AUSTRALIAN.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 110, 17 April 1876, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN.

Bluff, April 16. Albion a-rived at 6 a.m; L-rft Melbourne at 11 a.rn. on lhe Ilth ; cle-ired the Heads at 2. 0 p m. ; spoke Arawata at ll a.m. on the 14th; passel the Solanders at 11 40 a.m. on the 15ih. She brings the English mail ex China, £0 siloon and '0 steerage passengers, and 176 tons of <argo for all ports. She sails for Dune lin tbis afternoon. Madame de Murska is a p -SBenger for Dunedin . Melboorne, April 10. Parliament is prorogued till the Oth Msy. The Governor s speech promised that measures would be taken for retrenchment during the brief recess. The revenue returns have shown beyond the cstimnt", being an increase of -£11(5 000 on the corresponding quarter, nnd £375,000 on the whole yea--. . Over a million was derived from the lands in rental and rate's. A Loan Bill for ihree millions has been passed, including a sum of £1,3000,000 for railway construction, and over half a million for school, buildi ngs. The Assembly negatived the proposal to expend £300 on a picture of the hte Wils m Gray, thinking that others hid bean quite ps much disinterested as Wilson Gray, and obtained no recognition of their services. Th-i first lot of salmon ova at Ercledown has been hatched and doiug well. A discharged employee of L. Stevenson and Son's firm informed the Customs that the firm lud been in the habit of pursuing .-.yeteniatic frauds in connection with Customs octries sheets. A strict sr arch was institute! by the department, and all seemed to be going on rigbt until Friday last, when the firm declined to allow the Customs access- to certain private documents. Upoa this refusal the Custous officers were placed in charge of the store. Stevenson's people secure! a gang of man, nnd forcibly ejected the officers from the building Later in the afternoon the Customs officers again took possession, but not without much trouble and some b oodshed. Th- large store in Flinders Lane waa literally besieged by the offiee-s, led by the Collector who received a nasty wound on the head. The attacking pa'ty got in at the rear, and uow remain in pos?esti-jn. The affair has ouis.d great excitement, aud will lead to further proceedings. The Melbourne Cup this year will be a sp'eodid piize for the winner. r Jhe Club h*»ve brought the added money up to 500 sovs, at:d in addition, Mr. James Blackwood, the Chairman of the Victorian Racing Cup, gives a gold cup valued at 200 guineas.