AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LVI, Issue 6488, 13 December 1881, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[Pnu Puses ASSOCIATION.]

(Per as. Rotomahaoa vid the Bluff)

VICTORIA.

Melbouenb, Dxo 7. Thera Is a dearth of anything like interesting news. The Government propose to prorogue at Christmas, and to call Parliament together again in May, by this means bringlog Parliament into the old and regular track. A proposal to postpone the Land and Brilway Bills tell next Session has provoked hostile criticism.

Mr Hacked, a former member and suprsr of the Government, has been elected Fittroy by a majority of 43 over Mr Beid, who represented the late Government In the Legislative Conned. Mr J. W. Rogers, late County Court Judge, the new chairman of the Education Commission, is not expected to commence his labours till early in next year. Meanwhile many reforms .are contemplated in the administration of the Act.

A severe storm broke over the city daring the afternoon of Deo. 6. and extended all over the country. It occasioned a good deal of damage, and the loss of one life. Bain fell in sheets, flooding the low-lying streets. The revenue from the Customs for the month of November exceeded by £45,000 the receipts for the corresponding month of last There is a good deal of dissatisfaction at the Cricket Association charging tho English cricketers 10 per cent for their patronage. The Englishmen declined to pay the amount, and the Association reduced their terms to 6 percent. Sergeant, who wantonly destroyed Munro’s property, pleaded guilty at the sessions, and was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment, tire Judge remarking that the act was cowardly, atrocious, and wicked. A Mr Hegman, who stated he was clerk to Harman Elbeek, of Blenheim, New Zealand, had his luggage seized, and o quantity of smuggled jewellery was discovered. Proceedings are to be taken. The applications for shares in the Westport Goal Company exceeded the number received for Australia; but the Provisional Directors decided to idiot all applications hero in full, having arranged that any excess hero should be made available from the shares reserved for New Zealand.

A fraeaM occurred at a meeting of the Professorial Board of tho University. Professor Manson gave the lie direct to Professor Elkington, and the latter struck Manson. The matter is under investigation by the University Council. The Flinders street Railway Terminus is to be lighted by the electric light. The case of Thorpe has been brought under the notice of the Government, with a view to obtaining some remission of the sentence. The Government are not likely to interfere.

NEW SOUTH WALES. Small • pox ia increasing with fearful rapidity. Several more eases bare been reported at Wooloomooloo, Pymonfc and Sussex street. The branch British Medical Association condemns medical men for not reporting cases coming under their notice. H.M.B. Beagle recently visited the Island of Macado to enquire into the murder of a German named Schmidt, and found that the Natives had assumed an attitude of defiance, exhibiting cool indifference. A short time previously a fight had occurred between the Natives and the crews of some trading vessels, in which thirty Natives wore killed. The whites only acted in self-defence. They suffered no loss. The Beagle also visited Port Webber to punish the Natives there for an outrage, but they had fled to an adjacent foind- All that was done was to fire the village. A full Court refused a new trial in the JBulleim libel case, and dismissed the rule with costs. Eire thousand frozen sheep are being sent Home by the Cuzco. The crops in many parts of the country are said to be looking well

WESTERN AUSTRALIA. The Exhibition closes at the end of December, when either Mr Joubort or Mr Twopeny will at once proceed to New Zealand to make arrangements for the Exhibition to be held in Christchurch. The charge brought against Messrs Joubort and Twopeny by the officers of the local Licensed Victuallers’ Association for illegally vending liquors in the Exhibition,has been dismissed, as It was considered vexatious and frivolous.