AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 1, Issue 66, 26 February 1880, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Per Wakatipu at Wellington. Sydney, Feb. 10. It is understood that the vital statistics about to be issued will show an increase in the population during last year unprecedented oven during the early gold discoveries, nearly forty thousand, making the total population close on three-quarters of a million. During the empanneling of the juries to try the cases yesterday, the Crown Prosecutor challenged those jurymen who acquitted Williams of rape on his own daughter. A company is starting at Kiami with five thousand pounds capital to condense milk. Constable Hayes, who was injured by a crowd of larrikins, is in a critical condition. Victoria. The Reform League meeting at Dunoily yesterday, Messrs. Berry and Grant being present, was the most disorderly meeting which has ever taken place there. Several fights occurred, and the police were called in, but were unable to restore order. The meeting broke up in confusion. The Reformer Paper, with an issue of a hundred thousand, containing an adverse history of the Berry Government, is published for deasemination broadcast throughout the colony. Larkina, publisher of the “Firebrand,” appeared in Court to show cause why the publication should not he destroyed as obscene. Ho denies that- it is more objectionable than some of the passages in Shakespeare, Swinborne, Byron, or the Bible. The Bench ruled that it was disgustingly obscene, and ordered its destruction. Queensland. Wells, the Cunnaunilla bushranger, has been sentenced to death for shooting Murphy with intent to murder, without hope of mercy. South Australia. The “ Register ” complains of Government importing iron bridges from America instead of calling for local tenders. It states that a violation is' thus committed of a resolution of the Assembly seven years ago.