LATEST AUSTRALIAN.

Evening Star, Issue 3846, 22 June 1875, Page 3

LATEST AUSTRALIAN.

Melbourne, June 17. The handicaps for the Melbourne Cup have been published. The lop weight is 9st 81b: Lnrliue comes next with 9.-t 71b; Calumny has Bst_l2lb, and Castaway 7st 13'b. In the Metropotitan, Lurline is also second highest weight, with 9st 61b, and Calumny has Bst Sib. Parliamentary piooecdings have been characterised by dullness. The Land Bill has formed the subject of debate in the Assembly during the past week, but it excited no interest either inside or outside the House. A point of order raised, that the Bill should have originated in Committee, as it dealt with taxation in raising the pastoral assessment, was overruled. 1 n anticipation of the Customs’ changes there has been a great falling off in the quantities of goods cleared, but the remissions of duty will not come into operation for some months after they are announced. The late Mr Michael Dawson’s property has been sworn at L 337,000. At Vaughan, near Castlemainc, a Chinaman was murdered in his hut by his mate, another Chinaman. *who has been arrested. Duncan Longden, Justice of the Peace, has been committed for trial on a second charge of forg. ry. The Sydney Government have sent a telegram to England, closing the contract for the New Zealand cable. Mining matters are improving in some parts of the Colony. The Ecv. Charles Clark continues to draw immense audiences. The barque Glenede, from Rockhampton to Sydney, passed a barque on Bunker’s beef with all her masts gone. The Somerset arrived at Singapore on Friday, one day in advance of her contract time. The Commissioner of Lands at Fiji has iuviled the holders of land and others having an interest in land to forward pa ticulars in order to test the validity or otherwise of their titles. Adelaide. The now Government has enunciated a vigorous policy, which includes borrowing two millions for railway and harbor works, and the expenditure of 1.100,(100 on immigration. If taxation is necessary it will bo direct, but the will be altered during the next year in the-direction of free trade. A motion for the payment of members was negatived. The ministerial policy is generally approved. Tasmania. Tire agricultural returns show a surplus for export of 447,000 bushels of wheat. The average crop of wheat is bushels to the acre. The increase in the yield of wheat is 119,000 bushels, and of oats 316,000 bushels.