AUSTRALIAN TELEGRAMS

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1850, 5 September 1874, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN TELEGRAMS

Via Hokitika. <S> (Per Anglo-Australian Telegraph Press Agency.) Mblboune, August 19. The Treasurer has made his Financial Statement. He stated that he commenced the year with a balance of £170,358 from last year, and the estimate revenue was £4,259,135, which together, and with the recoup from advances, made the gross revenue £4,515,182, being nearly £200,000 more than was received in the previous year. The expenditure was £4,478,000, which was also in excess of last year. This would leave a sum of £37,102 to be carried forward next year. He proposed to change tho ad valorem duties on half a million's worth of goods to fixed duties, and to place some of 10 per cent, goods in the 20 per cent, list, and remit duties on a few articles. An additional duty would be placed on wine. The result of these alterations would occasion a loss to the revenue of £470,000, but £130,000 more was expected from wine. The statement has not given satisfaction, especially to the freetraders. The boot importers have already held a meeting, and protested against the fixed duties instead of ad valorem. The Payment of Members Bill has been read a first time in the Assembly. Several Council elections have been held, but only one alteration has been made, where a former member retired. A large number of petitions have been presented to the Assembly, from local bodies in favour of assisted immigration. Lady Bowen proceeds to Europo by the mail steamer next month.

The libel action, the proprietors of the* Theatre Royal v. the Herald, resulted in a verdict for plaintiffs, one farthing damages. A small sheep farmer named John Moriarty has been murdered near Schnapper Point. The murderer is yet undiscovered.

1 Tho Oalifornian mail steamer loft San Francisco on the 17th August. Mr Carter, Commissioner of Titles, resigns at the end of next mouth.

Seven men belonging to the brig 'Prairie' were drowned by a boat accident at Bowes' Island.

. London telegrams of August 27th report an advauce on scoured wool of l|d ; greasy unaltered. Cross breeds are higher, and lambs selling well. The buyers are principally English. 680 guineaß were paid for a single sheep yesterday. Shipping.—Melbourne: Arrived :23rd, Acacia, from Wangaroa; Gleaner, from Greymouth. Sydney: -Arrived : 27th, Cyphrenes, s a., from Auckland. Newcastle : Arrived: 23rd, P. O. E., from Lyttelton; 24th, Transport, from Auckland. Sailed: 25th, fiecord, for Wellington ; Isabella, for the Bluff; 26th, Medea, for Wellington; Woodville, for Dunedin; 28fch, Inverallan, for Lyttelton. Hobart Town :-Sailed: 27th, Planter, for Lyttelton. Vessols spoken-July 13, Cathcart, from London to Canterbury with immigrants. . June Ist, BrookvUe, from London to Canterbury. June 23rd,

St Leonards,' from London to Wellington. July 31st, Columbus, from London to Otago. Commercial.—The markets are very dull, and business has received a check pending the result of the budget. Sugars, especially yellows have sold at an advance. Elour and grain are very dull; milling oats are held for 5s 3d. Tobacco is in good demand. Sydney, August_ 19. The Governor leaves for the Fijis on September 7th. A fire in Boltou-street, Newcastle, des-

troycd the property and building of Woods Brothers' bonded stores, of tho value of £20,000; insured for £10,000 in the Victoria and Liverpool, London, and Globe. The Torres Strait steamer 'Jeddas' put into Aden with her fore compartment on fire, which was only extinguished by scuttling a portion of the vessel. An official account from the Palmer states that the goldfield is prosperous, but provisions are dear and scarce, and the blacks troublesome. Adelaide, August 19. The immigrant ship ' City of Adelaide' was stranded in 10 feet of water, two yards from the shore, at Manly Beach. The passengers were landed in safety. J. W. Barrow, the editor of the Advertiser, and late Treasurer of the colony, is dead.

The crops are reported to be looking well.