LATEST AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Waikato Times, Volume VI, Issue 311, 12 May 1874, Page 2

LATEST AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

mi Sydney, May 4. There have been unprecedented^ henry rains, which hare been constant since midnight. No sign of clearing. Two armed men stopped the Northern mail and plundered the passengers of money and valuables, They did not touch the mail, but told the passengers they might inform tho lainvrortu police. Adelaide, May 4. A large robbery of the General Post-offico has been perpetrated. Bankers' parcels containing £1,7U0 hate been taken. Parliament is opened. A measure is promised to amend the Land Act by reducing the upset price. Education, Distillation, Eoads, «nd question of Telegraph to Western Australia have been referred to. * • Melbourne, May 4. The Attorney-General <(Stephons) having accepted judgeship, has been sworn in and taken his seat on tho bench, vice Williams, retired. Kerford, the Solicitor-General, takes the Attorney-Gene-ralship ; Eraser, Minister of Public Works and Government Representative in Council retired, succeeded by R. S. Anderson ; tho offices of Poatmnster-Gencral and Solicitor- General! will not bo filled up ; Mackoy, Minister of Mines, lakes chargo of the Education Department., These changes will; weaken the Ministry except the substitution oS Andersen, for Fraser. Writs have been issued to fill the ministerial vacancies, hut there is unlikely to bo opposition excepting in St TCiWh, where Webb. Kquity bnnsfor, and probably William j. will be opposed. For tho vacancy of the Central Province, SarI good, ex. warehouseman, und A. K. Smith arc nominate!. ' Parliament is to meet on May 19, Tlia,.TeilcUh, with tuc Torres Straits mail, arrived at Brisbane Inst week with later news to March 6. The Cambridgeshire, long overdue from London, arrived hvsfc night dismnsted. Tho disinter occurred owing to a henry gule on April 2. No lives lost. Yesterday evening before tho Fr«o Discussion Society, Mr McPherson, President of t?io Canterbury Working Men's Association, delivered ft lecture on tho delusion of the New Zealand immigration scheme. Social events for tho week are generally \iibhout interest. A div»dful tragedy has occurred ufr Moore's Flat. Bong Bongr, Maryborough. A Boy there was stabbed by his father week ago and lin=» since died. The dying depositions of the oy were taken by Dr Dowliug, of Talbot, and the father is ow in custody. Goitre has made its appearance in the mountain districts, and Dr Xis!i, of Wood's Point, has been instructed by flic Central Board of Health to report Upon the cases, which are now to be found in many of the State schools.