INTERCOLONIAL. (Reuter's Telegrams.)

Otago Witness, Issue 1834, 14 January 1887, Page 9

INTERCOLONIAL. (Reuter's Telegrams.)

Melbourne, January 4.-

The Governments of New South Wales and Victoria have agreed to hold a conference at Adelaide for the consideration of the question of utilising the River Murray for irrigation purposes.

Jannarv 5.

Messrs Goldsbrough and Co. held their usual weekly sale this afternoon to a crowded attendance of buyers. -The competition was spirited throughout, and prices for all good wools were decidedly better than before Christmas. Greasy merinos sold up to 10£ d; crossbred, to 9^d ; and scoured, to 16d ; 2112' bales were sold^ the demand being chiefly for the Continent.

The actual deficiency in the colonial revenue at the end of the year is estimated at £2,500,000.

A deputation, copsisting of Sir Heury Parkes, the Right Hon. W. H. Dalley, Cardinal Moran, and Bishop Barry, waited on the Governor to-day asking for a reprieve of the prisoners sentenced to death for the Mount Rennie 'outrage on the ground that their execution would have a bad moral effect. Lord Carrington declined to reverse the decision of the Executive Council. Another deputation of 100 leading citizens waited on the Governor, and urged the carrying out of r.he sentence.

H.M.S. Dart, which arrived ai Sydney, picked up three Frenchmen who had been blown oft' the coast, of New Caledonia, and who had been 20 days at sea in an open boat.

Melbourne, January 6.

It is probable that tho Preussen's engineer was drowned. It is believed that, he attempted to escape by swimming ashore.

The Australasian estimates the yield of wheat, this season in Victoria at 12,071,000 bushelp, being an average of 11*70 bushels per acre. Thu surplus is estimated at 133,000 bushels. The Leader's estimate is 12,452,000 bushels, or an average of 1210 bushels to the acre, and a surplus of 153,000 bushels.

Melbourne, January 7.

It has been ascertained that. John and Robert Lewis, who stuck up the National Bank at Albert Park last moi.th and were stated to be new arrivals, are both from Sydney, where they are well connected.

The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, in their weekly report, estimate the surplus of the South Australian wheat crop to amount to 160,000 tons, and anticipate that good business will be done in shipping.

A very serious bush fire has occurred at Numurkali, resulting in. great destruction of propprtv

Melbourne, January 10.

The busis of arbitration for a settlement of terras between the Government and the Telephone Company for the purchase of the latter 's business has been finally arranged.

The smallpox patients at quarantine station are progressing favourably. It is hoped that the move serious cases will recover.

The heat throughout Australia has been unprecedented. Two fatal cases of sunstroke occurred in Melbourne to-day.

Melbourne, January 11.

The manager of the National Mortgage and Agency Company of New Zealand reports as follows; of the local markets : — There is no improvement in barley, which is quoted from 3s 9d to is 3d. A fair demand continues fur New Zealand oats (feed sorts) at from 2s lOd to 3s. New Zealand oats, milling qualities, are steady at 3s to 3s Id. New Zealand oats (under bond) are quoted at from 2s Id to 2s 3d, the market being quiet. t , The smallpox patients at Soreuto and at the quarantine station are progressing favourably.

Sydn by, January G. Newman, one of the prisoners sentenced to death for the Mount Kennie outrage, has been reprieved in consequence of an oxcnlpatory letter written by Duffy, who is among those sentenced to death. Hill has also been reprieved ; and both he and Newman have been eow'mittefl to imprisonment

in irons for life. The other four— Duffy, Boyoe, Martin, and Bead — will be. executed to-morrow. < » > - • •

The relations between Mr Dibbs and Sir P. Jennings are very much strained in coheeqaence of the formers quarrel with the Chief Inspector of Accounts, who, Mr Dibbs alleges, misled him with regard to the Budget deficit.

Sydney, January 7. , New Zealand wheat is selling at 3s 9d, and oats at Is 9d to 2s 3d per bushel ;', maize, per 561b, is at 3a lOd. No New Zealand potatoes are in the market.

Sydney, January 8, One of the smallpox, patients at the .quarantine ground has died.

Sydney, January.lo.

Intense heat has prevailed throughout Riverina for the last few days, and extensive bush fires are raging in the neighbourhood of the township of Cumivale, on the Murray. ' An unusual commotion in the sea has been observed at various points on the coast. The weather is generally calm, and the occurrence is regarded as betokening some extraordinary disturbance.

The men hanged for the Mount Rennie outrage were buried by their friends on Saturday last.

Tnree fresh cases of smallpox are reported, making in all 103 cases at the quarantine station.

Sydney, January 11.

A girl aged 17 years recently reported to the police that on December 25, while proceeding home along the Cook river road, ahe was set upon by a number of men, who dragged her into an omnibus shed, where she was criminally assaulted by seven of them. The police last night arrested five men on a charge of committing the outrage.

Another arrest has been made in connection with che outrage committed on the girl on the Cook river road at Newton. Sir Patrick Jennings tendered the resignation of the Ministry to the Governor to-day. He explained that the principal reason for taking this step is the insubordination displayed by Mr Dibbs to the Premier. Nothing will be known for two or three days as ' o the possible reconstruction of the Ministry.

l'wo more deaths from smallpox have occurred at the quarantine station, where, however, no fresh cases are reported. Adelaide, January 7.

The Teetulpa diggings continue to give fair results, the washings in most cases giving good returns. Many disputes have occurred with regard to claims

ADELAIDE, January 8. Wheat is at 3s lOd to 3s lid ; flour (ordinary brands),'£9 os to £10. Adelaide, January 10.

One death from smallpox has been reported, and another of the Preussen's passengers is sickening.

Adelaide, January 11.

Four boatmen landed yesterday at the quarantine station and were at once quarantined, though they will be separated from the Preussen's passengers until the latter are released.