AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2358, 7 October 1880, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(Per Rotorua at Russell.) [By Telegraph.] NEW SOUTH WALES. Sydney, Oct. 2. A Conference of Electors’ Delegates sitting at Sydney, has unanimously passed a resolution in favor of the cession of their interests on the unpaid balances on conditional purchases. The rush to the Bermegan beach, near Dega, continues. There are nearly 400 there. £IOO was paid for one-eighth share in a claim near the prospectors. The country inland looks favorable and provisions are cheap and plentiful. During a terrible gale, the Susannah Godeifroy, 1137 tons register, with a cargo of 1070 tons of coal for Yokohama, drove ashore while endeavoring to return to the harbor and was totally 7 wrecked. The captain, mate, and five others of the crew were drowned. The vessel was leaking badly when she put to sea. The non-starting of the Newcastle life-boat excited strong comment. VICTORIA. Seventy-one officers in the Lands Department have received notice of dismissal. They receive one month’s full pay and superannuation allowance. The Minister of railways stated to a deputation that the railway revenue annually falls £150,000 short of the interest on capital invested. The assembly assented to the council’s request for a conference relative to the payment of members bill, whereat it was arranged to send the bill in two portions, one relating to payment of member of the assembly, and the other to payment of councillors. In the council the former was immediately passed, but the latter will probably be rejected. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. The Assembly has voted £3OOO for obtaining from England the nucleus of a permanent artillery force. The Government resident telegraphs the arrival in the Northern territory of sixty-six Europeans, who are utterly inexperienced in digging, and therefore useless, and likely to become a burden. Later he telegraphs that a steamer has arrived with five hundred Chinese, and that three more are laid on at Hong Kong. He says that no more Europeans ought to come whilst there is such an influx of Chinese as the competition is hopeless. The Europeans who have just arrived seem afraid to go up country, and ask for a return of their passages. QUEENSLAND. Lukin, the editor of the “ Courier,”

having served the - proprietors of the Catholic paper, “ The Australian,” with a writ for £3OOO for slander, the latter published a complete apology, and acknowledged that their statement had no foundation.