AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 1478, 17 June 1879, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[Peb Steamer at the Bluff.] Invercabohll, Juue 16. The following Australian News has been received by the s.s. Tarurua at the Bluff: — Melboubne. Tho Melbourne City Council urge the Government to ojtabieh a Metropolitan Board of Works, chiofly with a view to tho carrying out of an efficient system of Bewerage for the city. Sir Bryan O'Loghlen thinks that the present political exigencies will not permit of his dealing with the subject this session. Californian salmon fourteen inches long, and full of ova, have been found m the salmon ponds at Erceldoune. The attempted acclimatisation of EngHih Salmon has been a failure, owing to the confinement of the fish m lakes, from which they cannot reach the sea. Tho quantity of gold obtained during the quarter ending March 31ft was 170,5500z5., as compared with 168,6 t"0z5. for the same period of lust year. There ore 36,500 minera working. The detectives profess to know whsre the balance of the 5000 sovereigns stolen from Die steamship Avoca are concealed ; but that, pending further evidence, they are unable to seize them. "Witnesses against Weiberg are expected to arrive by the incoming mail steamer. The Kelly gang is believed to bo m tho Puzrle ranges, within 200 miles of Mansfield. The police are said to have found one of the abandoned camps of the outlaws. Disgraceful rurnora lire current respecting firms of the highest standing and respectability. James McEwan and Co., who carry on probably the largest ironmongery business m the coloni'B, and who have been perpis'enlly attended to by rumor, hnvs authoritatively given an unqualified contradiction to the statements rcpecling them m the Argus. Mclvory, agricultural chemist, ttatea that the duty on suit is doing a serious injury to agriculture, al-o that the hgh price of course salt will prevent the establishment of ealt refining works. Tho Minister for Railways considers the business of Government lines so bad that he imperatively directs station masters to curtail the cipenßOJ of the department. Two hundred tuben of vaccine havo been sent to Fiji, whew tho I/conidas, a cooli'i ship from Calcutta, brought the Biuall pox. Victoria also senda regular monthly Buppliea of vaccine to Suva Levuka, and some thousands of Fijians have been successfully vaticinate.'!. The t.s. Aconcagua mado tho run from London to Adelaide m forty days and fourteen hou-B steaming, the brings the Ga r nir Comrdy Company, engngsd by Mr W. S. Ly6ter. SIDKBT. Mr Butler, Q.C., while making a brilliant Bpeoch m the Hupreme Court, dropped down dead from aneurism of the heart. The Court was immediately closed. At the quarterly dinner given by the ?v!uniciptil Councils, the toast of iho Lieut.Governor was received with mingled cheering and hifaiug, owing to the attitude of the Government over the condemned criminals. The Executive intend to hang a colored criminal for rape on an old woman. A dangerous coach accident occurred at Wanga Wag^a, whereby two passengers were much injured. Edwards, the Melbourne Eculler, beat Sullivan of Sydney easily by a len;>tu. It is rumored that 26 Civil servants will be suspended for insubordination, m petitioning against the promotion of a junior officer m the postofHce over Ibeir heads. Mr McKlbone, m the Assembly, charged an officer attached to a colonial military force with keeping a gambling hell m the suburbs of Sydney. The officer concerned emphatically denies the charge Two machinery annexes, furnishing one thousand feet of space, haTe been added t > the Exhibition buildings, which, with shelter sheds, will afford half a million feet of apace. It is intended to show the machinery m motion, with the various processes of manufacture. .Adelaide. The Soeitty of Friends protest against tbo pruclice of military drill with the use of firearms m public schools as inimical to Christianity und humanity, and they intend to petition Parliament to discontinue the practice. The proposed light at Cape Northumberland will be an electric light. Sibley and Maredi, two young men, disagreed over some matter, and the former slabbed tho latter five times. Hobaht Town. Mr Chapman, M.L.C., osti mates the deficiency m the revenue this year at £5300, instead of £3500, according to the Treasurer. Melbourne. The Minister for Education states that over 400 qualified t each era aro awaiting employment, and that he intends nftcr a short notice to dismiss all uncertifieoted teachers. A scheme of classification is being prepared, under which all patronage is removed from Ministerial control, and by which advancement is to proceed solely from seniority and merit. It is proposed to attach a School of Mines and a Technological Museum to the Education department. Scholarships are being offered to encourage mining and technical education. The Australian and European Bank hnve arranged to recommence business shortly. Tho manager states that he gavo direction!), fearing a run, and applied to the Unisn Bank for £30,000 on the security of tho directors, even offering to become personally liable for £50,000. Subsequently they were referred to to the Associated Banks, who, after inspecting the books, declined to give any assistance. The shareholders tire very indignant at the treatment they have received from the depositors. Tho shareholders met on Monday, when it was reported that £30,000 would cover any loss that might occur, leaving £120,000 called up capital untouched, apart from a fresh £60,000 juet ca'led. At the close of the meeting depositors representing nearly £90,000 agreed to give time. It has been resolved to wind up the Provincial Suburban Bank voluntarily. A Committee of Investigation has been appointed to consider the cose of lilder and Vallentine, who have under-valued the assets of the Bank. They estimated the assets at £15,000 or £20,000. Some of the largest creditors are so dissatisfied with the appointment of the liquidators that they threaten to force the Bank into the Insolvent Court. It is intended to display m one collective exhibit the mineral resources of all the Australian colonies at the Melbourne Exhibition. Victoria will display a gold obelisk. Fifty thousand "pounds' worth of silver coinage is expected to be ready for issue m ten days. It will be delivered to persons applying at the Melbourne Mint free of charge m exchange for gold or worn silver coin, which will be rro'tsd down m the Melbourne Mint and scut Home. This year the Mint will coin £2,500,000 of gold, the greater part of which, will be sent to England by the Banks. Thomas Hogan, the Beechworth fratricide, was executed on Monday. When the Sheriff asked if he wished to speak, he oartly replied " No," himself giving the signal to the hangman to draw the bolt. A melanoholy euioide was committed by an ex-civil Bervaot, Thomas Aboott, an officer of go -d position m the Education Department. He was summarily dismissed during the crisis last year, and. applied for the compensation due to him 'after fourteen years of service, intending to open business with it m order to bo. able . .to keep' his wife and a, large

fumily. The Government delayed so long complying with his request that the unfor tunute man was compelled to hypothecate his compensation m order to support his lamilv, and w:ib alao obliged to surrender hie life policy und to borrow money on bis furniture. A bill of sale brooming due, rather than fi»ce the execution of it he took poison. The Argus, renewing Gibbs, Shallaud, and Co 'b publication of the speeches delivered by Sir Hercules Bobin-on during h s administra'ion m New South Wale 1 , writes — "Sir Henules Robinson's speeches are those of a highly cultured English gentleman who values public life not alone for the honors which Bometimes offer to those deserving of them, but for the opportunities which it afford; to a man of eminent capability to impress something of his own elevation of character, breadth of view, and loftiness of purpose upon people, among whom he has been commiesigned to represent bis royal mißtress." STDNEr. A strong public agitation was being got up m favor of the reprieve of the criminals condemned for rape, and 5000 persons met m the Sydney doinaiu on a Sunday night, and adopted resolutions urging the Governor tj commute the sentence. On the following evening a procession inarched through the city, preceded by band* playing the " Dead March m Saul," and carrying a banner ou which was inscribed tho word " Mercy." The petition asking the Governor to reprieve the lads, ho curtly declined to answer. The Executive broke up without altering their decision. A demonstration, numbering 2000 persons, chased the Premier, who escaped m a cab. Edwards, the pedestrian, at Batkunt, walked 180 miles m nine minutes under fortyeight hours. Sir Henry Paries has introduced a measure m the Assembly making a provision against the influx of pardoned communists. A private member of the Assembly intends to propose a bill to leguliao the use of tbe totalisator on race-courses. Owing to the non-associated collieries standing out against the vend system, the association of masters havo determined to terminate tbe agreement betweeu the masters and men. If the vend Byatem is abolished, a spirited competition amongst the collieries will be the result. An nudacioua robbery was committed on the premises of Welunsand Co., ironmongers, on tbe 3rd iiißt., during the absence of tbe managing clerk at lunch. The cash-box, containiug nearly £5000, was abstracted from the office. Within a quarter of an hour the cashbox was recovered, containing over £4030, and two men have since been arrested. Brisbane. A terrible scene occurred at the execution of a German named Joseph Muter, the murderer of one Btephen, at Ravenswood. Owing to the rope being hardened by the frost, on tho drop falling tho man's head was completely cut off. Mr Mcllwaith marries Miss Morsman, a relation of the Colonial Secretary, this week. Geoffrey, a New Caledonian escaped convict, broke out of the Brisbane Gaol most cleverly, no clue regarding the mode of his escape being discovered until be was recaptured, when be explained the mystery. Hobabt Town. The Ministry decline to state the course they intend to adopt, and it is reported that the Council will firmly adhere to their resolution of granting only six months' supplies, until ways and means are provided. Two members of the Assembly indulged m coarse .jeers at the expense of tbe beurer of tbe measure from the Council, and the leader of the House, with remarkably bad taat.>, treated the mesßago witb indifference. Ultimately an apolcgy was sent to the Upper House. The Chief Justice accepted tho rtbuke of Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, and apologised for the tonn of the language used by him m the recent controversy. Governor Weld cordially responded, expressing his regret if he had said anything to unnecessarily annoy. The Rev. Mr Kinimont during a sermon asked the congregation to pray that Governor Weld might be converted from tbe erroneous views he held as a Roman Catholic. One lady, after the service, publicly robuked sueb intolerance. Accounts from goldflolda are discouraging. Pehth. The Jubilee proved a brilliant success. Governor Ord turned the first sod of the Eastern Railway, and m his speech at the banquet referred to tbe prosperous condition and the contentment of the people of Weslern Australia, even compared with Ihut of the other Australian Provinces.