AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1300, 8 July 1884, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Melbourne, July 2. Considerable apprehension has been aroused in tins city owing to the appearance of a disease which some 1 doctors declare is smallpox and others state to be aggravated chicken-pox. A case occurred m the hospital, and a student named McGill caught the disease, which, whatever it is, is highly contagious. There was a large gathering of firemen yesterday. About a thousand assembled, and held sports, and organised a torchlight procession. The Tel graph Department has adopted the plan of pre-paying messages in stamps, thus saving a large amount of clerical work. A, W. E. Stifle, a native of Wellington, only lately arrived in the colony, shot himself in McCulloch’s bonded store on Friday. Deceased had been in a despondent frame of mind, owing to the dullness of trade. His accounts were all correct. Sir Henry Loeh, the new Governor, may be expected to arrive shortly. He will stay a short time in Tasmania before coming to Melbourne. The French ship Dupuy de Lorme has arrived in Hobson’s Bay en route for JNew Caledonia. She has on board a number of French female convicts. Tha police authorities maintained a strict surveillance while the ship was in harbor. Pollard’s Juvenile Troupe has arrived from India The children have returned to their homes. SyDNET, July 2. Mr A. G. Taylor, member for Mudgee, was guilty of most disorderly conduct in the Assembly on Tuesday night, and bad to withdraw his words and apologias. John Adams, who shot his wife, and absconded, has been apprehended and remanded fora week. The Marine Board has suspended the certificate of the captain of the schooner Surprise, wrecked off Seal Hocks, for six ' montlu, fop careless navigation. 1 ' Hot?art, July 2. | The Parliament opened on Tuesday, i The revenue for the past yjjar js jfhe I largest ever received. The Governor’s ' speech stated that Parliament would be, ' invited to consider a Federal Council; i oilers would be made for a direct steam service, and England would be asked to <

sanction the appointment of an AgentGeneral in London. In consequence of the increase of revenue, it was contemplated to repeal the duty on cattle and sheep. Various matters of internal economy were dealt with. Adelaide, July 2. In the Assembly on Tuesday, Mr Colton. the Premier, introduced the Ministerial financial He proposed, in view of the deficency in the revenue, to introduce a land tax without exemption, and an income tax with exemption under L 3 0 a year. He intended gradually to withd *w subsidies from District Councils and Co porations. One important proposal is the withdrawal of the Jubilea Exhibition Bill. Government consider they cannot afford to carry out the scheme with the finances in their present condition.

The Hon W. H. Bundey, Q.C., has been appointed Judge of the Supremo Court, in place of the late Mr Justice Andrews. South Australia has expressed its willingness to contri ute towards, the maintenance of the High Commissioner of the Western Paci(jc, provided tha subsidy bo in proportion to the population of the colony