AUSTRALIAN.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 17, 20 January 1880, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN.

[Per Tararua.] Melbourne. The Government profess a' desire to terminate the Parliament quickly in view of an immediate dissolution. The Governor is favorable to this course. In all probability there will be a very stormy close of Parliament. Mr Berry, speaking at Geelong, defended the nominee clause iv very qualified** terms. Although recently it whs deemed the kernel of tbe reform scheme, he now says he attaches much less importance to it than to the sixth clause, which he was recently willing to abandon, and the pleb'acite, which he described as at best only a necessary evil. The Orient Company has arranged for a regular fortnightly service to aud from the colonies alternating with the P. and O. vessels commencing on February 20. The Orient steamers proceed direct to Naples, Italy, and Belgium. Other countries arc intimating that the space applied for in London exceeds the amount originally anticipa cd. Mr Berry instructed tbe Exhibition Commissioners to provide another 100,000 feet of space at an additional cost of about £15,000.

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•A lore tragedy has oeeuffed at Emerald Sill. Wade, late a fireman in the steamer Suva, endeavored to enter the house where Miss Driver, a servant, lived. She was once engaged to bim, but broke ifc off, and refused to admit him into the house, whereupon he twice fired at her with a revolver, but missed. She escaped into a neighbor's house, and Wade, after trying to gain admittance, blew his own brains out. Mr Campbell, Messrs Bell and Coleman's representative on board the Strathleven, telegraphs that the meat had reached Aden iqL.good order, and he expects to land it safely iv London. ' New South Wales. Numerously attended Protectionist meetings have been held in Sydney, apparently to induce Mr Buchanan, M.L A., to renounce his free trade conditions. It is considered doubtful whether the Government will eucceed.in carrying their whole fiscal policy. The wine and spirit merchants strongly protest against increased taxation in their business. The quarter's revenue shows a decrease of £291,575. The revenue for the year was £4,481,665, showing a deficiency of £510,253 on the previous year.