AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5762, 17 September 1879, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

(PER ZEALANDIA AT AUCKLAND.) Auckland, Tuesday. The Zealandia, from Sydney, arrived at seven o’clock to-night. The passage delayed by strong easterly winds and heavy head sea. She will leave for Honolulu immediately after the mail is aboard. She brings a day’s later news than the Arawata. Sydney. Heavy rains caused destructive floods throughout the district, which damaged the railway embankment and caused great destruction of property in the country districts during the past ten days. So much energy had been thrown into the work in connection with tho Exhibition in every department that the opening next Wednesday seemed quite assured. Unfortunately the weather during the last few days was provokingly bad. Rain had fallen in sheets, and as a consequence great delay had occurred, more especially in the completion of some of the sheds and buildings, which are unfinished, in the outer domain. Two of the towers, and the northern and eastern portion are also incomplete, and there is still a great deal to be done to the dome and fountain. It is, however, up to the present, determined by the Commissioners to adhere to the fixed opening day, though there is a bare possibility that this resolution may be modified by unfavorable weather. Vague rumors are afloat as to postponing the opening. There is a little leakage in some parts of the building, but it is mostly confined to the galleries and external walls, the main leaking being in the galleries bordering on the nave. Two places are especially noticeable, and they are almost opposite that portion of the galleries surrounding the nave above the Austrian and Victorian Courts, The latter court, fortunately, had not its exhibits in such a position as endangered them ; but the Austrian Court suffered severely, several valuable exhibits of fancy goods having suffered seriously. The damage done is not yet ascertained, but a few hundred pounds will cover the loss. The Victorian Court also suffered from the detention of exhibitors, who are unwilling to expose valuable exhibits to the chance of a deluge,andas pictures also werebeing placed in a position against walls, that would ensure their having the full bene fit of any drip or leakage. The German exhibits in the galleries and basement floor suffered, but not to that extent at first supposed. Everything has been done that is possible to remedy the evil. Newcastle. A terrific fire has been raging. Thousands of persons thronged to the scene in Hunterstreet, the centre of the city. Seven places were totally destroyed, and a number of the adjoining places also caught fire, hut were saved by the brigade. At a rough estimate £IO,OOO worth of property was destroyod. The fire originated through an escape of gas, which United the goods, and spread with marvellous rapidity. U’Gallagher, at a meeting at Waratah yesterday, decided that a ballet of all lodges should be taken on the question of the Hamilton men returning to work upon the terms that all they earn over eight days’ work per fortnight shall go to the union fund. Brisbane. His Excellency the Governor was suddenly taken seriously ill. Mr. Thornton has resigned his seat in the Legislative Council, and Mr. Avory has been appointed to the vacant seat. Mr. Macpherson will probably also be appointed to a seat. Melbourne. Judge Harry ordered Mr, Berry, in the Daily Tdcyraph case, to amend his pleas to the declaration, reserving the question of costs. The case will come on for hearing next term. llespecting the infant heiress to a large property in Scotland, whose custody is disputed

the Judges have directed the w a to take the child to Scotland, a- V...solicitors, with payment of is .... -.ho voyage and past care to be paid. A new seam of coal two feet k ' ■ ’ - i struck at Coiae, only fourteen iV-: m ;hc surf ice. Francis Dobson, landlord ..f :1. <’ Hotel, Sandhurst, committed sub-: .;:;g laudanum. He was a man nanhabits. The expenditure to Juno S'.’th - a r.«b: it A man fell out ~f a two-storey uino■ v. I died from the effects of the fall.

(per arawata at Tin; bi.i rr Mtl BOURNE, Svi-Ivl-ile )!. Very little of Consequence i - : -■ V. eff during the week. The ww.n- r i - ! - n beautifully tine and mild. 1! -in t. -’ . a much wanted all over the couu’... th. . : foil for the year being still more 1b..1: inv'.vs below the average. In New S.-atu ■’ .1 s tin-rainf-i’l has been almost continual; - : ; the lastJortnight, with iieavv flouils. Political events are without '.cue'; ivi- . -b The reform debate drags it< slow 1 -ug-.h a'.-ng, and it will yet be a considerable tin.-.- b :■ ue it reaches the Upper Chamber. The tariff discussion has also an: ■ ■gv not lost much of its interest. Last V. . .bo- lav the Assembly sat all through thv n : J.’ at-.-l until half-past tea in the morning, a b ,v 1 ■ lug determined not to allow the C o,r:n.. .r 10 pass items through rapidly. Tla-iv v,.m. scenes, but plenty of talk, and in ih.- >nd the Opposition carried their point, inm-min-h the items were not passed. Some members of the Assembly rwo g< tting alarmed at the approaching stoppage of payment of members, which expires «i:i, the present Parliament. A Parliament coy c incus was held yesterday, when it ice -egg st.al that a Bill should be sent up to thelVum-il, either to enforce the system permanently or [o continue it for a year from the dale of :lit- dissolution of the present Assembly. Dvoiituaily a committee was appointed to confer with the Government. Tlie ship Amyone, which was scuttled after being on lire, has been successfully raised and docked. The Steam Navigation Board have puni-h-.-J Captain Irvin, of the Claud Hamilton, b-r the recent collision by suspending his certificate for two months. Mr. Blackwood 5i,.,!;,, wry highly of Captain Irvin as b ing .moot ibe most trusted officers in the Union (’i.mpanv’s service. The decision of the Board iia- liven a good deal questioned. The Board man mystery has been . xplaiucd. The deceased was found in a right-of-way, robbed, and with his coat put on the wrong way. It now transpires from the courT.-sion of one of the persons implicated, who lias liven arrested, that Boardman died suddenly in the prisoners’ bouse. They were so frightened that they took the body out, and put it where it was found with the coat as described. The Aye commented the other In on the action now pending between the llai'.-j Triegraph and Air. Graham Berry, the IV.. offer, and accused the Judges of political bias. An application was made to the Court for the committal of the publisher for contempt, but the Court refused to grant it. Sergeant Sleigh, determined to be early in the fi-ld, has entered the list as a candidate for Fitzroy. He announces himself as being independent. Nearly one hundred laborers have been recently discharged from the railway works, owing to the estimates for this particular expenditure not having passed the Home. A fair amount of business has been done, but the uncertainty regarding the tariff' is causing slackness. Wheat is selling up to 6s. 3d. There is hut little or no betting on tin; Melbourne Cup, particularly iu the absence of the bookmakers in New South Wales.