AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 2, Issue 274, 21 February 1881, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

♦ [by telegraph.] (Par s.s. Wahitipu at JVellington.) Wellington, To-day. The Union Steamship Company’s s.s. Wakatipu arrived here at half past six o’clock last night. She brings the following summary of Australian news ; Victoria, Feb. 15. A number of Irishmen have sent a congratulatory telegram to Mr. Parnell. Mr. Walker has definitely decided to contest Maldon on Mr. Service’s retirement. Sydney, Feb. 15. The Immigration Agent has been instructed not to receive any more deposits on account of assisted immigrants, pending the consideration of the whole question by the Assembly. Excavations made have exposed the foundations of the Town Hall, and show the work to have been of a disgraceful character. In places the stones appear as if they had been thrown into trendies. There are open joints in the masonry, and the overhanging base is not down to the rock in some places. Government ask L 51,000 for the year’s immigration. This is a decrease of L 25,000.

Wilcannia. Mr. Evans brought to town on the 7th 24 ounces of gold, consisting of a nugget weighing 10 ounces, another weighing 2 ounces, and the remainder coarse uuggety gold. He states that himself and party obtained the gold in three days from two to six feet from the surface with dishes. The diggings are about 200 miles from Wilcannia, and there are 25 miners’ rights issued. Nows has been received of fresh finds in the Grey ranges, but the rumors require authentication. Two coaches left Wilcannia for the diggings well filled. A destructive hurricane at Levuka is reported. Two steamers sank in the harbor, and the town suffered severely. Queensland. Parliament has been farther prorogued to March 29. An Afghan, having a female camel and a young camel, passed through Yulo. The Afghan speaks broken English, and is understood to have found the camels in the bush. They are supposed to have belonged to the Burke and Wills’ expedition, and the man is suspected to be a deserter from Elder’s expedition. Skuthorpe, up to the present, has not permitted a single person to see the record and other articles which he alleges he has at Blackall. Skuthorpe left Blackall on January 24. Nobody seems to know anything of his whereabouts. A hut-keeper at Idamere station, Pituria Creek, has been murdered by blacks. A Malay prow, in ballast, with nine men, was boarded and picked off at Mulgrave Island, having been blown to leeward in a heavy gale, and drifted thirtyfour days. The crew were since landed at Thursday Island. It is reported that the Duke of Manchester intends purchasing Queensland stations.