AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2453, 28 January 1881, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[By Telegraph.]

[Per Wakatipu at Wellington.]

Wellington, Jan. 28.

The Wakatipu left Sydney at 6 p.m. on January 22. She had moderate wiads across and arrived this morning.

NEW SOUTH WALES. Sydney, Jan. 22.

Owing to the difficulty in procuring news re the Conference, the “ Herald” pu Wishes, a strong complaint this morein*;. It says that it seems curious the representative of the Melbourne press

should gain information of the proceedings of the Conference which is sternly denied to the Sydney press. At Temora a monster meeting of Watermen and miners was held yesterday about the water supply. Inflaraatory speeches were made, and threats to take the dam by force. It was ultimately agreed that if a high price was charged they would go and take the water. The meeting condemned the action of the warden in upholding a squatter and giving him a verdict against the watermen.

The Conference yesterday had under consideration a telegram placed before them, addressed to Lord Loftus by Sir A. Gordon, referring to the acting of the Conference in appointing a committee to enquire into his powers as High Commissioner, and stating that application should first have been made to him. The Conference resolved to send a reply that they are very ready to receive any information Sir' A. Gordon is prepared to furnish. VICTORIA. A hush fire between Windermere and Smythesdale destroyed £IO,OOO worth of property. Four Collingwood larrikins have been sentenced to 3 months’ imprisonment for assaulting Chinamen. Edward Barnes, employed in the Parliamentary library has been sentenced to three months’ for indecency. Detective Pard denies that Hart, who was arrested at Echuca is the brother of Steve Hart. QUEENSLAND. The case of criminal libel Skuthorpe v Editor of the “ Western Champion ” was concluded on Thursday. The editor was committed for trial at the April sessions at Rockhampton. He deposed that Skuthorpe stated publicly he had found a telescope, diary, and compass belonging to Leichardt near Salt Creek under a coolibah tree. The Herbert River relics he said were twenty inches under the ground. He also got Classan’s diary from information received from the blacks.