BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

Evening Star, Issue 3120, 18 February 1873, Page 2

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

{Frem the New Zealand Prm AwocicUion.)

Bluff, February 18. The Albion left Melbourne on the 13th; she sails for Dunedin to-night. The mail was not signalled when the Albion left. Pas* sengers: Mrand Mrs Holt, Mr and Mrs Henty, Mrs Smith, Mrs#. Brown, Misses Strachanand Beal, Kev. A. Reid, Rev. 0. Connor, Messrs M‘Caul, M ‘Lcnnan, Newlands, Murphy, Von der Hyde, and the Hon. Mr Strachan.

London, February 5. The vessel which sunk the Northfleet was the steamer Murillo. The owners of the Northfleet are suing the owners of the steamer for Ll4,t'oo damages. Arrived—J. M . Joshua, and the Patriarch, from Melbourne. February 6. Parliament was opened ib-day by commission. The Queens Speeds congratulates the country upon its friendly with Foreign Powers. It refers to the mission despatched to Zanzibar for the suppression of the slave trade. An acknowledgment was made of the services of the Emperor of Germany as arbitrator for the San Juan question, and the award is to be immediately executed by withdrawal from the Island. Reference was made to the Alabama claims, and the award of the Geneva arbitrators; and Parliament was asked to provide for the necessary payment of the damages awarded. Mention also was made of the services of the Geneva Tribunal. A has been executed with Belgium for the extradition of criminals, and a hope is expressed that the final result of the French Commercial Trcatynegotiation will be shortly announced. The whole correspondence with Russia on the Central-Asian question, aiming at identity of views regarding the frontier Knag, is promised. The revenue and the country continue prosperous, but no reduction has been made in the Estimate for the year in consequence of the increased expenditure rendered necessary. The commercial condition of the country continues generally satisfactory, and there is no increase of pauperism or crime Amongst the measures promised during the session are the Irish University and Education Bills. The former will carefully regard rights conscientiously. A Bill for the reconstruction of the Supreme Courts of Appeal and measures dealing with land transfer, local taxation, law reform, and amendment of certain clauses of the Education Act, will also be introduced. When the House of Commons met, the Address in reply to the Queen’s Speech was moved. Messrs DisraeliandHorsmanattacked the Government on their foreign policy, especially with regard to the Alabama question. Mr Gladstone, in a long speech, defended the action of the Government, and promised soon to present the whole of the correspondence on the Central Asian question. No amendment was moved, and the address was agreed to. In the House of Lords, Earl Granville referred to a recent sensational telegram regarding the Central Asian question, as being unjustifiable, and remarked that there was no cause for alarm. Negotiations with Russia were referred to in detail, and also the arrangements pending, since the Earl of Clarendon was appointed Foreign Minister. After a short discussion, the address in reply to the Queen’s speech was agreed to. Sailed -The Edwin Fox, for Canterbury. The Edwin Bassit, for Brisbane, put back for repairs in consequence of being damaged.

Melbourne, February 13. The submarine cable, between! Singapore and Penang, has been interrupted Since Sunday. Only L 60,300 of the Government four per cent, loan of half-a-million has been, taken.up. The Intercolonial Conference at Sydney have completed their labors, and considered the postal, submarine telegraphs, lighthouses, and Customs questions, and also the desirability of a union, on the basis of a common tariff, and patent laws. The results cf their deliberations have been kept secret. The Newcastle miners’ strike has terminated. All the colliers have returned to work.

Webb’s agents have received a telegram to the effect that the Nebraska left San Fran* cisco eight days late. Very heavy shipments of Adelaide wheat are being made to Knglaud. The Banks in Melbourne have made a new arrangement regarding a minimum rate of discount, namely, 5 per cent Considerable decrease is shown in the elect oral strength of the Colony. Tenders have been accepted for eleven miles of narrow gauge railway from Ballarat to Creswick, at L 3 222 per mile. The share list of the National Bank of New Zealand doses here to-morrow. The late Walter Montgomery’s will has been proved. He leaves his watch-guard to the Duke of Edinburgh. Heavy storms have been felt in Melbourne and surrounding country. Consul March, of Fiji, is now in Sydney, and denies his recall. '' : ' : The Prince of Wales Theatre, Melbourne, ha* been jtarchasdd by a ’ company : fdr L 25.000. Mr : Lyster has been apteointfed manager for five'years, ahd opens with opera on the Ist March. ’ • ■’ • • i 11 ■ .New wheat is coming forward in Tasmania. Both yield And quality are gobd.' ’ !i ' The Forfarshire, from Londoh to Welling* tmi, with immigrants, 'was ’feignalied oh January 6. in' lat. 26deg. Smin.. and loom s3deg. W. ’ ' “ • river, in the far north, has been explored for 100 miles, where jt was found to bo 200 yards wide, and navigable for small vessels, A large increase of gold from the New South Wales goldfields is reported. , Alluvial gold has been found in the Northern Territory, One miner brought into r»l* atoitog 32q£s,

The wreck of the Poloanaise has broken up. - The price of coal at Newcastle is 12s. Commercial. A good and steady business Is being done. Large arrivals of sugars are reported; Mauritius advices are satisfactory; refining sorts bad advanced ten per cent. The market is active : prices firm. In wheat little is offering ;sstoss Id (?), No quotation for New Zealand wheat; there is none in the market. The oats supply is abort of the demand, and feeding is quoted at from 3s Id to 3s 3d. Large parcels of candles and kerosene have changed hands, the latter at a decline. Teas are slow of sale.

Shipping.— At Melbourne: Arrived—Bth, from Timaru ; 10th, Alarm, from Wangaroa. At Sydney: Arrived —Alcandre, from Wellington. Sailed—9th, H. M. screw corvette Rdsario, for New Zealand; 10th. Drover, for Auckland. At Newcastle : Ar-rived—-sth, Ann Melhuish, from Wellington. Sailed—llth, Mary Millar, for Auckland. UNPUBLISHED TELEGRAMS.

S-ydney, Thursday. The Loan Estimate provides for LI, 100,000 to extend the railway system to Wagga Wagga. v The Assembly read the Mining Bill a second time last night. The schooner, Prince of Wales, from Newcastle to Geelong, put in here, having lost her foremast. The Woollongong miners stopped work m consequence of a dispute about wages. An amicable settlement, however, is likely to take place. Adelaide, Thursday. A» agitation for the reform of the Upper House, by reducing tbe tenure of office, is going on here. This Darwin station cannot tell where the cable break is. The Adelaide office is pressing for information, and expects to know the precise spot daring the day. Wheat, steady; plenty of enquiry at 4a 54d to 4a 6d. Wellington, February 17. The Provincial Government’s proposals for alterations in the Hutt Railway, involving an extra cost (of upwards of L 20,000, have been declined by the Government. The Public Work* Department is preparing a large typographical and geological map of the Colony for the Vienna Exhibition. Messrs O’Neill, Thomas and Co. have made proposals for laying street tramways in the city. At a meeting of the new Coal Company to-day, provisional directors have been elected. New Plymouth, February 17. The binnacle lamp of a large vessel was found on the beach. Mr M 4 Lean is holding Native meetings. Auckland, February 17. A Political Association, under the presidency of MrJB. Tonks, has been formed to protect the public interests in the forthcoming elections. The Southern Cross publishes two columns 6f an imaginary description of an attack npon Auckland by a ttussiau ironclad. A tremendous sensation has been created.