AUSTRALIAN.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 85, 17 January 1885, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN.

Melbourne, January B.— The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company held their usual weekly wool sale to-day, when a fairly representative catalogue of 1.700 bales was submitted. There was a large attendance of buyers, and brisk competition was experienced, especially for good qualities. Prices were generally well maintained. The principal feature of the sale was Gibson and Son's clip from Scone, Tasmania, prices for which ranged to Is 4d, while the whole clip, including locks and pieces, averaged 12s 4d, the highest price yet obtained in Melbourne this season, and fully a penny higher than any other clip sold in grease. Some of these parcels sold at satisfactory prices, fine greasy crossbred and scoured merinos are still in good demand, the latter realising Is Bd. Washed fleece was dull, and no high prices were realised to-day. Melbourne, Jan. 9.— The yield of gold for this colony during the past year is estimated at 950,0000z5., an increase of 191,5000z5. as compared with the previous ibwelve m.onths

Melbourne, January 14. — One case of small-pox has occurred at Hotbam. Afi the meeting of the Victorian Cricket Association last night, the explanation of the Australian team regarding their refusal to play Shaw's eleven was read and considered not satisfactory. Resolutions wero adopted, on the motion of Judge Williams, instructing the committee appointed to select Association teams to exclude Boyle, Blackhum, Bonnor, McDonnell, Palmer, and Scott from any matches which might take place under the auspices of the Association. At crowded meetings which have been held at Geelong, Sandhurst, and other towns in this colony, resolutions have been passed similar to thoso adopted at the meetings held in the Town Hall in this city and at Ballarat, urging the annexation by Great Britain of the Western Pacific Islands, and advocating the removal of Lord Dorby from office.

Sydney, January 14. In the course of his speech last night, the Hon. W. B. Dalloy, Attornoy-Genoral, defended the position of the Government in relation to the New Guinea annexation, and said it was difficult to determine whether the impudence or tho absurdity of tho request that the Imperial Government should protest against German annexation was the greater. The yield of gold for the past year was incorrectly stated in tho report sont. The total yield was 774,000 ounces, the increase for the year being 44,500.

I Melbourne, January 9.— Mr Service, Promier, proposes that a conferonco of the Premiers of the various Australasian colonies should be held here in a fortnight's time to consider the present aspect of the annexation question. A public meeting was held last night at ! the Town Hall on the Pacific annexation question. It was attended by fully four thousand persons. A meeting was also held last ovening at Ballarat to consider the question, and resolutions similar in purport to those adopted at tho Town Hall meeting were passed. About four thousand porsons were present.

Melbourne, January 10. The projected annexation of Samoa by the New Zealand t>ovornment oxoites deep interest here. Private telegrams have been received here stating that tho German Consul at Samoa has con eluded a treaty with tho king, in terms of which seats in the Council are allotted to German subjects, greatly increased influence.

Melbourne, Jan. 13. - Admiral Tryon, who has been appointed to the command of the Australian station, is a passenger by the a.s. Indus, which arrived at Albany yesterday.

Sydnky, Jan. 12. — Four more cases of small- pox have been reported fo the Health Board -three from Balmain and one from Waterloo. Steady rain has been falling for several hours over a large part of the colony.

Sydney, Jan. IH. — Bishop Sehvyn, of Melanesia, who is about to visit Europe, has l'eturned here from Brisbane. The cricket match between Shaw's English Eleven and a Now South Wales team at Woollongong concluded on Saturday, and resulted in a victory for the Englishmen.