AUSTRALIA.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2618, 11 August 1881, Page 3

AUSTRALIA.

[Reuter’s Aogncv.l Svdnev, August 10. A long and animated discus-ion took place in the Legislative Assembly last night on the subject of a statement which had been published to the eIL-ct that the trustees of the Melbourne Creek Copper Company, to whom Parliament last year voted a sum of £17,000, have not accounted for the expenditure of £4OOO, and hinting that certain Members of Parliament who interviewed the Governmenfin favor of the grant, and certain public officials have been involved in the outlay of the £4OOO. In the course of the discussion, Mr E. A. Baker, present Secretary of Alines, who was one of the trustees of the Company, was severely attacked by several of the speakers for his action in connection with the f’rant; ultimately the matter was referred to a Royal Commission for enquiry. The Detached Squadron,accompanied by HALS. Wolverine, the flagship of the Australian station, left Port Jackson this afternoon. Several thousand spectators assembled in the neighborhood of Farm Cove to view the departure of the Royal Princes, and greeted them with enthusiastic cheers. The sight was a most interesting one. The destination of the Squadron has been altered, Admiral Clanwilliam having received instructions to make Brisbane his next port of call instead of proceeding to the Fiji Islands direct from Sydney.

Melbourne, Aug. 10. His Excellency the Marquis of Herman by has gone on a visit to Sydney, Sailed, this afternoon—Union Company’s steamship Albion for the Bluff.