition of the greater parts of the Tambos, Tambaohies, and Pondoise, which tribes have joined the rev&lt. On the 13ch Colonel Carrington engaged the Basutos at Calo Mountains. The enemy numbered some 5000, and onr troops 1100. Our loss was six killed and ihe same number wounded. The enemy lost heavily, having charged three times and being each time repulsed. On the 14th Captain Landry engaged the Tombas, when five of his force were killed, including Commandant Yon Lingsinquin. On Monday week the rebels attacked Major Bell's force at Leribe, but were beaten off with a loss of 17 killed. On the 13th Captain Ayliffe attacked Bomvarara's kraal and killed 50 rebels. Onr loss was one killed and one wounded. By the Ist of December, General Clarke will have a force of 11,000 colonists under him, as by that date the burgers recently called out will have reached the frontier. On the 15tb, Captain Ayliffe moved to attack Bomvarara's kraal, and again found it deserted. Burgers from, all parts are leaving for the frontier.