AUSTRALIAN.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 27, 31 January 1878, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN.

! (Per Taharua.) Melbourne, Jan. 23. Tho political outlook is still very dark. The Government have apparently stayed their hands in the matter of dismissals, as five departments remain untouched, and the Government, as if doubtful of past proceedings, are making arrangements to carry ou the business of the Law Courts. The Governor, it is stated, disclaims any sympathy with the unconstitutional proceedings of the Government, and states that he signed papers at the Executive on the good faith of the Attorney-General that what was being done was within the law. In the meantime the Governor is becoming very unpopular amongst certain classes. At a dinner on the Murray lately, several refused to honor the toast of his health; at a country church the prayer in the litany for the Governor met with no responsefrom the congregation; and generally amongst the better classes the Governor is regarded as one of the causes of the present state of affairs. The clergy of all denominations have taken the matter up, and political sermons are delivered from the pulpits; while the heads of all the Protestant denominations, headed by the Bishop of Melbourne, addressed a memorial to Mr Berry, who treated the matter as a joke. Mr Berry held an immense meeting at Geelong on Monday night, when trains full of partisans were sent from Melbourne and Ballarat, and the greatest enthusiasm prevailed. In his speech Mr Berry said he had submitted a minute to the Governor.in which he maintained that under the existing law payments could be made on the voices of the Assembly, also without the Appropriation Bill; and the Governor had referred the matter home before acting on this advice. Pending the receipt of a reply, the Government were carrying on as economically as possible by reducing the public service. It was the intention of the Government to submit a new constitution to the people, and in such a way that it could be adopted whether the Council liked it or not. He thought that even the Imperial Government could be prevailed upon to enact a new constitution if the choice of the people was deliberately recorded in favor of that course. These were the leading points in Mr Berry's speech, but in all his remarks he never referred to the dismissal of the County Court Judges. It is not improbable that before long there will be a dissolution. The action of the GTovernnient in reducing the civil service is popular with the working classes, who at present have no cause to feel the crises. Mr Francis, in West Melbourne yesternight, wa3 unable to obtain a hearing. A party of roughs took possession of the hall previous to the meeting, and kept up yelling and hooting; then the gas wag turned off. and Mr Francis went to an adjoining hotel aud delivered his speech. The drought still continues very disastrous iv various parts of the country. The gold returns for last year are estimated at 692,8390z5, showing a falling off of 144,421 ounces. Business is dull and unsettled.