ENGLAND AND AUSTRALIA.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 227, 15 January 1876, Page 10

ENGLAND AND AUSTRALIA.

London, December 30. The Queen, has revived the Gordon Dukedom in favor of the Duke of Richmond. The Earl of Abergavenny has been raised to the marquisate, Lord Wharncliffe to an earldom, and the Earl of Earne has been created an English peer. Messrs. Ormsby Gore, Henry Stuart, John Tollemache, and Sir Robert Gerald have been raised to the peerage. The fighting at Perak is considered to be finished. The Erench Assembly is debating the press law. Several stormy scenes have occurred. January 1. A fresh Admiralty slave circular issued modifies the instructions as to the reception on board the Queen's ships of fugitive slaves. The Times says that Baron Lesseps has agreed to advance two millions for two years on the Khedive's founder's shares in the Suez Canal Company. The Daily Ncivs says England has the option of purchasing until the meeting of Parliament. The French Assembly has adopted severe Press laws. The Orleans Princes announced their intention to withd aw from parliamentary life. January 2. The Post-office authorities report the detention of a portion of the Australian letters at Brindisi on December 24, through an unusual pressure. The bank rate of discount is 4 per cent. "Wheat quiet; Adelaide, 535. to 545.; New Zealand, 495. to 525. Arrived : Invercaul, Robina, and Dutton. General Schenck, the American Minister, has inquired the views of England respecting the collective intervention of European powers in reference to stopping bloodshed in Cuba. A definite answer has been deferred. January 3. The Press disapprove of the new Admiralty slave circular. The scheme of reforms in Turkey by the several European powers proposes to establish religious equality, provincial commercial selfgovernment, with self-taxation in the provinces and the cessation of serfdom and socage. January 4. H.M.S. "Warspite was burned at Woolwich. All the boys were saved ; incendiarism is suspected. The Russians are preparing to cross the Syrdaria, to occupy Marghilan and Undigaru, and probably eventually annex Southern Khokam. January 5. Lord Northbrook has intimated his inability to continue in office as Governor-General of India another summer. Lord Lytton has been appointed his successor. Lord Northbrook receives an earldom. Obituary.—Sir Anthony Rothschild.

AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY. Melbourne, January 7. Political matters are in a state of stagnation, and, owing to the holidays, the revenue returns for the year have not yet been issued. Parliament meets again next Tuesday, when it is probable the Opposition will proceed to their policy in preventing the progress of business, at any rate so far as the budget is concerned. The Hon. Michael O'Grady, M.L.A., and formerly Minister of Works, died rather suddenly on Wednesday last. He was managing director of the Australian Alliance Assurance Company. A coasting schooner, the Isabella, was caught in a squall at the Heads and wrecked. The crew were saved. The intercolonial cricket match resulted in favor of New South Wales by one innings and one run, the respective scores being —New South Wales, 171. Victoria, Ist innings, 136 ; second innings, 34 ; total, 170. It was a most shameful beating, and was mainly owing to the excellent bowling of the Sydney men. The return match will be play eel in Sydney at the end of February next. About 30,000 persons were present at the champion race meeting on New Year's Day. The Champion Stake?, with 1500 sovs. of added money, were won by Richmond by two lengths; Goldsbrough, second; Maid of All Work, third. It was a capital race, and was won in smin. 35secs. At the sale of Neil Black's Mount Noorat herd, the attendance was not so numerous as was anticipated. The pedigree bulls averaged £174 165.; pedigree heifers, £123 18s.; pure short-horn bulls, £39. The sale of the Colac short-horns is proceeding to-day. John Eoley, an hotelkeeper, has been committed for trial on a charge of manslaughter on Michael Quinlan, through violence whilst ejecting him from the house. The inquest on Albert Berth resulted in Dr. Beaney being exonerated from culpable negligence, but the jury added a rider in favor of the hospital regulations being strictly adhered to.

Scarlet fever has not quite disappeared yet. Several case 3 continue to be x*eported in various parts of the colony. The steamship St. Osyth has made the quickest passage on record, having arrived in 43 days 18 hours from London. The eight hours' strike at Echuca has ended. Several candidates are mentioned for the seat rendered vacant by O'Grady's death. It is probable the Minister for Railways will stand.

Rumors are current of the failure of a large Brisbane firm, with considerable liabilities, mostly due to English creditors. The Racing Club yesterday disqualified P. Dowling, whose horse was pulled in the race on New Year's Day.

During the past few days the weather has been very cold, with sharp frosts, in various parts of the colony. The City of San Erancisco and the Mikado arrived at Sydney early this morning ; the former grounded on the Sow and Pigs going in, but was soon got off.

The Journal of Commerce after twenty years of publication has ceased publication. The Ringarooma made the passage from the West Coast in four days eight hours, the fastest yet known. The Mongolia, with the Suez mails, is expected to-day, but her news is nearly all anticipated. Shipping. —Arrived, sth : St. Kilda, from Greymouth. Newcastle, January 9. Shipping.—Arrived : Young Dick, from Wellington. Sailed, 24th : Rose, for Timaru ; January 4th, Young Dick, for Wellington ; sth, Oregon and Anne Melhuish, for Wellington. Commercial. —Wheat is selling at ss. lOd. for fine ; New Zealand oats, large parcel, at 3s. 4d.; sugars are selling well ; rations and fine whites maintain full rates. All the kerosene oil in stock is in the hands of two firms. The amount of stock to arrive per Hoedushru is not named. The price of hops is again coming into notice. Eine Kentish, Is. Bd. in bond. In teas, good qualities find easy sale. Sydney, January 9. The public revenue for the past year is £BO,OOO better than was anticipated in the Budget speech, and brings up the estimated surplus at the end of 1875 to over a million and a half. The Governor has received a telegram from Lord Carnarvon intimating that the concession of the railway companies in America for conveying exhibits from San Erancisco to Philadelphia, has been rescinded. At a meeting of the Commission it was resolved to telegraph to San Francisco to ascertain upon what terms the exhibits can be conveyed. Two children were burned to death in a house at Shepherd's Paddock. The fire was caused whilst playing with matches. A strike of men has taken place at the Fitzroy Government dock, owing to a dispute as to the hours of labor. A trial shipment of frozen meat under Mort's process is to be made to England. A fire destroyed the Queen's Hotel, in Castlereagh-street. It was insured. The captain of the Colima writes to the Herald, taking exception to the statements as to the inferiority of her crank shafts. Five Kanakas have been picked up in an upturned canoe, which had been upset in a sudden squall. ' They had been five days drifting about. A new rush has taken place to the head of the Palmer River. Numbers are going to the ground. It is very extensive and rich, but the water is very scarce. Diggers are stacking the washdirt. One man is reported to have got 251bs. in three weeks. Shipping.—Arrived,' 29th : Fairlie, from Napier. ______