AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1967, 14 June 1880, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[By Telegraph. 1 [Via Bluff.J VICTORIA. MELBOURNE, June 8. Since the departure of last mail the discussion on the second reading of the Reform Bill has continued. The Assembly debated on it for three ntghts, though with flagging interest, and it is expected that the debate will be concluded about Thursday. The interest centres in tho approaching division, the result of which it is impossible to forecast with any precision. The “ Age ” last week published a list, which it declared was authentic, showing that the Government would only obtain 41 votes, but this is not regarded as trustworthy, though it is certain that several who were elected as supporters of Mr Service will vote against the Bill. Ministers have openly declared that should the Bill fail to pass they will recommend the Governor to dissolve Parliament, and will appeal to the country. The statement of the “ Age,” that the Ministry will be reconstructed with Mr Francis as Premier and Mr Murray-Smith as colleague is positively denied. Various meetings have been hold in the country districts against tbe Reform Bill, but the proceedings have altogether lacked enthusiasm. The Payment of Members Bill provides for the payment of three hundred pounds annually to the members of the Council and Assembly, commencing at the opening of tho present Parliament. The term of payment is unlimited by the Act, The police have returned from the recent search after tho Kellys unsuccessful, and the excitement has now partially subsided. It was stated last week that Byrne was seen at his mother’s, but it is now shown that it was not one of the outlaws. Superintendent Hare has superseded Nicholson at Benalla. The Kellys’ sister is still living at Greta. The value of property in the neighborhood is deteriorating owing to the repeated acts of cattle stealing. Tho belief generally prevails that the Kellys are still in tbe ranges, where they can observe the movements of the police without discovering themselves. Tho body of a man named John Mullen, a native of Switzerland, was discovered near Melbourne Cemetery last week. He had committed suicide by shooting himself with a revolver. The verdict showed that Muller had recently arrived from New Zealand, and had disappeared shortly afterwards. The body bore evidence of having been gnawed by rats. NEW SOUTH WALES. SYDNEY, June 8. The Commercial Bank at Quirindi was robbed of £4BB by three masked robbers on the Ist. About ten at night, the manager was feeding the horses when three revolvers were presented at bis head, with a demand to open the sate. Mr Allen parleyed, and endeavored to avoid opening the safe, but ultimately, after much threatening, did so, when the robbeis took the contents, mostly gold, and made themselves comfortable till 1.30 and then left. The manager’s wife’s sister ’was all the time covered by a revolver, but behaved with great courage. The Bank clerk was away on a holiday, and the police absent on duty. The police have scoured the district, and traced the robbers to Coonambaran, where a camp has been discovered and also the masks. The robbers are still at large, and tho search by the different bodies of police is being kept up but without any result. It is believed that the robbers are concealed in the ranges near Quirindi, which the police are diligently searching. There is now every reason to believe that the miners’ dispute with the associated colleries has terminated. Tho men are expected to accept the new scale of charges at a meeting to-day. The resumption of work by the A. A. Company is, however, doubtful, owing to the refusal of the manager to dismiss the laborers. The Avooa, from Solomon’s Islands, has brought a Ohandernagore passenger, who states that great privations are suffered by the emigrants to New Ireland. It appears that the money was invested with the Marquis de Ray, and there is little doubt but that tho whole affair is a heartless swindle.