AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 638, 19 February 1870, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

Melbourne, Feb." 12. Import markets brisk. 1600 bushels New Zealand oats, realized 8s 9d. The advance in flour has been checked by recent arrivals ; sales, 11s to 12s. Wheat, 5s 3d, Maize steady at 3s 6d. Fine. congous Is 9d to 2s, A good enquiry exists for sugars, and a further advance is looked for. Brewing crystals, L 36 to L3B. Large transactions in kerosene. Malt, 9s 3d. Oilmen's stores . scarce ;a. shipment of ordinary pickles brought 8a 3d. Keillor's confectionery, 9|d: A. G, Fisher, produce merchant, has reestablished his solvency. Gavan Duffy, M.L.A., delivered his lecture on the poverty and discontent of Ireland to a crowded audience. The news-i papers cordially approve of the lecturer's opinions as temperate and just. The business of the Lands Department has greatly increased since the new Land Act passed. Land selection has reached fever height all over the colony, and numerous complaints are issued, asserting the unworkable character of M'Kean'a Land Regulations. Permission has been granted for selections being made on town commonages. . . • „ . Captain Gray, of the Great Britain, steamer, will probably become Chief Harbormaster. There are several applications. M'Culloch, Higinbotham, and otherleaders of the same party have accepted invitations to attend the grand liberal association demonstration at Sandhurst The new opera company are highly suci cessful, having crowded houses. The performances have been favorably criti-. cised. The Church of England Assembly haveheld their annual session. The discussions on important subjects were characterised by more than usual animation. The session closed yesterday. Bishop Perry laid the foundation stone of a Church of England, to be called Trinity College. It i 3 situated on the. University Reserve. Captain S. Kilgour, schooner Black Hawk, was charged with stealing five pounds worth of books from J. G. Miles 1 the New Zealand owner of the schooner. The charge was dismissed, as the evidence showed the existence of a partnership be? tween plaintiff and defendant. On the night of the lQth a fire broke out in the workshop of Airey, cabinet-maker. The premises were destroyed, and the flames spread to Guest's biscuit factory, the premises aud machinery of which were also destroyed. The losses, covered by insurances, amount to L6OOO. Arrived : Prosperity, from Hokitika, Sailed- : Caduces, for Lyttelton. 600 bales were sold last wool sales of the season and realised previous week's rates. The Victorian flag was inaugurated on board the. Nelson on the 9th. 200 mem-> bers of the Assembly and the 'principal citizens were present. . . The Argus states that the American Mail Company have hired the steamers City of Adelaide, City of Sydney, and the Wonga Wonga to run from Sydney to Honolulu with the mails in connection with the San Francisco mail service, beginning next month. Arrived: 10, schooner, from Grey mouth Arrived at Newcastle — Amateur, from lyttelton. Sailed— Wild Wave, for Greymouth ; Margaret, for Riverton. The Omeo arrived on the 9th. ;.; The Commercial Bank shareholders have agreed to write off 10s per share, with the. view of liquidating Draper's defalcations, amounting to L16;000. No dividend de-. clared. Tenders for the first 56 miles of the north-eastern line are called for/ The English pedestrians make their second public appearance to-day. Bird and Topley are reported in form. Sydney, Feb; 12, Import markets brisker. Flood's wool stores took fire on the 9th, Two stores and their pontents were completely destroyed, and the third much damaged. The fire is supposed to have originated through the spontaneous oom* bustion of New Zealand flax. Loss, L 50,000, covered by insurances. An amicable arrangement with regard, to the losses is expected, ,'•• -■'■'■

Week's wool sales have been postponed. Arrived — Clipper ship Patriarch, from London, in 69 days, the shortest recorded passage. The rumour is revived that Whiteman, supposed to be the last sun i .'or of Leichardt's party, is living with a black a ong way. to the north,- west of the Warrego district. ; Young's contract for the exhibition building, for L 17,475, is accepted. Arrived — Devesburg, from Batavia, with 300 tons sugar. Disastrous floods have occurred at ClermontjPeak Downs, and Fitzroy River, Rockhampton. There has been great destruction of property and loss of life. Daniel Dalgleish, engineer to the Steam Navigation Board, was thrown from his horse, and fractured his skull. His recovery is improbable, James Wright, merchant, is insolvent. Liabilities, LIS,OOO ; assets, L 7,400., 400. A Bill for reducing the Governor's salary was negatived, Adelaide., Feb. 12. Corn market from 5s 3d. A discussion has taken place in the Assembly favourable to the adoption of the Victorian Land Law. The Treasurer's revised tariff was thrown out without a division. The Government are liberally enconrag* ing gold prospecting. An early dissolution of Parliament is oxpected. Hobart Town, Feb. 12. Giblin, the new Attorney General, was elected without opposition. Sir Vincent Fleming leaves for England. Sailed— From Hobart Town : Eucalyptus, for Dnnedin,