AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1746, 24 September 1879, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[By Telegraph.] [Yia Bluff.] MELBOURNE, September 16. Owing to the little progress made in public business, the Government could not see their way to granting an adjournment for the Sydney Exhibition. Some progress has been made with the tariff. At present all the Government propositions have been agreed to. A call of the House has been ordered for the 25th, for the division on the second reading of the Reform Bill, it being considered as necessary that there should be a clear majority. There has been very little change in the weather, and although some rain has fallen, there has not been nearly sufficient. The water in the Yan Yean reservoir is 6ft below last year, and in the country districts the want is much felt. A proposition has been received by the Governors of several of the colonies to change the port of departure of the English maUs from Southampton to Brindisi, and only to charge one uniform rate of postage, which would do away with Southampton rates. This Government sent home a strong protest against the change. The Lancefield bank robbers, Low and Bray, were brought up at the Criminal Court yesterday, and pleaded “ Guilty. ” They were remanded for sentence.

The extraordinary yield of 1550 z., from one ton of quartz, was recently obtained from a mine at Eaglehawk. There are only four men in the party. The approaching action for slander brought by the “ Daily Telegraph ” against Mr Graham Berry, is exciting eome notice from the matter being constantly kept before the Law Courts on applications for interrogatories.

Prom the report of the Victorian Shipowner’s Association, recently adopted, it appears that the tonnage of the port has fallen off very considerably, and scarcely a steamer plying to the port is Victorian owned. In anticipation of the visit of the Prince of Wales to the colonies, the Commissioner of Railways is having a State carriage built. It will be very elegant, and entirely of colonial materials.

The man impersonator. Miss Tromayne, or Mr De Lacey Evans, has caused a good deal cf comment. It seems she had been personating a man for nearly twenty years, and during that time she had three different wives. The story is a most extraord' iary one, and almost incredible. A lire, accompanied by most extraordinary surroundings, occurred last week in Swanston street. Two men, so it is alleged, entered the shop of a barber and tobacconist named Carr shortly before midnight, and in a populous street. After asking for a cigar, they shut the door, and then said they wanted his money, and forced him into a small well 4ft. deep, and put something heavy on the lid to keep it down. Carr then heard them strike matches, and when they were gone he found the place on fire, and his coat, containing over £9 in the pockets was taken away. The police are making inquiries. The Melbourne Cup is scarcely mentioned as yet, and there will not be any betting in consequence till next month. It has been decided to prosecute the directors and managers of the Provincial and Suburban Bank for conspiracy. A man named Dendrich Lemke, who on Friday was sentenced to imprisonment and to a severe flogging for indecent assault, committed suicide in gaol yesterday by hanging himself. Briseis, who won the Melbourne Cup, the Derby, and Oaks, broke her back yesterday at the St. Albans stable and was killed.

Business continues very dull. All four theatres remain open,

["Per Ringarooma, via Wellington.! MELBOURNE!, September 18. Lowe and Bray, the Lanceiield Bank robbers, have been sentenced, the former to five years, the first one in irons, the latter to three years. Bray asserted that he was led into the affair by Lowe, but the Judge declined to believe him. The steamer Little Eastern, which started for Sydney, stranded at Warratah. At the trial of Lawrence, for the murder of Finlayson, the plea of insanity was set up. Several members of Finlayson’s family gave evidence as to acts of insanity done by the prisoner, and showed that insanity existed in the family. A prosecution has been commenced against the “Daily Telegraph” for publishing a newspaper not properly registered by Act of Parliament. . , „ , The wife of Geo. Robertson, a,well-known publisher, has died suddenly.^ The brig Shannon collided with the schooner Gauntlet in the Yarra, The latter sunk. A deputation from the Victorian Alliance and Southern Insurance Companies’ have asked the Colonial Secretary that, in lieu of stamp duties upon insurance policies, the imposition of an annual license fee, calculated by a percentage on the nominal capital of companies, might be imposed. They believed this would realise about £15,000 yearly. Mr Berry approved of the suggestion. SYDNEY.

At Forbes three children (the youngest four years old) and a servant girl were taken out by a man for a row in a boat, which capsized, and all were drowned but the man.

Nicholas Dumerrey, a publican, residing in North Dalinquin, was stuck up by some 'obbors five miles from town. They tied him to a tree for six hours, and then released him, returning his money and papers. ADE L AIDE,

Charles Fair is charged with abducting Florence Shaw, a girl aged seventeen, from motives of gain, she having £3OO coming to her when twenty*one. He was committed for trial. The prisoner induced the girl to leave homo, and she lived with him as his wife. \ George White, of Waterloo Bay, is committed for trial charged with the man-

slaughter of-John (Riding, a boy of 15, by striking him «n the heaft. 1 •"'/ ' ' .BRISBANE.

Mr Boucicault, proprietor of the “Northern Argus,”’ Rockhampton, has been fined £SO and costs by the Supreme Court, for publishing comments on a case while suhjudice. A two-storied dwelling and store, in Fortitude Volley, have been destroyed hy fire. The buildings were insured in the New Zealand office for £4C3. Other insurances are in Australian offices.