AUSTRALIAN.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 210, 16 September 1879, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN.

(Per Arawata at the Bluff.) Meabouene. Rain is much wanted all over the colony, tbe rainfall for the year being still six inches below the average. In New South Wales the rainfall has been continuous for the last fortnight, producing heavy floods. There is little political news of interest. Last Wednesday the Assembly sat all through the night till 10-30 in the morning, a few being determined not to allow the Government to pass the Reform Bill through hurriedly. The Opposition ultimately carried their point. Members of the Assembly are getting alarmed at the approaching stoppage of payment of members, which expires with the present Parliament. At a Caucus held yesterday, it was suggested that a Bill be sent up to the Council to enforce the system permanently, or to continue it for a year from the date of the dissolution of the present Assembly. Eventually a committee was appointed to confer with the Government. The ship Anyone, which was scuttled in the Bay has been raised successfully. On the suspension of the certificate of Captain Irvine, of the Claud Hamilton, Mr Blackwood spoke highly of him as one of the most trusted officers in the Company's service. Salmon hatching at Ercildoun is proving most successful. The Boardman mystery is explained. The deceased was found in a right-of-way, robbed, with hi9 coat on the wrong way. It has since been confessed that Boardman died suddenly in the prisoner's house, and they were so frightened that they took tbe body out and pat it were it was found with the coat as described. The Age the other day commented on an action now pending between the Daily Telegraph and Mr Graham Berry, and accused the Judges of political bias. An application was made for the proprietors to be cited for contempt, but the Court refused. One hundred labourers were recently discharged from the railway works.