AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 28, 3 January 1885, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(ellciuo telegraph — copyright.) (reuter's telegrams.) Adelaide, Jan. 1. The South Australian revenue for the half-year ended December 31 amounted to 982,000, showing an increase of £15,000 compared with the corresponding period of the previous year. Sydney, Jan. 1, Bishop Luck, of Auckland, arrived here to-day by the steamship Yarra from Marseilles. Jan. 2. Sailed, yesterday afternoon — The Pacific Mail Company's steamship Australia, for San Francisco via Auckland. Melbourne, Jan. 1. It has transpired that several telegrams have been exchanged between Mr Service and Mr Stout, but that the Victorian and New Zealand Governments have failed to agree as to the form of protest regarding German annexations m the Pacific. Murray Smith, Agent-General m London for Victoria, was yesterday instructed to protest vigorously on behalf of Victoria and Tasmania against the recognition of the German claims by the Imperial Government. The protest will state that the two colonies are forced to conclude that Lord Derby has either been deceived by the German Government or else has deceived the colonies. His supineness and neglect of colonial interests are simply lamentable, and if New Guinea remams unreclaimed and New Hebrides be unpreserved, the estrangement of the colonies must inevitably increase. Victorian revenue returns for the past year show that the receipts have amounted to .£6,190,000, being an increase of £'595,000 compared with the previous year. The railway receipts increased during the year by £261,000. The revenue for the quarter ended December 31 amounted to £'1,500,000, being an increase of £114,000 compared with the corresponding period of the previous years. The agricultural reporter of the Australasian estimates the total . acreage under wheat m this colony at 1,180,000 acres, and the average yield 9.7 bushels per acre, leaving 123,000 tons available for export.