AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2540, 30 May 1882, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

[By Tbxbobaph.] [Por s.s. Bingarooma, at the Bluff.] MELBOURNE, May 23. The business of Parliament is generally uninteresting, and the questions are purely of local interest. The Select Committee of the Assembly appointed to enquire into the charges against Mr Bennett, yesterday for the first time decided not to admit the Press. The "Argus" animadverts on this deoision, and demands that the enquiry be publicly oonduoted. The French Consul-General, in order to promote the commeroial between the Australian colonies and Cochin China, intimates that all steamers calling 'at Saigon from or to Australian ports, will bo exempted from dues. A quantity of wreckage has been picked up at Gabo, and is believed to be ong to a large passenger steamer. The wreokage inoludea boards, door frames, and berths numbering from 110 to 120. Further enquiries are being instituted, but there is no traoe whioh leads to identification of the vessel. What might have proved a great disaster occurred at the Theatre Royal last night during the third act of the " Green Lanes of England." The police entered the gallery for the purpose of arresting a disorderly person, when the friends of the latter raised a cry of " Fire, fire." The audienoe rose , hurriedly, rushing to the doors. In a few moments there was great confusion. Some were injured by the crush ; women fainted ; and finally those on the stage reassured the house. The performance was then completed. The perpetrators of the faUe alarm are undiscovered. The proprietors of the " Argus" have offered a silver cup of the value of a hundred guineas for the grower of the best collective exhibit of Australian wihes at the Bordeaux Exhibition. The oup will be awarded by a i jury of international experts selected by tho 1 international commissioners. The mining statistics for the last year are published, and show that although the number of miners has slightly decreased the yield of gold was 29,729 ounoes in exoess of the previous year, being the largest amount eince 1876. The export of gold was 398,641 ounces, the largest amount since 1877. Arohibald Forbes gave his first lecture last night at the Opera House, the subject being the " Inner Life of a War Correspondent." It was an immense success. Forbes was oordially received. John Green, seaman of the Campsie Glen, was sent to gaol for four months for stealing the effects of the captain, consisting of olothing and jewellery, while the body of the captain was still on deok. The Bench characterised the theft as one of the meanest on record. An inquest was held yesterday on the body of Edward Grabbon, formerly of Auokland, who shot himself in the right temple in the Domain last week, and who died on Sunday afternoon. Tho evidence showed that business troubles preyed on the mind of the deceased.