AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5363, 5 June 1878, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(per binqarooma at the bluff.) Melbourne, May 29. In the present dormant state o£ politics there is very little news of interest. The Ministry has issued free passes to country Mayors to travel by rail to the Governor’s levee. Only about a dozen representatives of the mercantile interest were present. This, week the Chief Secretary and other Ministers have been attending banquets to local representatives, * The cable contract has been drawn up and forwarded by telegraph to London. The company have to duplicate their lines within eight months from- the date of the signing of the agreement. Press messages must bo addressed to licensed newspapers, and be in plain English, with no cypher or words of concealed meaning. Mr. Parrell having resigned his seat for Oastlemaine, Professor Pearson and Mr. William Gaunsonjaro candidates on the Government side, and Chapman Josen in the Opposition interest. The Government have found work for upwards, of 200 of the unemployed in carrying out drainage work, and intend further to carry out two of the new lines of railway by day labor; but large numbers of the unemployed are not laborers, but belong to building and mechanical trades. - Public confidence has not been completely restored, and very little building is being proceeded with. : i , The Government is very anxious ; to. commence the erection of the Exhibition Building, in Carlton Gardens, otherwise the vote mil lapse on’ the 30th proximo. The building will ultimately cost about 41100,000. Country trade is very dull, and no business of importance doing. ; 1 '■* ■ : J. L. Hall is engaged to appear at the Academy of Music. ■ *'

Sidney, May 29. It is stated that the Governor has been offered an important position by the Imperial Government, but nothing is officially known, and the statement is doubted. The revenue returns from Brisbane show an increase on the estimated revenue next year of a million and a half.

Governor Bobinson has subscribed twenty guineas to the proposed monument to the late Archbishop Bolding. < A Chinaman, for the murder of a country* man at Goulburn, was executed yesterday.