AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1595, 31 March 1879, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[By Telegbaph.] [Per Arawata, via Bluff.] Melbourne. March 26. Nothing conld have been much duller than Melbourne during the last week or two, politically as well as socially. There has been a lull in events. Same of the Opposition members have been attending public gatherings, and their utterings indicate a little more vitality in opposition tactics in future. They all spoke of freedom of education. Mr Service remarked that in the olden time the liberties of the people had to be defended a?e»inst monarchs, but they might hereafter have to be defended against people bearing other names. It mattered not whether the man who took our liberties from db w*s called a Czar or a chief secretary. Mr Francis, at the Newham banquet made a moderate and sensible speech, in referring to the present condition of the colony, he said this colony, and indeed all the Auatraian colonies, had so much inherent strength that they could endure a great deal of bad Government. The fact that a considerable portion of the colonists believed that the existi g depression was not entirely the r< suit of the action of the Government need not occasion unmitigated sorrow. Patience would yet bring ab )ut a better state of things. We had been singularly troubled by afflictions other than political. There was a deficiency of money in all the colonies, and he also referred to th<tailing off in wool and losse-i by drought. Some little Bcandul has boen occasioned by the Government obtaining telegrams in reference to the embassy and other matters interesting to f e colony, and giving them solely to the " Age." That journal, it is alleged, and not denied, has used the telegrams supplied to them by the Government as coming from their own London agent. The Govornor is giving his patronage and presence liberally, and thereby gaining much popularity. To-day he pays his first visit to Sandhurst. Lady Normauby is not sufficiently recovered to receive. Want of rain is being very severely felt all over the colony, and probably many settlers wih have soon to leave their houses in search for water. The rain totals for the year are far b«low the average of former years. The weather lias been again quite as hot as in the height of summer. Mr William Button, B A , of Trinity College, Melbourne, gained the Classical Scholarship of the Melbourne University. rhe Prine ss' Theatre has been purchased by a company for ,£IO,OOO, in 200 shares of £SO each. It is said half the required capital has been privately subscribed. Salmo'i trout has been seen in the Tarra, evHent'y making their way to the sea. Twenty thousand salmon ovi from -ir Stmuel Wilson have arrivd per Durham, and will be placed in the Ballarai waters. At the inquest on Seott, found murdered at Murphy's 'Mat near Dnnoliy, ac. open verdict was returned There is not a trace of the murdcer. The Bum of £'4< was found under the floor of the deceased's hut. William • 'ook, the champion billiardist arrived to-day, accompanied by Stanley and Dampior, who have returned to the colony by the Durham. Rose He-see and other now members of T-yster's Opera, Company, made their debut on Monday. The prima donna and the baritone are decided successes. Yesterday afternoon the steamer Macedon ran into and [sank the steamer Dawn in the Yarra,

as the latter was steering off from the bank. Tho Dawn was insured for ,£14,1 00. Bn-iness is very slightly improved. [Per Wakatipu, via Wellington, j The Wakatipu arrived about midnight. She left Sydney on the 25 th. The schooner Josephine struck a reef at Clarence Heads, and had to be abandoned after fhe was got off, as she was sinking. Alexander Campbell, cook and stockman, was killed by the blacks at Herbert river. A society for the introduction of song birds and animals for pame has been formed here. The ship Samuel Piimsoll left London for Sydney on the 21st, with 495 immigrants. Youll's drapery establishment, Kuierald Hill, Melbourne, was destroyed by fire. It was insured for £ 1000. Rush, tho Clarence River puller, is going into training at once f r his match with Laycock. News from New Caledonia is to the 7th. 124 rebels in the "rail district surrendered. They, with one or two exceptions, comprise the whole of the rebels in that district; 56 of these are women. All have been sent to the Isle of Pines, or Belle's Island. The Adio and Poya districts ave also free from rebels. Diaund, chief of Bourail, and 150 of his men, are still at large amongst the mountains, but it is expected they, too, will surrender in a short time. On the 26th a dreadful murder is reported at Bourail. Two convicts, members of a band of fifteen armed against the rebels, shot their commander dead in his bed. When the deed was discovered others immediately pave chase and wounded one of the murderers, who surrendered. The other one es n aped.