INTERCOLONIAL.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 25, 31 December 1874, Page 5

INTERCOLONIAL.

By the. Alhambra, which arrived, at Hokitika on the 27th inst, we have^ Melbourne dates, to. the 19th :•

Ihe Council, after a long discussion^ passed the Payment of Members Bill;.' but rejected, by a majority of one, the, Mining on Private Prpp/rty lijllj. The. Crimes and Offences, Bill, which, has. t given vise to great discussion owing to, the flogging provisions it contained, has been laid aside, on a point of order. Mr Samuel Wilson, the well-known." Waimera squatter, has made a munificent gift of L3G,000 for building a halt at the University. The Bench has remanded, the Nev/Zealand murderer Sullivan to NewZealand, to be deported on the first opportunity

On Thursday, the hottest day of the. season, the thermometer registered 111 in the shade.

Archbishop. G.oold met with a most cordial reception from, the members ofhis Church.

The new Judicature Bill is expected;" to come into operation on the 4th of January.

The convict Weechurch was tried for. the attempted' murder of Warden, Coghlan, at Pentridge, and acquitted. Thirty -one. horses have been entered for the Australian Cup, and thirty-one, for the Newmarket Handicap. A large amount of sickness is stilL prevalent in all parts of thft colony. The cable between Batavia and; Singapore has been interrupted during the week.. The repairing- steamer, Ag-nes is on the spot, and the repairs, are now effected-

The re-elections in Sydney have, weakened the position of the Government, and returned a large number of independent members, which is likely to lead to the formation of an independent party. H. M. s. s. Dido, with Cakobau, leaves for Fiji next week, and H.M. s. s,. BJa.nche proceeds to New Zealand. _ No successor will yet be appointed to* Sir Chas. Cow.par, the Agent-General. Cuthburt and one of his sons have, been committed for the Toeal murders*

By the s. s. Star of the South which, arrived at Auckland on the 28th inst. the following Fiji intelligence, has been, forwarded to the Dunedin papers — Commercial matters are assuming a.. healthier tone than for month past. Inconvenience has been occasioned bythe Bank su.4d.enly refusing to take.. forign coin.

The arrival of- the. new Government staflMs anxiously looked for. Number of residents are taking holidays in Auckland or Sydney. Four sugar mills are. nearly completed at Sslia Levu.

Brewer and Joske are turning out excellent samples, and numerous smaller plantations are underway.

Maitland Brothers and Hartman and Co. will have by March 700 acres of cane planted, and are erecting extensive machinery at Rewa.. The Melbourne Company hope to be at work early next year, at Suva..

Large stocks of cotton await ship-, ping accommodation^ for transportation to Auckland; the consequence of which is, Sydney intends, putting a large* steamer on the trade, conditionally, on being- promised- to the A.S.N. Company. The G-overnment haarectived £1,000 . worth of silver, oven which Fijians. greatly rejoice.

The sugar-cane crops look most healthy, and hopes are expressed thatDunedin merchants will, turn their eyes thitherwards. The labour traffic lias, since annexation, received a stimulus, from the freedom of action enjoyed bythe aboriginal natives who have shown, a remarkable quick perception of their altered position. Prisoners for nonpayment of the poll-tax at once refused, to work ; they became Britishers, immediately, and " Hi Britannia" became all the cry among them. Following- up this newly-acquired freedom, the natives are beginning to hire themselves out to. planters without the interference of the chiefs, who formerly regulated local native labourjust as they pleased, and the poor men dare not assert that their lives were their own. It is not, however, very pleasant to know that guns and ammunition are generally- • given in payment of wages.