AUSTRALIAN.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 172, 19 August 1878, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN.

(Per Arawata.) Mklhourxe, August 14. The reform debate still continues, and is likely to continue till the end of next week. The question is losing interest, most of the best debaters in the House having spoken. The Council is still engaged on its Constitution Reform Bill which has nearly passed through the House. The new loan is to be floated by the Banks in the usual way, and not by the who go home with the Keform Bill, us at first intended. Mr Morgan, the C'nief Secretary of South Australia, and Mr Burns of New South Wales are now here, and will consider postal matters iu addition to finally settling cable matters. Mr Berry has some idea that postal subsidies are not necessary, but that the colony should trust to any of the steamers for the mails. It is uot expected this will be tried. Mining is improving. An important fact has ' been discovered of the existence of a gold bearing reef at a depth of 1540 feet in the Prince Patrick mine. It is said the yield will be three ounces to the ton. The steamer Somersetshire arrived last night. Amongst her passengers are ])r. Ryan, who gained such fame at Plevna, and Mr Slade the spirtualist and writing medium. Much building is going ou. There are live large ones in Collins-street alone. A contract for over £50,000 has been taken for 70 miles of railway between Ueeloug and CJueenscliffe. Tenders will soon be accepted for the I Gouldburn and Mai ley line, and theOakleigh / line. Business is dull. There have been several recejit failures here and in Sydney. At a sale of draught stock yesterday, after the horse show, some purchases were made on New Zealand account. Farmers' l<"aucy, for which the second highest price was given, was bought for the New Zealand Land Company for 530 guineas, Mr McKellar secured Prince Bismarck for 490 guineas, Mr Terrans bought Young Clyde for 365 guineas. The Assembly has decided to abolish the Wattle Bark duty. Advices from New Guinea state that, those who bave gone there are in great destitution and misery, and no gold has yet been found. The natives generally are friendly and wiilj ing to afford assistance, but many whites ! have been guilty of the most disgraceful acts towards the native women. The captain of H.M.S. Sapho investigated several cases He says that New Guinea is quite unfit for | a habitation for whit© mou, ami It is ijulle impossible for gold diggiag to be carried on there. Many have returned to Cooktown, and nearly all the whites who remain are suffering. Atwenty-one-months-old colt by Ranting Robin has been purchased by Mr Hislop of Hawke's Bay for £1000, the highest price ever obtained ia Australia for a colt of his age.