AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2881, 20 June 1882, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[By Telegraph.] (For s.s. Rotorua at the Bluff.) - Melbourne, Juno 14. Very little business has been transacted in tho Assembly during the week. Tho debate on tho famous

“ Grattan Address ” was somewhat animated. Mr Francis’ amendment, disapproving of the expressions contained in the address, and accepting the five signatory members’ assurances of unswerving loyalty, was carried by 37 to 24, and a further amendment proposed by Mr Mirams, that the unity and integrity of the" Empire "should be maintained, was also added. The substance of the 'resolution was at once telegraphed Homo by the Governor. A meeting held at Emerald Hill strongly condemned the five members, and called for their expulsion. The "Grattan” r Committee possed absolution disclaiming any intention of uttering sentiments disloyal or even disrespectful to the Queen, and stated its whole aim was to assert the right of the Irish people to self-government.

The Chairman of the Tariff Commission has written to the Commissioner, of Customs recommending that foreign barley should be malted in bond, and a drawback allowed to malsters under somewhat similar conditions to those allowed the milling trade. A Board has been appointed to report upon the treatment of Miss Southern, the smallpox patient. The Board exonerated Mr Ford, Euginecr.of construction to'the-Victorian railways, from the charges brought against him. C. J. Lucas, injured in the, Windsor railway accident, has been awarded £525-damages. The Lusitania, leaving to-day, takes 4500 carcases of mutton and some beef.

The jewellery stolen from the Lonsdale street jewellery shop, was valued at nearly £2OOO, and was contained in a leather box on the table in a bedroom during Saturday night. The Governor visited the Japanese corvette Taukuba yesterday, and was received with honors, a salute of 17 guns being fired. The brig Albert the Good, from Eaipara, with a cargo of kauri, reports meeting very tempestuous weather. The wind raged with hurricane force on the 31st. The vessel was thrown on her beam ends, and lay with her starboard side under water for many hours. She was driven 180 miles out of her course, her bulwarks being partly carried away. Sydney. Frederick Cook, late manager of the Sydney and County Bank, has brought an action for five thousand pounds for wrongful dismissal. He accepted a nonsuit but a full Court will be moved for a new trial. The brig Syren, bound from Eaipara for Sydney, put into Brisbane. She encountered a terrible gale on June Ist, which washed overboard two seamen, besides carrying away lumber and everything else on deck,, and smashing the long boat. Another sea carried away W. G. Brown, the mate. The Sea Nymph, run down by the s.s. Arawata in harbor, -sank almost immediately. The night was dark, and it is said Captain Sinclair could not see the brig’s lights which were burning. The Sea Nymph was insured for .£I6OO. It is stated that the Rev Dr Barry, Canon of Worcester, is likely to be our new Bishop. Four notorious characters, including Will Wright, have taken to busbranging and the are in pursuit of them. Efforts are being made to form a third party in the Assembly independent of the nresent leaders, and it is likely to result successfully. The question of the raising of the Sydney See to an archbishopric is being considered. The City of Melbourne has arrived from Noumea. She brings intelligence that the Queensland schooner Magnet, of 91 tons, was wrecked off the island of Tanna, during a dead calm on May 17. Therb was a heavy swell on, and the schooner was lifted by the sea over a small reef and was then left hard and fast on another. No sooner had the vessel become fixed on the reef than she was boarded by a swarm of natives, who plundered her of every thing, even cutting the sails from the yards. In addition to the general cargo 60 muskets and 120Ibs gunpowder fell into their hands.*.They rapidly gathered on shore to the number of about 100, and the captain .and crew observed numerous guns and tomahawks brought huiriedly down to the men by women and children, who immediately ran back to cover. The crew took to the boats and barely escaped with their lives. They eventually reached Port Resolution, 20 miles away, where they were most hospitably received by the Rev. Mr Neilson. From there they reached Noumea on May 31 by the schooner Portrilla. Martini-Henry and other fijst class rifles are said to be by no means uncommon amongst the natives of Tanoa. On one occasion the master of the Portrilla, Whilst walking along the shore was fired at by the natives, a bullet going through his shirt sleeves. Adelaide. A correspondent of the “ Registrar” lias visited the Islands north of Palmerston, believed to be inhabited by a wild and savage race of natives, none of whom were seen, i Thousands, of buffaloes, from a herd left there' by an Imperial party, were seen. , An exploring party, with camels, is about to be despatched on an up-country trip to the Ormond and Musgrave ranges. (Per s.s. Zealandia at Auckland). Sydney, June 15. A meeting was held ht Newcastle yesterday between Greegon, Fletcher and “the miners’ delegates to endeavor to fix a basis for arbitration, but no result was arrived at. A boy named Starke, aged 8, has been eonvicted of a well devised theft and sentenced to 24 hours imprison ment. This was the boy’s third conviction for thef t. Melbourne. In the Assembly yesterday the “Budget” debate was resumed, when Mr Francis urged the Government to withdraw the nroposed remissions of taxation or wit-iold them till the new loan was floated. Sir Bryan O’Loghlen has not yet given any indication of his intentions,and the debate \p,s adjourned. The situation is considered somewhat serious, although Mr Francis said ho continued to place faith in the Government, A deputation from Shire Councils has j requested the Government to grant £60,C00 annually as compensation for the loss of tolls. The Minister for Works who received thorn did not give an encouragingfreply. A conference of Presbyterian miuisters held a private meeting on the 14th to consider the state of religion in the colony. Henry Bryant was charged with forging tiro name of the proprietor of the " Age ” at the PoP.ce Court yesterday. The case was adjourned. A document was found dn the pusouer purporting to bo an agreement - with Syme, the proprietor, fixing the remuneration for tho Russian scare information, at £IOO. Brisbane. A man entered the Joint Stock Bank at Maryborough yesterday, and fired at the accountant, who returned the shot. Neither was hurt, aud the mau was immediately arrested. He gave tho

name of Maurice O’Brien, and stated ho was an American. It is believed ho is insane. Adelaide. The officer in charge of tho drainage works in the south-east district has been arrested for embezzlement. The tender of Morgan and Co, for tho supply of flour to the French Government at New Caledonia has been accepted, Jos. Ph. Corless has been sentenced to six month’s imprisonment for forging Erug’s champagne labels.