AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2471, 18 February 1881, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

SECOND EDITION

[By Telegraph.]

(Per Hero at Hokitika.)

Melrodrxh, Feb. 13

The Government will probably coniine the business of the approaching meeting of Parliament to the Reform Bill, which will he preceded with to the exclusion of all other measures. Ministers expect the session to last only live weeks, Berry desiring ample time to prepare the estimates. The Melbourne City Council on Wednesday resolved to borrow £25,000 in £IOO debentures at 44 per cent. The Mayor afterwards gave a luncheon, to which the Mayors of the provincial towns were invited.

Olivier and Sufatti have paid the Customs department a penalty of £IOO for goods sold at the Exhibition without previous payment of duty. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. The Government now pay the Orient Company one shilling per ounce for letters, one shilling per pound for parcels, and sixpence per pound for newspapers, conditional on the fortnightly service being maintained. J. B. Lawris, of Sandringham, near the place where Skuthorpe alleged he discovered Leichardt’s relics, discredits Skuthorpe’s statement. A company has been formed in London with a capital of a quarter of a million to work the mines in the north of Port Augusta, Perth. A terrible hurricane occurred at Ashburton River on January (! and 7. Three Europeans and several natives were drowned, twelve pearling vessels were shattered, and live thousand pounds worth of pearls lost. NEW SOUTH WALES. The budget speech was delivered on Wednesday. It showed an increase of revenue for the year of £430,000, leaving a surplus for the year of £49,000. The Treasurer’s credit balance is £379,000. The chief items of increase on the Estimates are £57,000 for education, £IOOO for the census, and £20,000 for the Post Office. The Treasurer said there was no need of now taxation. The railways last year paid 44 per cent., and the Gooernment hoped by timely reduction to secure the Riverina trade. There was no present intention to launch a loan, except perhaps half a million in the colony. The public debt of the colony had been reduced last year by £33,500, and next year they would pay oif £232,000 at live per cent, with a view to getting a lower rate.