AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1595, 30 December 1885, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

(Per 8.8. Manapouri, at the Bluff.) (UNITED PRKS.S ASSOCIATION.) Melbourne, Deo. 28. Parliament was prorogued on Friday by tli" Governor until January 21st. His Excellency gave his assent to thirty bills. The vice-regal speech contained nothing important. A cricket match between th« Melbourne and Sydney Universities resulted m an easy win for the former by an innings and 144 runs. The Melbourne Wharf Laborers* Union held a special meeting yesterday to rt-eoußider the decision of the previous meeting m favor of the strike. It is now decided that the Union is uot m a position to sustain a strike against the ahipo«ners, who threaten to import labor from Syd .ey ? Adelaide, and New Zealand if their terms «>»• not accepted, the Union demanding the hour system at Is 3d per ho»ir. The shipowners agreed to eight hours, and wore willing to allow Id per ton <xtra or Jd at night, but were dccidodly averse to their demand. Tho Union Steamship Company of Now Zealand received the following telegram from the head office at Dunoditi :— -•• Labor plentiful. There are a hirge number of men anxious to proceed to Melbourne. Anticipate no difficulty m securing as many men as you require." Sydney, Deo 23. Many rumours ai to the uew Ministry have been circulated, but yesterday it was announced as follows :-- Sir John Robertson, Premier and Colonial Secretary ; J. F. Burns, Colonial Treasurer, G. Springs, Lands ; J. Jarrard, Public Works; J. H. Young, Public Instruction ; L. F. Heydon, Justice; — Vaughan, Mines ; D. O'Conuor, Postmaster-Gene-ral. Brisbane, Dec. 23. One woman died at the Qtiarintine Station yesterday, but no fr«sh cases are reported. The three patients m the hospital are doing well. The general health is good, and Dr Hicksou is sanguine that the worst is now over. One of the quarantined passengers writing to a local paper speaks m the highest terras of the manner m which tilings are conducted at the Quarantine station.