AUSTRALIAN.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 36, 11 February 1881, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN.

Melbourne, February 1. A bill is to be presented to the Legislatures of the respective colonies, providing that the new colonial Court of Appeal shall have jurisdiction over New South Wales, Victoria, South Australio, Queensland, Western Australia, and Tasmania. The Governor of each colony shall appoint its Chief justice to be one of the Judges, and the Court may sit with three justices and at any place where there is most business. Any person in the colonies may appeal to this Court, reserving, however, his appeal to the Privy Council. Appellants must provide security for £000. The bill for the restriction of immigration of Chinese, which will be introduced in the New South Wales and Victorian Parliaments, provides that no vessel shall bring more than one Chinaman to the colony per 100 tonp regisfer, under a penalty of £10 for each Chinese passenger in excess. Every Chinese immigrant must pay £10 on arrival in the colony, whether coining by sea or laud, British-born Chinese excepted. Ftdnby, February Ist. The Emerald returned to Sydney from the Solomon Islands yesterday. She reports that she arrived at Savo on the 18th December, where she received information as to the massacre of the crew of the Zephyr, of Sydney. After taking on board a guide, she proceeded to Barrango, Florida Islands. The first landing party left the Emerald on the 20tb, the Emerald proceeding to Malay Topi, where the crew of the Auckland schooner Borealis was killed and the vessel taken. The villages were found deserted, but some natives beiog observed on the hills shells were fired at them, and tho shore parly destroyed six villages. At the place where the Sandfly massacre occurred the bush is impenetrable. Some natives' houses wero fired, and cocoanut trees felled, This work was continued at several other places, the party returning to Beta more than once. At Noraa Island a cross was erected to the memory of Lieut. Bower and crew. At Coombakc! traces of the Zephyr were discovered, amongst others the ship's log and articles. At Boma several armed natives wero seen, and the village shelled and a hundred huts were destroyed, canoes being also suuk. At Marstone Island the natives fired at the vessel with rifle shot. A large native village was seen on a hill a thousand feet high s and some shells were thrown into the place. The Sandfly brings two prisoners.