AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5531, 18 December 1878, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

(PEE MNOAKOOMA AT THE BLUFF.) Melbourne, December 11, Parliament was prorogued on Friday last. The Governor's speech recapitulated the work of the session, and made the following reference to the reform question ;—“I regret, however, that the grave and urgent question of constitutional reform has not been brought to a successful issue; but I hope that next session you may be enabled to surmount satisfactorily the difficulties surrounding this important problem, and iu relation to the embassy, my advisers will take steps to carry into effect your expressed wishes for the opening up of personal communication between them and the members of the Imperial Government on the subject of the existing defects in the Victorian Constitution.” Berry is now preparing for his European trip, and will take his departure by the next mail. Previous to his departure there will bo a rearrangement of ministerial offices. Sir Bryan O’Logblen will perform the functions of Chief Secretary, and Major Smith those of Treasurer, while probably the Mining Department will be amalgamated with the Lauds. Satisfaction is felt at the acceptance by the Marquis of Norroanby of the Governorship of Victoria. Long and favorable notices of his career in the colonies of Queensland and New Zealand have appeared. He has sent a telegram to Governor Bowen stating that he will arrive in Melbourne at the end of January. Bowen leaves for Mauritius by the January mail. At the dinner given to the Australian cricketers, the Governor said in the course of his speech,.“l will ask permission to digress for a moment, and congratulate you on the appointment as my successor in the great office of Governor of Victoria—often called the ‘ blue ribbon’ of the colonial service—of so able and distinguished a nobleman as Lord Normanby, with such large experience in the Imperial Parliament and in colonial administration. It is a singular fact that Lord Normanby has followed me as Governor—successively of Queensland, of Now Zealand, and Victoria. I earnestly hope that the whole of his administration hero will be as pleasant and as proporous as wore my first five years in Victoria, and that ho will escape a political tempest such as that of the last twelve months." A fatal case of snake-bite has occurred at Alexandra, Victoria. A boy, who was taking potatoes out of a bag, was bitten on the finger. The usual remedies were aplied but to no purpose. Although it is only three weeks to the Champion Kace, it is not spoken about. Probably not more than half a dozen will start, and the result should bo with Warlock, Koodeo, or Wellington, all three-year-olds, carrying 7st. 31b. 3