AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2156, 16 February 1880, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[Per Tc Auau at the Bluff J. BLUFF, Pun. IG. The Union Company’s new steamer Te Anau, Captain Carey, arrived here this morning, at 5 a.m. She left Melbourne at 3 p.m. on Feb. 8 ; cleared the heads at 4 p.m., and arrived at Hobarttown at 10.15 a.m. She experienced thick foggy weather the whole distance, which necessitated slowing the engines on several occasions. The Te Anau behaved admirably, proving herself a splendid sea boat. She sails at 5 p.m. for Punedin. Passengers from Glasgow for tbe Bluff : Misses Hastie (3), For Dunedin : Miss Lowrie, Mr and Mrs Walsh and family (2), Airs Batchelor, Blackwood, Messrs Campbell, McYicar, Sinclair, McNair, Mrs Hatchett, Mr and Airs Hyper and family (3), Air Edwards. For Wellington ; Mr Fitzherbert. For Auckland : Messrs Smith, Wright, Mr and Mrs Milne, Misses Emma, Harriot, Agues, and Jessie Milne,and 23 through steerage passengers for the North. Intercolonial passengers- Saloon for Bluff ; Mr, Mrs, and Miss Kitchen, Air and Mrs Walde. Air, Airs, and the Alisses Waddel (2). and Messrs Hall. Gelibrand. For Dunedin : Misses Manning, Godrich, Clarke, Campbell, Gordon, and Mardsley. Mrs White, Messrs Sun, Ullrich, G. Blythe, and McPherson, Mr anil Mrs Clark and family (2), Messrs T. and J. Henderson, Grad well, Captain Hodge, Joust, Thallor, Maekay, Miss l!ae. For Wellington' : Messrs' Ferguson, Northey, Barnard, McMullen, Mrs Fraser, Captain Homan Moore. Fur Nelson : .Miss McMullen For Napier ; Mrs Gel!. For Auckland: Mr Mahoney, Mr Goddard. For Sydney : Messrs Fisher, Dalziel, Davidson, MeGargon, Duvedson. For Taranaki; Mr and Mrs Roberts, and 50 steerage for North. VICTORIA. Parliament was prorogued by the Governor on Feb. 5. Only twenty Acts were passed. Few were of any importance, excepting taxation measures. Sir (1 avail Dully was complimented by both sides of the Assembly on retiring from tbe Speakership. He proceeds home immediately to publish a work on the Irish agitation of 1847-8. The Assembly voted U2SU for a bust of Sir George Bowen. Parliament was dissolved on Feb. 'J by proclamation. The general election takes place on Saturday, Feb. 28, notwithstanding the strenuous objection of the Jews that it will disfranchise them. The Government printer was examined at the bar of tbe Legislative Council in reference to appointments made in bis department by the Premier without consulting him. It is reported that the Government have since dismissed 20 supernumerary compositors, it is supposed, as a punishment for the agitation. The Te Anau made the passage from Greenock in 50 days, with only 47. V days steaming. She is a line vessel, and almost a duplicate of the Rotnmahaua. Weiborg, the Avoea gold robber, sent the Manager of the P. and 0. Company information purporting to reveal where the balance of the 5000 sovereigns was concealed, but detectives searched the spot without .success. NEW SOUTH WALES. T 1 ie Assembly, by a narrow majority, refused to establish free state education. Sir J. I’arkes contends that the stoppage of immigration is unjustifiable while the colony is prosperous. He intends arranging for the establishment of the plumy postage system throughout the colony. Triekctt, the father of the champion sculler, has been committed for trial on a capital charge of criminal assault on a girl. The banks have reduced the rate of interest on deposits. The Betting Houses Suppression Bill has passed its second reading in the Assembly by a large majority. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. A sixpenny ocean postage rate is to be

maintained per Orient ■ Company via Plymouth. Newspapers will be free. It is expected this will interfere seriously with the business of the P. and 0. Company. (lonova papers last year predicted the appearance of a comet between Jan. 27 and Feb. 10. QUEENSLAND. The Government being unable to arrange for the continuance of the present Torres Straits mail service, has requested the Premier to call tenders in England for a direct service from England to Brisbane, via Torres Straits, combining the conveyance of mails with immigrants. The rush at Woolgar, on the Hodgkinson, is over-done. All the payable ground discovered has been taken up. TASMANIA, A distinct shock of earthquake was felt on Feb. 3. The vibrations lasted several seconds, and created great alarm. 'Phis is the first shock felt in Tasmania.