LATEST AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Evening Star, Issue 3947, 19 October 1875, Page 3

LATEST AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Melbourne, October 13. After a long and dreary debate, extending over four weeks, the division on the want of confidence motion was taken at an early hour last Thursday morning. There was a full muster of membeis, and an anxious public filled the galleries. Mr Casey’s amendment, having reference to the land tax, was put fiist, and negatived by 38 to 35. The Government seeing this wanted to go no further, but the Opposition demanded that Sir J. M'Cullcch’s amendment condemning the finance proposals should likewise be put, and Government forced to give way, although with a very bad grace ; and Sir James’s amendment was carried by 39 to 31, showing a nnj -rity of 5 against the Government. An adjournment then took place to the following Tues :ay to give fime to the Ministry to consider their position, and in re.diiy to advhe a dissolution. In the meantim the country was stirred up by ministerial age ts, and meeings were held in support of the 1 ; ovenm ent and urging a di-solm on. Yesterday deputations from all parts of the country came to town with petitions which they presented to the Acting-Governor, mid when the house met in the nttcrnoonj hia reply to the Ministers was read refudng the dissolution. 'ibis was not altogether unexpected, inasmuch as his Excellency had previously refused the Kerfcrd Ministry, and, as he stated in his reply, the circumstances are similar, and no reason has been g : ven to justify a cnange of opinion since then. Ministers, having only just n ceieed th ■ doeummit, asked for a further adjournment until to-day. humor has it th’.t they intend to retain their seats at all haztrds, but it is more likely that they will find discretion the better part of valor —and resign. Mrs Goodeuo i gh leaves to-day for England by the a.s, Durham. Vir A. K. Smith wss elected Mayor of Melbourne without opp aition. A telegram has been received that the Bank of CaLorma lias resumed payment, i he steamer >.t. o«yfch reached St. Vincent’s on September 29. The ..xhibition continues to .attract, and the daily average o£ visitor* is well kept up.

Page pleaded guilty to the murder of Mary Buchan, at Mount Gambler, and has been sentenced to death. Scarlet fever has appeared in a malignant form in some of the suburbs, and several deaths of children have occurred. On the second day out of the Ringarooma, from New Zedand, a cabin passenger named Wa tkins died from natural causes. The quarter's revenue amounted to L 994.818, being a decrease of LI 1,027 on thequartvr, and an increase of L 51,651 on the year. A private London telegram states that Lord Dunmore’s herd of short-horns, consisting of forty head, sold at an average of 670 guineas each; and the Hon, William Torres’s herd averaged 509 gu : neas each. Mr Morton, of Mount Derw< nt, has determined to remain in England, and his celebrated short horn herd is to be sold at the end of February, Captain Fc .ter, of the steamer Dandenong, was killed while superintending tl e hoisting of the screw during the docking of the steamer. The convict Howard, perpetrator of the Frankston murders, was executed on the 4th icst. He died firmly, and admitting the justice of his sentence. Madame Riston, havi' g concluded the season, is now playing in Sydney. A refusal to license the Town Hall for her dramatic performances caused some discussion. The Chief Secretary reconsidered his decision, and has agreed to license it. Mdlle. Ilium di Murska is again with us, and is as charming as ever. A testimonial of 350 guineas has been presented to Captain Saunders, one of the oldest intercolonial shipmasters. He is proceeding to England. Gieat preparations are being made for Hospital Saturday and Sunday on the 16th and I7ih of this month. The New Zealand cable has been shipped aboard the Edinburgh and Hibernia steamers, leaving London about the end of the month. William Jtnderson, the jockey, has been remanded to New Zealand on the charge of robbery. Sydney. Parliament meets for the dispatch of business on Kith November. Sir Charles Cowpcr, Agent-General, is not likely to resume his duties. The quarter’s revenue shows a decrease of L 125,000, a fourth of which is owing to the expiration of the Stamp Act. A public meeting has passed resolutions in favor of the Imal manufacture of rolling stock for railw ays and iron work for bridges. The Rev, Mr Selwyn, of Melanesia, has arrived in the mission schooner with a number of converts. The dispute between the lightermen, merchants, and stevedores continues. The news from Cooktown is very encouraging. Plenty of gold is coming in, and the reefs are looking well. Business is brisker. Adelaide, Government has decided to prorogue on th* 19th, After a short recess they will re-intro-duce the Stamp Bill, and in the meantime take an expression of public opinion. The Land Bill and Real Property Bill have been abandoned. The revenue returns are very satisfactory, showing the hu gest receipts ever taken. During the week interesting information has been received from Sydney by telegram with reference to the exploration of New Guinea. Thu missionary steamer Ellen Gowan and the Chevert proceeded to different portions of the Island. A splendid river was ascended by the missionary party on the south-west coast. The mouth of the river was a mile and a half wide, and they proceeded up a distance of ninety miles. They saw only one Native in a canoe, and he went off alarmed. The country iadesciibed as most magnificent as they proceeded, but tire land is mostly low and swampy, and covered with mangrove. They found plantations of palms, cocoanuts, and tobacco. They killed a reptile about fifteen feet long, and inside it found a large male kangaroo; they also killed a large bird, measuring sixteen feet from wing to wing. The Chevert party went to Katou River and Mohatta village, and (here made a short exploration into the interior ; but having no permission from the chiefs to pass through their territory, they turned back to avoid a conflict. Mr M'Leay discourages any settlement of New Guinea on account of flic climate, the hostility of the Natives, and the want of labor, which would bo felt. He thinks the exploration could only be properly undertaken by the Imperial Government.