AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5536, 24 December 1878, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

(PER ALBION AT THE BLUFF.) Melbourne, December 13.

The political world is just now kept alive by a few embassy meetings in the suburbs and country, in which the Government proposition has received assent, but very little interest is now attached to the proceedings. Messrs Berry and Pearson leave by the mail this month, and take with them Mr. H. H. Hayfcer, the Government Statist, as secretary. The difficulty of the Treasurahip has been settled by Mr. Berry resigning the office, aud Major Smith's appointment thereto without salary. The Governor does not leave till February, and Lord Normanby arrives immediately after, so that it will not be neoessary to appoint any Acting-Governor. A despatch has been received from the Secretary of State in reference to the embassy, but it is not yet published. It is understood the Secretary says that all means of settlement mußt first be exhausted in the colony, and when that is done Great Britain, as the paramount power, can interfere, Tho doings of Kelly's gang have keen the great topic of conversation, and the history of the sticking-up of Euroa reads like romance. It seemed quite incredible that four men, outlawed and hunted by dozens of police, could in the light of.day make such a raid upon a township on the railway line, and a station, and depart with the bank manager, his wife, clerks, and servants, a distance of nearly four miles without being observed. _ From the accounts received the whole business seems to have been cleverly planned and well carried out. The telegraph wires were cut, the line repairer, who came to see to repairs, was captured, and at one time the gang had not less than 37 persons imprisoned at Tounghusband's station. The gang bad previously stuck up a hawker's cart, rigjed themselves out in new clothes from head to foot, and burnt their old ones. They left one man to guard the prisoners at the station, while the other three took the hawker's cart, drove into Buroa, there entered th» National Bank by front and back simultaneously, and having made prisoners of all the inmates, ransacked the bank of »ver a £IOOO in notes and between £3OO and £4OO in specie. They kept all their victims at the station until late in the evening, and extraoted from them a promise not to depart until a certain hour, under the penalty of death. This extraordinary raid was made in the light of day, with the township full of people, and in leaving the bank Kelly made the manager drive his own buggy, while he sat beside him. The reward for Ned Kelly has been raised to a thousand pounds, and additional police have been sent off in all directions, while thegarrison oorpß have been drafted to seven townships, in order to protect tho banks. Rumors have been plentiful, but still there are no tidings of the gang since they disappeared after the Buroa affair. The police seem to be completely off the scent. The whole available force, with the Chief Commissioner at the head, is now out in search among the ranges. A letter has been received from Ned Kelly by a member of Parliament, but the contents have not yet been made known. The papers are every day filled with oolumns of bushranging news, and every little scrap of information is eagerly sought for. Next to the bushrangers crioket has occupied most attention. The Australian Eleveuhas received a good welcome, and have been duly feted, and presentations have been made to them at each of the three theatres. A moonlight concert has been given in their honor, and as rauoh fuss as possible made. They have played a match against fifteen of the colony, aud won a Bplendid viotory. There was some heavy soaring on both sides. Iu their second innings the fifteen scored 288, when the Eleven had 202 to win, and this they suoceeded in doing with the loss of only four wickets, a result brought about quietly by the fine batting of Murdoch, who made 153, and A. Bannormau 52, not out, Lord Harris's team having won their match in Adelaide by four wicketß, arrived here on Monday, and mot with a cordial reception. They play fifteen of the colony on Boxing Day and the two following days, but the great matoh will be played on the 2nd, Brd, and 4th of January against the Australian Eleven. Takeall has appeared in the crops in gome dlstriots.

During the last few days tho heat has been very intense, ranging as high as 110 iu tho Bhado iu somo parts o£ tho country. Rain is muoh wanted. Tho retirement of Sir John Kobertson from New South Wales politios caused some surprise, but it will havo tho effect ho desired iu smoothing matters. Sympathy for the seamen on strike, and tho anti-Chineso feeling, continue to extend to all colonies, and subscriptions aro being raised to aid tho strikers.

Governor Robinson is likely to take a trip to one of tho Australian colonies before proceeding to How Zealand,