AUSTRALIAN.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 40, 15 February 1877, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN.

[Per Wakatipu.] _ Sydney, Feb. 6. The Sydney Morning Herald, in reviewing the labors of the Conference, considers the result disappointing, as it failed to do the bnsiness which brought ifc together, but it has proved that we are not likely to get a second cable by any concerted action of the colonies as a whole, and that wbat is wanted will have to be supplied by each colony acting for itself , or by two or three a colonies acting for the rest, and if there is not to be a second, negotiations will have to be commenced de novo. It thinks little good will come of any correspondence with tbe Home Government with the view of securing English operators on the duty lines ih Java. It sees no good purpose .in the resolution calling upon New Zealand to open negotiations with the United States for a line across the Pacific. The question of connecting Sydney City and suburbs by a noiseless steam tramway is being discussed, with the view of t f orming a company. The Legislative Council; has amended the bigamy clause in the Criminal Law Amendment Bill, by excluding from the penalty any person whose wife or husband has been continually absent from .the colony for five years, and who shall have believed at the time of the second marriage the former wife or husband to be dead. Melbourne, 6th to 9th, Dr Briice's hydropathic establishment at Windown, Ballarat, has been burnt down. The Southern Insurance Company, owing to serious disasters, can pay no dividend. A London telegram states that the decision of the Privy Council upholds the rule of Judge Molesworth that the Crown is entitled to the gold on private land granted by the Crown. Governor Bowen accompanies Sir William Gregory to Tasmania. The election pf a Committee of Management for the Melbourne Hospital is going on amid great excitement, the Catholics and Protestants being ranged against each other. A block of buildings in Bourke-street above the Opera House has been sold privately for £36,500. The resolution by the publicans to close their houses on Sunday is likely to be shortly abandoned for want of unanimity. 1 The Vigilance Committee is unwilling to prosecute the system of a espionage, which is generally condemned by the trade. Brisbane, Feb. 6. The Inspector of Police has been despatched to Tarn o' Shar.ter Point to enquire about- a boat seen on the beach there. He reports finding some sails saturated with blood. He captured two gins, who said that

the blacks murdered three men and threw them overboard, but nothing has been found by which to recognise who they were. Adelaide, Feb. 6. At Wilson's Circus Reid slipped from the trapeze, and, being unable to catch the guy, fell thirty feet. He was much bruised, and had his wrist broken.:". '• A collision occurred between the Victoria and the steam dredge Willunga. The former crushed obliquely into the Willunga, cutting > through her bulwarks. The dredge heeled over and sunk, but all hands were saved. It will take sis months and £10,000 to raise her. Her original cost was £50,000. The victoria was only injured to the extent of £150.