AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Kumara Times, Issue 1075, 11 March 1880, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[Per s. s. Albion.] VICTORIA. Fifty-seven members of the old Assembly have been returned. Of the new members, twenty-one belong to the Opposition and «ight to the Ministry. . . ... .. The'first day of the V.R.C. meeting passed off pleasantly. The Hurdle race was wonby Zephyr; Mallard, 2 ; Hover, 3. First King : won the Port Philip Stakes, with Martindale a very close second, and Wellingtan an equally close third. Grand Prix won the Ascot Vale Stakes, with Otira second, Haidee of the Hills third. Fourteen youngsters started for this race. Zambesi won the Brunswick Stakes with Monarque second, and Riverton third. Sixteen otheis started. The -St. Ledger was won by Caspian by a neck, with Suwarrow second. Time—3 min. 2£ sees. . Petrea and Beliadrum were the only other starters. Darriwell won the Keilor Stakes in fine style, Sweetmeat, 2 ; Columbus, 3. ''The quadrupled system of telegraphy ,is likely soon .to be in active operatiou on the direct line between Sydney and Melbourne. Three messages can be sent at once. v Sudden Hoods in several county districts. One man killed by Jgghtning and railways considerably. injured. NEW SOUTH WAM . It is probable the railway between Sydney and Melbourne will be constructed by September Ist, except a gap of eighteen miles between Albury and Gerogery. Sir H. Parkes laid the foundation stone of the new lighthouse at South Head. A dispute has taken place between the Minetß' Association and colliery

masters, owing to tVe latter refuting to ■allow miners a percentage on all coal. Thy Agricultural Show opened at Sydney was quite complete. This colony, Queensland, and South Australia contributed the greater portion of the exhibits. The number from Queenslaud is very large. John o\Brieh, charged with the murder of his wife at the Barton, on January 25th, was tried before Justice Barton. The Judge ruled that the woman's injuries might be the result of accident and not of violence, in which prisoner got a Verdict cf acquittal. The Exhibition tramway line i* paying at the rate of 33 per cent. Archbishop Vaughan laid the foundation of the Sacred Heart New Schools, and made a speech replying to Sir H. Parkes, on education. He repeated his statements as to public schools being a source of infidelity and immorality, and challenged Sir 11. Parke 9 to accuse him before the Court of Sedition. Some experiments have been made at the instance of a number of gentlemen interested in meat preserving, tending to show the advisability of sending sheep home in a frozen state, •without taking off the skin and wool. A fat wether was sent down from Young, on the 14th August, and frozen. Eight days afterwards it was skinned and found perfectly sweet. QUEENSLAND. Joseph Wells, under sentence of death, for shooting with intent during an attempt to rob the bank at Cunnamilla, made a written statement implicating three other men, besides a. man in business in Castlereagh south, who first suggested the robbery to him. An aboriginal named Johnny Campbell, who committed a number of outrages in' the vicinity of Maryborough and Pine River, shot a tracker who was searching 'for him near Nearum Creek. The shot lodged in the trackera left arm. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. A man was arrested a few days ago at Goolwa on suspicion of being Ed-ward-Kelly, in consequence of his likeness to that bushranger. •Richard Hennessy, laborer and volunteer, shot bis wife at Stewney. The man was not further awtty. than two yards when he fired. The woman, who was wounded a;bove the left eye, is in a very bad state. In the Supreme Court, in the case of a woman named Gnen, found guilty of bigacay, a point was raised affecting the validity of all marriages • celebrated by Church of England clergymen, owing to their neglecting to use the exact form of declaration prescribed by the Ask.-: The. point is reserved for full Court TASMANIA. The Council repealed the Public Works Bill, ... . The Hon. Charles -Meredith, Police Magistrate at Launceston, is dead. Sir Jas. Wilson, President of the Legislative Council, died on February 29th, on his 60th birthdav.