AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5566, 30 January 1879, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

(PER PRESS AGENCY.) Auckland, Tuesday. The Tararua left Sydney on the evening of the 22nd instant, and arrived here this morning. Sydney, January 22, At the thoroughbred sale a brown yearling filly, full sister to Richmond, by Maribyrnong, from Fawn, fetched 1150 guineas. The Parliament of New South Wales met yesterday, and after the appointment of the new Ministry had been announced, Mr. Parkes, the Premier, sketched the Government policy. The chief points are as follows :—A Bill to restrict axd regulate Chinese immigration, a vote for the Exhibition, and a Bill amending the land law, by reducing the value of the improvements required from free selection to 10s. per acre, but restricting the power of transfer to five years. The city and suburban railways are to be pushed on. The election of Alderman MoElhone has introduced a disturbing element into the Sydney Corporation. Some Councillors yesterday called each other liars, and a row ensued, leading to an adjournment without disposing of the business. A meeting held yesterday adopted resolutions favorable to the formation of a fund for the relief of the shareholders in the City of Glasgow Bank. A meeting of employers was held in Sydney yesterday, and formed an association to prevent the occurrence of strikes in future. Captain Cook’s statue in Hyde Park is to be unveiled on the 14th. The labor strikes are terminating, mostly in favor of the men. The preparations for the Sydney Exhibition are being pushed on day and night. The retiring Governor is universally popular, and great regret is expressed at his departure. Bowden’s mill at Carr’s Greek, Grafton, has been totally destroyed by fire. The loss ia estimated at £4OOO. The property was uninsured. Ghas. Bannerman, the well-known cricketer, has played a single cricket match with a local man for £lO a side, Bannerman batting with his left hand. The local man won pretty easily. Bannerman has been engaged for two

years by the Melbourne Cricket Club to teach the local players. The steamer arrived yesterday at Port Darwin with the Torres Straits mail. The monnoon experienced in the China seas has been the heaviest known for years. She brings seventy-eight Chinese passengers, and 1000 chests, 6700 half-chests, and 4000 boxes of tea for Sydney. Melbourne, January 22. A heavy thunderstorm occurred yesterday and flooded the lower parts of the city. Some damage was done by the water to the stores. The lightning struck the tower of Dr. Fitzgerald’s residence in West Melbourne, cracked the wall of the tower, and tore a hole in the bedroom ceiling below. No one was injured. The flagstaff of the Protestant Hall also was struck and splintered. Two trucks were blown off the railway. A man who was wheeling a truck down Klizabeth-street was washed off his feet and half drowned in the water flowing along the street channels. Ihe rain was splendid, and most welcome in the country districts. Large bodies of troopers with black trackers left Wangaratta yesterday in eearch of the Kelly gang. Their destination is kept a profound secret.

The Melbourne larrikins continue to assault the police, and more arrests were made yesterday. At a meeting of unemployed, 200 persons were present, and memorialised the Governor to open more public works. , Nothing new has transpired concerning the Kellys. It is entirely uncertain where they now are. The general opinion favors the belief that they have not crossed the New South Wales border, where their want of knowledge of the country would increase the risk of their capture. Great difficulty is experienced In securing convictions against a large number of persons who have been arrested charged with aiding and abetting them. A sticking-up case occurred yesterday a mile outside Sandhurst. A man with a mask on, and a revolver in his hand, bailed up a cab containing eight persons, including ladies, and demanded money under the threat of shooting the passengers, who were thoroughly frightened, aud yielded up their spare cash, which amounted altogether to 16s. The police have made raids on several gangs of Melbourne larrikins, who nightly enact the Kelly exploits in the low parts of the city. The failure of the police is nightly burlesqued in the Melbourne theatres. Adelaide, January 22.

Mr. Travers, a gentleman who was travelling in the Northern territory with stock, was killed, while camped in a bight of the river, by natives who have been in the habit of coming there to camp. They tomahawked Mr. Travers while he was alone, his men being out collecting stock. A meeting has been held in favor of aiding the City of Glasgow Bank shareholders.