AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 38, 12 January 1884, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(From Sydney Papers.) Notwithstanding the late agitation of the unemployed immigrants at Brisbane the scarcity of labour suitable for the country districts still exists. Application was made at the Immigration Depot by a squatter for 20 station hands, also other applications were made for smaller numbers, but no suitable men were available, and kanakas had to be engaged. The unemployed immigrants consist almost entirely oi married couples with large families. The first match of the campaign of the Australian cricketers in England has been arranged to take place at Sheffield Park, the seat of Lord Sheffield, in Sussex, His Lordship is perhaps the most liberal patron of the game in the old country, and our men may be sure of meeting a formidable team there in addition to having a good time. It is the first match, so the Australians had better be on their guard, The Orleans Club were fond of regaling the Australians at the pretty clubhouses and grounds at Twickenham, on the Thames, and at tho same time they always tried their hardest to beat them, always bringing a powerful team against the visitors. Intelligence has been received bom De Grey Biver that young Mr. William Fraaer, son of the Hon. Malcolm Fraser, Colonial Secretary of Western Australia, has been murderously attacked and severely wounded by a native, who shot him in the back of the head. When he turned on hie assailant ths black fellow again fired and shot Mr, Fraser in the stomach; but fortunately the wounds inflicted are not considered likely -to prove fatal,

The annual session of tho Church of England Assembly for the Ballarat diocese was opened to-day. Bishop Thornton delivered a long addrcM, mainly explaining his action during hie recent visit to England. He said that he had preached 200 sermons, and had held 70 meetings. He had received contributions from 600 individuals, and promises of support bom a number of parishes,-. He received altogether £6069. The diocese had now £25,879, which it was desired to raiK to £BO,OOO. He said he had .carefully avoided v begging, and his visits were always in response to invitations. Stockowners and others are complaining loudly about the manner in which their sheep and cattle are conveyed to the Sydney markets. They state that though they order trucks many days beforehand, they cannot bo supplied with them. Messrs. Mackay and Copland on November 21 ordered five trucks, and removed their sheep from paddocks to near the station, where they are still awaiting trucking, and daily deteriorating in value in . consequence of being away from good pasta- » rage. Two stockowners trucked a quantity of cattle on Wednesday for Homebush market, expecting the same would arrive at 7 o’clock in the morning of the following day, instead of which the cattle only arrived after the sales were over; consequently, they will have to wait until Monday’s market, the owners thereby incurring additional expense, and standing a chance of the market lowering in price. The Chief Commissioner of Police has forwarded to Mr. Berry at Sydney a telegram regarding the French convicts in this colony. He says the number ot New Caledonian convicts known to have arrived in the oolojul is 88. Three of these are known to be earsjßb. honest living, while 18 live on the earnings of prostitutes, and 12 aro now in prison. Three have served terms of imprisonment here. One has been extradited to New South Wales, and one was committed for trial on a .barge of burglary, but the Crown entered a nolle proseqni. A number of others are rumoured to be employed on vineyards, but the police have no reliable information as to their antecedents. . - 1 Mrs, Alexander Stuart laid the foundationstone of a new Anglican Church st Summer Hill, on Saturday afternoon. The church will occupy a site at the corner of Smith and Henson streets, will afford aceommodation for 500 persons, and will cost about £6OOO. Towards this a sum of £1630 has been contributed, in addition to the sum of £276 7e. 7d. which was laid upon the stone on Saturday. The Launceston correspondent of the Hobart Mercury has been handed an interesting document. It is one of the many cyphers used by mining men in their telegraphic despatches, and reads as follows: —“ Sell” means buy, and “buy” sell. “Sell out" means buy all offering, “ don’t sell ” means clear out at best prices offering, “ reef making ” means pinching, and “pinching ” reef widening, “no gold” means showing good gold, and “ grand prospects ” reef a duffer. It will be seen by a telegram from a correspondent in Melbourne that the number of New Caledonian convicts known to have arrived in the Colony of Victoria is thirtythree. The Hou. Alexander Stuart has received a telegram from Queensland, giving the number that have arrived in that Colony as fifty-nine, and stating that there were others who were presumed to be convicts from New Caledonia, there being no direct evidence to show that they were. The infor-

mation wlffi tee»rd to.the number that have landed in New Somh Wales has not yet been given to Mr. Stuart by the police authorities. Immediately it is received by ths Colonial Secretary the particulars relating to the three colonies will be telegraphed home by his Excellency the Governor to the Secretary of State for the Colonies. The prizes in connection with the Tasmanian Cniversitv scholarships were presented to-day, in the presence of a large and brilliant assemblage, at the Town Hall. The A.A. degrees were also conferred, the recipients including three young ladies. They w;re Mias Amy Stephenson, Miss Agnes Minnes, and Miss Mary Oldham. The Hon. W. B. Giblin being unavoidably absent, the Bev. G. Clarke, member of the Council of Education, who presided, read a long address, in the course of which he stated that the A.A. degree stands for something in advance of matriculation, though a long way short of a Snlversity degree. A Tasmanian scholardp of £2OO, tenable tor four years, has been founded, and the winner must proceed to Europe to complete the course. Professor Irvine suggested to the Council to meet and seek power from the Legislature to confer the degree of B.A. The suggestion was well received; The interesting wrenony concluded with a luncheon, at which fifty ladies and gentlemen were present, Triokett has teen beaten in a straightaway -race over the champion course, and having so "been beaten must acknowledge that he is no longer the premier sculler of Australia. Well, it is the fate of every good man to be defeated some day or other, and it was even thus that Trickett managed to lower the Colors of old Sadler, having Father Time very ' much in his favour. It wifi probably be some time ere Beach is beaten over the champion course unless it is by Hanlon ; but if he kept at it long enough it is only a question of time, and some one is sure to turn up who will prove himself a better man, Some men never know when they are beaten, and I fancy E. Triokett is one of them, for although thia victory is the third Beach has gained over him, Triokett, I am told, has expressed himself as willing to row Beach again over the (From Victorian Papera.)

same course; provided ha will lay him some odde, Wall. I may ba ihortsighed, but I can. not, forth* Ufa of ma, aaa why Triokett should hava a batter chanee o! winning a race, both •tarting together, because Beach lay* htm £9OO to 4100. Triokett firmly believes that had the race last Saturday been rowed in rough water he would—to use his own words—have shown Beach who he was, by which, I presume, he meant that he would have rowed olean away from Beach. Such being his belief, the fairest thing to do so as to keep things at spirit-level, and if odds are to be laid, would be for Beach to lay the odds provided the water was smooth, and for Triokett to lay the odds should the water be lumpy on the day appointed for the race. How would that suit. The new militia movement is progressing favorably in Ballarat, and a large number of young men have been enrolled. Scarlet fever has broken out in four or five families at Lamplough, near Avoca, and the State school has been closed by order of the Education Department. The Woolhope Club held a grand apple ahow at Hereford, when a remarkable display was made of 3000 dishes of apples and pears. The largest apples were Belie Dubois—supposed to be synonymous with Gloria Mundi, which has several other names in Victoria—weighing 20 os. Nonesuch was 2 or 3 or. leas. Of Pears, Pitmaston Duchess weighed 244 os. The fruit was remarkable for its brilliant color. Dr. Thornton. Bishop of Ballarat, has published a poem in 11 cantos, entitled Pikapika, the Polynesian for Pacific. The author states that the verses in question came together in his mind “ during the sleepless nights of an ocean transit.” This volume has been printed in Ballarat, and the profits of the work are to be devoted towards augmenting the dioceeian fund for aiding bush districts. It is stated that the dreaded phylloxera has made it appearance in a vineyard in the Marong district. A cutting of the root of the vine attacked containing the insect has been sent to the Department of Agriculture for inspection, and pending the result it would be as well not to speak further regarding the vineyard in question. It is stated on good authority that strong suspicion is current that some vine cuttings which were a season or two back imported into another part of this district are also affected with the phylloxera. The news has created considerable excitement among vignerons in the Bendigo district, and the opinions of experts are anxiously awaited. Satisfactory progress is being made with the preliminary surveys now carried out for diverting the Silvery Creek into the Wallaby dear-water channel. The Silvery Creek is a fine mountain-stream of nearly the same volume as the Wallaby. Levels are also being taken for a channel to divert the Watta Biver, and to incorporate this and adjacent streams with the Plenty Biver supply. The latter survey has been completed as far as the Kangaroo ground, and levels for the proposed channel from the Silvery Creek will be finished in about a fortnight's time. Before any decision is arrived at on the question of which scheme is to be carried out immediately to augment the Tan Yean scheme, the Melbourde Water Supply Board will visit the water-ahed and report to the Cabinet. The precise date upon which the Board is to make its inspection has not been definitely decided as yet, but the visit will probably take place some time in January next. Considerable commotion has been caused by the discussion which took place in the Sydney Legislative Assembly on Tuesday night upon the speech delivered by Mr. Service at the dinner given last Monday evening to the intercolonial delegates. Messrs. Buchanan and Cameron and the Speaker of the New South Wales Parliament made themselvae conspicuous by taking exception to some remarks made by Mr, Service which were construed into an intended insult to the sister colony. Mr. Service naturally feels very much annoyed by this unexpected attack, mon especially as he is conscious of being entirely innocent in the matter, nothing being more remote from his thoughts at the present moment than to create any ill-will between the colonies. With respect to the insinuated complaint of the Speaker of the New South Wales Parliament, that Mr, Service had betrayed a private conversation by publicly announcing that the Speaker had told him Mr. Stuart could carry anything through the New South Wales Legislature, a reference need only be made to the reports published in the Melbourne papers to show clearly that Mr. Service is not responsible for Mr. Barton ’b name being linked to the state* meat, which was given as coming from a •' prominent official.” The fortieth anniversary of the Anitina Street Baptist Church was celebrated by tea and public meetings on Tuesday. Upwards OMOOO persons sat down to tea, and at the subsequent meeting the church was crowded. The chair was taken by the Bev. 8. Chapman, who delivered an opening address. Speeches were also made by the Bev. D. J. Hamer on Present Opportunity; H. J. Lambert, on Practical Fidelity; and Dr. Porter on Failure, its Cause and Cure. The treasurer’s statement was read, and showed a very considerable diminution of the debt of £3,100 owed by the church. The new organ was also nearly completed, aod hopes were entertained that it would be in its place and paid for before another twelve months had elapsed. During the evening several anthems were rendered by the choir, Mr. Martin presiding at the organ. The foundation stone of St. Mary’s Boman Catholic Church, Star of the Sea, at H nt ham, was laid on Sunday afternoon by Archbishop Gool, in the presence of upwards of 2,000 persons. The Bev. Dr. Fitzpatrick, VicarGeneral, the Very Bev. Dean Donaghy, and the pastor of the district. Dean England, took part in the ceremony, the sermon for the occasion being preached by the Very Bev. Prior Butler. Haydn’s Imperial Mass, which was rendered by the choir in an effective manner, formed an adjunct worthy of the proceedings of the day. It is estimated that the total cost of the building will be £35,000, but only the foundation contract, which amounts to £2,500, has been undertaken up to the present time. Mr. Straker generously provided marquee, <frc., without charge. The collection reached the sum of £750. The call to the Bev. T. E. Ick from the Presbyterian body of Albert Park, was taken into consideration at the meeting of the Castlemaine Presbytery, which was held jar Chalmers Church on Tuesday. The Bev. M. Ballantyne, Melbourne Presbytery, and Messrs. Allen and Buckhurst, representatives

from Albert Park, arrived by the afternoon train. The call was supported by the Bev. M. Ballantyne, on account of the extended sphere of usefulness open to Mr. Ick, find that he was eminently qualified to fufil the position offered him. The representatives of the Chalmers Church pointed out that Mr. Ick had agreed to remain with them until the church was in a better financial condition. Mr. Ick spoke subsequently, and pointed out that an offer by Fitzroy to raise £l5O if Mr. Ick would come there was rejected by the congregation, and it had been plainly stated that the object of the Chalmers Church congregation was merely to retain his services; He had been advised, medically, however, to seek the sea air. Eventually the presbytery decided to sustain the call, and Mr. Ick accepting, will leave for Albert Park in a few weeks.