AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 546, 31 January 1878, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(per steamer, at the bi/otvf.)

Melbourne, January 23.

The political outlook is still very dark and clouded, the Government apparently having stayed their hands in the matter of dismissals, as five departments remain untouched, and Government, as if doubtful of past proceedings, are making arrangements to carry on the business of the law courts. The Governor, it is stated, disclaims any sympathy with the unconstitutional proceedings of the Government, and in the meantime he is becoming very unpopular amongst certain classes. At a dinner on the Murray lately, several refused to honor the toast of his health. At a country church the prayer for the Governor in the Litany met with no response from the congregation, and generally amongst the better classes the Governor is regarded as one of the causes of the present state of affairs. The clergy in all denominations have taken the matter up, and political sermons are delivered from pulpits, while the I heads of all the Protestant denominations, headed by the bishop of Melbourne addressed a memorial to Mr. Berry, who, at his meeting, treated the matter as a joke. Mr. Berry held an immense meeting at Geelong on Monday night. Trains full of partisans were sent from Melbourne and Ballarat, and the greatest enthusiasm prevailed. In his speech Mr. Berry said he had submitted a minute to the Governor, in which he maintained that under the existing law the payments could be made on the votes of the Assembly, and also without an Appropriation Bill, and the Governor had referred the matter Home before acting on his advice. Pending the receipt of a reply, the Government was carrying on ;is economically as possible by reductions in the public service. It was the intention of Government to submit anew constitution to the people, and in such a way that it. would be adopted whether the Council liked it or not. He thought that even the Imperial Government could be prevailed upon to enact a new constitution if the choice of the people was deliberately recorded in favor of that course. These were the leading points of Mr. Berry's speech, but in all his remarks he never referred to the dismissal of the County Court Judges. It is not improbable that before long there will be a dissolution. The action of the Government in reducing the Civil Service is popular with the working classes, who at present have no cause to feel the crisis. Mr. Francis, in West Melbourne yesternight, was unable to obtain a hearing. Party roughs took possession of the hall previous to the meeting, and kept up a yelling and hooting. Thou the gas was turned off. Mr. Francis then went to an adjoining hotel and delivered a speech. Nearly all the members of the Council are absent. Twenty members of the Assembly refuse to take payment, believing it illegal, now that the session is practically at an end. The Ministers for Works and Customs, in recent speeches, held out all sorts of threats as to what the Government was prepared in the crisis, but .none of them was referred to by Mr. Berry. The gold yield of last year is estimated at 792,839 ounces, showing a falling oif of 144,421 ounces. Business is dull and unsettled from the effects of the political situation.' The four theatres are still open, and only doing fairly. The pantomimes are still running. Cooper and Bailey's circus has gone up country. The drought still continues, and disastrous accounts continue to come in from the country districts as to the scarcity of water.