AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2469, 6 March 1882, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

[Bx Thiboraph.] [Per b.b. Bingarooma, at the Bluff.] MELBOURNE, February 28. A proclamation was issued yesterday, summoning Parliament for the deapatoh of business on April 25th. The Governor has returned to town from his country tour. The Government have been running water trains to the country districts, where the drought is most severely felt. A number of destructive bush fires have taken place, oausing a good deal of damage to property. Bain has fallen, but the rainfall this year is yet unappreciable. Another caso of smallpox is reported. Joseph Hayes, a cook in the sanitorium, had an attack, but only a mild one. One woman named Sybil Fulton, residing in Carlton, oaused same scare by reporting herself infected. She visited the hospital, and was seen by Dr. Toul, the president of the Board of Health, but, notwithstanding the assurances of the doctors to the contrary, she insisted that she had contracted the disease, and voluntarily went to the quarantine station. The fear proved groundless. An accident ooourred yesterday at Oope Oope station, where a contractor's ballast engine ran oft the rails. Fifteen men were seated on the truck in front of the engine, and many were aeverelj injured. The engine and trucks were wrecked.

The recent Customs seizures, amounting in value to £3OOO, have oaused a great scare amongst the Chinese. Tho cases were represented as containing Chinese produots and classed as merchandise, but really contained cigars and tobacco. Street fights between larrikins and the police are becoming more frequent. The Magistrates are inflicting severe sentences. The Bishop of Melbourne has hesitated to oomply with a request to issue prayers for rain, as nobody heeded the warning to conserve water, and it seemed to him absolutely impious to cry to God and neglect His own providential indications of His will. The oricket match against eleven of Victoria excited a fair amount of interest, the _ principal features in the play being the brilliant batting of Bates, who soored 74, and the bowling of Peate in the second innings of the Vitorians. Palmer also did good service for his side. Slight was injured by being struck with a ball whilst fielding, and Kelly took his place and fielded in his old place at point in his usual brilliant style, so muoh so that as substitute the English captain had him removed from that position. Rain fell on Sunday and made the ground rather dead. ADELAIDE, February 28. The Russian squadron arrived on Sunday, and proceeded to the anchorage unperceived. The stay will only extend a few days, and from hence they proceed to Albany. PERTH, February 28. Forrest's report upon the country between Beverley and Albany has been issued, and is most favorable for railway construction. The estimated cost of the two-and-twenty miles is £693,000. BRISBANE, February 28. The Cabinet have decided to forward to London a detailed answer to General Fielding's proposal for the construction of the transcontinental railway from Mitchel to Point Parker, and that the newly formed Australian Syndicate be allowed a oertain time to make an offer. There are now two colonial Syndicates in the field competing for the oonstruotion of the railways to connect Brisbane with the southern capitals by way of the southern and western plains.