VICTORIA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3420, 27 March 1879, Page 3

VICTORIA.

Oufc of the new loan £120,000 is to be applied to building new schools. It is intended to graft tho Penny Savings Bank in connection with the State sohoois, on the Post-office Savings Bank system. Sir J. Coode's recommendation of the natural Yarra as tho entrance in futuro for tho Port of Melbourno, agrees with the reports of Messrs Wardell, Higginbotham, and Gordon, tho Victorian Engineers. It is believod tho Harbour Commissioners will sink thoir differences heartily.

Tho civil sorvants are commencing an agitation in referenco fco classification. The Government will deal with fche matter in a Bill next session. Officials in the railway department are to be compelled to contribute towards a sick and superannuation fund. Tho City of Glasgow Bank Reliof Fund amounts to £1400. An attempt will be made to increase it to £2000.

Tho Government aro likely to grant the Melbourne Juvenile Industrial Exhibition £1000.

Mr Barnett, a moinber of the Liechardt search expedition in 1863, died afc Sandhurst on March 18.

Tho Railway Department aro prospecting in Gippsland for coal, aud a seam of two feet thick has boen discovered.

Andrew Cohn, aorated-water manufacturer, was committed for trial on a charge of stealing 50,000 gallons of fche Tan Yean water, but tho evidenco was not clear, and Government would nofc prosecute. Rioters forced the gates of the Murray bridge. Lynch, the Kelly sympathiser, has boen sentenced to two years, for sending threatening letters.

Mr Monk, the contractor for tho Oakleigh railway, dislodged 20,000 yards of stones from a quarry, with one charge of 9001bs of lifchofraefceur.

Statistics show tho Municipal valuations of Victoria last year, woro £7,030,758. The revenue of tho municipalities declined £59,515, mainly through the a olilion of tolls.

Tho Albion Rolling Mills have started on the Yarra bank. They will utilise all scrap iron.

Arthur M'Covey, a soft goods merchant, has been found guilty of fraudulent insolvency. He was remanded for sentence, pending an appeal to a full Oourt on tho points resorved.

Monel Barbor was sentenced to 12 months, imprisonment for trying to bribe a juror at David Henry's trial. The Government havipg ordered 10,000 copies of the Illuilra'ted Australian News for distribution at tho French Exhibition, paid £483 out of tho building vote for the International Exhibition. Tho Audit Com - misioner disallowed this, and tho Finance Committee of the Exhibition, under pressure, charged the amount to general expenses of the new Exhibition.

Vinzelberg, an old man living afc Barnstable, committed suicide, by putting gunpowder in a dish, and deliberately resting his head on tho dish, and firing the powder. His head was completely blown away. A Queensland aboriginal tracker died of cold. This is alleged nofc to be an official Government telegram, but it was published in the Ministerial journals as an Australian Press Agoncy message.