AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3157, 1 April 1879, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(Pee Pbess Agency.)

Latest per s.s. Australia.

Stdnett, March 27.

The total cost of the extension of the railway into the city of Sydney is estimated at £1,373,765, including £957,765 compensation. In Queensland Sub-Inspectors Gough and Kay are supposed to have perished in the bush from thirst. Griffiths has been chosen leader of the Opposition. Joseph Laport, charged at Warnambool with murder, has been remanded. Edwards, the pedestrian, walked fiftyone miles in ten hours, Adelaide. The Gowlor strike ended by the men accepting the employers' terms. Favence (?) and party, the Queensland explorers, have discovered an easy route for a railway. A fire at Queenscliff destroyed a building insured in the South British and the New Zealand Companies. Yeomans, secretary to the Victorian Reform League, has resigned. Newcastle. Arrived: The Island City, fromLyttelton. Sailed: Silverbud, for Napier. At Newcastle the Government steamer Ajax ran into the iron ship Dwarf Bay, cutting a deep rent in the side of the latter below the water line. The ship has been removed to the flats. The Ajax was uninjured. At Melbourne the steamer Macedon collided with the steamer Dawn. The Dawn sank, but is expected to be raised. She was insured for forty thousand pounds. ..' ' '.'.,

(PEE B.S. AEAW AT A AT THE BLUFF.)

Melbourne, March 26.

Some little scandal has been occasioned by the Government obtaining telegrams in reference to the Embassy and other matters interesting to the colony, and giving them solely to the Age. That journal, it is alleged, and it is not denied, has used the telegrams supplied to them by the Government as coming from their own London agent. The Governor appears to be making himself very popular. To-day he pays his first visit to Sandhurst. Lady Normanby has not yet sufficiently recovered to receive visitors.

The want of rain is severely felt all over the colony, and probably many settlers will have soon to leave the houses to search for water. The rain totals for the year are far below the average of former years. The weather has again been quite as hot as in the middle of summer.

Wm. Dutton, 8.A., Trinity College, Melbourne, has gained the classical scholarship of the Melbourne University. The Princess Theatre has been purchased by a company for £10,000, in 200 shares of £50 each. It is said half the required capital has been privately sub* scribed.

Young trout hare been seen in the Yarra. :

The thousand salmon ora for Sir Samuel Wilson, which arrived per Durham, will be placed in the Ballarat waters.

At an inquest on Scott, found murdered at Murphy's Flat, near Dunolly, an open verdict was returned. There is no trace of the murderer. The sum of £24 was found under the floor of deceased's hut. ;

William Ccoke, champion billiardist, arrived to-day, accompanied by Stanley. ■

(Pee s.s. WAKiTipr/.)

Meleoubnb, March 26.

Nothing could, hare been much duller than Melbourne during the last week or two. Mr Service recently remarked that in olden times the liberties of the people had to be defended against the monarch, but they might hereafter hare to be defended' against, people bearing- other names. It mattered not whether the man who took our liberties from ua was called a Czar or Chief Secretary. Mr Francis, at the Newham banquet, made a moderate and sensible speech. In referring, to the present condition of the colony, he said this colony, and indeed all the Australian. Colonies, had so much inherited strength that they could endure a great deal of bad government. The fact that a considerable portion of the colonists b'eliered that the existing depression was not entirely the; result of the action of the Government need not occasion unmitigated sorrow. Patience would yet bring about a better state of things. We had been singularly troubled by affliction other than political. There was a deficiency of money in all the colonies. He ar*o referred to the falling off in wool a^B losses by drought. Dampier has returned to the oolony by the Durham.

Rcse Hersee and other n»w members of Lyster's opera company, made their debut on Monday. The prima donna and baritone were a decided success.

Yesterday alieraoon the steamer Mace* don ran into and sunk the steamer Dawn, in the Ya/v, as the latter was steering off from the bank. The Dawn was insured for £1,400.