AUSTRALIAN.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 306, 28 December 1874, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN.

[Per Alhambra.] Sydxet Mr Farnell, the Minister of Lands, has been defeated at Parrama'ta. No definite issu*! is bt-fnre tbe country in the present election?. Hardly a candidate aaya hi is M'nist rial, owing to the wavering of the Ministry on tbeE ue»t :on question, and Mr Parkea' action in the Gardiner aff .ir. Cmrfderable excitement has be?n caused by publicity h-ving bten given to the fat tbat certain Catbo ie priests hid held a private meeting of the Cath-lic electors of Sydney, at .rhieh a rt solution was carriei pledging tbems Ivea io Tote for the Ministerial candidates. The barcm S «xon passed the Heads north? ward, and reported having on board tho shipwrecked crew ofthe Windhover, hence lor Lt ttelton. She gave no particulars of tlr. wreck. A pnblio banquet has been given to his Excellency Sir Hercules Robinson to celebrate tbe annexion of Fij 1. Adelaide. News has been received of the death of Mr David Randall the wine-interest advocate. The loctuta are attacking the crops in the north. __> James LOlywbite offers to provide a " coach w for the Adelaide cricketers, at £250 or £300 yearly*

The cable between Singapore aud Batavia has been interrupted since the 10th inst. The Agnes, repairing steamer, has started to repair the cable. All telegrams will be forward-] on by steamer leaving twice a week. It is expected that the traffic in wheat on the Northern railways this season will amount to 100,000 tons. Hob„_t Town TheSwatnra s.is on We inetday in sjarch of the Alexandrina, which went to the Auckland Islands with the German party for observing the transit of Venus. She proc.eds to Wellington first, and frora thence to the Chatham Is'ands and Dunetiin, to pick up the American parties, and thence to the Auckland Islands.