AUSTRALIAN.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 10, 12 January 1880, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN.

Melbourne. The Victorian Liberal Association, formed at the instance of the Corner party, which includes Mr Casey, a late Minister, and other prominent politicians long supporters pf the Berry Government, is- attracting a good deal of attention. Their programme is based upon reform, retrenchment, and the reßtorr ation of public confidence. The plebiscite is not included in their programme. The journals fiercely attack the association. The applications for space in the Exhibition are closed except for Victoria, where they will be received up to March 1. The toal area applied for ia not yet declared. The Customs revenue for the last quarter was £50,056 less than in. the last three I months of 1878. There were £17,245 received as Stamp duties up to the end of last month. They came into operation on tbe 18th of that month. The railway revenue, exclusive of the old Melbourne and Hobson's 3ay Company lines is less by £26,720 than in the last three months of 187S, and less by £26,640 in 1879 than in 1878. - The Argus contends that the actual deficit up to the present time considerably exceeds half a million notwithstanding that the taxation has been increased by £475,000 per annum since the Berry Government took office. Seven hundred and fifty-six pence were collected in Melbourne in a few hours to reinburse Mr Michie his three guineas subscription to the Summer memorial which Mr Berry had disallowed. The Corner party held a meeting at Eaglehawk where they were enthusiastically welcomed. Mr Casey, a prominent member, stated that the Ministerial Reform Bill was impossible without a resolution. Only seven out of a field of twenty-two started for the Champion Race, owing to First King being considered almost a certain winner. He won as he liked by four lengths. There was a splendid finish for third place, Petrea beating Martindale by a short neck. Time 5 mins 40£secs. Grand Flaneur won the Normanby Stakes, Palmyra, a strong favorite, being nowhere. The Australian Eleven proceed to England in March, playing several matches in the colonies in the intervals. Their fielding is splendid. ,Mr McPherson of New Zealand bought several fillies at the sale of - thorough-bred horses held at Flemington, Sydney. Harrison, the driver of the Windsor train at the time of the collision, has been disrated. Carlisle, the traffic manager, was severely censured and fined. The traffic Inspector Ricbardson is praised for his presence of mind which probably prevented heavy loss of life. A petition has been signed praying the Executive to reconsider the cases of Scott and Rogan on the ground that they were not the bushrangers who shot Bowen, also thafc one of the jurymen was of unsound mind. Another petition prays that mercy be shown to Rogan alone. Fifty thousand persons visited the Exhibition during the Christmas holidays. The work of judging is being vigorously proceeded with. It is stated that Bishop Barber consecrated the Wesleyan Chapel before consenting to marry the Speaker's daughter in it. Sooth Australia. Two medical men, who were appointed to inquire into and report upon the supposed case of Asiatic cholera, give a decided opinion that the disease was a severe case of English cholera, the symptoms being somewhat similar to Asiatic cholera.

An. extraordinary accident happened to a farmer named Matthews, who with his wife and two children wa9 driving into the Crystal Brook township, when . by some _ unexplained means the woman's ciotbes caught fire ahd were burnt off her back, ahd \ she was frightfully injured. The man was burnt about the face and hands, and the carfc | was burnt also. A fatal affair has occurred at Chocker Island, Northern Australia, when Wingfeld and two others were "tomahawked by the natives, and several lubras were also killed. Queensland. The last quarter's revenue was -£310,919, or nearly £37,000 less than the corresponding quarter of list year. The tjua_t-_'s expenditure greatly exceeds the receips.