AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1997, 19 July 1880, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[Bt Telegraph.] ' [Via Bluff.] VICTORIA. MELBOURNE, July 14. During the past week public attention has been entirely absorbed by the electoral campaign, the interest in which has daily increased, and has now culminated in general excitement. The candidates have made their final election speeches, and tho result is now eagerly awaited. Both sides appear confluent of success. The Ministerialists calculate on 47 to 49 votes. Mr Berry, on the other hand, in a speech a few days since, said he expected a compact majority of fifty. Besides, the returns already announced Messrs Gillies and Fraser have been elected for Rodney, Mr Growls, the Opposition candidate have been disqualified in consequence of having been returning officer for the district within fourteen days from the nominations. Murray Smith has been returned for Boroondarra, Mr Hillard, the Opposition candidate, having withdrawn. Sir B. O’Loghlau has been nominated both for West Bourko and West Melbourne. Mr Young, Ministerialist, was returned unopposed for Kyneton, Mr Fitzgerald has withdrawn from Carlton, and Mr Grey Samuel has withdrawn from Normanby. In the case of Mr Williams, the candidate for Sandhurst, the nomination was informal, the paper being signed by a stranger. Mr Williams is still a candidate for Mandurang. Tho total number of candidates nominated are :—Seventy-eight Ministerial, eighty-one Opposition, and four Independent or doubtful. Mr Service has published an address thanking the Maldon electors. He said the country cannot have peace and prosperity till the reform question is settled. He hoped next Wednesday would give tho Government a majority and ensure a final settlement. Rsplymg to Mr Berry’s statement denying the accuracy of the deficit, Mr Service reiterated the correctness of the figures as being* suppl ed by the permanent UnderTreasurer. Some days ago the “ Argus” published a lengthv statement of the case of Mr Service’s Reform Bill, and the statement has since been issued in a pamplet form. Tho “Age” next day published its account of the history of Mr Service’s Government. This the “ Argus” characterised as a mendacious production, to which the “Age” replied again fully on the 12th. Altogether a very acrimonious feeling has been displayed by the press generally throughout the colony. Considerable excitement was caused in Melbourne on Monday, on the receipt of news of another bushranging affray. The facts of tho case are as follows Mr Hearns, justice of tho peace, and his family were returning from church on Sunday afternoon to Edenhope, twenty miles off, when Mr Hearns was stopped by a party of armed men, who demanded his money. Mr Hearns being without money,was compelled to sign a cheque, and the gang hoping to obtain payment the following morning, Mr Hearns was taken to a hut near the road and there confined. One of the party, however, managed to effect his escape, and gave the alarm to the police, who speedily appeared on the scene. The men threatened .’to shoot Mrs Hearns if the police approached. The latter were reinforced, but the gang still defied the police to arrest them, and continued to resist for four hours. Ultimately, two of the constables rushed the hut and captured the men without a shot being fired. The latter have since been brought up before the Court and remanded for eight days. It appears there has been a long standing feud between Mr Hearns and the elder Reilly, the latter claiming £3OO on account of certain land selections. Doubt are entertained of the sanity of the elder prisoner. The other prisoners are his two sons. Edward Kelly continues to progress towards recovery. Hie demeanour is quiet. He was again formally remanded on the 12th for a week, and is expected to appear in Court a fortnight hence at earliest. No one is allowed to see him, though there are hundreds of applications received. NEW SOUTH WALES. SYDNEY, July 14. Mr Driver’s funeral, on the 9th, was largely attended. Nearly two hundred and fifty vehicles followed the hearse. Sixty sailors, absent from the Raleigh and Wolverine without leave, are being searched for by the police. The correspondence on the Chinese Question was tabled on the Bth, including a Hong Kong telegram, saying that Governor Eennessy stopped the deportation of criminals three years ago.