AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1809, 8 December 1879, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[Per Arawata via Bluff.] MELBOURNE, December 2. Yery little of interest for outside the i colony has transpired during the week. Mr 1 Berry has commenced his stumping tour 1 through the country in support of his Reform Bill, and has addressed meetings at Lancofield and Maryborough, but has not added , much to his previous utterances. He is i evidently not enamoured of the plebiscite, i which he regards only as a necessary evil, i and, although his Bill is not unanimously i approved of by the Liberal party as a whole, i he declines to alter it in any; one particular. ( Eor this reason ho has incurcd the dis- < pleasure of the Ministerial journals. i

When the estimates were before the Assembly, an amendment was carried against the increase of salary to the Chief Clerk in the Chief Secretary’s office. This was regarded by the Opposition as an indication against all increases, but the Minislers declined to accept that, but, no doubt, the point will be pressed.

The fact of Sir Bryan O’Loghlan firing, public telegrams to the Ministerial Press only was brought before the House, and Ministers openly avowed the praolice, and attempted to defend it, but the practice was strongly reprobated by the House. Mr Dwyer, member for Yilliers and Heylesbury, haring been adjudged insolvent, his scat has been declared vacant. The International Exhibition will bo inaugurated on Ist December next. Good progress is being made with the building, which is disappointing in appearance. Fault is being found with tho site and paltry design of the new Anglican cathedral. The Victorian branch of the British Medical Association has been visiting the Lunatic Asylum and its report states that tho Kew Asylum is a disgrace to the community.

Mr T, P. Hill, a well-known teacher of elocution, died suddenly last Friday evening. There is a very good business doing in the import market and trade is reviving. It is expected that the new stamp duties will come into operation next week. The weather has been very squally, with exceptionally heavy rains and hail, which has done some damage to the crops. It is now fine. Tho harvest prospsots continue favorable.

Amusements continue fairly patronised, Arthur Sketcbley is now giving his entertainment at the Academy of Music. Counsel has been assigned to the Qundagai bushrangers, excepting to Moonlight, who prefers defending himself. Tho prisoners look haggard, and there is no trace of bravado left.

Mr Barley’s Bill to enable a woman to sue for divorce on the adultery of her husband, was read a second time in the Council. SYDNEY. The new coffee palace at Sydney is a great financial success.

Part of the Chisholm property in George street has been sold. One lot went for £160,000.

The receipts for the carriage of live stock on the Southern line last year was over 400 per cent more than the previous year, owing to the Victoria stock tax diverting the liv» stock traffic from Melbourne to Sydney.

Sir H. Parkes, by direction of Lord Loftus, wrote to Constable Bo iren expressing his admiration of the way the police behaved in' their encounter with the bushrangers. It isprobable that the Government and public will provide for Bowen’s widow and child. Sir A. Gordon, High Commissioner of Western Polynesia, has written respecting the Bov. Mr Brown. He considers that there is'no evidence adduced enabling him to recommend the institution of a criminal prosecution in connection with the chastisement of the Hew Britain murderers, but the Judicial Commissioner has taken the matter out of his hands. A war schooner in a conflict burnt a Native village and crops at Pentecost Island, as a punishment for the murder of the seamen of the schooner Agnes McDonald. QUEENSLAND, The wreck of the cutter Firefly has been discovered north of Frankland Isle. There are no signs of the crew, and the tract of blacks have been seen in the vicinity. It is intended to establish a coffee tavern in Brisbane. Nevrly 3500 tors of sugar were exported between July and November by the Sydney Refining Company, who purchased the principal crops of white sugars from the first hands. ADELAIDE, December I. Great apprehension exists that pleuropneumonia has been introduced by a mob of cattle from Queensland. Strong winds have driven the red rust out of the crops. The crops in the northern districts are expected to yield twelve or fourteen bushels per acre. TASMANIA, December 1. An extraordinary attempt at murder has taken place in the Cambridge district. A lad named Johnson, returning home on Sunday evening, was suddenly attacked by a man armed with a rifle, who, knocking him down and kneeling on his stomach, commenced to stab the lad, driving the knife through the thick collars of two coats, and through his hat repeatedly, Believing the boy dead, the villain decamped. The lad Johnson wae simply unconscious, and was not seriously, injured. Mr Ohristopherson, many years chief engineer to the water supply in Victoria, and more recently director of the water works in Hobart Town, was sentenced to three month* for pawning some mathematical instruments. PERTH, December 1.

Edward Shone has been appointed AttorneyGeneral. Docking, Acting Chief Justice of Gibraltar, will probably succeed Burt.