ENGLAND AND AUSTRALIA.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4322, 27 January 1875, Page 2

ENGLAND AND AUSTRALIA.

ARRIVAL OF THE ALHAMBRA. ' [Press Telegraph Agency.] HokitikAj Tuesday. i The Alhambra, Captain Sinclair, arrived off the pore this forenoon. The tug went out to tender her, but did not return until the evening's tide. The Alhambra did not leave Melbourne until the 20th instant (in. place of the 16th,- as advertised.) She experienced light"' northerly winds, and foggy weather,.for the'first three days, and south-west winds ■. for the remainder of the passage. She brings the following passengers for' Wellington :—The Rev. Darcy Irvine. and sons, Messrs. Clancy, Haywood, Bowling, Davis, Sherriff, and Blacklock, Mis. Don, and:Mrs. McFadzean and family. She has also ninety tons of cargo for WellingtonShe brings the following news : ENGLISH. : [Reuter's Special Telegrams.] London, January 15. i Father Newman, answering'Mr. Gladstone's expostulations, admits that some Catholics have overstretched.truths, 4 but asserts that the Pope never contemplated interference as to the loyalty of subjects. January .16. The Australian Brindisi mails have been delivered. The price of wheat has fallen 2s. per quarter owing to the large foreign importations. , Arrived : Auriga, Bundaleer, Nyanza (?), and Aberdeen. 'Sailed : The Great Britain and Jerusalem, the latter with immigrants for Sydney. January 18. ; The Times announces that Persia, having granted a railway concession to the Russian General Falkenhagen, notwithstanding Baron Reuter's existing concession, Baron Reuter has lodged a protest at Teheran, and Lord Derby,, the Foreign Secretary, has-instructed the British Minister at the Court of Teheran to support the protest officially and formally. , Madrid, January 15. Don Alphonso has arrived in Madrid, and has been received with enthusiasm. January 18. . pon Alphonso assumes the command of the Army of the North. He declared in Council that-he desires to maintain religious liberty. '""':'"''_':'■'■'''""' Prussia', Janu'ary-18«= - The Reichstag has voted as obligatory marriage as a civil contract. Galle, January 18. The Nubia left on the 17th for Australia.

INTERCOLONIAL. NEWS. VICTORIA. Melbourne, January 20. Sir William Stawell having been duly sworn in as Acting-Governor, Judge Barry proceeded on a trip to Queensland. The members of the Ministry have given a pic-nic to their supporters and a few friends ; and with the exception of the Treasurer and the Postmaster-General, are now enjoying a holiday trip in the steamer Victoria, which is expected to extend over a week or ten days.. Mr. Cairns, the new Governor of Queensland, after spending a few days in visiting the sights of Melbourne, proceeded by H.M.S. Barracouta to Brisbane. Mr. Weld left at once for Tasmania, where he has been well received.

Mr. W. formerly a member of the Assembly for Ararat, has been elected unopposed to fill a vacancy in the Legislative Council.

Sir William Stawell will not perform any judicial functions while administering the Government.

The Land's Office defaulter, O'Ferrall, left Singapore in the steamer Brisbane on the 12th of January. . . Dr..:Bromley will be succeeded as Heal Master of the Church of England Grammar School by Eliss Morris, M.A., of Oxford. A fire on Emerald Hill, yesterday, destroyed several houses. The damage amounts to about £600., .

At i, the recent University matriculation examination the girls were very successful in

passing. Two men were drowned in the Yarra, on Sunday last, through the upsetting of a boat. ~ Yesterday was the hottest day of the season, the thermometer recording 106 in the shade. James Bowley, senior warder at Melbourne gaol, has died suddenly. Blondiu has given several performances at the Opera House, which was crowded to excess. He carried over the rope John Hill, the musician, and Mr. Farley, the singer. Blondin and Madame Bishop have now gone to Adelaide. The barque Oberlin, of Adelaide, has been wrecked on Kent's Group; the crew were saved. The Bchooner Pioneer, wheat laden, was burned a few miles from Launceston ; the crew,escaped. . ~ ~ A i conference of Statists is sitting at Hobarton, Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania are represented. Mr... Webster, of Wilkie, Webster, and Co., music-sellers, died this morning. : .The weather to-day is intensely hot; 108 in the shade is recorded. Two fatal fires are reported from the country districts. In each case the victims were intoxicated and roasted alive, being unable to

escape. . ......... Large bush fires are reported from various parts of the country. Sailed, on the 12th : Alma, for Weßtport. COMMERCIAL. Busiriess generally is dull. New wheat, 55.; oats, very dull at 4s. lOd. to os.;

sugar in fair request at an advance on previous rates ; oilmen's stores are improving in value ; Hennessy's pale brandy, Bs. The failure of Mr. Leplastrier, wine and spirit merchant, for £40,000, and one or two other firms, is rumored. - NEW SOUTH WALES. Sydney, January 20. The Commodore intends to send a war vessel to the scene of the Jame 3 Bimie massacre. Webster, the chief clerk of the Council o£ Education, has left in the ship Tweed, for .London, suddenly. It is likely he will be brought back. The Opposition will confine their attack on the Government,to a motion relative to Gardiner's release. • ■. SHIPPING. Arrived : On the 10th, Colonist, from NewZealand. Sailed : Hebe, for Lyttelton. Newcastle. Arrived: 10th, Hopeful, from Lyttelton; John Nicholson, from Lyttelton. 11th, Glimpse, from Auckland ; Stranger, from Dunedin. 12th, Rachael, from Dunedin. 16th, Anne and Jane, and, Edwin Bassett, from Wellington ; and M. A. Annieson, from Lyttelton. Sailed : 12th, Emperor, for Lyttelton; 13th, Alarm, for Lyttelton; 15th, Princess Alice, for Lyttelton ; 16th, Mera, for Oamaru ; ISth, Neptune, for Wellington. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. Adelaide, January 19. The Parliament has been dissolved, and th» writs issued for a new election, to take place between the 10th and the 22nd of February. . The Chief Secretary has addressed the electors, and advocates free compulsory education: the reduction of the upset price of land ; and immigration. He opposes payment of members... On" November. 23 the ship Pahna sighted a 1200-ton iron ship burning ; the crew bsing saved. On October 23 the ship Conquest saw an American brigantine .burning, and the crew in this case, abo, were - saved. In neither case was the name of the vessel, ascertained. rf#dS4 The International Exhibition Commission- > _ recommend a grant of £SOOO for the representation of the colony at Philadelphia.