LATEST AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 701, 21 May 1879, Page 2

LATEST AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(Per Tararua.)

Sydney, May 10. It it intended to organise cheap excursion trips from England to Sydney, during the Exhibition, m one of the largest and most powerful steamers afloat. ' During the past month, at the Sydney night refuge and soup kitchen, 39,000 meals were given and shelter afforded m 2180 instances ; the daily average was 86 for dinner and 70 to sleep. . At the ensuing sitting of the Supreme Court, Mr. Garrett, the ex-Mimister of Lands, sues Mr. M'llhone, a member of the Assembly, for slander uttered m the House. Mr. M'llhone pleads (1) privilege, (2) not guilty. The annual report of the Australian Mutual Provident Society states that £780,000 of the funds has been lent on station property, and there are adverse comments on the money being advanced on such security.

Brisbane, May 10. The Government have decided to telegraph to the Agent-General instructing him to advertise for tenders for two monthly mail services, to run alternately, thus securing fortnightly mails between Brisbane and Singapore, via Torres Straits. Advices from the Agent-Ganeral state that nearly 1200 immigrants are afloat for Queensland. At the present time there are fewer European miners on the Northern goldfields than at any time during the last five years. The quantity of gold is falling off, and there is little probability of a new discovery being made to again draw a rush from other colonies. The output of tin is also diminishing, whilst the value is less than one-half of what it was during the first two years after the discovery. Copper mining is almost a departed industry, and the families of the miners at Peak's Downs, the great mine of this part of the colony, are being maintained by the Government. The Chinese are gradually creeping into business as hotelkeepers m the western districts.

Melbourne. May 10. There is a movememenfc on foot to return the Hon. W. J. Clark to the City Council, m the room of Alderman Jones, who has resigned, so that Mr. Clarke may be eligible for the Mayorality during the Exhibition year. He is immensely wealthy, and it is uuderstood he hopes to have a baronetcy if the Prince of Wales should visit Melbourne during his Mayoralty. The return of imports and exports just published show a falling off compared with the previous year, and also a decrease m the intercolonial trade.

Queensland, May 10. General Grant is daily expected at Singapore on his way to the Sydney Exhibition. The Peak Downs mine is a dead failure now, and great distress prevails amongst the familes of the miners. The yield of sugar m the Logan district of the past year is over 14 tons. The appearence *of the cane is magnificent. T. J. Ladlin, formerly police magistrate at Tombo, attempted suicide on his way to answer a charge of embezzling Savings Bank funds. O. P. Wills, police magistrate at Normanton, was drownedwhUe duck shooting. The Tanning rush is a failure. Six hundred Chinese have arrived at Port Darwin, and five hundred more are expected shortly by the steamer Bowen.