AUSTRALIAN.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1357, 20 June 1878, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN.

Colonel Glover will bo a passenger per Arawata to-morrow. Melbourne, June 19. Pearco, the eurvivor of the Loch Ard, was presented to-day by the Governor, on behalf of the Government of Victoria, with a gold watch and chain, of the value of fifty guineas. Tho Orient si earner Cuzco was safely berthed at Sandridge Pier this morning. [Per Albion via HoMtibi,] Meleoeknk, .iu'ie 13. Parliament meets on 9th July, when a stormy session is anticipated. Tho leading features of tho Reform Bill to be mU'odueed by Government havo beea

sufficiently indicated to make it doubtful if it will bo approved by Uio Council. The Oastlemaine election resulted in the election of Professor Pearson against his two opponents, Chapman and Gaunson, the latter of whom lost his £SO deposit, not having obtained one fifth the number of votes polled by the successful candidate. Professor Pearson is a late Fellow of Oriel College, Oxford, and an historian of some note. He is a warm supporter of the Government, and is spoken of as the future Minister of Education. South Gippsland has now half-a-dozen candidates, including Gaunson, defeated at Castlemaine. There have been no public utterances of note during the week. Ministers are mostly engaged in preparations for the coming session, and obtaining departmental returns with a view to the preparation of economical estimates for the coming year. There have been rumors of misunderstandings in tho Cabinet, but not such as are likely to lead to open rupture. It is also reported that if two of the Ministers were to retire the step would not be regretted by the remainder. There is some little hitch regarding the final settlement of the terms of the cable contract. Colonel Glover, in acceding to the reduction in the Press and Government rates, could only arrange for such reduction over the company's cable ; but Mr Berry stands out that the specified reduction (75 per cent for Press and 50 for Government messages) must include the through passage from London to Port Darwin, including the land lines through India and Java. There are also one or two other little matters which it is hoped will be amicably settled. The reduced Press rates will come into operation as soon as the contract is signed. New Zealand has not yet replied in regard to her share of the general agreement. There is nothing further in reference to the Loch Ard disaster. Very little cargo was saved. Subscriptions for Thomas Pearce, the brave young midshipman, are now being raised in this and other colonies. Miss Carmichael is improving, but still remains at Gibson's station. The unemployed continue to give some trouble, and meetings have been held in all parts of the colony. As an instance of the dullness of the building trade, a cargo of Oregon timber was offered by auction on Tuesday, when the bidding did not nearly cover the original price and freight. In the present unsettled state of affairs capitalists will not invest. All places of amusement are wonderfully well patronised, many places being crammed nightly. "Our Girls" at the Academy of Music with J. L. Hall, is proving a great success. The Italian Opera are doing fairly well. Business generally is dull. The weather during the past few days has been very boisterous—cold with rain. Eichard Heraghty, who was condemned for execution at Ballarat, for the most brutal murder of his paramour, was reprieved at the last moment, and a special train despatched on Sunday announed that the sentence had been commuted to life imprisonment, the first three years in irons. The wreck of the Loch Ard was sold for £2o2o—a very high price considering the little likely to be saved. Jas. Purvis, a very old colonist, who imported several well-known race horses, died last night. Sidney, June 13. A brilliant meteor was seen, the apparent size of the sun. It exploded with a loud report. Adelaide, June 13. The address in reply was agreed to in the Assembly. Townsend has been re-elected Chairman of Committees. Eains have been general throughout the country.