AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XII, Issue 3236, 5 February 1879, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(Peb s.s. ' Aeawata,' at the Bluff.)

Meiboubne, January 29. The Government will cordially co-operate with Sydney to render the Exhibition there a success. It will place £2,000 on the Estimates for expenses.

The Press is requested by the Government not to publish the movements of the polioe pursuing the Kellys. Governor Bowen will sail for Mauritius on February 22. Lord Normanby will arrive on February 26. No administrator of the Government will be appointed during the interregnum.

The Be-*. John Eggleston, Wesleyan Minister, Brighton, who died on the 23rd inst., has laboured in Australia since 1839. The shock killed his widow three days later.

The certificate of Captain Gayship, of the' Seagull,' has been suspended for twelve months, for causing collision with the schooner ' St. .Hilda,' on December 21. The police are proceeding against him also.

Fourteen persons are under arrest as suspected confederates of the Kellys. Mr David Blair has written a history of Australasia, from the earliest discovery to the establishment of self-government. The Argas accused him of plagiarising the historical accounts of Victoria published in its columns.

Governor Bowen, on behalf of the Government, sends a handsome address to the King of Tonga, acknowledging his generous conduct in rescuing Victorian seamen wrecked on the island of Kao.

The indignation meeting against John McLaren was held at the corner of King and Flinders streets;-- He hid in a pub-lic-house, watching the proceedings from a window. He was, however, seen and brought out, and after being denounced by the chairman, a rush was made for him, but the chairman shielded him from harm.

Mrs Charlotte Collins, a young widow ia easy circumstances at Carleton, suddenly left her friends on the 21st Deo. It seems she went to the establishment of Mrs Evans, of Fitzroy, where she engaged a room at £2 per week, and said she was suffering from an abscess in her side. W. Croon, Burgeon, arrived and attended her. On the 2nd January she died. Humours that violent means had been used to procure abortion have caused the coroner to order an exhumation.

Sydney, January 29. Sir Henry Parkes introduced the Chinese .Restriction Bill, which limits the number by any one vessel, and imposes a tax on all arriving by sea or across the border. The bill is very similar to the Queensland Act.

Attention has been called to Mr Watson, Colonial Treasurer, retaining the directorship of the City Bank, as the Premier had, when in opposition, tabled a motion against such things. He now urges that the House negatived his motion, but it is generally considered that, as Premier, he should carry out the principles which he pressed bitterly as affecting a member of the previous Government.

The Supply Bill contains an item of £50000 for Exhibition buildings. The Premier stated, on the authority of the Colonial Architect, that it would be sufficient Preliminary work on the building is being rapidly pushed on, and over 400 men are engaged. The contractor for (the Exhibition has telegraphed to London for eight instruments to supply electric light to enable work to be carried on at night. In the meantime, experiments are being made with the oxy-hydrogen light. Applications for space continue, and it is probable that the building, after all, will be too small.

An association has been formed amongst station-owners in Biverina, ostensibly for the suppression of stock thefts, and defence against vexatious trespasses, &e., but it is believed there is a secret understanding, placing the disbursement of funds in certain hands for other purposes. The popular idea of this is, as expressed by Mr Barbour, the chairman of the electors' conference, that the revenue of £200,000, obtained by payment of £1 per annum for every 1,000 sheep and entrance fee, is to be used for iniluencing elections, corrupting members of Parliament and officials, to the detriment of free selectors.

A horse thief, named Bill Gardiner, has been captured by the police, after an exciting chase of upwards of 100 miles.

At the regatta, the' Magic,' 28 tons, beat the' Waitangi,' 22 tons, by 12mins. The time allowance was smins.

The Champion Outrigger Eace was a surprise. The start was good, frickett took water first, and, near Dawes' Battery, was leading by a half-a-length. Here lie fouled the boat moored off the point, and this lost him several lengths, and Laycock got the lead and kept it till the finish. Tricketfc was evidenly not in condition, and apparently gave up, coming in 100 yards behind. Tricketfc next day issued a challenge to row over the champion course for £200, and in the following day Michael Bush accepted the challenge previously issued by Xisycook.

inquest on the fire at Grossman and Harding's lasted over a fortnight. The jury were locked up nine hours, unable to agree.

The Bulli lock-out is ended. The conference showed that the employers misconceive the action of the men. The latter retain their Union, independent of the Newcastle Union, and 14 days' notice is in future to be given on either side of ceasing to work or discharge.

Mr Goldie, the New Guinea explorer, is hero lecturing on the country. He has a native with him. He advises no one to go to New Guinea who is not thoroughly prepnred to meet death.

Diamond-drills are working very satisfactorily at depths of 900 and 1812 feet.

The Assembly has passed a Supply Bill of £905,093.

"Pbiseane, January 29, An attempt to float a compressed meat company failed.

The Wesleyan Chapel at Paddington was struck by lightning and burnt in less than an hour.

The Government geologist reports the Barnum Coalfield capable of yielding 10,000 tons per week, equal in quality to Newcastle. He reoommended the construction of a cheap railway,

The newspapers domand the despatch of a war vessel to avenge the murder of Mr Ingram by the natives of Brooker Island, Caluados Group.

Hobabt Town, January 29, _ John Bridges Mason, a medical practitioner at Longford, has been committed for trial for an unnatural offenee. The medical evidence does not support the charge, and Mason alleges it iB a conspiracy. (PEE S.S. ' ZEAIiANBIA.') The evidence adduced at the inquest on Mrs Collins showed that houses exist in Melbourne for the convenience of lady patients. One witness said that..during two years five illegitimate children had been born in her house, and'three died, The thermometer at Melbourne observatory registered 106 degrees in the, shade on the 29th, the hottest day of tW season. At Echuca it was 114 degrees in the shade. \ 7/ The defeat of Lord Harris's team by Sydney caused a great deal of exultation. The mateh was witnessed eaok'flay by thousands of spectators. The result was chiefly due to the splendid battifag of C. Bannerman and Massie, who/kept the field lively, while jointly } lhey put together 188, oarryiug theii/bats out and securing a victory for the'Col'onials with five wickets to spare. / Over four hundred men are employed at the Exhibition buildings, j The Commissioners are considering wnetber they cannot give New Zealand more space. The electric light is to be uae'd to facilitate the working at night. | The S.M. Heralds, ridicules as sentimental the refusal of the committee tc unveil Cook's statue' on the anniversary of the navigator's death, which occurs in February, the month fixed for'the ceremony of inaugurating the statue in Hyde Park, j