AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2044, 11 September 1880, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[By Teibgbaph.] The following are additional items of Australian news per s.s. Albion : MELBOURNE, September 4. In the Assembly on Thursday Mr Berry asked the Speaker if during the recess he had considered the question whether the House was wrong in proceeding to business before Parliament was formerly opened by the Crown. Mr Lalor eaid that he had considered the question, and had prepared a document with a view of proving the Governor not to be well informed on the subject. Mr Berry immediately moved that the document bo entered on the minutes. Mr Service objected until it had been seen and discussed. The motion was postponed till the 7th. Government have no intention of abolishing the Mint, as the losses are diminishing, and it keeps up the price of gold to the diggers. At a sale of stud rams on Thursday one of Mr Currie’s Lara flock fetched 230 guineas, and another 130, One of Sir Samuel Wilson’s brought 210 guineas. The prospectus has been issued of the Melbourne Bread and Flour Store, on the co-operative principle. The capital is £50,000,

Government have reduced the pay of the postmen by 6d a day. The telephone is being substituted for Wheatstone’s instruments at the different police stations. Mr Berry has refused a grant for the Hospital for incurables. He objected to the multiplication of charitable institutions, which were rapidly pauperising the country. Ho intends to ask Parliament this year for a less amount on account of the charitable vote.

The Exhibition will have eighteen entrances. SYDNEY, September 4. The Municipal Conference sitting in Sydney hae affirmed a resolution that no house bo allowed more than one acre of land unassesaed, any balance to be assessed at its capital value. The buildings and cultivated land are to be assessed at nine-tenths of the annual rental, and the other land at 5 per centum on the capital value of the fee simple. A Chinaman jumped from a train running at thirty-five miles an hour, on to the Burwood platform, and was unhurt. The Exhibition Commissioners state that the bronze medals for the Australian colonies have been struck in Sydney, and all gold and silver medals for services and for the Exhibition have been dispatched.

The members of Parliament and the principal officials have received invitations to the Melbourne Exhibition for themselves and ladies.

Government have readjusted the system of assessment of the pastoral rents. Hitherto the Government and the lessee have each nominated an assessor, and in the event of these disagreeing they have appointed an arbitrator, generally a neighboring lessee. Government has now taken advantage ,'of last session’s Act to exclusively appoint assessors. Government have decided to abolish the offices of Commissioners of Crown Lands at the end of the year, thus effecting a saving of £BOOO or £9OOO per annum. The scarcity of water at Temora is becoming alarming. The present price is Gd per bucket, and the supply is limited. ADELAIDE, September 4. It is stated that the Paris Exhibition Commissioners have handed Mr Boothby £I2OO for his personal expenses at the Exhibition. The Assembly have passed a clause against the adulteration of liquors. The penalty for the first offence is a sum not exceeding £SO and three months’ imprisonment; for the second offence £IOO and six months, and ten years’ disqualification from holding a license.

The charge of libel, damages £IOO, brought by Mr Judkins, commission agent, against tho “ Register,” resulted in a nonsuit. Recently Judkins wrote to the London “Weekly Despatch” a gloomy account of colonial affairs, and tho “ Register’s ” comments on that letter formed the grounds of action. Plaintiff has acquired considerable notoriety by lecturing against the police. BRISBANE, September 4. In consequence of public agitation, Bishop Quinn has paid tho amount due to Miss Corring, which she lent to a Catholic priest some years ago to build a church, the priest having gone to New Zealand. The Bishop hitherto repudiated Hie claim. A motion in favor of free passes to members by steamer between Northern ports and Brisbane once yearly, has passed through tho Assembly.