AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 856, 31 January 1883, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Melbourne, Jan. 25

At the inauguration of the new water supply scheme at Daylesford, Mr Williams, late Minister of Mines, in responding to the toast of Ex-Ministers,” said that there was more fighting in the members of the late Berry Ministry than they had shown in the past, and when the proper time came the, people would see the flaming sword as they had seen it in the past. At the Wesleyan Conference a resolution in favor of the introduction of Bible reading in State Schools was agreed to after considerable discussion.

The bodyof Harris, the schoolmaster, has been recovered in the Yarra. He was quite naked. A bush fire, which destroyed property of the value of LI,OOO, occurred oh Robertson Bros', estate, Colac, on Tuesday. Warm and dry weather was experienced. Sydney, Jan. 25.

Owing to the resolution on the part of the Government to curtail the present sales of Crown lands, the funds at the disposal of the Government will be limited, and the same funds will not bo available for extravagant public works.’ There has been a considerable increase in the attendance at the public schools since the beginning of the year. Mr Garbett, who had a promise from Sir Henry Parkes’s Government of a contract for the North Shore bridge, has been returned his deposit of L 5,000 by the present Ministry, as they do not intend to proceed with the project at present. Mr Garbett protests against what he considers a breach of contract.

The Mayor of Sydney recommenced a crusade against the “rookeries” of the city, and yesterday sixty-one premises were condemned.

The publicly made by Mr Renwick, late Minister of Mines, that he, as well as some of hia late colleagues, consented to the introduction of the Land Bill when they were altogether opposed to the measure, is considered to have politically, damaged the party.