LATEST AUSTRALIAN.

Evening Star, Issue 3925, 23 September 1875, Page 3

LATEST AUSTRALIAN.

Melboubne, September 17. The Chief Secretary made his Financial Statement in the Assembly on I'uesday night, and it was very brief, as Mr Berry took nearly all the figures of his predecessor as correct. He stretched the deficit from L 200.000 to L 300,000, and proposed to raise new revenue to the extent of L 185.000, ©f which L 150.000 is to come from a land tax, and the remainder from a tax on bank notes and succession duties. The tariff is not to be dealt with exhaustively this session, and it is only proposed to put a duty on woolpacks and on bagging to protect a certain firm, and <>ne or two other articles which would only realise a small revenue ; and to re mit an equal amount of Customs duties, not on any article comprised in the protective tariff, but such articles as would .afford most relief to the mining interest. A loan of three millions for public works, school buildings, and railways, is also included in the statement. The land tax is to be determined by valuation 26s- in every LIOO value, and such value to be determined by the grazing capabilities, but it is unlikely that the (Government will have an opportunity of carrying their shallow policy into effect, and the Berry Ministry will likely be one of the shortest on record. After the statement on Tuesday, an adjournment was made to last night, and in the interim a plan of attack was organised, and led off in the Assembly last night by Mr Service, the late Treasurer. Sir James M 'Culloch then moved the following amendment:-" That, while affiiming the principle of a property tax. this House considers it should be general, and therefore disapproves of the Government proposal." Thus the matter stands so far, but the Opposition can count on a majority, and the end of next week will probably see the last of the Berry Ministry. _ The Exhibition still continues very attr ici J h , e , dai L y avera ge of visitors reaches 4,000. and last Saturday over 8.000 The Hon. John Robertson. Premier of New South Wales, is on his firat visit to Victoria, and is being fded. The Exhibition Commissioners have passed a resolution in favor of opening the Exhibition for certain hours on Sundays, and the matter now rests with the Public Library trustees, to whom it has been referred. The Cyphrenes arrived at San Francisco on September 3, one day after contract time. John Renton, who was rescued from the natives on Malayta Island, deserted from his

ship nine years ago with four other men, and after being at sea thirty days in an open boat, suffering fcreat privations, they reached Malayta, when the naliv: s destroyed their boat, and his con.yatiio™ died. Ren ton alont survived, and a cli itf, esteeming his usefulness, kept him fivi-.i eaten. The man has relatives in Victo; ia. I'ei)ry •!. y " ; t'i. a well-known Press man, attached to the ' At S u>,' has died. The steamship Durham made a hue passage outof fo/tv iii, ; ht days. . Gold has bt-cji seen in theMardala reef at the depth of i.OSlit. The discovery has caused great excitement in the district of Stawell, and great interest i.U over the Colony. Eistori gave a matinee yesterday, to enable the profession to witutss her performance. The house was crammed. Mdllo. De Murska has gone to Adelaide. A fire at Belfast, on Wednesday, destroyed a large amount of property, insured for L 9.700. , _ , Very satisfactory news comes from Looktown. Gold is coming in from the Palmer, and the r«efs look well. The Chinese are doing well, and the Chinese merchants say in six ninths there will be 10,©00 more Chinese on the ground. Tue expedition lately sent out from Darwin to search for the murderers of Johnston on the Eoper, arrested three natives and shot two chiefs.' The party has been recalled. Cable communication was restored early this morning. A three-masted schooner, the Frank \*uy, going from Clyde to Wanganui, timber-laden, lost her topmast [and jftboom, and Pit in to Sydney. The City Council decided 5* a meeting yes terdaynot to let the Town for Sunday entertainments. The Mayor and other members theeupon resigned from the Town Hall Committee.

Sydney, September IS,

In White's case, for bribery, the conviction was quashed, as the majority of the Court decided there was no power to award hard labor in common law.

A miners' stiike is to take place at Walbend.

Adekaide, September 18,

A£contract?lhas been taken by the Cable Company to lay a cable between Cape Jervis and Kangaroo Island. The Stamp Bill has passed. The International Free Trade Bill has been read a second time.