AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 5206, 5 November 1883, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH— COPYRIGHT.) (reutek's telegrams.) JReoeived Nov 5, 0.35 a.m. - SIR ANTHONY MUSGRAYE. • Sydney, Nov 4. — Sir Anthony Musgrave, Governor of Queensland, was a passenger by the Sorata, which arrived from Melbourne this morning. His Excellency sailed again for Brisbane by the Eanelagh. SHIPPING. Adelaide, Nov 3. — Arrived, to-night — Messageries steamer Natal, from Marseilles (Sept 29). Sydney, Nov 5. — Arrived, last .evening — Waihora, from Auckland. Received Nov 4, 6.15 p.m. PROROGATION OP THE VICTORIAN PARLIAMENT. Melbourne, Nov 3. — The Victorian Parliament was prorogued to-day. The Governor's speech on the occas : on stated that the session now ended had been marked by the importance of the legislative measures passed, resulting from the harmony prevailing between the Council and the Assembly. The importance attached to the question of the annexation of New Guinea and other Pacific islands at the opening of Parliament had been increased by the action of France in proposing to deport to the islands the vilest and worst of her criminals, notably those so far steeped in crime as to be deemed unfit to be retained within her territorial limits. The matter was of vital importance to the Australian colonies containing, as they do, British people numbering over three millions, and representing the best enterprise of England, these Islands should not become the possessions of any foreign power, and such a sink of moral pollution should not be permitted to exist at the portals of Southern Biitain. With a deep ieeling of threatened wrong and strong sense of lasting national misfortune that would be entailed upon them, all the colonies had strongly remonstrated with the Imperial authorities. The convention, comprising representatives from all the colonies, which is about to assemble at Sydney to deal with this matter specially, and also the q«e§6f6n* of Federation, will, it is still hoped, induce the Mother Country, upon whom the duty rests of conserving the national character of of this portion of the Empire, to avert such a calamity as that threatened. Whether the object would be best attained by annexation of, or the establishment of a protectorate over, these Island?, was not material. The end and aim of the colonies must be to prevent such occupation as would become a standing menace to their peaceful shore?, and also to avert the infiltration of criminals. The speech stated that the railways of this colony had grown into a gigant'c system, the annual receipts being two millions sterling, and the actual expenditure one million for management. 176 miles have been opened during the past twelve months, making a total of 1500 miles open for traffic and an additional 103 miles are being constructed rapidly. It is estimated that the rerenue for the current ye .r, ending 30th June next, will exceed that of the past year by fully £100,000, judging by the favorable prospects of the pastoral and agricultural season.