AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 61, 27 June 1874, Page 11

AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

MtLBOTTBNK, Jt»e 13. — The Constitution debate stilt drags its slow length along, but will bs concluded if possible on Tuesday. It is likely that ihe Government will hare a majority of 10 on the second reading. Many alterations were made in committee. The pc ition lodged against Godfrey, East JBourke, ha» been reft rred to the Elections Committee,. The three Governments of New South Wales, Queensland, and New Zealand will now rate themselves per arrangements for a second cable. Lady Bowen proceeds to England in September ; the Governor follows in December or January, to aceompnny her buck. The schooner Lii&n, from Tasmania, wa» wrecked at the Heads on Thursday. The crew were saved. A fire in the story of Lange and Thoneman wm caused by New Zealand flax. Dirange £1000. Place insured. Major Roputa was amongst the passengers from Sydney yesterday. The wreck of the British Admiral sold fur £2150* Arrangements are in progress to save her cargo. In Ihe action Coated ▼. Con.iel, where the plaintiff wus a storekeeper at Grey mouth, and claimed for breach of uarrantry in supplying preserved milk, the verdict was for the defendant. The markets are very dull, and money stringent. A late London telegram stated that candles and fruits are dearer. Breadstuff's remain unchanged : wheat, prime, 6s 6d to 6s 7d. Oat» selling freely at 5s 4d, good feeding. Bisquet's brandy sole 3 J lets, and in Hennessy's c tee there is also a reduotion. Sugars are not so fir i\ Duvoe's oil is Tery dull, Is 4Jd. SIDNEY, June 13. — H.M.S. Challenger, which returned to port, resumed her voyage on Friday. After leaving Auckland, she go. • east to Japan, thence across the Pacific. The debate in reference to the release, by the Governor, of the bushranger Gardiner, after several day*' continuance, resulted in equal votes. The casting voice of the Speaker alone prevented a resolution of disapproval being carried. A serious collision took place on the Northern Railway. Several passengers Were injured. Tht; Corporation funds are exhausted, and the works stopped. Cohen, the auctioneer, is insolvent. His debts are £15,000-. Melbourne, June 1*. — It is stited that tbe Royal Arcade in -Bourle street, which cost £20,000 in building, has returned it* entire cost in four years. The new public buildings are to be erected on the foundations which were laid some fourteen or fifteen years ago in the Treasury Gardens. They will cost £139,767, which is £233 under the estimate of the Government officials. Ihe Costerfield Gold and Antimony Mining Company have struck rich gold-bearing stone, and anti nony ore o the finest quality, in their 520 feet workings. The medical offiors appointed to examine Mr Buchs.rt hiive decided that he is now of sound mind* Ue still remni is at the Cretnorne Lunatic Asylum, and is under surveillance. M r iiuc'iart is charged, it will te remembered, with an extraordinary ait mpt tj obtain money by passing forced cheque* on the Bank of Va toria. Chinese skilled labor has entered into successful competition with European on Ballarut Tenders were advertised the other day for lilting up a shop in .bridge street to be used as a vesta irant, and a party of Chinamen, being the lowest tenderers, secured the job The} aro mow busily engaged at the work. Judging from the fact that the dividends at Sandhu st for the past week largely exceed the calls, it would seem as if a turn of the tide had takeu place in the Bendigo district. The calls made during the week amount to £1375, whilst the dividends declared come to £7603 ss, exceeding the calls by £3228 6* The Mining department offers a reward of £100 for the discovery of a safe and efficient means of signalling between the top of a shaft and the several entrances to it, and between the several entrances (separately) and the surface-. The examinatiun of the invention will be conducted by a board to be appointed, and the reward will not be payable until the invention approved by the board shall have been tried for six months. Sxsi?£Y, June 12.— The certificate of Captain M'Conochy has been suspended for three months for grounding the barque Kusea ; *ad the captain of the schooner Gdnair, wrecked near Merimbula, Jus been suspended for 12 months by the Marine Board,

Seuter, whe'was'stslbWa'iiear 5 PaTramat!ta, lias 1 died of his wounds Hollo way, the murderer, ndmits hi* crime. Mr Weaver,^icetnifistrate sit %rimd*le, was /found dead today on bis child's grave, with bis throat cut. It is supposed that he was. insane, ii •< •«n-> ■ • i <>- i U\ • . ',:'<•).; In the Legislative Assembly notice has ' bean gtveii for 1 the introduction ..of d Bill, which is a copy of the Victorian Act, tff prevent the influx of cahrtinals. , . ' The Beethoven ha» cleared' out with sixty-seven diggers for the Cope minesl . • , .- . ' 7 °r ADiL&tirf. June 12 *-At the anti-immigration meeting held last night, a resolution' was oarried that free immigration is ttnjutt in principle, and injurious to the best interests of the colony. It was stated at the meeting that- Several newly-arrived immigrant* had left for other colonies, and that sixty women and children were how 1 housed at an hotel at tho Government expense. The Register calls for an inquiry into these statement*. Mr Melville, an old colonist, anti lute secretary to the Chamber of Commerce, died to'.iay, tiged 73. It is understood that the Moonta find Wallaroo miners' strike bat beep avoided by the continuance of surveying at old rates: ' ■' Thirty thousand acres of land were selected during the month 'of May. ii „.'■.' ■■>'!'• ■ • • ' i:i A Bill to prohibit the importation of other thwn safety matches has been read a 1 first 1 time. 1:. < : . ■ • . < »> Most disgraceful proceedings characterised ihe sitting of ihe Assetnbly yeaterdkv. ' The whole "evening wus occupied id disttassiiig points of order, and speaking agnlnst time. The Civil Service Bill has been referred to a select committee. ' < > A miner, namea James Gribble, fell down a shaft at Moonta and fractured h» skull. ' ' > The Germans held a meeting lust night to advocate a more liberal land luw. The Assembly lasf night negatived Mr Bbucaut's motion to stop immigration. ■ - The squatters hate resolved 'a carry on' th» old meitopresorvmg work*, i a ' IWo want-of-confidbtice motions have been Cabled 1 . Mr Cavancgh has given notice of motion that the Education 1 Board should have! been consulted previous to the appointment of Inspector Sosking, and Mr Carr has given notice that the conduct of the Government in spending money on railway works before the Bills have passed i« unconstitutional. A Bill to borrow £60,0000 passed through committee of the Assembly last i » (girt. The Council hits- pos«ed a resolution in favor of extending tele' graphic communication to Cape Borda. The Assembly has voted £300 to J.imes Crocker, whom wife was recently killed a at railway crossing The designs lor the new Parliament Houses have been referred to a commission.