AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5252, 23 January 1878, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(PER.ALHAKBRA AT ME BLUFF.) BY l ELEOItAPH. Melbourne, January 16. The all-engrossing topic of the week has been the crisis and its consequences. After the sweeping reductions in the Civil Service last Tuesday the Government have somewhat stayed their hands, and although a few dismissals have been made during the week the victims have been confined to subordinate officers ; but the absence of the Governor from town may have something to do with the delay, as there are several departments still untouched. The action of the Government is of the most revolutionary kind. They have by dispensing with the County Court Judges, the Police Magistrates, and Coroners interfered with the course of law. Yesterday a solicitor applied to the Chief Justice in chambers for a mandamus to compel the Assistant-Registrar of the County Court to issue a summons in a certain plaint. The officer said he had been instructed by the Crown Lands Department not to issue any summonses. The Chief Justice said that ho had no discretion in the matter, and granted a rule for a mandamus. Upon the Government being informed of this step, they at once dismissed all the registrars and assistant registrars, so that it is now impossible to bring any case before the County Court, the Judges having been previously suspended. A number of Acts of Parliament are now wholly, or in part, inoperative, owing to the persons appointed to administer them having been dispensed with, and all the time the Governor (Sir George Bowen) has been absent enjoying himself in a neighboring colony. His absence has been much and most unfavorably commented on. The part that he has taken in the present proceedings is regarded very unfavorably, and mneh of the responsibility of the present state of affairs is laid to his’charge. Prom all parts of the country strong expressions of opinion continue to be received

against the course adopted by the Ministry. TTie question is, what next, and when and where is it all to end ? Already the effects of tlie crisis are being felt in business circles, while the greatest misery is being caused not only amongst those who are already dismissed, hut' amongst those who are allowed to remain in doubt as to their fate. It is affecting, and will still more, all classes iu the community \ and as several large employers of labor will be forced to reduce their establishments, it will he felt keenly by the working classes. The question has been referred to from pulpits iu churches, and everywhere, and amongst the right-thinking portion of the population there is only one opinion prevalent. The Government intend to revert to the system iu force prior to 1562, and to make payments on the authority of the Assembly alone, and send a i Appropriation Bill to the Council at leisure. Ministers themselves discuss the whole matter with a flippancy which is disgusting in the face of the cruelty and the widespread misery caused. The drought continues, and is proving very disastrous. The weather in this colony, with the exception of one or two days, has been singularly cool for the time of year, but iu Riveriua and other parts of New .South Wales the heat has been iuteuse, killing birds and other animals. There is no grass and veiy little water auywhere in the country. Mr. E. Wilson’s death makes a difference in the conduct of the Argus. A leading article in that journal last Monday says; - When the testamentary dispositions of the late Edward Wilsou are made public, we have reason to know that they will be of such_ a nature as to attest his affection for Victoria, the warm interest lie took in the welfare of her institutions, and his genuine anxiety to promote the advancement of the colony.” The total amount at present subscribed to the Cathedral fund is £13,146, in addition to the munificient donation promised by W. J. Clarke. The Hon. Neil Black’s sale of pure-bred cattle at Mount Noorat, last Friday, realised £10,710. The gold yield last year shows a falling off of 144,421 ounces as compared with the previous year. The number of miners has also fallen off. The total at the end of December was 38,096.