AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Kumara Times, Issue 938, 2 October 1879, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

~^^ —^— VICTORIA; Lawrence was sentenced to death for the murder of Finlayson, Secretary to the Hobson's Biy railway. Strong evidence of the prisoners insanity was offered, and the jury recommended him to mercy on account of irritation of mind at the. time the murder was committed. It is unlikely that the oapittl sentence will be inflicted. Four of the directors and the" manager of the Provincial and ban Bank, recently failed, have been arrested on a charge of conspiring tor defraud the public. The Lancefield Bank robbers received unprecedentedly light sentences; Lowe, and old offender, got eight years, and Bray only five. The Kellys are still believed to be in the Stratbbogie ranges. Some of their' friends believe there is some truth in the rumor that Ned and Dan Kelly have made away with Hart and Byrne, who had never actually taken life. The Protestant Bishop of Melbourne delivered a most eloquent address at the Church Assembly, contending that the exclusion of religious instruction in State Schools was a calamity, and advocating the adoption of the plan followed by the Board Schools in London. He argued that the Koman Catholic" .scruples deserve some concevssiou. The Assembly appointed a committee to confer with the representatives of the' Ballarat diocese, re securing the teaching of Bible facts and morals in State" Schools by the teachers.

Australian statistics for 1878 are now published. Total population, 2,603,122; total value of trade imports, £94,742,703 ; and total colonial tevenae, £17,357,316. A horrible outrage has been committed near Sale. A selector named Tobin, owing to a dispute, entered his .brother-in-kw'a house armed with a gun and butcher's knife, attacked Jacobs and his wife, hewing and clubbing them fearfully, leiving both for dead. He then threw his sister's body on a wood heap. It is believed he has since drowned himself. NE\V S'OtJTH WALES. Dr Hector, when Governors visited the \ T ew Zealand Court explained that Sir EF. Robinson regretted his unavoidable absence, w.bieh the meeting of' Parliament tendered necessary.. He' was sure Sir H. Robinson would receive with great satisfaction the news' of the brilliant success achieved. Two girls escaped from the Biloela Reformatory, dressed in the matrons clothes, and got to the main land in a boat. They have not been recap-' tured yet.