AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5488, 29 October 1878, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

(PKR ALBION AT THE BLUFF.) Melbourne, October 23. There appears to be a strong probability that the Marquis of N’ormanby will be the new Governor of Victoria. It is more than likely that Sir Hercules Robinson will go to the .Gape, and Sir Bartle Frere will be moved on to Madras. It is understood that Lord Normanhy would have much preferred Sydney, and that he was not particularly anxious for the appointment to Victoria^ B »th Houses have appointed committees of three to confer on the Reform Bill, but no one is very sanguine of any result being gained. The members appointed are—For the Council: Sir Charles Sladeu, Dr. Hearn, and Mr. R. S. Anderson. For the Assembly : Mr. Berry, Sir Bryan O’Loughlin, and Professor Pearson.; all men holding extreme views on one side and the other. All parties are seemingly agreed that some arrangements should be arrived at by which the question can be settled amongst ourselves instead of referring it Home. ; The Education Bill is causing .some little stir, owing principally to the exertion of the Roman Catholics to obtain a separate grant for their schools. The Minister-of Education, in passing the Estimates in the House last week, said that the Catholic clergy were responsible for the whole of the . agitation, that the Catholic laity were quite satisfied with the working of tho present Act if they were let alone, and not continually stirred up to action by the clergy. The debate, so far, has been well sustained, Tho Government expect to close the session shortly, and there are already signs of an approaching end., * It seems quite evident that tho Government intend to introduce a policy of isolation for this, colony, 'so far as tho mail service is concerned, and that tenders will be accepted for a direct services between Melbourne and England. The collections for hospitals on Sunday and Saturday were about up to last year; in many of the churches there was a large increase. Three of tho defendants iu the embracery case of attempting to influence Jarvois were sent up for trial. The fourth defendant, Maun, was discharged, because there was no evidence against him. A company is in course of formation with a capital of £20,000 for the' establishment of coffee taverns in the metroplis and suburbs, John S. Denny, secretary of’the North Victoria Building Society, has been absent ten days. His whereabouts has not yet been discovered. His defalcations so far amount to £I7OO, and he has apparently added the crime of forgery to that of embezzlement. Alexander Stevenson, of the firm of Stevenson and Elliot, coachbuilders, who was much injured at the fire which destroyed his residence, died from" the effects of the injuries received. -• The dispute between the contractor for the Eastern Market aud the bricklayers, over Saturday as a half-holiday, remains unsettled, and the men are still on strike. The cold weather has been succeeded by fine and mild. Business is bettor. There is very little doing on races. Cup betting is dull, with no alteration iu prices. a Henry the Fifth ” has been withdrawn at the Royal in favor of " Whybert.” Reeve,the comedian, has just arrived from England.