Australian Telegrams.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2525, 8 February 1877, Page 2

Australian Telegrams.

PEE S.S. UUTfATA.

(Per Pbess Agency.)

Melbourne, January 31.

The'Cable Conference is now sitting in Sydney, and seems to be thoroughly impressed, with one thing, .and that is, that in any duplicate line that may hereafter be decided upon, the land line, through Java is to be avoided. Sufficient information has been placed before them to show that all the bungling and mutilation in the messages have been caused during their transmission over the Dutch lines. Nothing has yet been definitely decided upon; but it ifr more than probable that the conference will agree to duplicate the cable between Singapore, Banjo waD gie, and perhaps also,'as a better means of security, to duplicate the cable between Port Darwin and the latter place. This would entail a very heavy expenditure and a proportionately heavy subsidy. The election fever is daily getting stronger. Candidates are beginning to announce themselves, and also to hold meetings. The various political associations are astir, and there is every, prospect of a very vigorous ,'campaign within the next month. ; Parliament stands prorogued to the 6th of March, and it is likely to be dissolved about the end of that month.

The new Electoral Bill has considerably altered the boundaries of several of the electoral districts, and many of the old members are leaving their old loves in order to woo the sweet voices of new constituencies. As yet none of the promi-: nent members on either side have made any sign. Mr Berry has been ruralising, and it is said maturing a policy, in company with his most trusted henchmen; but the principal policy of the Opposition will be war to the knife against McCulloch. ■ '': ■■*' '■ ■■■■"-. . -"-V '

The Minister of Justice, upon being banqueted the other night by his late constituents,' promised at' the proper ,time, the Government would introduce a liberal policy, in accordance with tho matured public opinion. y The public-house question is just now the prominent topic of the day. : Every Sunday the public-houses in the city and suburbs are religiously closed. The poor man is robbed of his beer for this" one day.; The publicans are not so much actuated by a due respect for the day as to place the drinking public at an inconvenience in depriving them of their Sunday refreshment. . rAgainst this every Monday morning the blank drunkard's list at the Police Court .tells its tale in, favor.of the Sunday closing, and once the novelty, is worn off the public would become quite used to Sabbath abstemiousness. Many of the publicans already show signs of giving in, and before long it is not unlikely that the old state of things will I be restored.

A case, of attempted murder and suicide, similar to that which recently occurred at Emerald Hill,' has been enacted in Collingwood.;. A married woman named Hicker cut the throat of her husband while he slept, and then cut her own. Neither are very seriously injured, and they are likely to recover. There is a prospect of the Torres Straits, mail steamer ceasing to run. The contract, which is only £20,000 a year, does not pay them. They hare Lad several heavy losses, and hitherto they have been performing- the service with new boats. Now the time has arrived when they require repairs, -which will involve a heavy expenditure.