AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2308, 10 August 1880, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

SECOND EDITION

[Bv Telegraph.]

(Per Hotorua at Bluff.)

VICTORIA

Mklrourne, August 2

The absorbing topic of conversation in political circles has been the new Ministry, which Mr Berry endeavored to form. After several futile attempts to form a coalition Ministry, Mr Berry undertook the task himself, declining to give Sir John O’Shanassy a co-equal position in the Cabinet. Parliament opened on the 2Sth. The speech alluded to the deficit of last 3'ear, aud the prospective deficit for the present y r ear, for which the Assembly would doubtless provide. The reform question having been repeatedly referred to the country, hopes were entertained of a satisfactory measure being agreed upon for the final disposal of the matter. In Council the address in reply was moved b} r Mr Mcßaiu, seconded by Mr Lorimer, aud agreed to without debate. In the Assembly the Iveply was moved by Mr Ziucke, and seconded by Mr Officer. Mr Berry moved an amendment. The Assembl}' on Friday passed a resolution that the Ministry do not possess the confidence of Parliament, and the Governor he informed to that effect. The Governor, in reply to the Address said he regretted the reference made to the motion passed last Friday, as no point of constitutional or parliamentary law was more universally accepted by all authorities than that Parliament was not in a position to consider the question until it was formally opened by the Crown and the reason for its assembling declared. The Speaker called attention to this remark, and said it required special consideration by the Assembly. On Frida}', after Mr Service had anuouuced his resignation, a supply vote of £718,000 passed unopposed, and the House adjourned till Tuesda}'. Chief; Justice Iliginbotham ordered Tythcrlcigh’s fitly pounds election deposit 11101163' to be paid to the Bank of Victoria, wfio attached it. The case was opposed by Mr White who lent Tytherleigh the money for his election. Edward Kelly was conveyed by special train to Beech worth on Monday. The Grown Law Officers decided that the preliminary examination'must take place where the crimes were committed. The intention to take Kell}' to Beechworth was kept quite a secret, and caused no excitement whatever in Melbourne. Ned, however, endeavored to attract attention at the railway station, but failed, 110 one recognising him. lie conversed freely with the officers cn route , and when Sergeant Steele said his gang were not such good shots as they thought themselves, he (Ned) wanted to fight him. About a hundred persons waited for the train at Beechworth, but no disturbance occurred.

The German steamer Enropa arrived on Monday with eighteen hundred eases of Exhibition goods. Another call of LI per share will shortly bo made on the Provincial and Suburban Bank shareholders. Willis, the late manager, is declared a bankrupt, with liabilities of L2G,000, and assets £B7. NEW SOUTH WALES. The buildings of Johnson’s warehouse and a largo quantity of wool, have beeu destroyed by fire. They are only partly insured. The A.S.N. Company have declared a dividend of 8 per cent. In the case of Dr O’Connor against the “.Evening News,” for reflections cast on his professional capacity, a verdict for the plaintiff for £SOO damages was returned.

The proprietors of the Victoria Theatre have resolved to sell the site in lots instead of rebuilding the theatre. Reports from Tcmora state the rush

has been overdone, and diggers are warned against coming. Sir Henry Parkes was entertained at a banquet on Saturday. He explained hi> coalition with Sir James Robertson and claimed the Government bad got through a large amount of useful legislation. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. A crowded meeting passed a resolution in favor of extending the hours of opening puhlichouses on Sunday. Barrington, the defendant in the libel case of Ward against Barrington, was presented on the 27th inst. with £llO, to defray his expenses. A large meeting on the 27th passed an anti-Chinese resolution.

The Special Committee on Boothby’s case reported that they considered the Under- Secretary and the Auditor-Gene-ral acted most unwarrantably and in an improper manner, in passing for payment £ISOO, about which an enquiry was being held. They considered such conduct likely to shake the confidence of the public in the Civil Service. It is stated, however, that the Government intend standing by the Under-Secretary and Auditor-General. A Sugar Plantation Company has been started with a capital of £IO,OOO. The Government grant the Company a liberal concession of land. QUEENSLAND. On the motion of Mr Mclllwraith, the Mail Contract Bill passed through Committee by 25 to 14. He stated his intention to move an important amendment later on. The Freezing and Food Export Company has been formed with a capital cf £60,000, of which £40,000 has been subscribed. The Government offer a bonus of five thousand pounds for the production of the first live hundred tons of iron. [Per Te Anau at Bussell.] [By Telegraph.] NEW SOUTH WALES. Sydney, August 4. In the action Spccchlcy and wife v. Commissioner of Railways, for damages received by the collision at Paramatta, on Boxing day, the jury assessed £IOO to Specchley and £IOOO to Mrs Specchlcy. The libel action, Lottie Wilmott v publishers of the “ Town and Countr}' Journal,” was hoard in the Supreme Court. The libel was to the effect that Wilmott and Chiuiquy shared the spoils of their .lectures. A verdict was given for plain till for £l5O. QUEENSLAND. In the Assembly yesterday the Speaker called attention-to a breach of privilege contained in a letter signed by John Douglas. The Premier moved that Douglas was guilty of contempt, and Douglas replied that lie was prepared to take the consequences and withdraw. After a debate in which it was urged that the House had no power to commit the motion was carried by 19 to 13. The Speaker threatened to take action, and in the afternoon called on Donglasto apologise. Douglas replied that he regretted if ho had broken the law, but submitted that he'acted within his rights and asked the House to visit the offence with such punishment as the law dictated. The speaker ruled that Douglas had declined to apologise and the Premier moved that he ho committed for contempt. Mr Griffiths urged that the House had no power to commit for such an offence as the. charge against Douglas. The Attorney-General concurred, and advised the Premier to withdraw his motion, which was done. The Premier, however, intimated that ho would take steps to have the law amended so as to give the House power to commit in such cases. VICTORIA. At a meeting of the Constitutional Association held to-day, Mr Service presiding, a resolution -was adopted that no action be taken towards opposing the Ministerial elections. It is rumored that Mr Cuthbcrt will probably be appointed PostmasterGeneral to represent the Government in the Upper House. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. The Government intend taking action to force a decision of the question of disputed boundary between Victoria and South Australia, either by selling dutiable articles on the disputed strip of country or granting a lease thereof.