AUSTRALIAN NEWS. (Per S.S. Ringarooma.)

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 39, 1 March 1884, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS. (Per S.S. Ringarooma.)

i The New South Wales Property Tax Abandoned. 3 Sydney, February 21. The Treasurer made an important state- j ) ment in the Assembly last night. He said ' that in deference to the wishes of the L Hoube, but against his own inclination, he proposed to withdraw the vhole of the • taxation proposals, and instead to effect a retrenchment in the expenditure to the extent of three-quarters of a million. The immigration vote would be reduced onehalf—to 1,75,000 ; from the Wolverine vote L 4,000 would be taken, the vessel to be laid up in ordinary, and probably eventually sold, and a considerable amount from public works and charitable institutions, as well as L 40,000 lrom Public Instruction. At the same time, by a revision of the Customs tariff, an addition of L 170,000 might be expected. The statement shows an estimated surplus at the end of the year of L 188,025. The Government have adopted this course owing to a desire to get the Land Bill passed into law, and that the legislation in that Bill already commenced should not be lost. The Government were twitted with cowardice in abandoning their position. Eventually a resolution imposing the new duties was agreed to. — A Validating Bill having passed, Mr Reed's seat has been declared vacant. — The polling day is fixed for February 29.

Death of Raper, the Footballor. Mr E. Ilaper, 8.A., died on February 9th at Windsor, typhoid fever being the malignant malady which carried him away at the early age of 26 years, after an illness of about 12 days. The deceased was widely respected for his courteous and gentlemanly demeanour, and as Captain of the Sydney University Football Club he did not a little to attain for that organisation the special position it occupies among the Rugby clubs of New South Wales. He captained the New South Wales Football Team on its New Zealand tour fifteen months ago, and was subsequently one of the Sydney representatives in the Queensland tour. The deceased gentleman had j marked out the law as a profe^s-ion. The funeral was very largely attended- The coffin was borne to the grave by members of the University Football Club

Brisbane. The Elections Committee have decided to unseat Mr Perky ns for Aubigmy. — On the Chinese Bill a long discussion arose on an amendment restricting the number of Chinese arriving to one for every 250 tons of a vessel's tonnage. — It is probable that the session will close in a fortnight.

Melbourne. The health of the Marchioness of Nor manby has now improved. No serious apprehensions are felt as to her recovery. — keplies have been received from various colonies favourable to the proposals of the Victorian Institute of Surveyors for the federation of the profession. — The Intercolonial Exhibition of wine, fruit, and grain promises to be a great success. Sir George Whitmore, M.L.C., while travelling by the overland express to Melbourne, has been robbed of a bag which he left in the carriage at Wangaratta, and which contained £52.