AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2054, 23 September 1880, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[By Tbibgbath.] [Per s.B. Bingarooma, at the Bluff.] MELBOUBNE, September 16. In the Council the Payment of Members Bill waß read a first time on Tuesday, and the second reading fixed for next week. In the Assembly the Bill to issue bonds for half a million at fire per centum was read a second time on Tuesday. Mr Berry attributes the necessity of the present measure, partly to the locking up of trust funds under the inscribed Stock Aofc, but chiefly because the revenue of the country has been £600,000 short for the last two years. On August Ist last it was £634,000 behind, whioh will be made up by using £321,000 trust funds, and borrowing £312,000 from the banks. Next October the overdraft will amount to £300,000, local bodies requiring £155,000 and £230,000 must be sent to England, making nearly £700,000. Mr Service maintained that this added to the borrowed trußt funds makes a million to the bad, and protested against the Bill being passed before the budget statement had been made. Mr Berry hinted that very little new taxation would bo proposed, and hoped that the year's expenditure would be kept within the revenue. The Bill to reduce the salaries of future Governors and Ministers is now printed. It provides that the salary of the future Governor shall be £BOOO, the Chief Secretary or Premier £IBOO Attorney-General, £1400 ; seven other responsible Ministers, £I2OO each; total, £19,600. It further provides that when an office is vacant the salary is not to be drawn. In the Assembly yesterday, a lively and animated debate took plaoe in consequence of the " A.rgus " having recently drawn attention to the appointmont of Measrß Finchman and Johnson, the Ministerialist nominees, to the Eleotors Qualification Committee. The article said that there never wns a job that they were not ready to cover up. Other speakers pronounced the article as a scandalous breach of privilege. Mr Berry said that the article was a gross libel, and if the House concurred he would deal with the matter from any other than a political point. He appealed to both sides of the Houee to support him. He would not take action unless desired, but left himself in the handß of tho House to decide whether he should take steps which would serve as a warning for all time. Mr Service, while defending the " Argus," stated that the papers on both sides were to blame, but severely condemned the lying assertions of the " Age " newspaper, which, if not wilful, showed culpable negligence. Finally the question dropped. The " Age " states that tho Government propose to take decided action regarding the Service dismissals. It says that no unnecessary re-appointments will be made, but where injustice has been done the same will be remedied. The case of Farrell, the Parliamentary librarian, will be considered at an early date. The Totalisator Bill was read a second time by 30 to 27. The general disposition waß to limit the operation of the Bill to two or three years, in order that it may have a trial. . . Mr W. Elßden, the new Engineer-m-Chief and General Manager of Victorian Bailwaye, receives a salary of £I2OO. The accountant's branch has been amalgamated with the Chief Engineer's, thus dispensing with the services of a number of officers. It is intended shortly to amalgamate the Hobson's Bay and Spenoer street stations staff. The Dake of Manchester is now visiting Lord Normanby at Government House, where he will probably remain till after the opening of the Exhibition. Tho Earl and Countess of Ellesmere, the don-in-law and daughter of Lord Normanby, have arrived in Melbourne, and will visit the Exhibition. The Victorian Cricketers' Association telegraphed to Murdooh on Saturday the following : —" The association Bends hearty congratulations to you and team for the splendid uphill fight." On yriday night it blew hird, causuig the Sorata to bump heavily, and it waß occasionally feared that she would split. During the night, the Ohimborazo with the_ Melbourne pumps arrived. The general belief is that it would have been better to have despatched the pumps earlier. During the night, the ship's boat got adrift and was smashed on the rooks. Messrs Douglas and Green, officers of the Sorata, had a narrow escape on Friday. They rowed from the Sorata to Aiding and took aboard eight stewards. Going back they encountered a terrific sea, in which they tossed for nearly five hours, in constant danger of being upset. At three in the morning, their crieß were heard by those on board the tug Adelaide, whioh rescued them. During the rough weather on Sunday a great wave Etruok the steam launoh, leaving the steamer, and sunk it. Those aboard the launoh had to swim several hundred yards ashore. One man was drowned during the gale. Several of the orew refused to continue work, but ultimately resumed. The Borata withstood the storm well, although/heavy seas constantly swept over her during the gale. The pumpß were kept briskly at work on Monday and Tuesday, and it waa fully expected that she would have been floated on Wednesday, but although the pumps worked well, greatly reducing the water, excepting in the for eh old, it was found that the vessel bumped as she lightened. SYDNEY, September 16. The Registrar- General has published sta. tistios showing that the population of tho whole of the colonies to 31at December last was estimated at 2,715,000. Sweetmeat, returning from the races on Saturday, shied at an omnibus, and out his foot severely. It is now doubtful if he will run for the Melbourne Cup. At Arnidale the dry weather was severely felt, and the lambs were killed to save their mothers. A Bhower fell on Thursday night, but was too brief to do any good. Thera has been a plentiful rainfall in various parts of the colony, and the drought has completely broken up.